Reflection: “Speculative Indigenous Fiction” syllabus
I began working on my “Speculative Indigenous Fiction” syllabus out of a desire to educate myself further on dystopian, apocalyptic, and futuristic elements of Indigenous literature. As a student, kernels of these trends had populated my two graduate courses in more general studies of Aboriginal literature and culture, and in light of my other focused work on environmental crisis in North American dystopian fiction, I thought it best to expand my knowledge base. Moreover, while I had personally seen some of these trends in my reading, I had not yet come across full examinations in pedagogical arenas. My previously botched attempt at a “Dystopia in North American Indigenous Literature” course had only really been half-formed, and I felt compelled to learn more—then share what I had learned.
With the transition from the “Dystopia” course to a more general “Speculative” literature course, the breadth of the material was quite improved, and ideas such as “dystopia” became more manageable, and more meaningful. The latter course was able to more clearly articulate key elements of Indigenous literature that were not specifically iterations of the everyday, or of the Western settler-invader worldview. Alterity and the supernatural were thus no longer lumped into a very superficial “dystopian” category, and thus gained their own value—especially in terms of student learning. Moreover, I was lucky to be able to consult the Edmonton-based Dogrib (Tłı̨chǫ) writer Richard Van Camp about his thoughts on the speculative in Indigenous literature (as I was going to use some of his work), and wanted to confer with someone who was writing in this area: Richard very kindly made many suggestions, and even gifted and lent me some materials that I was able to use for my course; later, during the semester, he also came and gave a rousing talk about speculative fiction and storytelling, which provided the students with a very useful point of reference for the work that they were reading. Consulting with other professionals through this research process proved very illuminating and advantageous, in fact; after having ordered scholar Grace L. Dillon’s anthology Walking the Clouds, I was privileged to confer with her about other texts that she might know of, but had not included in the anthology. As with Richard’s assistance, her insight helped round out the course—and naturally her anthology was invaluable.
My sense of the course itself is that it was fairly well-received by the students, who showed an interest, for the most part, in the subject matter, and in our different approaches to the material. One reflective criticism that I do have is that it became perhaps too easy to continuously make points about Aboriginal cultural experiences (as seen through the literature) post-Contact, and that it was perhaps more local students from Alberta who found this repetition somewhat redundant, as they expressed that they had encountered much of it in secondary school. It became apparent that some students were not keen, in the end, on an entire course in Indigenous literature, even though there was a progression from area to area of subtopics through the semester. The speculative nature, of course, was new to most, if not all, of the students, and worked quite well. It was with this in mind that I have always kept some speculative Indigenous literature “favorites” in subsequent courses, but have also so far steered away from a complete course reprisal.
ENGL 122 B03: Texts and Contexts
“Speculative Indigenous Fiction”
Winter 2014
M W F 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Instructor: Conrad Scott
Course outline and objectives
This course introduces students to post-secondary studies in English by focusing on the specific literary theme of Speculative Indigenous Fiction in a select group of related texts from short fiction, poetry, drama, and novels to film. The course will enable students to explore this particular subject in depth as well as a broad range of materials and to develop a rich sense of contexts or intellectual landscapes that give shape to both literature and culture and our study of it. Please note, materials, themes, topics, and genres vary among instructors even though approaches to texts and the skills necessary to read them maintain some form of consistency. A minimum of 30% of class time will be devoted to writing instruction. This instruction can take many forms, including graded written assignments, informal writing exercises, writing workshops, free-writing exercises, stylistic analysis, peer editing, multiple drafts, and ungraded writing. Students will be required to write two essays, which will be marked and formally graded. During the course students will write at least 3000 words.
Required Texts
DiChario, Nick. Valley of Day-Glo.
Dillon, Grace. Walking the Clouds: An Anthology of Indigenous Science Fiction.
Taylor, Drew Hayden. alterNatives.
English 122 B03 Coursepack.
Assignments
Essay 1 (1250 words)
The first major assignment of the semester, Essay 1 will be a short essay demonstrating a student’s ability thus far to analyze a given piece of literature in terms of a relevant cultural and/or historical context. A draft of this essay will be handed in for a writing workshop prior to the due date of the essay itself. Students are to submit the draft along with the final copy of the essay.
Essay 2 (1500 words)
Besides the final exam, Essay 2 is the most important assignment of the semester, and thus reflects the student’s improvement over the period of the course. Students are expected to have applied learning from comments on their marked Essay 1, in-class Inkshed assignments, and Quizzes towards their development of Essay 2. A draft of this essay will also be workshopped and submitted along with the final copy of the essay.
Inksheds
The in-class Inkshed assignments will give students an opportunity to freewrite about a given piece of literature, thus helping to develop their analytic and writing skills in an environment where the focus is less on formal writing rules and more on the development of a short argument.
Reading Quizzes
To help evaluate students’ developing analytic skills, as well as prepare students for the final exam, 6 short reading quizzes will be given in class. A student’s overall quiz grade will be determined through an average of the best 5 quizzes out of 6.
