Literature and War

Meredith Fosque
mgfosque@ncsu.edu

Required Texts:

Sophocles. Ajax and Philoctetes. Trans. Woodruff.  Hackett; New York, 2007. ISBN: 978-0872207639

Keegan, John. The Face of Battle. Penguin Books; Reprint edition January 27, 1983. ISBN: 978-0140048971

Herr, Michael. Dispatches. Vintage, 1991. ISBN: 978-0679735250

Weber, David. On Basilisk Station. Baen, 2002. ISBN: 978-0743435710
Drake, David. Lt Leary, Commanding. Baen, 2001. ISBN: 978-0671319922

Library Reserve Texts as assigned and purchased texts as needed.

Course Purpose: To explore how people speak of, reflect on, and tell stories about war in the context of history and the evolving technology of conflict. This course looks at writings about the experience of war both historically and thematically and does so from multiple perspectives: literary, historical and technological. Issues will include the nature and purpose of war, the role of weaponry in dictating battle, the question of a just war, the theory of deterrence, and an examination of the soldier. Texts include Sun Tzu, The Iliad, Tales of the Heike, Patrick O'Brien’s The Ionian Mission, American, British, Russian, and Japanese views of World Wars I and II, Spycraft, Holmstedt's Band of Sisters, and Shepherd’s R&R. (Fulfills GER Humanities Literature requirement and Global Knowledge co req as well as Humanities and Social Sciences Lit 1 and Lit 2 requirements. See Rules and Regs for Objectives, Outcomes and Assessments.)

Course Requirements:

Two Papers of at least 1000 words each, each worth 20% of the final grade. Summary posted on Google doc.

Midterm and Final Exams each worth 20%.

Quizzes 10% altogether.

Responses and Presentations worth 6% and 4%.

Reading assignements are listed in the course schedule and you will be reminded before each class. The reading lengths vary, average at least 10 pages and there may be more than one per class. Texts on Course Schedule that are required are specified on the Calendar.

Your papers will be evaluated according to the standards for content, organization, format, grammar and mechanics as defined in the "Writing Standards". When the second paper is turned in, include the first with it.

Attendance: Class attendance is necessary. After three absences your grade will be affected. Keep up with the assignments and come to class prepared to discuss them; otherwise, you will fall behind and the effect will expand beyond recovery. (see "Rules and Regs" link on this site for University regulations)

Disabilities: Students with disabilities or special needs will be accommodated in accordance with University policy. (see "Rules and Regs" link)

Academic Honesty: By continuing in this course, you confirm that you will abide by the University's policy. (see "Rules and Regs" link)

Assignments continued

There are altogether six Units we will cover this semester:

Unit 1: What is War?
Unit 2: What are we fighting for?
Unit 3: Weapon technology, battle, and outcomes

Unit 4: What is a Just War? World Wars I and II
Unit 5: Hot and Cold Wars and the Theory of Deterrence
Unit 6: Who becomes a soldier? And what is the future of war?

There are two Papers due during the course. For the first Paper, students will choose from among Units 1 through 3, for the second from among Units 4 through 6. Within the Unit chosen, students will pick one of the excerpted texts we read for class and write a Paper, using the full text as needed, plus any additional reference materials indicated. Complete texts, can be bought, or borrowed from the Library. Topic approaches are outlined below but any topic should be within the parameters of the Unit's theme or question; for example, What is War? would define the general subject for Unit 1 Papers. Papers will be due after that Unit is finished (see Calendar for exact dates). Remember, ***all papers must be based on a text(s) we have read for class.*** At the close of each Unit, those students who have done Papers will post an illustration plus a summary, or first paragraph, of their Paper to a Google doc for the rest of the class to see and comment. (See Posting and Discussion below)

Topic Approaches: See Questions for Consideration below to help you think more specifically about what you want to write. In general, each student will choose from the selections we have read in class. After choosing, reading the rest of the book as needed, and settling on a topic within the Unit theme, there are a number of ways you can approach the writing:
· The question for the Unit can be addressed, using a particular discipline such as History, Sociology, or Technology, and the text can then be used to clarify an argument you make about this.
· A text can be examined separately, arguing a view of how it might be read or interpreted.
· Two or more texts can be compared according to theme, content, character, or other literary device.
· Texts can be discussed with reference to other literary works, media, or events of the world.
· Texts can be interpreted creatively, including putting them in another form

Posting and Discussion of Papers and Illustrations: Students will sign up for two Papers in the beginning of the semester, one from each set of three Units as explained above. At the end of each Unit, students who have written Papers for that Unit will post an illustration they think captures some aspect of their essay subject, along with a short paragraph about their Paper and the illustration to a Google doc, so the class as a whole can view it and comment. If time permits, we can then take a look at the illustrations and have a general discussion around the theme of that Unit in class.

