English 5600: Schedule of Readings


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August
Week 1
W 22: Introduction, Wordsworth on railways (handout)

The Mill and the Metropolis

F 24: Winner, "Do Artifacts Have Politics?" (packet).  Ure, Philosophy of Manufactures (packet).

Week 2
M 27: Foucault, Discipline and Punish (packet)
W 29: Engels, Condition of the Working Class in England: "Introduction"  (50-5, 61-4), "The Industrial Proletariat"  (65-7), "The Great Towns"  (68-110)
F 31: Engels, "Results" (127-57), "The Attitude of the Bourgeoisie towards the Proletariat" (275-78)
 *QUIZ
 Last day to DROP classes without tuition penalty

September
Week 3
M 3: Labor day: NO CLASS
W 5: Gaskell, Mary Barton: Preface, Ch. 1-6 (27-113).
"The Parable of Dives and Lazarus" (Mary Barton, 492-93) and "Some Historical Terms Defined" (handout)
 *Assignment due
F 7: Mary Barton: Ch. 7-14 (114-210)

Week 4
M 10: Mary Barton: Ch. 11-20 (211-99).  Excerpts from Kingsley and Norton (Mary Barton, 549-53)
W 12: Mary Barton: Ch. 21-31 (300-88)
F 14: Finish Mary Barton: Ch. 32-37 (395-83)
 *QUIZ

Week 5
M 17: Greg’s review (Mary Barton, 501-15).  Gaskell’s letters to Mrs. Greg, Eliza Fox, Lady Kay-Shuttleworth (Mary Barton, 485-91).  Begin Hard Times: Book 1, Ch. 1-11 (41-111)
W 19: Hard Times: Book 1, Ch. 12 - Book 2, Ch, 7 (112-206).  Carlyle, "Signs of the Times" (Hard Times, 339-45)
F 21: Owen, A New View of Society.  Southey, "Utopia" (packet).  Remember to bring Hard Times to class.
 *PAPER 1 due in class

Week 6
M 24: Finish Hard Times: Book 2, Ch. 8 - Book 3, Ch. 9 (207-315)
W 26: Excerpts from Carlyle (Hard Times, 346-51).  "Hard Times Refinished" (packet).  "Ground in the Mill" (Hard Times, 382-85).  Review for midterm.
F 28: MIDTERM

Railway Dreaming

October
Week 7
1: Sternberger, "Natural/ Artificial" (packet)
-- Begin reading Dombey and Son: Prefaces, Ch. 1-6 (41-119)
W 3: NO CLASS: Continue reading Dombey and Son: Ch. 7-10  (120-200)
F 5: Fall Break: NO CLASS

Week 8
M 8: Schivelbusch, The Railway Journey: Ch. 1-5 (1-69).  Dickens, "A Flight" in Selected Short Fiction (142-51)
W 10: The Railway Journey: Ch. 7-11 (113-77).  "The Opening of the Railway" (packet)
F 12: Dickens, "No. 1 Branch Line: The Signalman" and "Main Line: The Boy at Mugby" in Selected Short Fiction (78-90, 370-78)
  --Continue reading Dombey and Son: Ch 11-14 (200-76)
*Assignment due

Week 9
15: Dickens, The Uncommercial Traveller [1860-69] in Selected Short Fiction (167-280).
W 17: Dombey and Son: Ch 11-14 (200-76)
F 19: Dombey and Son: Ch 15-19(276-359)
 *QUIZ- up to p. 359
 Last day to WITHDRAW from classes

Week 10
M 22: Dombey and Son: Ch 20-24 (359-429)
W 24: Dombey and Son: Ch 25-29 (430-500)
26: Dombey and Son: Ch 30-32 (500-53)
    *PAPER 2 due by 5 PM

Week 11
M 29: Dombey and Son: Ch 33-38 (553-627)
W 31: Dombey and Son: Ch 39-43 (627-701)

November
F 2: NO CLASS: Dombey and Son: Ch. 44-48 (702-70)

Week 12
M 5: Dombey and Son: Ch 49-52 (770-833)
W 7: Dombey and Son: Ch 53-56 (833-99)
F 9: Finish Dombey and Son: Ch. 57-62 (900-976)
    *QUIZ

Smart Machines

Week 13
12: Discussion of the conclusion of Dombey and Son:
    Discussion topic: What is this novel's attitude towards progress, towards industrial capitalism or (as numerous characters call it) "change"?
W 14: Samuel Butler, Erewhon: Read Ch. 23-27 (198-242; especially "The Book of the Machines")
F 16: Kipling, ".007" (packet). Disraeli, Coningsby (excerpts in packet and Hard Times, 417)
     *Due by 5 PM: ABSTRACT of your topic for paper #3

Week 14
M 19: Disraeli, Sybil (packet, approx. 100 pages)
W 21: NO CLASS: Begin The Difference Engine: 1st-2nd Iteration (1-100)
        OPTIONAL reading: Schaffer, "Babbage’s Dancer" (packet)
F 22: Thanksgiving Break: NO CLASS

Week 15
M 26: The Difference Engine: 3rd Iteration (101-216)
    For an excellent glossary of DE's terms and historical references, see The Difference Dictionary.
W 28: The Difference Engine: 4th Iteration (217-322)
F 30: Finish The Difference Engine (323-429)
    *QUIZ

December
Week 16
M 3: Stephenson, The Diamond Age (packet)
W 5: NO CLASS: Work on your paper

TBA: Screening of Brazil (and pizza) at a time and place to be announced

The FINAL PAPER is due on THURSDAY, December 13 by 5:00 PM in the English Department.

If you would like your final paper to be returned to you, provide me with a stamped, self-addressed manilla envelope when you turn your exam in (or drop these materials off in my mailbox in the English Department).  I will mail your exam to you once I turn in your grade. Two or more stamps will be necessary.

Final Grades: available on the university telephone system and web page on Friday, December 28.

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