LITR 4632: Literature of the Future  Summer 2003, UHCL

Instructor: Craig White M,T, & Th 9am-noon, Bayou 1408

Office: 2529-8 Bayou      Phone: 281 283 3380 E-mail: whitec@cl.uh.edu

Office Hours: Mondays & Thursdays, 12-1, 6-6:30, and by appointment

Course webpage: http://coursesite.cl.uh.edu/HSH/Whitec/LITR/4632/default.html

Caveat: Data and contracts in this syllabus may change with minimal notice given in fair hearings at class meetings.

Course Texts

The Book of Revelation (1^st century AD)

H. G. Wells, The Time Machine (1895)

William Gibson, Burning Chrome (1986)

Octavia Butler, The Parable of the Sower (1993)

Future Primitive: The New Ecotopias, ed. K. S. Robinson (1994)

Virtually Now: Stories of Science, Technology and the Future

ed. Jeanne Schinto (1996)

Primary Objectives—Narratives & Visions of the Future

1.     To identify, describe, and criticize the narratives or stories humans tell about the future:

a.      Apocalyptic

b.     Evolutionary

c.      Alternative

2.     To identify, describe, and criticize several typical visions or scenarios of the future (as seen from 2003).

a.      high tech; virtual reality—slick, clean, cool, unreal, powerful?

b.     low tech; actual reality—rough, messy, hot, real, powerless?

c.       utopia / dystopia / ecotopia—perfectly planned worlds / gone wrong / + ecology

d.     off-planet and / or alien contact—exploring and being explored

(Primary Objectives are the concepts around which the course and its exams are organized. You are expected to be able to identify each of these terms or topics in and of themselves, in relation to each other, and in relation to course texts.

(Secondary Objectives are themes that recur throughout the semester’s discussions, lectures, and readings. You are expected to be able to refer to and illustrate these themes in relation to the primary objectives and the course texts.)

Secondary Objectives—themes & styles

3. Is the future "written" (i. e., "fixed," and usually apocalyptic) or "being written" ("open-ended," and usually evolutionary)?

4. To identify and criticize "the romance narrative" (hero’s quest) as a model for the past, present, and future and to search for alternative narratives that are less escapist and antisocial.

5. To interpret literature of the future as reflections of the present in which it is written.

6. To note literary strategies and problems such as how to make the future both familiar and exotic. (These poles of value or attraction may also be characterized as comforting or challenging; friendly or unfriendly; warm or cold.)

·        How does one end a story about the future?

7. To identify and criticize specific genres of future literature, including prophecy, science fiction (hard & soft, slick and dumb), cyberpunk sf, and utopias, dystopias, and ecotopias.

8. To distinguish distinct temporal dimensions of the future

·        Near future; short-term; day-after-tomorrow (often dramatic or apocalyptic change, such as alien contact)

·        Deep future, long-term (usually evolutionary change involving natural or artificial adaptations to new or changing environments)

·        Various depths of future between, beyond, parallel, or skew

Graded Work (briefly listed here; details below)

·        Reading quizzes (app. 10%, or more if results are far below average.)

·        In-class or email midterm exam (16 June; 30- 40%)

·        In-class Presentation on “Vision of the Future” in a literary text, film / video, or piece of music. (app. 10%, graded silently)

·        Final exam (30 June, in-class or email; 40-50%).    

·        Class participation (no definite percentage; quantity and quality of participation may help decide borderline grades for better or worse)

·        Attendance: You are allowed one free cut without comment or penalty. Two or more absences or partial absences, even with good excuses, will cause final grade to fall, sometimes disastrously.

*Percentages above indicate only the assignments' approximate relative weight; grades are not computed mathematically.  Only letter grades are given; pluses and minuses may appear on component and final grades.

COURSE POLICIES

Attendance policy: You are expected to attend every scheduled class meeting. You may take one free cut. More than one absence jeopardizes your status in the course. If you miss more than one class (especially early in the session), you are encouraged to drop.

Partial absences also count negatively.

Even with medical or other emergency excuses, an excessive number of absences (full or partial) results in a lower or failing grade.

            More than one absence affects final grades.  You are always welcome to discuss your standing in the course.

            Attendance is primarily taken by means of daily quizzes. If you miss the quiz, be sure instructor is aware of your attendance.

Academic Honesty Policy: Please refer to the catalog for the Academic Honesty Policy (2002-2003 Catalog, pp. 76-78).  Plagiarism—that is, using research without citations or copying someone else’s work as your own—will result in a grade penalty or failure of the course. Refer to the UHCL catalogue for further details regarding expectations and potential penalties.

Disabilities: If you have a disability and need a special accommodation, consult first with the Health Center and then discuss the accommodation with me.

Incompletes: A grade of "I" is given only in cases of documented emergency late in the semester.  An Incomplete Grade Contract must be completed.

