1975Syllabus017Fall2021

Environmental Catastrophe in Narrative Fall 2021 Tomás Sánchez, Espejismo (Mirage), 1991 Dr. Kate Neilsen EN 1975 017 T/Th 4:00-5:15 1

Environmental Catastrophe in Narrative COURSE OVERVIEW Contemporary culture is filled with depictions of environmental catastrophe – films like The Day After Tomorrow and Wall-E portray global disasters as obstacles for humanity to overcome on a path towards greater enlightenment, justice, and of course, survival. Though we often imagine the natural world as a place of refuge and beauty, disaster narratives depict the environment in different terms – as a monster, a villain, or a victim of human excesses. In this class, we will examine how narratives of eco- disaster ask us to imagine the relationship between humans and their environment, and we will also investigate how historical disaster fictions have shaped contemporary depictions of environmental catastrophe. What role do concerns of race, class, and gender play in the rhetoric of natural disasters? We will consider both historical disaster narratives like E.M. Forster’s “The Machine Stops” as well as more contemporary fictions including Helena Maria Viramontes’s Under the Feet of Jesus and Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower . Although we will be reading a broad variety of literatures from different nations and time periods, we will attempt to think about some of the ways that these texts relate to one another and engage with similar questions. Some of these connections will be a little more obvious (as with the portraits of consumerism in Wall-E and DeLillo’s White Noise ), while in other cases we will discover new and surprising connections as a class. You will also develop your skills in textual analysis and analytical writing, as well as, I hope, your appreciation for a wide range of environmental writing. Required Texts: The following texts are all available through the Villanova Bookstore. You are welcome to obtain your books elsewhere, but please make sure to get the same edition as listed so that you will be able to follow along easily in discussion. Don DeLillo, White Noise, Penguin Helena Viramontes, Under the Feet of Jesus, Penguin Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower , Warner Books 2 CONTACT INFO: Email : kneilsen@villanova.edu I will do my best to respond to emails within 24 hours, if not sooner. Office : SAC, Room 402C OFFICE HOURS: MWF 11:30-12:30; or by appointment.

the reading and current events. Specific directions for each post will be available on Blackboard. Although these responses are brief, I expect thoughtful and insightful ideas expressed in crisp and grammatically correct prose. Participation: Because this is a discussion-based class, your attendance and participation are essential elements of your success in this course. Come to each class with a copy of the assigned reading having done the reading and taken notes in advance. You should try to contribute at least two to three times to each class discussion since our discussions will be much livelier and more engaging with a variety of opinions, ideas, and perspectives. To prepare for each discussion, write down at least two comments or questions about the work(s) we’ve read for that day in advance. If you have any concerns about speaking in class, come see me as soon as possible. Leading Discussion: One time during the semester, you and a partner will be responsible for leading the class discussion. You and your partner should choose several passages from the assigned reading for that day to focus on and prepare 2 questions for the class to discuss. I will circulate a signup sheet and directions separately. Attendance: You may miss up to 2 classes for any reason without penalty. Additional absences will lower the final course grade by a third of a letter for each class missed (e.g. B becomes a B-, B- becomes a C+, C+ becomes a C). If you have seven or more absences (more than two weeks) you are likely to fail the course. Absences due to Covid-19 will not be penalized. If you have to be absent for medical reasons (Covid-19 or other concern), please reach out to me to ensure that you are able to stay caught up in the course. If you have a special obligation that will require you to miss several classes (e.g., varsity athletics, religious observances), please talk with me at the beginning of the semester. Please be on time. Coursework and Grade Distribution: Grading Scale: Paper 1: 20% A 94 and up C 74-76 Paper 2: 25% A- 90-93 C- 70-73 Paper 3: 25% B+ 87-89 B+ 67-69 Writing Journals: 10% B 84-86 D 64-66 Miscellaneous Writing Assignments 5% B- 80-83 D- 60-63 4

