ENGLISH 244
Native American Literature
Dr. Rachela Permenter
Fall 2000, Slippery Rock University
Relevant Websites
Critical Papers
Ceremony
Study Questions Midterm
Texts:
Native American Literature: An Anthology. Lawana Trout, ed. NTC,
1999.
Native American Testimony: A Chronicle of Indian-White Relations
from Prophecy to Present1492-2000. Peter Nabokov, ed. Penguin, 1999.
Love Medicine, Louise Erdrich
Reservation Blues, Sherman Alexie
Ceremony, Leslie Marmon Silko
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR CLASS ON THE DAYS
THEY ARE LISTED BELOW.
THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE MAY BE MODIFIED AS THE COURSE PROCEEDS:
Aug. 28 Introduction to course.
Aug. 30 Foreword, Introduction, "Premonitions and Prophecies,"
"Face to Face," Testimony,xvii-25, 29-31
Sept. 1 NAL: "Images and Identities," 1-3; "The Truth
Is," Linda Hogan, 23-24; "Seeing,Knowing, Remembering," Linda Hogan, 747-50;
"Five Rounds," Lorenzo Baca, 330-31; "ElllisIsland," Joseph Bruchac, 408;
"Love Song," Donna Whitewing, 516; "Buffalo Poem #1," GearyHobson, 311
Sept. 4 Labor Day. No Class.
Sept. 6 NAL: "I Remember," James Welch, 759-61; "The
Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight inHeaven," Sherman Alexie, 463-66; "I Still
Trust the Land," Leslie Marmon Silko, 291-95
Sept. 8 View the film Black Robe (Algonquin is a language
group which includes Iroquois FiveNations and Hurons)
Sept. 11 Discussion of Black Robe; "Exchange Between
Worlds," "Bearers of the Cross,"Testimony, 32-36, 38-42, 45-46,
49-58, 64-67; NAL: "Time," Joseph Bruchac, 312-13
Sept. 13 Discussion of Black Robe
Sept. 15 Discussion of Black Robe; "Living Beside Each
Other," Testimony 68-82, 87-89; "TheSpirit World," NAL 75-78
You'll probably want to start reading Ceremony this weekend
if you haven't alreadybegun.
Sept. 18 (Southern Plains: Navajo, Pueblo, Hopi, Apache, Ute, Paiute,
Arapaho, Kiowa)
"The Creation," "White Bead Woman," "Twin Brothers," NAL 103-115,
see photo NAL 401; N.Scott Momaday, "Carriers of the Dream
Wheel," Intro to The Way to Rainy Mtn., NAL 79,367-73
Sept. 20 "In and Out of the Mainstream," Testimony 332-47;
Leslie Marmon Silko, Ceremony,1-63; Silko, "Love Poem," NAL 583-84
(*Required Reader Response this week -- Mon. & Wed.readings.
Due today.)
Sept. 22 No Regular Class. Instead conference with professor
regarding your research.
Sept. 25 Ceremony 64-113; "Prayer from the Night Chant,
NAL 122-23
Sept. 27 Ceremony,114-201
Sept. 29 Ceremony, 201-262
Oct. 2 View Smoke Signals (Northwestern: Spokane,
Coeur D'Alene, Nez Perce, Yakima)
Oct. 4 Discussion of Smoke Signals; Sherman Alexie,
"13/16," "The Game," NAL 20-22, 672
Oct. 6 Discussion of Smoke Signals; Vine Deloria, Jr.
"Indian Humor," NAL 654-62; "Origin ofEternal Death" (Wishram),
NAL 146-49; (*Required Reader Response this week. Due today.)
Oct. 9 Philip J. Deloria, "I am Not a Mascot," NAL 45-48;
"Thorns in the Side," Leslie Logan,Testimony 448-49; James Welch,
"Plea to Those Who Matter," NAL 52-54; Phil George, "MyIndian Name,"
NAL 54-59
Oct. 11 "The Long Resistance," Testimony 90-91, 95-98,
101-16
Oct. 13 "The Treaty Trail," Testimony 117-23, 129-40,
see photos 235, 343
Oct. 16 Midterm Examination (Take-home section due, including
Critical Paper, and in-class quiz)
Oct. 18 "Exiles in Their Own Land," Testimony 145-51,
157-61, 164-69
Oct. 20 Conferences. No regular class.
Oct 23 Conferences. No regular class.
"The Nation's Hoop," Testimony 170-84, 196-202; "To Learn Another
Way," Testimony 213-27,see photos 214, 223; "The Flood," Testimony
232-43, 253-61
Oct. 25 Zitkala-Sa (Yankton Sioux), "The School Days
of an Indian Girl," NAL 611-23, seephotos, Testimony 301,
275; Sherman Alexie, "Indian Education," NAL 626-29 (*RequiredReader
Response this week. Due today.)
Oct. 27 Discussions continued from Wed.; Catch-up on Student
Presentations; Midterm extracredit opportunity
You may want to start reading Love Medicine this weekend
if you haven't already begun.