Make-up exam policy: Ask way in advance for times before the regular exam.  Professor has the right to refuse accommodations requested on short notice.

Late submissions: Any student who submits late materials is subject to lower grades, either in individual grades or course grades.

Email and webpage contributions

Every student is expected to contribute and refer to the course webpage in specific ways.

Address: http://coursesite.cl.uh.edu/HSH/Whitec/LITR/4632/default.html

Student contributions to webpage:

Required: Class presentation summary

Optional: Excerpts from midterm or final

Process: Student emails materials to instructor, who uploads to webpage

Required student references to webpage:

Midterm: At least one reference to previous midterm excerpts

Final: At least one reference to previous final exam excerpts

Methods for transmitting your passages electronically:

·        All materials for the course webpage should be sent directly to the instructor at whitec@cl.uh.edu. Try both of the following::

·        Attach appropriate word processing file(s) to an email for whitec@cl.uh.edu. (The only word processing program my computer appears unable to translate is Microsoft Works, though Microsoft Word is fine, as are most others. If in doubt, save your word processing file in a “text only” or “read” format and then attach it.)

·        Copy the contents of your word processing file, then paste them into an email message to me at whitec@cl.uh.edu

·        If you have trouble reaching my by email, save your word processing file to a 3 & ½ “ floppy disk and hand it to me.  If you put your name on the disk, I’ll eventually return it to you.

I may perform light editing to improve readability, but most student samples are posted as received. You may send a revised copy for later posting.

Student computer access: Every enrolled student at UHCL is assigned an email account on the university server. To receive your account name and password, go to any computer lab at UHCL to inquire.

Reassurances: You are not graded on your expertise in electronic media but on your intelligence in reading, discussing, and writing about literature. I’ve tried similar email exercises for several semesters; a few students encounter a few problems, but if we don’t give up, these problems work out. Your course grade will not suffer for mistakes with email and related issues as long as I see you making a fair effort.

Assignments

Reading Quizzes: Most class meetings will feature a short, objective reading quiz based on the day’s assigned readings.

·         These quizzes are given one time only and cannot be made up. If you come in after the quiz has been given, or if you miss a class, please do not ask if you can take the quiz. I strongly appreciate your not asking me, and I very much dislike being asked. You risk losing more by asking than you do by missing the quiz.

·         Even if you do not know the answers, turn in a quiz with your name on it, as the quizzes are used for taking attendance.

·         Answer questions as accurately but briefly as possible, as they are graded very quickly. A few words or phrases usually suffice. Complete sentences are not required.

·         Grades range from “checks” for correct answers to “X’s” for no right answers to combinations of these grades with pluses or minuses for combinations of right and wrong answers. Occasionally one or two students in the class receive a “check-plus” for answers that are not only accurate but unusually entertaining, insightful, or otherwise impressive.

·         You are expected to make checks or check-minuses on all but one or two of your quizzes. Failure to take or turn in quizzes, or overall quiz grades noticeably lower than the class average, can result in a much lower overall course grade, beyond the declared weight of the quizzes.

Midterm Exam

Date: Monday, 16 June

Relative weight: 30% of final grade

Course content: readings and themes up to midterm, especially objective 1 on narratives of the future

Format: In-class or email; open-book and open-notebook

Materials: Write in blue or black ink in a bluebook or on handy paper; or email instructor a copy of your exam.

Time: The exam should take at least two hours to complete, but you may use the entire class period (2 hours and 59 minutes) as you like. In-class students will be given the exam at 9am and must turn it in by 11:59. All students will be emailed the exam at approximately 8:50am, at which time the exam will also be posted on the course webpage. Email students must mail in the exam by 2pm. The time is more flexible to account for possible interruptions. However, email students should spend no more than 2 hours and 59 minutes in writing the exam, and they should keep a log indicating when they start and stop. (Pauses or interruptions are okay.)

Length: Given different people's writing styles, length is hard to estimate, but generally the best exams have more writing, while the less impressive exams look scanty.

Organization: “Essay question(s).” You will write an essay in response to a question concerning Objective 1 on "narratives of the future." You are expected to refer to your readings, relate them to the main themes of the course, and offer original interpretations or extensions of class themes as appropriate.

Texts relevant to the midterm identifications and to the essay are as follows: Genesis and Revelation; Parable of the Sower; The Time Machine; "Stone Lives"; "Bears Discover Fire"; "Somebody up there Likes Me"; "The Garden of Forking Paths"; "The Gernsback Continuum"; "Mozart in Mirrorshades"; "Better Be Ready 'bout Half Past Eight"; "Men on the Moon."

You are required also to refer to at least one student presentation and one excerpt from previous midterms on the webpage. You are also welcome to refer briefly to any outside readings on the subjects.

