How does expressing one’s life story in art function as an act of survival? Does it secure a writer’s identity for posterity, exorcise the past, teach one how to love one’s body, or show others how to live more fully? What are the different concerns for women of color, women with disabilities, and women working in different media? In this course, we’ll examine multiple forms of "life-writing" including poems, diaries, autobiographical fiction, and personal essays. We’ll also examine more unconventional autobiographies: film, artwork, web pages, and song lyrics. We’ll share favorite music and visit the museum. You’ll be able to respond to this material in a variety of short writing assignments and projects.  Go directly to Semester Schedule.

Attendance: Unlike many other courses you might take at Cornell, this small seminar course depends on class discussion and participation in all our activities. Your input to class discussion, writing groups, brainstorming, and presentations is crucial. You’ll be analyzing writing in class, sharing drafts, and responding to material covered only during class sessions. Attendance is therefore mandatory. You can’t complete the writing assignments and projects without being present. Excessive absences and a lack of participation will jeopardize your final grade.

Group Work: We will be working in small groups often in this course: writing groups, group presentations, and collaborative writing assignments and projects.  Please respect the privacy and individuality of each person in this class. We are all here to help each other become better writers and to grow as learners. At the same time, it is important to give constructive feedback to help encourage the learning process. We will work on this balance throughout the semester.

Writing: All writing for the course should be typed, proofread carefully, and turned in on time.  Writing assignments are listed on the syllabus.  Please take a moment to record them into your personal calendar.  I'll be handing out more specific guidelines for each assignment as we go along. You can email me anytime about paper topics, drafts, revisions, and presentations. See also Extra Help and Writing Resources below.

Course Binder: I'd like you to create an autobiographical binder of all the work you do in the course (writing assignments, reading handouts, class notes, etc.).  You will need this binder to write the final essay for the course.  Feel free to personalize the binder any way you want (create a cool cover, include personal reflections and photos, etc.). Please bring this binder with you to our class meetings.

Reading:  All assigned reading should be completed before class.  There are many opportunities throughout the semester for you to select our class reading material.  On these classes, you bring in poetry, song lyrics, and favorite web pages to share with the rest of us.  Plan ahead for these classes -- and don't hesitate to ask me questions.  * * *  I am also in the process of setting up a course listserve so we can exchange ideas for presentations and course reflections... stay tuned... * * *

Semester Schedule:

Week 1: Introduction: Multi-Media Works and Varying Perspectives

Aug 29 Introductions

Aug 31 Women, Creativity, and the Arts: Nin (handout)                      In-class writing exercise

Week 2: The Poetic Self

Sept 5 *Essay 1 due (2 pages)                    Poetry by Julia Alvarez, Adrienne Rich, Nikki Giovanni, Molly Peacock,                      Louise Glück (handout)

Sept 7 Bring in poetry to share and analyze

Week 3: Poetry in New Media

Sept 11 Meet in GS G28 for Poetry in Hypertext Session

Sept 13 Essay 2 draft (4 pages) and writing groups

Week 4: The Female Body on Film

Sept 19 *Revised Essay 2 due                       Watch film: The Body Beautiful

Sept 21 Discuss film                      In-class writing exercise

Week 5: From Silence to Power: Writing for Social Change

Sept 26 Women, Creativity, and the Arts: Lorde (handout)

Sept 28 In-class discussion of "hot topics"                    Bring in topic of your choice

Week 6: Creating Work of One’s Own

Oct 3 Essay 3 draft (5 pages) due and workshop

Oct 5 *Revised Essay 3 due; share with class through "read out"

Week 7: Fall Break and Conferences

Oct 10 No class: Fall Break Oct 9-10

Oct 12 Catch up day                   Sign up for conferences

Week 8: Autobiographical Fiction

Oct 17 Winterson, Oranges are not the Only Fruit

Oct 19 Winterson, Oranges are not the Only Fruit

Week 9: Re-Writing and Life-Writing

Oct 24 Winterson, Oranges are not the Only Fruit                      Essay 4 in-class brainstorming and freewriting

Oct 26 *Essay 4 due (6-7 pages)                      Slide show on women, art, and photography

Week 10: Art/Photography

Oct 31 Meet at Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art

Nov 2 Women, Creativity, and the Arts: O’Keefe, Harris (handout)                      In-class writing exercise

Week 11: Charting Changes: Web Pages and Technological Artistry

Nov 7 Meet in Computer Lab G28 for web page activity                   Bring in favorite URL to share

Nov 9 Essay 5 draft due (5 pages) and writing groups                    Sign up for music presentations

Week 12: Musicians/Composers

Nov 14 *Revised Essay 5 due (5 pages)                       Presentations of musical selections and lyrics

Nov 16 Continue presentations of music

Week 13: More Sound of Music

Nov 21 Continue presentations of music                      *Essay 6 due (4 pages)

Nov 23 No class: Thanksgiving Break November 22-24

Week 14: The Self in Motion: Dance/Drama

Nov 28 Women, Creativity, and the Arts: Spacks, Graham (handout)

Nov 30 *Essay 7 due (3 pages)                       Class celebration

Study/Exam Week:

Date TBA Optional Class Reunion Meeting                  Final essays returned, closing reflections exchanged

Conferences and Extra Help

If at any time you’d like to talk to me about the course material, your writing, or class discussions, please feel free to contact me.  I do ask you to visit me at least once during the semester during office hours and once during an officially scheduled conference.  I am also happy to set up appointments; email me so we can work out something that’s best for both of us.

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