Art/Work: Labor and Literature in the US, 1900-presentENGL 398.47-01

Instructor: Jeff AllredClass Meetings: TF 11:10-12:25, HW 509Office Hours: T 1-3pm and by appointment in HW 1237Contact me: 212.772.5170 or jeff.allred@hunter.cuny.eduClass Blog Site: http://laborlit.wordpress.com

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the semester, students will: Have a broad knowledge of literary representations of work in the 20thC US across several genres Be able to relate the aesthetics of these texts to their social and cultural contexts, especially through critical readings Have developed their writing skills and especially close reading/analytic skills in careful engagement with literary prose. Have learned to engage an audience of peers as well as a broader public orally and in writing, using WordPress blogs and traditional writing assignments.

Course Schedule (**besides the books listed at the end, all readings are available via the web in .pdf)

datereadingswriting

Week 1Introduction

1/28Introduction, requirements, assignments Optional reading: intro to Best of Times, Worst of Times (link via blog)

Week 2-3Jack London and the labor of words

1/31Jack London, Martin Eden (1909) (chs 1-8)** meet in Lab B (1001B Hunter North) for primer on WordPress etc.

2/4London, Martin Eden (chs 9-18)Wilson, Jack London: The Brain Worker from The Labor of Words Blog post #1

2/7London, Martin Eden (chs 19-28)

2/11London, Martin Eden (finish)

Week 3-8The art of work: representing labor

2/14Pietro Di Donato, Christ in Concrete (1939) (parts 1-2)Blog post #2

2/18Di Donato, Christ in Concrete (part 3)Entin, from Sensational Modernism

2/21Di Donato, Christ in Concrete (parts 4-5)

2/25Harvey Swados, On the Line (1957) (chs 1-3)Blog post #3

2/28Swados, On the Line (chs 4-6)Swados, A Note on the Workers Cultural Degradation

3/4Swados, On the Line (finish)Aronowitz, from False PromisesTopics: short essay

3/7Studs Terkel/Harvey Pekar, Working (1974; 2009) intros + 1-58Blog post #4

3/11Studs Terkel/Harvey Pekar, Working, 59-126

3/14Studs Terkel/Harvey Pekar, Working, finish

3/18Catchup/reviewShort essay due

Week 9-14The work of art: labor and leisure in late capitalism

3/21Kenneth Fearing, The Big Clock (1946) (1-99)

3/25Kenneth Fearing, The Big Clock (finish)

3/28Kenneth Fearing, The Big Clock (review)Primary documents from Time Inc. employees (.pdf)

4/1Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed (2001)(Intro + ch 1)Blog post #5

4/4Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed (ch 2)Readers reactions from HarpersTopics: final essay

4/8Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed (ch 3 )Subsidized Living: Reflections on Bringing Nickel and Dimed to the Stage

4/11Hari Kunzru, Transmission (2004) (pp. 1-87)

4/25Kunzru, Transmission (pp. 88-185)Andrew Ross, from No Collarelevator pitch for final essay in class (post on blog and deliver orally)

4/29Kunzru, Transmission (finish)

5/2George Packer, from The Unwinding (2012), pp. 1-119Optional: deadline to submit intro/draft

5/6Packer, from The Unwinding, p. 120-189

5/9Packer, from The Unwinding, p. 189-276

5/13TBAFinal essay due

Responsibilities: Six blog posts of 400-800 words + informal commenting on others postsShort essay (1500-2500 wds), based on topics I will distributeFinal essay: research paper based on original research (3-4,000 words). regular attendance and participation in all discussions

Grading: I will give detailed guidelines for the blog posts, exam, and encyclopedia entries separately. Your grade will be calculated as follows: blogging (35%); short essay (20%); final essay (30%); participation (15%).

A FEW GENERAL POLICIES:

a) regarding plagiarismHunter College regards acts of academic dishonesty (e.g. plagiarism, cheating on examinations, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of records and official documents) as serious offenses against the values of intellectual honesty. The college is committed to enforcing the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity and will pursue cases of academic dishonesty according to the Hunter College Integrity Procedures.

b) regarding students with disabilitiesIn compliance with the American Disability Act of 1990 (ADA) and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Hunter College is committed to ensuring educational parity and accommodations for all students with documented disabilities and/or medical conditions. It is recommended that all students with documented disabilities (Emotional, Medical, Physical and/or Learning) consult the Office of Accessibility located in Room 1124 East to secure necessary academic accommodations. For further information and assistance please call (212-772-4857) /TTY (212-650-3230).

c) regarding attendance and participationI do take attendance and expect you in class each day. Failure to attend will significantly impact your grade; more than four unexcused absences will result in a failing grade. Im a reasonable person, so always get in touch via email in advance if you need to miss class. I become less reasonable with excuses that come after the fact. Nor is being there enough: you have to come prepared to put away the phones and distractions and engage the texts rigorously. I will embarrass you if you are texting or otherwise engaging in distracted/distracting behavior.

d) regarding technologyWe will use web resources in this course: a course blog and perhaps the course Blackboard site. I plan to use Bb only for its gradebook function, if that; we will use the blog to share informal responses to texts and for any announcements from me about the course. We will also use email for communication. It is therefore a basic requirement for you to have a functioning email account and to check it frequently. I prefer that you use your Hunter email address for all course-related correspondence: getting email from your personal accounts, with handles like numbnutz34 or darealcontenda (both real examples), creates spam filter problems and is just plain embarrassing. But if you trust a personal address more than your Hunter account, I can arrange to use that instead.

Books:[available at Shakes and Co. (939 Lexington Avenue); all other texts are available via blog site]

Jack London, Martin Eden (ISBN-10: 0140187723)Pietro Di Donato, Christ in Concrete (ISBN-10: 0451214218)Harvey Pekar/StudsTerkel, Working (ISBN-10: 1595583211)Kenneth Fearing, The Big Clock (NYRB P, ISBN-10: 1590171810)Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed (Picador, ISBN-10: 0312626681)Hari Kunzru, Transmission (ISBN: 0452286514)George Packer, The Unwinding (FSG, ISBN-10: 0374534608)

** you are welcome to shop around, but make sure to get the edition with the corresponding ISBN.