ENG 100: Writing as Transformation
Mark the first page of the book with a red marker for in the beginning the wound is invisible. –Edmond Jabès
In our ENG 100 course Writing as Transformation, we will investigate works encompassing themes of trauma and transformation. Along the way, we’ll encounter writing that engages personal and/or cultural wounds. The wound can be vast in scope, such as a historical injustice visited on one’s ancestors; or, it can be more immediate to the writer, such as the loss of a loved one, romantic heartache, physical or mental illness. Along the way, we’ll consider the ways in which writing and society are in conversation—how they intersect, mirror, and contrast one another. We’ll grapple with the possibilities, challenges, and constraints centered on writing as an agent of transformation. Lastly, we’ll devote considerable time and energy to forging a writing community, whereby as members we will write, think, and converse both critically and constructively.
We will meet on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 2:30-3:20 @KUY 213. Because participation plays such a vital role in our writing community, if a student misses 5 classes, his/her/their grade will automatically drop by 10 points on the date of the fifth absence. Each absence to occur after will result in an additional deduction by 10 points (i.e. you miss 5 classes and your 93% drops to an 83%; you miss 6 classes, and your 83% drops to a 73%, and so on). Our course includes a final anthology (but neither a final exam nor mid-term!) and quizzes will be given regularly every 2-3 weeks. Our designation as a rhetoric and composition course means we will learn composition strategies and healthy revision practices. In addition to a number of investigation pieces, reflections, and group activities (often of a creative nature) that are designed to enhance our readings, discussions, and lectures, we will craft two formal papers (each with mandatory revisions) over the course of the semester. We will make time in class for exploring and developing constructive methods to enrich our writing technique and reading comprehension.
Lastly, as an instructor and fellow writer, it is my objective to help you as individuals realize your literary potential. This course is only one of many steps you will take in order to hone your craft. The path before you (same as the one behind you) is littered with obstacles. There are boulders and fallen branches, sudden inclines and fatal drops. What’s worse, you’re walking barefoot. The obstacles that you typically would overlook (had you a pair of hiking boots) now demand your full attention. Hiking barefoot requires slow and focused steps, as does writing, as does reading. This course is designed to broaden your awareness of, while deepening your sensitivity to, the things that most people overlook.
Feel free to reach out in advance: jlazarus@hawaii.edu
BOOK LENGTH WORKS
The Book of Questions Edmond Jabès
On the Road Jack Kerouac
Citizen Claudia Rankine
Letters to a Young Poet Rainer M. Rilke
Blankets Craig Thompson