Six short Responses, one for each Unit are due the class after we finish the Unit. The Response is your reaction to any of the texts, Presentations, or discussions we have done in class. You can react according to your own experience or to something you have read or seen, as long as it has to do with what we are studying. If you wish, you can use the Study Questions as a guide if you can't think of anything of your own to write. If you use a text, you may choose which one(s) you wish to respond to; I would also suggest that you use these Responses as beginning work on your Papers, where you can propose and ask questions. Each Response is worth one point on your final grade.

One oral Presentation is required of each student. There will be a sign up sheet passed around so think about which Unit interests you the most. These presentations will be about 5 minutes, longer only if you must, can be on any topic related to the Unit we are studying, and can approach the subject from more than one disciplinary perspective. Note these Presentations are directed toward your fellow students as the audience. The Presentation is worth up to four points on your final grade.

Questions for Consideration

Cultural contexts: Geographical, Historical, Sociological, Religious, Technological

• How does each of these varied perspectives on the human experience help us to understand how groups of people acted in conflict?
• Can you see relationships between how people live in response to their surroundings, the nature of their conflicts, and the literature they produce?
• How does the level and kind of technology in a given culture determine the type of conflict that occurs?
• Look for specific references in these texts using the lens of a given discipline. What images occur? How are they used? To what concerns do they point?

• Do certain events form a context for a particular reading?
  
• How is the society arranged? What are its characteristic features? Can you find them reflected in the readings?
  
• Who is the author and what relationship does she or he have to the time and society in which she or he lived or wrote about?
  
  
• What kinds of spiritual, philosophical, or religious beliefs infuse this society?
  
• How do these beliefs come out in the literature? Notice the existence of these beliefs may not be obvious in the texts as such but appears in actions or situations, choices of words and images, characters and responses.
  

As Literature

• With regard to audience, what special considerations are needed to understand this text, especially in the context of conflict? Is it originally part of an oral tradition i.e. performed?
  
• What is the status of the author/writer/performer in this culture? What is his or her relationship to conflict in this work?
• What features of this work stand out for you: use of metaphor, vividness or action, intensity of emotion, characters, shifting time sense or point of view? Something else? What is the purpose of this work and does it fulfill that aim?

Comparatively

• Considering other approaches to illustrating, documenting, or commenting on warfare, such as visual arts, movies, music, or actual drama, how do these texts compare? Are they more or less effective, why or why not?
  
• What are the constraints of the written word and what are its values in conveying ideas on this subject?
  

Writing Assignments

For Each Paper:

In an essay of at least 1000 words, respond to the appropriate assignment as given. Use and demonstrate what you have learned in ENG 101: substantial content, unity, tight organization, proper syntax, correct mechanics, and accurate spelling. Use a handbook such as Writing, a College Handbook for advice about style and format; literature papers follow MLA. Ask questions if you do not understand, consult the Writing Standards for the rubric of grading.
Each paper should be substantial: do not argue for a proposition that is immediately obvious to any casual reader of the text or texts with which you are concerned. Do not simply repeat class discussions, except as a point of departure. State a precise thesis about your topic, then support that thesis with specific details from the literature, including at least three or four exact quotations (which are not included as part of your 1000 words). The thesis should assert a specific proposal, not just rephrase the assignment (If the assignment is to compare X and Y, a good thesis would not be that "X and are comparable"). When comparing two items, you will probably want to emphasize either similarities or differences but your essay should contain both.
Give each paper a title, and perhaps a subtitle, that describes the paper's specific contents. The reader should know from your title which authors, texts, and/or characters your paper contains.
Organize each essay, and each paragraph, into units of attention as well as units of information. Arrange each unit to create expectation and fulfill it through an orderly progression of statements with a signal at the end that a conclusion has been reached. Both paragraphs and sentences within the paragraphs should have definite, obvious places that can be seen from their content. You might try looking at groups of paragraphs and at sentences within paragraphs in various orders to be sure you have the best and most logical progression and then go back and make sure each paragraph or sentence reflects the reason for your final order.
Document all your evidence, including material from your texts, and any other sources (including websites, and other quick fixes such as Cliff's Notes) with parenthetical page references. Remember that ideas and paraphrased information must be documented the same as word for word quotations. Plagiarism will be prosecuted fully.
Provide a Bibliography or List of Works Cited for all sources, remembering that the format for bibliographical entries differs from the format for footnoting. See Simon and Schuster's Handbook for Writers; again MLA is the style used for literature papers.
Papers should be typed and 1.5 spaced. Leave a good margin on all sides for comments. Staple or clip; number your pages after the first.
Late papers will be penalized one-third letter grade for each day they are late.
Remember to turn in previous paper with the second paper.