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Hoarders English 232/310 Spring 2016
Mondays 6:45-9:15pm Course fulfills the “Pre-1850 Requirement”
for the English major and minor
Our relationship with material objects is vexed. On one hand,
we’ve been conditioned to see physical things as temporary (“you
can’t take it with you”); dangerous (“the things you own end up
owning you”) and secondary in importance to the non-material (“the
best things in life are free”). At the same time, studies have
shown that we like stuff. A lot. This course takes a close look at
the relationship between people and objects, focusing on the way
that old things (and the way we think, talk and write about them)
work to shape and define modern conceptions of identity and
selfhood. The guiding questions of the course—What is a thing and
what are my claims to it and its claims on me? Who owns the past
and why should we care?—encourages you to reflect upon your own
relationship to history, and how the material culture of the
distant past serves as a powerful lens to envision and reimagine
the future. Crazy Cat Lady: Dr. Jana Mathews Preferred Contact
Method: [email protected] My Office: Carnegie 115 When/Where to
find the party: Mondays 6:45-9:15pm Orlando 105 Office Hours:
8-9:45am MWF; after class and by appointment Disclaimer: This
course takes the idea of experiential learning very seriously. If
the thought of digging through garbage, gett ing dirty ( l i teral
ly) or doing other things that may make your stomach turn or eyes
roll , this course probably is not for you. If you already engage
in these activi t ies or have harbored a secret desire to do so,
then this course definitely is for you! Required Course
Materials
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade film (available for rental
for $2.99 on Amazon. Library copy on reserve for 24-hour checkout
at Olin Circulation)
• Kimberly Rae Miller, Coming Clean ISBN 0544320819 (Not
available in Rollins bookstore)
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• Access to Blackboard • Rollins email account • As noted on the
Course Schedule, this course has a $55 course fee attached, which
covers the
cost of your admission and transportation to Medieval Times.
Course Student Learning Objectives 1. Acquire a basic knowledge of
the role and function of material culture in premodern Europe and
its relationship to contemporary American society. 2. Hone the
ability to critically analyze texts, images and cultural constructs
and express his/her ideas in writing. Course Assignments 1. Quizzes
(10%): All of your work for this course is designed to fulfill one
of more of the course objectives. Daily reading assignments and
class discussions and activities will prepare you for the quizzes
and quizzes model the formats of exams. Quizzes will take a number
of different forms including short reflection papers,
passage/image/object explications; thesis statements and essay
outlines. Due to the developmental nature and pacing of this
course, I cannot accept late quizzes. Transferrable skills:
critical thinking, complex problem solving,
monitoring/self-assessment 2. Exams (20% x 2) Note: 232 and 310
students will be given different exams targeted to appropriate
course level After honing your close reading skills with a few low
stakes quizzes, you will have the opportunity to show off your
analytical prowess on a larger stage. As part of the festivities,
you will be given several short passages from our assigned reading
and be asked to perform a close reading on a few of your choosing.
Each response should be approximately 250-300 words. Despite their
brevity, your analyses should be insanely awesome and, of course,
represent your best work. This assignment may also include
identification and short answer components as well. Transferable
Skills: critical thinking, written communication, time
management
3. Room Design Concept Board (10%) Concept design boards are
often produced by an interior designer to illustrate his/her
artistic vision to his/her clients. This challenge asks you to
perform a themed remodel of a home for a VERY picky client.