Discussion Leading: 5% C+ 77-79 F 59 and below Participation: 10% COURSE POLICIES: Late Paper Policy The grade for any late paper will be reduced by one-third of a letter grade for every calendar day after the due date. All papers will be submitted to me electronically via Blackboard. If you know in advance that you will be unable to meet a deadline, please contact me at least 2 days before the paper is due to discuss the possibility of an extension. Academic Integrity All students are expected to uphold Villanova’s Academic Integrity Policy and Code. Any incident of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for disciplinary action. For the College’s statement on Academic Integrity, you should consult the Enchiridion. You may view the university’s Academic Integrity Policy and Code, as well as other useful information related to writing papers, at the Academic Integrity Gateway web site: http://library.villanova.edu/Help/AcademicIntegr ity Office of Disabilities and Learning Support Services: It is the policy of Villanova to make reasonable academic accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. You must present verification and register with the Learning Support Office by contacting 610- 519-5176 or at learning.support.services@villanova.edu or for physical access or temporary disabling conditions, please contact the Office of Disability Services at 610-5194095 or email Stephen.mcwilliams@villanova.edu Registration is needed in order to receive accommodations. Absences for Religious Holidays Villanova University makes every reasonable effort to allow members of the community to observe their religious holidays, consistent with the University’s obligations, responsibilities, and policies. Students who expect to miss a class or assignment due to the observance of a religious holiday should discuss the matter with their professors as soon as possible, normally at least two weeks in advance. Absence from classes or examinations for religious reasons does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the absence. https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/provost/ resources/student/policies/religiousholidays.ht ml Diversity Statement: It is my intent that students from all backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students' learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource and strength. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, culture, perspective, and 5

9/14: White Noise , Ch. 12-20, pp. 54-155 (stop at the break “It seemed only minutes later…”) 9/16: First draft of Paper 1 due, Peer Review day Week 5: Consumerism continued 9/21: White Noise, Ch. 21-56, pp. 155-256 9/23: White Noise , Ch. 26-31, pp. 190-236 Final draft of Paper 1 due Week 6: Agriculture, Pesticides, and Environmental Justice 9/28: Finish White Noise 9/30: Helena Marίa Viramontes, Under the Feet of Jesus , pp. 1-46 Week 7: Agriculture and Regenerative Farming 10/5: Class Meets in the Campus Garden Under the Feet of Jesus, pp. 49-130 10/7: Finish Under the Feet of Jesus Week 8: SEMESTER RECESS Week 9: Climate Change and the Anthropocene Introduced 10/19: Timothy Clark, “First quandary: climate change” and “Questions of Scale,” The Cambridge Introduction to Literature and the Environment (BB) ; Excerpt from Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor (BB); Bill McKibben, “What the warming world needs now is art, sweet art” (BB) (In class: The Day After Tomorrow and Chasing Ice ) 10/21: First Draft of Paper Two due, In-class Peer Review Week 10: Depicting Climate Change 10/26: Parable of the Sower, Ch. 1-9, pp. 3-99 10/28: Parable of the Sower, Ch. 10-13, pp. 103-149 Week 11: Climate Change and Justice 11/2: Parable of the Sower, Ch. 14-19, pp. 153-244 7

11/4: Parable of the Sower, Ch. 20-24, pp. 245-293 Week 12: Climate Change and Justice 11/9: Finish Parable of the Sower, Anamata Future News (BB) 11/11: “Hermie,” Nathaniel Rich (BB); “The Tamarisk Hunter,” Paolo Bacigalupi; “After 2020, we need to talk about how we talk about catastrophe,” Ezra Markowitz and Lucia Graves (BB) Week 13: Cli-fi continued 11/16: First draft of Paper 3 due and Peer Review 11/18: Classroom Debate: Cli-Fi’s Effectiveness; To prepare, read “Will Fiction Influence How We React to Climate Change?” New York Times (BB) Week 14: Apocalypse Fatigue 11/23: “Tell Them,” Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner; Per Espen Stokeness, “How to Transform Apocalypse Fatigue into Action on Global Warming” (Ted talk) 11/25: THANKSGVING BREAK Week 15: Envisioning the Future 11/30: adrienne maree brown, “The River” (BB) In class: Paper 3 Revisions 12/2: Readings from Marshall and McKibben (BB) WEEK 16: Conclusions 12/7: Final draft of Paper Three due 12/9: Concluding Remarks 8