Fall 1998

English 4304

JAMES BALDWIN:

RELIGION, RACE AND GENDER

IN POST-WAR AMERICA

MWF 12-12:50

For more information contact Dr. Frontain (421 Irby) or email at: raymondf@mail.uca.edu

English 4304: James Baldwin                                             Dr. R.-J. Frontain

Fall 1998                                                                          Office: Irby 421

MWF 12-12:50                                                                Hours: MWF 10-12  

TTh 1:30-2:30                                                                             TTh 4-4:30

Irby 312                                                                                    

TEXTS

• James Baldwin, Going to Meet the Man (Vintage)
• Go Tell It on the Mountain (Laurel)
• Giovanni's Room (Laurel)
• Another Country (Vintage)
• If Beale Street Could Talk (Laurel)
• Just above My Head (Laurel)
• Collected Essays (Library of America)

SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS

M 24 Aug. Introduction to Course

W 26 Aug. "The Rockpile" and "The Outing"

F 28 Aug. "The Man Child" and "Previous Conditions"

M 31 Sept. "Sonny's Blues"

W 2 Sept. "This Morning" and "Come Out of the Wilderness"

F 4 Sept. "Going to Meet the Man "

M 7 Sept. Go Tell (1-61)

W 9 Sept.      "      (63-150)

F 11 Sept.      "      (151-221)

M 14 Sept. continued discussion of Go Tell, along with "Harlem"

(CE42), "Fifth Avenue" (CE 170) and "East River" (CE 180)

W 16 Sept      "

F 18 Sept.      "

M 21 Sept. Film and discussion: Go Tell

W 23 Sept.      "

F  25 Sept.      "

M 28 Sept. Giovanni's Room

W 30 Sept.      "

F    2 Oct.        "

M 5 Oct. continued discussion of GR; also, "Male Prison" (CE and "Freaks" (CE 814)

W 7 Oct.        "

F 9 Oct. EXAMINATION

M 12 Oct. Another Country (1-88)

W 14 Oct.       "                    (89-179)

F l6 Oct.          "                    (181-267)

M 19 Oct.        "                   ( 268-377)

W 22 Oct         "                   (379-436)

F 23 Oct. conclude discussion AC; also, "Northern Protestant" (CE 236),

"Black Boy" (CE 269), and "New Lost Generation" (CE 659)

M 26 Oct. If Beale Street

W 28 Oct.      "

F  30 Oct.      "

M 2 Nov. "Notes" (CE 63)

W 4 Nov. "Equal" (CE 101) and "Stranger (CE 117)

F 6 Nov. "Nobody" (CE 197)

Paper summary due in class

M 9 Nov. Fire Next Time (CE 291)

W 13 Nov.      "

F 17 Nov. EXAMINATION

M 16 Nov. Just above My Head (1-65)

W 18 Nov.      "                           (67-172)

F  20 Nov.       "                           (173-277)

M 23 Nov.       "                          (279-559)

THANKSGIVING RECESS

M 30 Nov. PAPER DUE IN CLASS

Conclude discussion of Just above

W 2 Dec. Reports on Amen Corner

F 4 Dec. Reports on Blues for Mr. Charlie

M 7 Dec. Reports on prose and filmscripts

W 9 Dec.      "

F 11 Dec.      "

M 14 Dec. (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.) : FINAL EXAMINATION

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

• The final grade will be computed roughly as follows: exam 1 (20%), exam 2 (20%), final exam (30%), and paper (30%)
  
• Because of the small size of the class and the concentrated nature of our topic, we can run class as a seminar, depending more heavily upon student presentation and discussion than upon the instructor lecturing. This places great responsibility upon the student for attendance and preparedness. Two tardies equals one absence, and after a fifth absence the student may be dropped from the roll. Keep the instructor informed of any difficulties you may be having; come by the office during his office hours or phone him at work (ext. 45122, voice mail after the fourth ring).
  
• The research paper (7-10 typewritten pages in MLA documentation format) should examine an essay or other work not covered in class in terms of the themes and operations found elsewhere in the Baldwin canon. Topics should be discussed with the instructor before the summary is due in class on Nov. 6. Biographies and critical studies of Baldwin have been placed on one-day reserve in the library. The university requires that students be informed at the start of term that plagiarism--defined as any unacknowledged ideational or verbal indebtedness--results in the failure of the paper and a zero (O) being averaged in for that portion of the final grade.
  
• Students may withdraw from the course with an automatic WP before the first exam. After that the withdrawal grade will reflect the student's average.
  
• "The University of Central Arkansas adheres to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need accommodation under this act due to a disability, contact the Office of Disability Support Services at 450-3135."

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