Transferable skills: creativity, critical thinking
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4. Hidden Lives of Everyday Objects Project 5-minute Oral
Presentation 10% Essay: 30% (232 students will write a 4-5 page
essay; 310 will write a 7-8 page essay) Why do forks have three
prongs? Why is yellow the standard color for #2 pencils? Why are
toilets made of porcelain? This assignment invites you to take a
closer look at the world around you by uncovering the hidden
history and secret life of everyday object. Transferable skills:
research and planning, information literacy, technological
literacy, written communication; oral communication All course
grades will be calculated using the following scale: A (94-100) A-
(90-93) B+ (87-89) B (84-86) B- (80-83) C+ (77-79); C (74-76); C-
(70-73); D+ (66-69); D (64-66); D- (60-63) F (59 and below) Course
Policies/Unsolicited Advice Attendance This course covers a lot of
ground very quickly. Since each class period is worth almost a
week’s worth of class during a regular semester, you are allowed
only 1 absence during the term. Your second absence may result in
your final course grade being lowered by 1 full letter grade. If
you miss 3 class periods, you will earn a failing grade for the
course. No one has ever fallen into this category, so don’t be the
first! I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences,
so choose your absences wisely. Be mindful of the fact that we will
be going on several field trips (during class time) and attending
two readings (in the evening) throughout this semester. Missing a
field trip is the same as missing class and you will not be excused
from any homework or quizzes that may be assigned or relate to
these trips/activities. The only standing exception to this rule
applies to students who are traveling on pre-approved college
business (ie. varsity sports team). If you have a disability that
may require additional exceptions to this rule, please make an
appointment with the Disability Services Office.
Extra Credit Do you want to boost your grade in this course by
doing a little extra outside work? Take your quizzes/exams to the
Writing Center! While I don’t offer formal extra credit, students
who utilize the support and assistance of our fabulous writing
consultants always do better on their assignments. There are
several fantastic writing consultants on staff who have taken this
course from me in the past and thus know “how I roll” including
Lucy Fumosa ([email protected]); Katie Deisler
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([email protected]); Kate Stefanski ([email protected]);
and Morgan Cole ([email protected]). You must make your
appointments 24 hours in advance for most writing consultants using
the Tutoring/Writing Appts link (found in the Campus Logins on the
Rollins R-Net page). However, if you wish to utilize the services
of any of the above tutors, you may contact them directly via
email. ***Please note that writing consultants have busy schedules
and may not be able to accommodate you at the eleventh hour. Wise
students will plan ahead and book their appointments well in
advance of paper and exam due dates. Disability Services Rollins
College is committed to equal access and does not discriminate
unlawfully against persons with disabilities in its policies,
procedures, programs or employment processes. The College
recognizes its obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to provide an
environment that does not discriminate against persons with
disabilities. If you are a person with a disability on this campus
and anticipate needing any type of academic accommodations in order
to participate in your classes, please make timely arrangements by
disclosing this disability in writing to the Disability Services
Office at (box 2764) 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park, FL, 37289 or call
407-646-2345 for an appointment.
The Academic Honor Code Membership in the student body of
Rollins College carries with it an obligation, and requires a
commitment, to act with honor in all things. Because academic
integrity is fundamental to the pursuit of knowledge and truth and
is the heart of the academic life of Rollins College, it is the
responsibility of all members of the College community to practice
it and to report apparent violations. This course places a heavy
weight on independent thought and original work. For this reason, I
take plagiarism very seriously. Forms of plagiarism include, but
are not limited to purchasing a paper online, cutting and pasting
material from the Internet or other electronic or print source
(including Wikipedia), passing off someone else’s work (or portions
of that work) as your own, and failing to cite external sources. If
I suspect that you have cheated on an assignment, I will encourage
you to self-report to the Dean of Student Affairs. Depending on the
situation, you may fail the assignment, the course, or both. If you
have a question or find yourself in muddy terrain, don’t hesitate
to ask me for help. With all submitted work, Rollins students
affirm their commitment to the Academic Honor Code by including the
following pledge followed by their signature:
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“On my honor, I have not given, nor received, nor witnessed any
unauthorized assistance on this work.” Credit Hour Statement for
Rollins Courses Meeting 150 Minutes Weekly for Four Credit Hours
during 15-Week Semesters This course is a four-credit-hour course
that meets three hours per week. The value of four credit hours
results from work expected of enrolled students both inside and
outside the classroom. Rollins faculty require that students
average at least three hours of outside work for every hour of
scheduled class time. In this course, the additional
outside-of-class expectations are fieldwork, research, experiential
education, small-group projects, reading, drafting and revising of
papers and film viewing. Course And Instructor Evaluation At the
end of each semester, students are asked to evaluate the course and
instructor. These evaluations are extremely valuable in the
teaching and learning process on our campus. Student evaluations
help assess student perceptions of classroom learning and often
lead to improved teaching. Your feedback is important and Rollins
students are encouraged to be honest, fair, and reflective in the
evaluation process. The online evaluative survey is anonymous.