Distribution of Grades
Essay 1 (1250 words) 15%
Essay 2 (1500 words) 20%
Inkshed assignments 5%
Reading Quizzes 15%
Essay Drafts 5% (2.5 % each)
Attendance/Participation 10% (Being present and prepared for class by reading and thinking about texts; discussing texts; listening respectfully to others and responding)
Final Exam 30%
Course work counts as 70% of your final grade. Your final exam will cover the entire course and counts as 30%.
Class Schedule of Readings and Assignments
(please note that the schedule may be subject to minor change as the class requires)
Week 1
Mon. Jan. 6 Introduction
Richard Van Camp’s “Lizard People” (Coursepack)
Wed. Jan. 8 Grace Dillon’s “Imagining Indigenous Futurisms,” Introduction, Walking the Clouds (1-12)
Fri. Jan. 10 Sherman Alexie’s “The Sin Eaters” (Coursepack)
Week 2
Mon. Jan. 13 “The Sin Eaters” continued
excerpt from Gerald Vizenor’s Darkness in St. Louis: Bearheart, in Walking the Clouds (116-20)
Wed. Jan. 15 Writing Workshop: Essays, MLA
Quiz 1, in-class
Fri. Jan. 17: The Monstrous and Indigenous Culture
Louise Erdrich’s “Windigo” (Coursepack)
excerpt from Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach (Coursepack)
excerpts from E. Richard Atleo’s Tsawalk: A Nuu-chah-nulth Worldview (Coursepack):
“Aint-tin-mit and Aulth-ma-quus (Son of Mucus and Pitch Woman)”
excerpt from “Aulth-ma-quus and the Nature of Evil”
Week 3: The Monstrous and Indigenous Culture (continued)
Mon. Jan. 20 Paul Seesequais’s “The Republic of Tricksterism” (Coursepack)
Wed. Jan. 22 Jacques L. Condor’s (Maka Tai Meh) “Those Beneath the Bog” (Coursepack)
Fri. Jan. 24 Writing Workshop. Draft of Essay 1 due in class.
Week 4: The Monstrous and Indigenous Culture (continued)
Mon. Jan. 27 The Dead Can’t Dance screening in class (part I)
A printed copy of Essay 1 is due at the beginning of class. Please include your Draft.
Wed. Jan. 29 The Dead Can’t Dance screening in class (part II)
Fri. Jan. 31 Richard Van Camp’s “On the Wings of this Prayer” (Coursepack)
Quiz 2, in-class
Week 5: The Monstrous and Indigenous Culture (continued)
Mon. Feb. 3 “On the Wings of this Prayer” continued
Richard Van Camp’s “The Fleshing” (Coursepack)
Supplementary: Richard Van Camp’s “Mermaids” (Coursepack)
Wed. Feb. 5 Guest Speaker: Richard Van Camp
Fri. Feb. 7 post- Guest Speaker discussion
Quiz 3, in class
Week 6
Mon. Feb. 10 William Sanders, “When This World is All on Fire,” Walking the Clouds (149-70)
Wed. Feb. 12 Sherman Alexie’s “Distances,” Walking the Clouds (143-48)
Fri. Feb. 14 excerpt from Sherman Alexie’s Flight, in Walking the Clouds (52-60)
Week 7
Mon. Feb. 17 (no class)
Wed. Feb. 19 (no class)
Fri. Feb. 21 (no class)
Week 8
Mon. Feb. 24 Nick DiChario’s Valley of Day-Glo
Wed. Feb. 26 Nick DiChario’s Valley of Day-Glo
Fri. Feb. 28 Nick DiChario’s Valley of Day-Glo
Quiz 4, in class
Week 9
Mon. Mar. 3 Drew Hayden Taylor’s alterNatives
Wed. Mar. 5 alterNatives continued
Fri. Mar. 7 Writing Workshop. Draft of Essay 2 due in class.
Week 10: Alternate Realities
Mon. Mar. 10 Gerald Vizenor’s “Custer on the Slipstream,” Walking the Clouds (15-25)
excerpt from Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water (Coursepack)
A printed copy of Essay 2 is due at the beginning of class. Please include your Draft.
Wed. Mar. 12 excerpt from Stephen Graham Jones’s The Bird is Gone: A Monograph Manifesto, in Walking the Clouds (232-37)
Quiz 5, in class
Fri. Mar. 14 Eden Robinson’s “Terminal Avenue,” Walking the Clouds (205-14)
Week 11: Space: The Final Frontier
Mon. Mar. 17 The 6th World screening in class
excerpt from Robert Sullivan’s Star Waka, in Walking the Clouds (238-41)
Wed. Mar. 19 excerpt from Gerry Williams’ The Black Ship, in Walking the Clouds (77-84)
Fri. Mar. 21 excerpt from Celu Amberstone’s Refugees, in Walking the Clouds (63-76)
Week 12: Time: Past, Present, and Future
Mon. Mar. 24 Simon Ortiz’s “Men on the Moon,” in Walking the Clouds (85-95)
Wed. Mar. 26 excerpt from Stephen Graham Jones’s The Fast Red Road, in Walking the Clouds (34-51)
Quiz 6, in class
Fri. Mar. 28 Misha Nogha’s “Chippoke Na Gomi” (Coursepack)
Week 13: Time: Past, Present, and Future (continued)
Mon. Mar. 31 excerpt from Misha Nogha’s Red Spider, White Web, in Walking the Clouds (184- 201)
Wed. Apr. 2 Diane Glancy’s “Aunt Parnetta’s Electric Blisters,” Walking the Clouds (26-33)
Fri. Apr. 4 TBA: Possible in-class screening of Jeff Barnaby’s File Under Miscellaneous.