Oct. 30 Joy Harjo (Creek), "Metamorphosis," "The Woman Hanging,"
"Skeleton of Winter"NAL 679-87, 717; plus some music
Nov. 1 (Ojibwa/Chippewa and Iroquois Confederation). Peter Blue
Cloud, "Hawk Nailed to aBarn Door," NAL 308-310; "The Creation,"
"Origin," "Council," NAL 81-101; "Naanabozho andthe Gambler," NAL
161-65
Nov. 3 Louise Erdrich (Ojibwa/Chippewa) "Dear John Wayne,"
NAL 42-44; DonnaWhitewing, "Songs of Divorce," NAL 518; Love
Medicine 1-84
Nov. 6 Love Medicine 85-180
Nov. 8 Love Medicine 181-258
Nov. 10 Love Medicine 259-367
Nov. 13 (Northern Plains: Lakota, Dakota, Oglala Sioux, Shoshone,
Cheyenne) "The DeadDid Not Return," Testimony 253-55; "December
29, 1890," N. Scott Momaday, NAL 264; "Birthof AIM," Testimony
372-80
Nov. 15 View Incident at Oglala in class
Nov. 17 View Thunderheart
Nov. 20 Discussion of Thunderheart; Sherman Alexie,
Reservation Blues 1-52
Nov. 22 *Required Reader Response (Nov. 13th readings, films,
& Res. Blues 1-52) due today.
Thanksgiving Break: Wed., Nov. 22, 5 p.m. -- Mon., Nov. 27, 8 a.m.
Nov. 27 Reservation Blues 53-92
Nov. 29 Reservation Blues 93-170
Dec. 1 Reservation Blues 171-244
Dec. 4 "Resistance at Oka," Peter Blue Cloud, Testimony 433-37;
film clips from Resistance atKenesatake
Dec. 6 Conferences: No Regular Class
Dec. 8 "Confronting Columbus Again," N. Scott Momaday, Testimony
437-40
Final Exams: Dec. 11 - Dec. 15
DUE at our scheduled exam time: Take-Home Final Exam with Critical
Paper #2 included
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Class attendance.
2. Research: (A) 7-minute individual presentation with
printed bibliography, (B) 20-minutegroup presentation with individual
printed bibliographies, or (C) 3 - 5 pp. research paper (UseMLA
format with parenthetical documentation and a Works Cited page and at least
four sources. A short handout for MLA style is available from instructor).
3. Ten reader responses (comments written after reading each
work: free-writing, freeassociation, gut reaction, or unabashed opinion
about the material read as well as some criticalanalysis).
For ten weeks of class, turn in reader responses on Fridays unless otherwise
specified (Requiredweeks are noted on syllabus (Sept. 20, Oct. 6,
Oct. 25, Nov. 22). You will meet this requirementif you (1) reach the required
length of approximately 300 words, (2) demonstrate involvementwith the
material and some critical analysis with direct reference to the text (this
differentiates areader response from a personal diary), and (3) include
comments on all the reading assigned forthe week. Don't worry about
consistency or organization.
Responses will be kept on file in the professor's office, so make
certain you have copies of yourown. You are responsible for office
hour visits or appointments to discuss these responses and toreceive constructive
feedback (they will not be graded -- see "Basis for Grades" below).
4. Two 4-page critical papers (organized material from your reader
responses). Using strongtextual evidence and thoughtful analysis, present
a critical opinion of one of the novels or a groupof poems or tales from
the syllabus for each critical paper. Now you should worry a lot aboutbeing
consistent and organized.
Must be typed or wp printed and in proper MLA format, using quotations
from the text. Nooutside research. This is just you and the work, with
help from class discussions and theintroductory sections of the texts.
Grades will be based on extent of critical and original thinking,close
reference to the text(s), clarity of expression (organization around a
thesis and correctnessof grammar, usage, spelling, etc.), and use of proper
format.
5. Midterm Quiz (mostly take-home) and Final Examination
(take-home).
BASIS FOR GRADES:
Research -- 100 pts.
Reader Responses (based on the number of responses that meet
above-stated requirements; nocredit for those that do not) -- 10 Responses
= 100 pts.; 9 Responses = 90 pts.; 8 Responses =80 pts.; etc.
Critical Papers (2) -- 100 pts. each
Midterm Quiz -- 100 pts.
Final Exam -- 100 pts.
Total Possible: 600 pts.
COURSE GUIDELINES
HELP You are encouraged to discuss material and/or seek one-to-one
drafting and rewritingassistance from the instructor during office hours
or by appointment and from the tutors in thewriting center (301).
FORMAT All papers must be in MLA format and wp/computer printed
(no title pages, stapled inupper left, proper heading in upper left, 1"
margins, etc.).
LATE WORK For each weekday an assignment is late, your grade
for that assignment will fallby 5%, approximately one-half letter.
REVISION Your first critical paper may be re-submitted after
revisions for additional pointswithin a week of its return to you.
ABSENCE Absence and tardiness are strongly discouraged. For each
unexcused absence abovetwo (one week of class), 20 points will be deducted
from your final grade. Absences beyond threewill be excused only if documentation
from a dean or medical doctor is provided.
PIRACY Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you submit any work
which is not the product ofyour own study and efforts, you will receive
a grade of F for that work and probably for thecourse. Extreme violations
will be reported to the appropriate university authorities.
Comments to Dr.
Rachela Permenter
Last updated Aug. 24, 2000