Email midterm contributions: Selections from midterms will be uploaded to the course webpage as examples of outstanding work for present and future students. If you take the midterm by email, the instructor will simply copy selections from your file. If you take the midterm in-class, the process is as follows:

·        the instructor may highlight selections in your midterm;

·        if so, you will type up and email the selections to the instructor at whitec@cl.uh.edu;

·        the instructor will upload the selections to the webpage.

Only positive examples will be posted. Failure to provide requested passages will result in a lowering of the final grade.

Student Presentation

Each student will offer one presentation of a text, a video, or some music that provides a “vision of the future.”

Relative weight: 10% of final grade

Length: 8-12 minutes (not counting discussion). Twelve minutes is the absolute maximum, so be careful not to try to say too much or show or read too long an excerpt.

Subject matter: A “vision of the future” in one or more texts, films, or tunes. 

Date of presentation: On the first class day, you may indicate preferred dates for your presentation on an ID card you will submit to the instructor.  After the first class, the instructor will draft a presentation schedule and email it to the class for review. (If you need to make changes, reply quickly.) At the second class meeting, a printed schedule of presentations will be distributed.  Students wanting to change the date of their presentation are encouraged to work out an exchange with other students before asking the instructor.  Students who miss the first class and the sign-up opportunity will be assigned a presentation date as opportunity permits.

Pre-presentation requirements: At least two hours before your presentation class meeting, send an email (whitec@cl.uh.edu) or leave a voicemail (281 283 3380) informing the instructor of your subject and of any audio-visual needs you may have, such as a VCR or a cassette or CD player.

End Presentation & begin discussion with a question. The purpose of your presentation is not only to share your vision, research, and insights but also to stimulate a discussion, which the presenter leads. The best way to begin a discussion is by asking a question.

·        Sometimes the students will just sit there, so you might have an extra question ready. Sometimes they’ll want to discuss something besides what you asked, which is okay. Sometimes you have to keep asking and trying different angles until you get a response. Sometimes you simply have to wait a little.

·        If you don’t ask a question to conclude your discussion, I will ask you a question, to wit: "Why didn’t you ask a question?"

·        Your question should not be something feeble and formulaic like, "What do you think?" or "Do you see what I’m trying to say?" Your question should be based on your presentation, identifying a problem or highlighting a sensitive issue your presentation raises and how that issue may be addressed. Identify a problem and ask for help!

·        Student comments should be directed to the presenter, not the instructor, though some variance is natural.

·         

Web summaries of student presentations: Each student is responsible for sending the instructor a summary of the presentation and discussion within a week of the presentation for posting to the course webpage.

Examples of presentation topics & web summaries.

·        In past semesters students have fulfilled this assignment by sharing either a “print” or an “electronic” text with the class.

·        “Print” texts have included a page or two of a science fiction novel, passages from speeches or prophecies concerning the future, or brief lyric poems that involve visions of the future.

·        “Electronic” texts have included playing a video scene from a movie like The Matrix, Blade Runner or Fahrenheit 451 or a cassette or CD of a popular or classical song about the future, such as the Sex Pistols’ dystopian “God Save the Queen” (“No Future for You”) or Beethoven’s utopian “Song of Joy” (“Brothers!”).

·        Examples of presentation handouts from 1999 and 2001 are available under the "Model Assignments" tab of the course webpage.

Presentation Summary requirements:

·        Student’s name + course (LITR 4632 2003) and date in upper left corner.

·        Title of presentation centered.

·        Title, author or director, and date of text(s) presented

·        “Vision” of the future as it relates to one of the primary objectives; i. e., identify any relevant narratives or scenarios from objectives 1 & 2.

·        Synopsis of the material you’re presenting. If a video, review the action depicted in the scene. If a print text or poem, either copy out the relevant sections or refer to the pages. This synopsis may appear either in paragraph or bullet form.  Only remember that your handout should make sense to a reader who is not present at your presentation.

·        If you do a literary presentation such as a poem or excerpts from a novel or a play, provide “read-along” materials by means of a handout.  In any case, begin by setting up themes of your presentation, then lead the class through some readings from your text handout, followed by commentary.

·        Further thematic highlights or commentary by presenter

·        Question(s) for class discussion

·        Summary of discussion (notes provided by reporter)

Recorder: The recorder is responsible for making notes of the class discussion for use in the web summary. Where possible, class participants should be identified by name. Discussion records do not need to be comprehensive and verbatim—highlights are acceptable. Tape recording is permissible.

“Silent” Grade for Presentation.  Presentations are graded “silently,” meaning that the instructor does not announce a grade for the presentation until the “Final Grade Report” (see below) at the end of the session. The reason for “silent grading” is to preclude counter-productive behavior, such as students competing inappropriately in a community experience, commenting inappropriately about grades that are given, or performing to the teacher. However, the instructor will be glad to discuss the student’s overall presentation in general terms of its strengths and areas for improvement.