Week 14
Mon. Apr. 7 Exam Review
Wed. Apr. 9 Exam Review
Wed. Apr. 23 FINAL EXAM 9am-11am Location: ED 106
ESSAY 1
Department of English, University of Alberta
English 122 B03
Instructor: Conrad Scott
Essay 1 due Jan. 27, 2014
A draft of Essay 1 is due in class on Jan. 24, 2014.
Please hand the edited copy of your draft in with the final copy of your essay on Jan. 27.
Develop an essay of approximately 1250 words on one of the following topics. Develop your own thesis. The essay should be in MLA format:
a) Discuss how community encounters and negotiates with the monstrous “Other” through analysis of three of the following texts: Richard Van Camp’s “Lizard People” (coursepack), Louise Erdrich’s “Windigo” (coursepack), the excerpt from Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach (coursepack), and Jacques L. Condor’s “Those Beneath the Bog” (coursepack). You may also make reference to the excerpts from E. Richard Atleo’s Tsawalk (coursepack), if you wish, but the primary focus of your essay should engage with your three chosen texts.
b) In an analysis of Sherman Alexie’s “The Sin Eaters” (coursepack) and Paul Seesequais’s “The Republic of Tricksterism” (coursepack), discuss “reservation” community and external influence.
c) Discuss the “trickster” figure through analysis of Richard Van Camp’s “Lizard People” (coursepack), the excerpt from Gerald Vizenor’s Darkness in St. Louis (coursepack), and Paul Seesequais’s “The Republic of Tricksterism” (coursepack).
With your chosen topic in mind, focus your essay on making a specific argument that incorporates analysis of the texts. Develop a clear thesis and support it with cited evidence as your argue your points. You do not have much room to make your argument and support it, so write clearly and concisely. Grades will be awarded for content as well as attention to grammar, language, syntax, etc.
You are not required to cite or consult secondary sources; this is not a research essay and your argument should be developed and made on your own. Please see me ahead of time if you feel the need to support your argument with outside sources; in either case you must adhere to MLA guidelines. This essay assignment must be your original work: see the guidelines on Plagiarism for further information.
ESSAY 2
Department of English, University of Alberta
English 122 B03
Instructor: Conrad Scott
Essay 2 due Mar. 10, 2014
A draft of Essay 2 is due in class on Mar. 7, 2014.
Please hand the edited copy of your draft in with the final copy of your essay on Mar. 10.
Develop an essay of approximately 1500 words on one of the following topics. Develop your own thesis. The essay should be in MLA format:
a) Looking at Nick DiChario’s novel Valley of Day-Glo and Drew Hayden Taylor’s play alterNatives, develop a clear, focused argument that you address with attention to the secondary source of Grace Dillon’s “Imagining Indigenous Futurisms” Introduction to Walking the Clouds.
b) Looking at the works by Richard Van Camp on the syllabus, choose at least two and develop a clear, focused argument that you address with attention to the secondary source of Grace Dillon’s “Imagining Indigenous Futurisms” Introduction to Walking the Clouds. You may also use your notes on Van Camp’s class visit, if you wish. NOTE: If you wrote about “Lizard People” in Essay 1, you may not write about “Lizard People” in Essay 2.
c) OPTIONAL (if you received an A-range grade for Essay 1): you may, if you choose, take your Essay 1 and improve it by a) addressing the concerns I brought to your attention, b) researching at least 3 critical sources from academic journals, and employing them in your new paper, and c) expanding your first paper to 2000 words. You will want to engage with your chosen critics in such a way that you are not only employing their ideas as evidence or employing the texts to contradict them, but also adding further thought to the ongoing critical conversation about the texts and topics in question. Make sure to also rewrite your Works Cited accordingly, and hand in your Essay 1 with your final copy and draft of Essay 2.
______________________________________________________________________________
FOR EVERYONE:
With your chosen topic in mind, focus your essay on making a specific argument that incorporates analysis of the texts. Develop a clear thesis and support it with cited evidence as your argue your points. You do not have much room to make your argument and support it, so write clearly and concisely. Grades will be awarded for content as well as attention to grammar, language, syntax, etc.
You are not required to cite or consult any other secondary sources (unless you choose the optional essay question). Moreover, your argument should be developed and made on your own. Please see me ahead of time if you feel the need to support your argument with any other outside sources; in either case you must adhere to MLA guidelines. This essay assignment must be your original work: see the guidelines on Plagiarism for further information.
Conrad Scott, University of Alberta
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