CMLIT 153
World Cultures through Film and Literature
Alexa Huang TA: Mich Nyawalo
Course Links
Looking at Movies 2nd Edition Website: www.wwnorton.com/college/film/movies2/
Course Description
This is an introductory course on literature and film in their cultural contexts. This course
compares narrative and artistic techniques employed by literature and film in portraying different
social and cultural environments, which will range widely around the globe -- American short story,
Brazilian novel, English Renaissance drama, Chinese novella, Asian-American literature, and films
from Korea, Hong Kong, France, Italy, and elsewhere.
Students will examine how narrative components, including plot, genre, environment, character,
and point of view, are developed in films and fiction from diverse cultures. The comparative nature
of this course allows students to appreciate both the universal and unique qualities of the human
condition. The study of narrative technique will help students develop analytical skills in discussing
and writing about the literary and cinematic expression of cultural values.
Course Goals
1. To study and discuss film and literature in the context of global culture.
2. To precipitate what we think into writing, and thereby discover what we think.
3. To be grateful to others – living or dead – for confronting what we think we think.
Required Textbooks (available at the Penn State Bookstore)
Richard Barsam, Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film Second Edition (W.W. Norton, 2006)
Sharon Hamilton, Essential Literary Terms: A Brief Norton Guide with Exercises (W. W. Norton, 2006)
William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice (Norton Critical Edition)
Paulo Lins, City of God: A Novel, translated by Alison Entrekin (Grove Press: 2006)
Grading Policy
Attendance and Participation 15 %
Research Paper 15 %
Team Project 15 %
Exams 30 % (15 % each)
Portfolio 25 %
Grading Scale
A 94 and above A- 90-93 B+ 87-89 B 83-86
B- 80-82 C+ 76-79 C 70-75 D 60-69
F 59 and below
CMLIT 153 2
Attendance Policy
Attendance is mandatory, and credit is granted to all those who come to class, participate
actively in activities and refrain from: text messaging; using their cell phones; doing crossword
puzzles; doing homework for other classes; taking naps; reading newspapers, etc. Your attendance
grade is based on your timely completion of the assigned reading, attendance and active participation
in activities in class.
You may take two absences without penalty, but your grade will be reduced by two points for
each absence beyond the first two. All absences (beyond the first two) count against your grade.
An array of EXTRA-CREDIT options is available to make up for missed classes (within a week).
Do plan ahead.
Zero-Tolerance Policy for Cheating and Plagiarism
Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes cheating,
plagiarizing, fabricating information, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having
unauthorized possession of exams, or submitting work of another person or work previously used
without informing the instructor. See the last section of this syllabus (“University Policies”) for more
information.
Schedule of Readings & Assignments
Date Readings Assignments
T 8/26 Introduction
SHORT STORY
Th 8/28 Kate Chopin, "Story of an Hour" Alternate ending
Pu Songling, "Painted Skin"
Hamilton, pp. 112-122 and pp. 11-12
DRAMA
T 9/2 Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice Skit
Hamilton, pp. 1-7
Th 9/4 Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice Film Design
Hamilton, pp. 167-178 Alternate ending
T 9/9 Radford's The Merchant of Venice Presentations on Barsam, ch. 2
Barsam, chapter 2
Th 9/11 Asian Literature Group meet Jade Atwill at the Learn how to compile an
steps outside Pattee entrance at 4:15PM for annotated bibliography
library tour; instruction starts at 4:30PM in 302
Paterno
----------- Check ANGEL to find out
Western Literature Group meet Eric Novotny at which group you are in.
