LIT3180: The LIT3180: The Graphic NovelNovel
Fall 2020
Tentative Course Schedule
NOTE: This schedule may change as needed. Your presence in class ensures correct assignments
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5 WEEK 6 WEEK 7
WEEK 8 WEEK 9 WEEK 10 WEEK 11 WEEK 12 WEEK 13 WEEK 14
WEEK 15 WEEK 16
WEEK 1
M 8/31 Course Introduction; The Language of Visual Analysis; Group Discussion:
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/2):
- Set Up Blog; email the Web address to your page (http://wordpress)
to Professor Harmon: [email protected] by class time.
- Complete Technology Survey in Ulearn
- Complete Syllabus Quiz
- Purchase Textbooks
- Read Raymond Carver's "Little Things"; be prepared to discuss
W 9/2 Review Tools for Traditional Literary Analysis; Discuss Carver Story
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/7):
- Read Chapters 1, 2,& 3 of Understanding Comics ("Setting the Record
Straight , "The Vocabulary of Comics," & "Blood in the Gutter"); See
Link in Ulearn
- Read The Walking Dead Issue 1: Days Gone Bye (See Week 1 folder in Ulearn.
- Do Reader Response 1: Identify what you see as an important page in The
Walking Dead and explain how it is connected to the concepts presented by
McCloud. You are forming an argument, and you must support it with
evidence. This is 100% your opinion and interpretation. This must be
submitted to Ulearn by class time.
WEEK 2
M 9/7 Discuss Walking Dead
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/9):
- Read chapter 6 ("Show & Tell") & Chapter 9 ("Sequential Art") of
Understanding Comics
- As a group, complete a brief Adobe Spark Video Presentation that defines one of
the terms from McCloud's text, explains what makes it unique and important to
the graphic novel genre, and identify an example of this concept from The
Walking Dead graphic novel and discuss how the concept/idea is presented in the work. See detailed instructions in Week 2 folder in
Ulearn. This will be presented to the class.
W 9/9 Presentations of McCloud's Concepts in Understanding Comics
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/14):
- Watch the first episode of the TV series The Walking Dead, "Days Gone Bye;" available on Nextflix as Season 1 Episode 1 (67 minutes)
- Do Reader Response 2: For this response you are arguing which is better, the
comic or the television version. You must refer to specific examples from both
texts (the novel and the episode). If you can also incorporate an idea from
chapters 4 or 5 of McCloud's text, you will receive extra credit. Your response
must be a minimum of 300 words and submitted before our next class meeting.
WEEK 3
M 9/14 Group Adobe Spark Presentations on Zoom; If you do not present today, your presentation must be uploaded to the discussion board no later than 3pm today.
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/16):
- If your group did not have an opportunity to present in class today, submit
your presentation to the discussion board no later than 3 pm.
- Each student in class is responsible for going to this discussion board, watching
the presentations, and responding to two posts in a minimum of 300 words by
class time on W 9/16
- Read "Social Distance" by Mark Haddon and complete a 5 paragraph
- essay; Choose one of the following and write a formal essay in response:
- Option 1: How does Haddon convey a sense of time and space to the reader?
Discuss specific a panel(s) and connect it to an idea presented in chapter of 4 of
McCloud's Understanding Comics.
- Option 2: How does Haddon evoke emotional and sensual responses in his
reader through the use of line, color, or texture? Point to specific a panel (or
panels) and connect it to an idea presented in chapter 5 of Understanding
Comics.
- Upload completed essay to Ulearn (week 3 folder)
- Verbally share your response on Flipgrid by class time on Wednesday (see Week
3 folder)
W 9/16 Presentations Continued on the discussion board; Discuss Haddon's "Social
Distance via Flipgrid
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/21):
- Complete Understanding Comics Test in Ulearn by class time on Monday
- Return to Flipgrid and respond to the posts of two other students by class time
- on Monday (see week 3 folder for details)
- Read Chapter 3 of Bell Hooks' Ain't I a Woman, "The Imperialism of
Patriarchy," pp. 87-117
WEEK 4
M 9/21 Watch and discuss "We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie;
Blog Post: Connections to Bell Hooks
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/23):
Read Bitch Planet Book One and Do Reader Response 3: What do you see as an
overall theme of this text? Your response should be a minimum of 300 words
and should include one quote from Adichie or Hooks. You must refer to specific
examples from Bitch Planet.
Upload completed response to Ulearn (see week 4 folder).
Complete Reading Quiz for Bitch Planet in Ulearn
Make appointment with your NEW DISCUSSION GROUP FOR ZOOM Meeting
W 9/23 Group Discussion via Zoom; Record Session
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/28):
- Complete Zoom Discussion Reflection for Bitch Planet and Upload to Ulearn by
- class time on Monday.
- Read "Queer" by Frank Bidart
- Watch "Your Behavior Creates Your Gender" by Judith Butler
- Watch "How Discourse Creates Homosexuality" by Judith Butler
- Read Virgil
- Complete Reading Quiz for Virgil in Ulearn
WEEK 5
M 9/28 Discuss Virgil
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/30):
W 9/30
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/5):
WEEK 6
M 10/5
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/7):
W 10/7
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/12):
WEEK 7
M 10/12
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/14):
W 10/14
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/19):
WEEK 8
M 10/19
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/21):
W 10/21
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/26):
WEEK 9
M 10/26
W 10/28
WEEK 10
M 11/2
W 11/4
WEEK 11
M 11/9
W 11/11
WEEK 12
M 11/16
W 11/18
WEEK 13
M 11/23
W 11/25
WEEK 14
M 11/30
W 11/30
WEEK 15
M 11/22
F 11/29 NO CLASS, THANKSGIVING BREAK
WEEK 16
F 12/6 Portfolio due