Students are never identified as the respondent. Instead, each
student’s comments are assigned a random number. You will be asked
to rate your course and instructor on a numerical scale and through
narrative comments. The online Course and Instructor Evaluation
(CIE) process opens at 8:00 a.m. on the first scheduled date. It
remains open for a period of 14 days (2 weeks) until 12:00 a.m.
(midnight) on the final scheduled date. The evaluation period ends
prior to the start of final examinations and faculty cannot access
completed evaluations until 10 days after the end of final exams.
Students will receive one email at the start of the CIE period, one
after the 15th day, and a final reminder the day before the CIE
period ends. Students who complete evaluations for all classes will
be able to view grades ten-days before students who do not complete
an evaluation form.
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Grading Rubric To promote fairness in grading, I adhere to the
following standard evaluation rubric: A (90-100) The “A” essay
contains a specific and arguable thesis statement that is sustained
and supported throughout the entire essay. The essay displays a
defined organizational structure with coherent introduction, body,
and concluding paragraphs that are logically and seamlessly
integrated by smooth transitional clauses and phrases. Textual
citations are incorporated into complete sentences and are
accurately cited and thoroughly explained and analyzed. The essay
has been edited meticulously and is free of errors in spelling,
grammar, usage, and mechanics. B (80-89) The “B” essay contains a
thesis that is arguable but one that is underdeveloped or
inconsistently argued. The paper follows a logical sequence, but
individual paragraphs are disjointed, repetitive, confusing,
digressive, or predictable. It offers more (or fewer) textual
quotes than are necessary and/or fails to perform in-depth analyses
of them. This level of essay contains sentences that are clear, but
language that is imprecise or clumsy. Minor errors in grammar,
spelling, and usage appear. C (70-79) The “C” essay lacks a
specific thesis or presents one that “disappears” or “multiplies”
after the first paragraph. It is overwhelmingly descriptive (plot
summary) and contains transitions that are weak or confusing. This
essay lacks depth in relation to the topic (penetrating only its
surface) and contains numerous errors in grammar, punctuation, and
spelling. D (60-69) The “D” essay lacks a central and unifying
subject. It presents a confused and disjointed discussion of
various, sometimes random ideas. Key elements of organization
(introductory and concluding paragraphs) are missing or misplaced.
Serious errors in spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure and
content are present. F (59 and below) The “F” essay is submitted
late, does not follow the assignment, is plagiarized, or is
incomprehensible.
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Course Schedule ***=High Reading Load Day. Please plan
accordingly.