4:15PM in 211A West Pattee (inside Music and
Media Center)
T 9/16 Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice Debate
Hamilton, pp. 15-16
CMLIT 153 3
Th 9/18 David Henry Hwang, M Butterfly
Hamilton, pp. 44-47
T 9/23 David Henry Hwang, M Butterfly Presentations on gender and
racial identities in M Butterfly
Film Design
Th 9/25 David Henry Hwang, M Butterfly Debate
Skit
FILM, REALISM, and SOUND
T 9/30 Bicycle Thieves Literature paper due
Barsam, chapter 3 Presentations on Barsam, ch. 3
Alternate Ending
Th 10/2 Bicycle Thieves
T 10/7 Beijing Bicycle Presentations on fetishized
commodity (bicycle)
Exam 1
Th 10/9 Beijing Bicycle
T 10/14 A Clockwork Orange Alternate ending of Beijing
Barsam, chapter 7 Bicycles
Presentations on Barsam, ch. 7
Th 10/16 A Clockwork Orange
T 10/21 A Clockwork Orange Presentations on music in the
film
Alternate ending
Th 10/23 A Clockwork Orange Debate
NOVEL and NOVELLA
T 10/28 Paulo Lins, City of God Presentations on the novel
Th 10/30 Fernando Meirelles, City of God
T 11/4 La Haine Film design of City of God
Barsam, chapter 5
Th 11/6 La Haine
T 11/11 Su Tong, "Wives and Concubines" Alternate ending of La Haine
Hamilton, 150-162 Film design
Th 11/13 Zhang Yimou, Raise the Red Lantern
Barsam, chapter 4
T 11/18 Zhang Yimou, Raise the Red Lantern Presentations on Barsam, Ch. 4
Alternate ending
Th 11/20 Zhang Yimou, Raise the Red Lantern Exam 2
CMLIT 153 4
Debate
T 11/25 Thanksgiving
Th 11/27 Thanksgiving
FILM and PARODY
T 12/2 Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle Film paper due
Barsam, chapter 8
Th 12/4 Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle
T 12/9 Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle Presentations on parody
Th 12/11 Portfolio peer assessment Portfolio due
Assignments
1. Research Paper
CHOOSE ONE: Literature Research Paper or Film Research Paper (3 double spaced pages
with proper footnotes+ bibliography on the fourth page).
Follow the guidelines in Essential Literary Terms and Writing About Movies. Both textbooks
include sample papers.
The paper—typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font—should be submitted
on the due date in class. Be sure to use the MLA documentation style to document sources you are
citing. Emailed or late assignments will not be accepted. Paper topics to be announced.
2. Portfolio
Due on the last day of class. You are asked to provide evidence of your progress to date, as well
as your ability to set goals and plan strategies for improvement. You will present this evidence in
form of a written portfolio. The point of the portfolio is to demonstrate 1) development and 2)
reflection.
You get started by keeping all of the work that you produce for the course in a folder or binder,
including weekly journals, course notes, reflections on course readings or films, play script that you
compose for your group performance, and materials for your presentation, film design project, or
alternate ending project, etc.
When you submit your portfolio, you will write a reflection on each piece, explaining why you
choose it, why you think it is a good example which demonstrates your progress in learning, and
where you see its strengths and weaknesses with regard to its thesis, argument, and the use of
primary and secondary sources.
More information will be given in class later regarding the format and evaluation criteria of
your final portfolio.
3. Annotated Bibliography
You will compose an annotated bibliography on a selected theme of the work on which your
group project (see below) is based. For example, if you are on a debate team for The Merchant of Venice
(or if you are performing a scene from that play, or if you are on a "film design" team that turns the
play into a movie), you will need to submit an annotated bibliography on the day of your
presentation. An example may be "An Annotated Bibliography of Film Adaptations of The Merchant
of Venice Since the 1980s."
The bibliography should contain at least 5 entries of scholarly works on the topic such as
books, academic journal articles, or reviews (no Googled results, no non-academic website entries),
CMLIT 153 5
should have a 150-word (minimum) annotation for each entry. For more information, go to:
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/AnnotatedBibliography.html
Follow the guidelines on bibliography in Essential Literary Terms and Looking at Movies 2nd Edition.
4. Collaborative Team Projects
CHOOSE ONE. We may not always be able to accommodate your top choice. Check ANGEL to
see your team assignment and date of presentation.
4.1. Film Design Project
What Is It?
Your team is bidding to become the producer of a film based of one of the classic we studied.
To win the bid, you must place a sample of your ideas for the film on the web or on a PowerPoint
file (to be presented) so that various film studios can vote on the best design.
The members in your team are to pretend that you are the producers and directors for an
American filming of this text. You are competing in this design against other teams, and will receive
5 % bonus for winning the competition as determined by class vote. (Members of teams entered
in the competition are NOT allowed to vote.)
You are asked to provide five elements of production design (each is worth 20 %):
1. An explanation of your general approach to the production, including decisions about
contemporizing vs. historical, realistic vs. stylized, etc., soundtrack and music -- along with whatever
else comes to mind -- are additional considerations.
2. A complete cast list (for speaking parts) with justifications for your choices. You are to cast
well-known, real-life actors in the various parts. Cost is no object!
3. A set design for at least one scene of the film, done either as bird's-eye or frontal design, OR a
storyboard for part of the film.