Final Exam (30 June 2003).

Time and place: As with the midterm, you may take the exam either in-class or by email. If you take the exam in-class, the time is the usual class period, from 9am till noon. If you take the exam via email, you will receive an email of the exam shortly before 9am, at which time the exam will also be posted to the webpage. Email students can take the exam for 3 hours between 9am and 2pm.

Organization and contents: One or two essay questions. In all likelihood you will be asked a question centering on Primary Objective 2 (concerning scenarios of the future), though other objectives may also be featured, and you may have some choice in the topic of your essays.

Texts:

·        All texts during the summer session are fair game, but emphasis will be on texts since the midterm. You won't have to refer to them all, and you should have some choice as to which texts you will discuss in answering essay questions.

·        You must refer to at least one student presentation.

·        You must refer to at least one excerpt from previous courses’ exams on the webpage.

·        You are welcome to refer briefly to texts beyond our course readings.

Weight for final grade: 40-50% of final grade

Format: open-book and open-notebook

Final Grade Report

I will turn in final grades to the registrar according to the usual procedures. Students may check their final grades by calling the university’s EASE line. However, I will email each student a tally of their grades. Though this message should be accurate, it will be “unofficial” in that none of its information aside from the final grade will be recorded or supported by the university registrar. The message will appear thus:

LITR 4632: Literature of the Future

STUDENT NAME

Contact information (email, US Mail, phones, etc.)

Absences:

Quiz grades:

Midterm grade:

Presentation grade:

Final exam grade:

Course grade:

Reading & Presentation Schedule--LITR 4632, Summer 2003

Initial guide to course anthologies:

BC = Burning Chrome

FP = Future Primitive: The New Ecotopias ed. K. S. Robinson, (1994)

VN = Virtually Now: Stories of Science, Technology and the Future

Tuesday, 27 May: course introduction; narrative: apocalypse. Begin Genesis and Revelation (handouts)

Thursday, 29 May: narrative: apocalypse conclude Genesis and Revelation

Presentations:

Monday, 2 June: narrative: apocalypse begin Parable of the Sower

Presentations:

Tuesday, 3 June: narrative: apocalypse continue Parable of the Sower

Presentations:

Thursday, 5 June: narrative: apocalypse conclude Parable of the Sower; narrative: evolution "Stone Lives" (handout) and "Bears Discover Fire" (FP 17-28)

Presentations:

Monday, 9 June: narrative: evolution "Somebody up there Likes Me" (VN 208-237); begin The Time Machine ("Life of H. G. Wells," v-viii; "Introduction," ix-xvi; pp. 1-64 (through ch. 5).

Presentations:

Tuesday, 10 June: narrative: evolution conclude The Time Machine (65-120; ch. 6 through epilogue; "Afterword," 121-125; narrative: alternative futures Bruce Sterling & Lewis Shiner, "Mozart in Mirrorshades" (handout)

Presentations:

Thursday, 11 June: narrative: alternative futures "Garden of Forking Paths" (handout); "The Gernsback Continuum" (BC 23-35); "Better Be Ready 'bout Half Past Eight" (VN 22-47);

Presentations:

Monday, 16 June: midterm exam on apocalyptic, evolutionary, and alternative narratives of the future

Tuesday, 17 June: scenario: high tech; virtual reality (style: cyberpunk, anti-romance): "Johnny Mnemonic," (BC 1-22);  "Burning Chrome," (BC 168-191); "The Logical Legend of Heliopause and Cyberfiddle" (VN 159-180).

Presentations:

Thursday, 19 June: low tech (traces of organic human nature and traditional culture in high tech world; style: romance): "The Onion and I," (VN 8-21)."Drapes and Folds," (VN 126-139)."Speech Sounds"(VN 91-108).

Presentations:

Monday, 23 June: scenario: utopia / dystopia / ecotopia: K. S. Robinson, “Introduction” to Future Primitive. "Chocco," (FP 189-214); "House of Bones," (FP 85-110) "from Shikasta" (VN 194-207).

Presentations:

Tuesday, 24 June: scenario: off-planet; alien contact & near-contact: Ursula K. Le Guin, "Newton's Sleep" (FP, 311-338); "Men on the Moon" (VN 238-247); "Hinterlands" (BC 58-79).

Presentations:

Thursday, 26 June: scenario: alien contact & near-contact: "Homelanding," (VN 3-7)."They're Made out of Meat," (VN 69-72)."The Poplar Street Study" (VN 140-148); "The Belonging Kind" (BC 43-57); "Hinterlands" (BC 58-79).

Presentations:

Monday, 30 June: final exam (in-class or email)