BB= Blackboard Week 1: Course Introduction M 1/11 Sadly, I am
out of state on research-related business (worst timing ever, I
know!). In lieu of a formal class meeting, please view Indiana
Jones and the Last Crusade on your own. This film is available for
rental on Amazon.com for $2.99. I have also placed another copy on
24-hour reserve at Olin circulation. If you choose to check out the
DVD from the library, please be considerate and return it on time
to allow others to check it out. Week 2: Who Owns the Past? M 1/18
Editors of Scientific American, “Who Owns the Past?” (BB); Kaplan,
“Meet Sarah Parcak, a high-tech Indiana Jones” (BB) Due in Class:
The History of Your Life in 10 Objects Assignment (instructions are
on BB) Week 3: Clothing and Jewelry M 1/25 ***Moniz & Stanton,
“How the Thrift Shop-Once Widely Denounced, Became Popular in
America”(BB); Hennessey, “Vintage Fashion: Unzipping the Fantasy”
(BB); Kunzelman, “Black T-Shirts” (BB); Sales, “The Suspects Wore
Louboutins” (BB); Sir Gawain and the Green Knight-read Fitt 1 ONLY
(BB)*** Due by start of class on BB: Quiz Week 4: Stuff in Your
House M 2/1 Barbauld, “An Inventory of Dr. Priestly’s Study” (BB);
Bryson, from Home (BB); Walker, “Everyday Use” (BB); Brown, “Thing
Theory” (BB) Week 5: Medieval Times M 2/8 No Assigned Reading.
During Class: Field Trip to Medieval Times Due by start of class on
BB: Quiz Week 6: Animals M 2/15 Slater, “Wild Obsession” (BB);
Desmond, “Postmortem Exhibitions” (BB);* Montgomery, from The Soul
of an Octopus (BB) and Spell of the Tiger (BB) Due in class: Room
Design Concept Board Week 7: Bill Bryson and Sy Montgomery M 2/22
No Assigned Reading. During class: Bill Bryson reading in Warden
Arena. Meet in classroom and we will walk over together. TH 2/25
Required Attendance: Sy Montgomery Talk at 7:30pm Tiedtke Concert
Hall F 2/26 EXAM 1 DUE. Please submit to BB by 11:59pm M 2/29
Spring Break: No Class Week 8: The Politics of Display M 3/7
Macdonald, “Exhibitions of power and powers of exhibition” (BB)
During Class: Visit CFAM. Meet in classroom and we will walk over
together.
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Week 9: What is a Museum? M 3/14 Foucault, “Natural History”
(BB); Hooper-Greenhill, “What is a Museum?” (BB) Due by start of
class: Quiz Week 10: The Monuments Men M 3/21 No Class Meeting. Use
this time to 1) visit a local museum of your choosing and do the
accompanying assigned quiz (due next week); 2) View The Monuments
Men on your own. This film is available to watch instantly on
Amazon for $10.00. A complimentary copy is available for 24-hour
checkout at Olin circulation. If you check out the DVD from Olin,
please return it promptly so that others can check it out as well.
Week 11: The Guardians of History M 3/28 Waxman, “Loot” (BB);
Bergman, “A High Holy Whodunit” (BB) During Class: Discuss The
Monuments Men Due by start of class on BB: Quiz Week 12: Mementos,
Souvenirs and Relics M 4/4 ***Boccaccio, Decameron Book V (BB);
Medieval Relic Reading Packet (BB); Margery Kempe, Pilgrimage to
Jerusalem (BB); from The Things They Carried (BB); Manteuffel, “The
Things They Leave Behind” (BB); Peed, “Souvenirs” (BB)*** Sun 4/8
Exam 2 Due. Please submit to BB by 11:59pm Week 13: Hoarders M 4/11
***Miller, Coming Clean; Garrett, “The Opposite of Hoarding”
(BB)*** Due by start of class on BB: Quiz Week 14 The Exciting
Lives of Everyday Things M 4/18 Scott, “Babyland” (BB); Onion, “Ode
to Green Slime” (BB); Poole, “I Can Never Have Too Many Mechanical
Pencils” (BB) Week 15 Dead Bodies M 4/25*** Saint Erkenwald (BB);
Thomas Gray, “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” (BB); Fidler,
“Impressions on the Face of a Corpse” (BB)*** Due by start of class
on BB: Quiz Week 16 Secret Lives of Everyday Objects M 5/2 No
Assigned Reading. Due in class: Hidden Lives of Everyday Objects
Presentation Due on BB by start of class: Hidden Lives of Everyday
Object Essay