4. A poster or newspaper ad for your film. For full points, the poster or ad must be consistent
with other elements of your design, and reveal something of the theme or mood of your production.
Just the title with faces of actors will get less than full credit.
5. Drawings or reproductions of costumes for at least three of the characters. You may draw
these yourselves, scan them from books or magazines, or find images from the Internet.
Sample Film Designs
Examples of production designs are available through the ANGEL course website.
Division of Labor
Obviously, there are five aspects to the production, and some can be further subdivided or
doubled. For example, some teams provide both descriptions and pictures of actors. (People who
watch a lot of movies and television should be adept at this task.) It is a good bet that at least one
member of your team will be a good artist (either with a pencil or virtual)and can do costumes or
sets. Those interested in clothing and fashion might be interested in looking through books and
magazines for ideas, etc. It is a good idea to have one or more "project managers" who will look over
everything and make sure it is complete and consistent, and take care of putting everything into a
single PowerPoint or Word file, or creating the webpage.
Tips
You will gain points through boldness and consistency of design. Your philosophy should match
your cast list and set design. It is best to begin with a global decision on whether you want to put the
film in a modern or historical setting, make it dark or light comedy, etc., and then fill in the details
accordingly. Secondly, remember that this assignment is to show your knowledge of the work: your
explanation of your overall approach should clearly derive from the play itself; the more clearly you
link your actor choices to specific details of the characters of the play, the better. Generalities get you
nowhere.
CMLIT 153 6
4.2. Debate
What Is It?
Your team will debate another team on a controversial issue related to one of the texts we have
read. Your team will be graded on the overall quality of its argument, including research and citation
of "expert opinions," etc. you present to back up your case. Beyond this, the winning team (as
determined by the swaying of class opinion) will receive one extra-credit point.
Grading Criteria
Research, citation of authorities and the literary work (20 %), using specific, concrete examples
from the work (30 %), argumentation (30 %) and overall organization and effectiveness (20 %). 5 %
bonus if you win or one-half if you tie the debate.
There are two sides: affirmative and negative. There are two phases to the debate: constructive;
and rebuttal. In the constructive phase, each team lays out the evidence and arguments for or against
the proposition under debate. In the rebuttal phase, no new evidence or arguments are introduced.
Instead, each team tries to tear apart the arguments presented by the other team, and rebuild their
own case if it is being torn apart.
Division of Labor
If your team has four members, that works out to one member for the first constructive and the
first rebuttal, one for the second constructive and the second rebuttal, and two cross-examiners. All
of you are also researchers. One of you will double as team captain / coordinator who makes sure
the different arguments match up. You should do the research and write concise yet effective
speeches. Some teams like to give collective rebuttals, where each member says a sentence or two.
Tips
First of all, knowing well the texts about which you are debating is crucial. You need to parry
arguments with counter-examples and details from your text, often at short notice. The debate is
judged like a boxing match: leaving your opponents' arguments without response may lose you
points. Your constructives (in particular) should provide detail for every argument you put forward.
You should have more than one argument; otherwise, you will end up repeating a single point over
and over.
In the past, research has sometimes been an issue. Some teams have done the work (so they
claim) but not been able to find a place for it in the actual text of their speeches. Diligence and
creativity are needed to make that part work.
Finally, organization is crucial. Perhaps one team member should do nothing other than assign
tasks and check up on them, tell other members when to ask their questions, etc. You will lose points
if you look at each other blankly waiting for someone to ask a cross-ex question or get up to deliver a
speech.
Rules and Format
Before the debate, the class (minus the teams debating) is polled concerning their agreement or
disagreement with the proposition. The vote is recorded. After the debate, the class (minus the
teams) is polled again concerning their agreement or disagreement with the proposition. The vote is
compared with the previous one. Movement in one or another direction indicates victory for one of
the teams. If the numbers remain the same, the debate is a tie and both teams receive extra credit.
