special projects

1. Read Robert Coover’s first novel, The Origin of the Bruinists and write a summary and analysis of the book of the sort that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading. Be sure to consider the fact that this was his literary debut. (DUE 2/9) Charlotte

2. Read Robert Coover’s novella Whatever Happened to Gloomy Gus of the Chicago Bears and write an analysis of the piece and compare it to The Public Burning. In this report, discuss “magic realism” and how it specifically relates to these books. (DUE 2/2) Nobody

3. Write a report on the Electronic Literature Organization, which Robert Coover co-founded in 1999. Include a history/overview of the ELO, along with information about how its creation and existence has changed electronic and experimental literature generally. In September 2008 Coover gave a keynote lecture in Norway on electronic literature; what was that talk about? Finally, consider the ELO in the context of Coover the writer. The first thing to do here is contact Nick Monfort (at MIT) and interview him at length about ELO, Coover’s connection, and related matters. (DUE 2/9) Alex

4. Write a report on the influence and impact Robert Coover has had on the development of hyperfiction/hypertext/electronic writing studies at Brown University and on the general impact Brown’s program has had nationally and internationally. (Confer with the person writing the ELO report [see just above] and work with him/her to avoid duplication.) Go carefully through both undergraduate and graduate courses in digital writing and related topics at Brown. Read about their faculty involved in this area (e.g. John Cayley, a great digital artist/programmer, brought to Brown by Coover). Present the whole picture of this kind of art and teaching at Brown and its general effect. How has Coover shaped the development of this field by attracting artists and scholars to Brown, developing curriculum and new courses? Coover created the pioneer electronic writing (hypertext fiction) workshops at Brown in 1990-91, so find out about those. He has worked since 2002 with writers, composers, artists, modelers, and programmers in the immersive virtual reality of Brown’s “Cave” in a workshop called “Cave Writing.” What is the “Cave” and what is “Cave Writing”? To help you with this, email various Brown people involved in these activities – interview them and learn as much as you can about his role. (DUE 2/9) Vince

5. Contact Coover by email and try to get him to discuss his passion for writing about childhood, childhood memory, children’s tales, legends/folk tales, old-time movies, etc. Use what he says to help you contemplate the whole array of his writing that deals with these subjects and/or uses this mode. Look at summaries of his books and pick some texts that deal with these subjects that we are not reading and/or that might not be otherwise listed in any of these special projects. Of course you can also work with texts we are reading, like A Night at the Movies & A Child Again. (DUE 2/16) Sam

6. Read Robert Coover’s Gerald’s Party and write a summary & analysis of the book of the sort that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Coover in general. (DUE 2/9) Jane

7. Read Robert Coover’s collection of fictions Pricksongs and Descants: Fictions and write a summary and analysis of the collection of the sort that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Coover in general. What reputation did and does Pricksongs and Descants have – among critics and among other writers? (DUE 2/16) Jen

8. Contact Robert Coover’s son Roderick by email and interview him (by email, phone or in person – he’s a professor at Temple) about his father. Talk about his father’s influence on his own career, particularly with regard to his recent radioplay adaptation of Gerald’s Party. (DUE 2/16) Cat

9. Read Robert Coover’s Stepmother and write a summary & analysis of the sort that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Coover in general. (DUE 2/9) Lauren

10. Watch as many films written by Joan Didion as you can and report back to us on them. Also look for interviews Didion gave about these films. Her films include The Panic In Needle Park, Play It As It Lays, A Star is Born (1976 version), True Confessions and Up Close and Personal. (See IMDB.com for complete list.) Describe her collaboration with her late husband, John Gregory Dunne. Contact the producer/director Jon Avnet and learn about his work with Didion and Dunne on Up Close and Personal and about his relationship with Didion in general. Try to get a copy of the screenplay of any of the films she has written; if you get one, read it closely and tell us about it. (DUE 3/2) Pamela

11. Read Joan Didion’s collection of essays Slouching Towards Bethlehem and write a summary and analysis of the book of the sort that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Didion in general. (DUE 3/16) Lily

12. Read the theatrical version of Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking and write a report outlining the differences between the original book and the play. Also, include information on the play’s production and run on Broadway from articles and interviews with Joan Didion and Vanessa Redgrave. (DUE 3/23) Emma

13. Read Joan Didion’s collection of essays The White Album and write a summary and analysis of the book of the sort that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Didion in general. (DUE 3/23) Kim

14. Read Joan Didion’s Salvador and write a summary and analysis of the book of the sort that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Didion in general. (DUE 3/16) Emily

15. Read Fixed Ideas: America Since 9/11 and as many of Joan Didion’s political articles & essays from the last several years as you can find. Write a report that summarizes what you’ve read. Discuss Didion’s place in the political/literary sphere. Consider how her politics have influenced her books and her writing career in general. What is Didion’s reputation as a writer about American politics – a journalist of sorts? (DUE 3/16) Harry

16. Read Joan Didion’s The Last Thing He Wanted and write a summary & analysis of the book that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Didion in general. (DUE 3/23) Eric

17. Read Joan Didion’s After Henry and write a summary and analysis of the book of the sort that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Didion in general. (DUE 3/23) Molly

18. Read Mary Gordon’s Final Payments and write a summary & analysis of the book of the sort that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Gordon in general. (DUE 4/6) Whitney

19. Read Mary Gordon’s Joan of Arc and write a summary and analysis of the book of the sort that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Gordon in general. (DUE 4/6) Ellie

20. Read Mary Gordon’s The Company of Women and write a summary & analysis of the book that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Gordon in general. (DUE 4/13) Nobody!

21. Read The Stories of Mary Gordon and write a summary & analysis of the book that will help those who have not read it but want to know how it relates to the other works we are reading and to our understanding of Gordon in general. (DUE 4/20) Kristen

22. Contact Kate Levin, for starters, and then anyone else at Barnard whom you know or can find, and report to us on Mary Gordon’s presence at Barnard. What courses does she teach? How explicit is/was her feminism in its impact on the literature or writing curriculum, or in her activities on campus. What is her role at Barnard? What kind of teacher is she? What books does she teach when she teaches literature? (DUE 4/13) Lindsay