The numbers in the table below give the sequence of events in the debate:
Affirmative Team Negative Team
CONSTRUCTIVE PHASE (16 minutes)
CMLIT 153 7
1. Give first constructive argument (3 minutes) 2. Cross-examine the affirmative speaker on first
constructive (1 minute)
4. Cross-examine the negative speaker on first 3. Give first negative argument (3 minutes)
constructive (1 minute)
5. Give second constructive argument (3 6. Cross-examine the affirmative speaker on
minutes) second constructive (1 minute)
8. Cross-examine the negative speaker on second 7. Give second negative argument (3 minutes)
constructive (1 minute)
REBUTTAL PHASE (8 minutes)
10. Affirmative team gives 1st rebuttal (2 9. Negative team gives 1st rebuttal (2 minutes)
minutes)
12. Affirmative team gives 2nd rebuttal (2 11. Negative team gives 2nd rebuttal (2 minutes)
minutes)
4.3. Alternate Ending
Groups of two to three students will present an alternate ending to a literary work or film, with
persuasive rationale for the new ending. The presentation should consist of (1) critical analysis of the
work (not related to your alternate ending); (2) alternate ending; and (3) rationale for the ending.
The ending should be a thoughtful continuation or sequel that disambiguates the ambiguous,
problematic ending of the work under discussion. Cite passages (with page numbers) from the
original story to support your arguments. You have 10 minutes.
4.4. Perform a Skit
Groups of three to four students will perform a scene from a literary work. Costumes and props
welcome, but not required. Your presentation consists of three parts: (1) performance of your skit;
(2) a short presentation to explain your interpretation; and (3) Q & A. You have 10 minutes.
4.5. Oral Presentation
You may do this INDIVIDUALLY or AS A GROUP. Either way, each person has 5 minutes
for the presentation. Do an oral presentation with THREE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS based on
the assigned readings.
You must also turn in a brief outline and bibliography of your presentation. Be informative and
creative. Do not simply read an essay. To see presentations by previous students, go to
http://www.personal.psu.edu/ach13/Asia/Diaspora/DiasporaAssignProjects.htm
Tips for Writing a Good Essay
1. Resources
MLA style documentation guide
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanities/english.html
Writing Tips – Grammar Guides
http://www.colorado.edu/English/ENGL2012Klages/grammar.html
CMLIT 153 8
Common Errors in English
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/
Useful Links Related to Plagiarism
Common excuses for plagiarism:
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/cyberplag/cyberplagstudent.html
University Undergraduate Advising Handbook:
http://www.psu.edu/dus/handbook/integrity.html
College of Liberal Arts Academic Integrity Resources for Students:
http://www.la.psu.edu/undergrad/integrity/studentpolicy/studentres.htm
Statement by the Council of Academic Deans:
http://www.psu.edu/provost/integrity.htm
Undergraduate W riting Center The UWC is a center that provides undergraduate peer
tutors (trained in a three-credit course) for Penn State students. Discuss writing in progress with
the tutors during appointment or drop-in hours. There are also specialists in English as a second
language, offering tutorials by appointment. Most successful writers discuss and revise their
papers before handing them in. Contact Jon Olson, Director, at [email protected] and 1-814-865-
6383 or July Story, Associate Director, at [email protected] and 865-0259
(http://www.psu.edu/dept/cew/)
e-Tutoring:
http://www.psu.edu/dept/cew/writingcenter/UWC/e-tutoring.htm
2. Step-by-step Guide
THESIS:
Finding an appropriate thesis requires a combination of sharp analysis of what is being asked in
the question, excellent knowledge of the course, and imagination.
YOUR INTRODUCTION:
-Give background information needed to talk about your topic. Example: Who is Freud? What
theory of his will you be using?
-Thesis: What are you going to prove in the essay? What is the point of it? If it helps you can
even say “In this essay I will prove…” (and then perhaps take it out in editing).
BODY PARAGRAPHS:
-Always start with a transition sentence that moves the reader from the last paragraph to this
one!
-Concrete Detail: As a rule of thumb, every general statement you make relevant to your thesis
should have an example to back it up -- and vice versa, details should not be given at random,
but only for summarizing in the argument. State a fact.
-Back-up sentence: Usually 1-2 sentences giving your own argument supporting the fact.
**Important. Do not assume that your reader knows what you are talking about. If you use
technical terminology from the reading (which you should) either quote or define it in your
OWN words -- or both.
CONCLUSION:
-Wrap up your argument in the first sentence of your conclusion by re-stating your major points.
To do this, think “In this essay I have proved…”
CMLIT 153 9
-Tie together any loose ends you may have in the essay. Make sure that you have made ALL the
connections for the reader. Your argument is weakened when the reader is asked to "connect
the dots" for you.
NOTE:
-Short essays are fundamentally about the quality of your sentences, not the quantity. You must
learn to argue succinctly because the majority of written work you will do in the “Real World”
will be short (i.e. memos, abstracts, e-mails, proposals, grants, presentations).
