Gender Myth and Archetypes WGS 399.1 Instructor: Corey Hale - 869-0211 or Evaroot@sonic.net 10-11:50 M Books can be purchased at books@amazon.com for $11.96 in 2-3 days Stev 2075 Office Hours by Appointment In this class we will discuss various aspects of myth and archetypes as they influence our lives and patterns of thinking. By the end of the course you will be able to identify which archetypes are prevalent in today^Òs society, which one^Òs are valued and not valued, and understand their transcendent qualities. You will also gain or add to your knowledge on how myths and archetypes influence gender stereotypes. Class structure - roundtable discussion and small group work on assigned readings. This course is participation intensive. You need to come to class having completed the assigned readings for that day. You must attend class in order to receive credit for this course. If you miss a class you will need to write a short reaction paper on that week^Òs assigned readings in order to receive credit for that day. Unless other arrangements are made with the instructor, more than two absences will result in a no credit for the semester. Humor is a desirable aspect of this course, come prepared to have fun! The course will be broken into four components, as listed below. Please see weekly assignments in order to determine where we are by roman numeral. Are Archetypes dynamic or static? I. Psycho-erotica: Pursuing the Perverse with Madonna - Patricia Reis - Saga Revisiting the Myth of Demeter and Persephone - Christine Downing - Saga Video - Madonna: Immaculate Conception (segments) II. On Psychic Activism: Feminist Mythmaking - Jane Caputi - Feminist Companion to Mythology Stepping Over the Threshold - Marion Woodman - Saga (mythopoetic movement) Do Archetypes have value? III. Developing a Mythic Sensibility - Thomas Moore - Saga The Fire is in the Mind - David L. Miller - Saga IV. Goddesses as inner images - Jean Shinoda-Bolen - Goddesses in Every Woman Fathers and sons - Jean Shinoda-Bolen - Gods in Every Man *video The Magic of the Myth: What^Òs Inside? V. Once Upon a Time - Jonathan Young - Saga Language Alone Protects Us - Toni Morisson - Saga Story Food - Robert Bly - Saga VI. Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Pied Piper - James Garner - Politically Correct Bedtime Stories Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Pied Piper - (feminist fairy tales) Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Pied Piper - traditional VII. Pitfalls in Faierie - Verlyn Fleiger What Happens when Stereotypes are used in lieu of Archetypes? VIII. If Freud was born Phyllis - Gloria Steinem - Moving Beyond Words (current film images) Reconstructing Black Masculinity - bell hooks - Black Looks IX. Ms. Vera^Òs Lesson in Flirting Fundamentals at Miss Vera^Òs Finishing School for Boys who want to be Girls - Veronica Vera The Last Time I wore a Dress: Chapter 12 - Daphne Scholinsky Is Paris Burning? - bell hooks - Black Looks *video Assignments: January25: -Medicine Cards, animal archetypes and what they depict in Native American culture. -short in class essay on individual understanding of the roles archetypes play in our lives, addressing class goals. -open discussion of examples class can give of current myths and archetypes. -Sign up sheet for weekly discussion questions February 1: -Discussion of group I readings February 8: -Discussion of group II readings February 15: -Campus closed February 22: -Discussion of group III readings. You will receive the name of the God or Goddess you will be doing your report on today. March 1: -Discussion of group IV readings. How is everyone doing on their report? March 8: -Reports due. Short oral presentation on who you wrote about. March 15: -Discussion of group V readings. Jonathan Young is scheduled to speak in class next week, how does everyone feel about what he has presented so far? What kinds of questions would you like to ask him? March 22: -Meet in Multi Purpose room for reception and speaker. Come prepared to ask a question. March 29: -Debriefing from speaker. Discussion of group VI readings. Choose a Fairy tale to read over break. April 5: -Spring Break. April 12: -Reaction paper for fairy tale reading. You MUST read a fairy tale to do this as you will be expected to name each archetype presented. This is easier than it may sound as you don^Òt have to have the ^Ócorrect^Ô name but will make up your own. Short in class presentation. Discussion of group VII. April 19: -Discussion of group VIII. Discuss next weeks assignment for choosing a fairy tale for final project. April 26: -Break into groups and decide which tale you are going to depict for final presentation. Everyone must have a role and the class must be able to discuss who they are representing, what role they play in current social structure, as well as how this pertains to the class goals. May 3: -Discussion of group IX. May 10: -Group presentations due. Short essay on same topic as first day of class. Final (date?) -Debriefing. Come as your favorite archetype. It^Òs okay to keep it simple! Required Book - SAGA by Jonathan Young On reserve in the library - Jean Shinoda-Bolen^Òs books, as well as all other essays. Other readings may be assigned Explanation of Assignments and Requirements All 6 required assignments must be completed in order to receive credit for this class. Assignments will be graded C/NC. NC^Òs will be returned to be redone in order to receive credit for that assignment. All papers must be typed and double spaced. 1. Group Discussions Leadership: Each week one student will bring in three questions for discussion, with copies for all of the students and the instructor. The questions should come from that weeks readings. We will break into small group for discussion then regroup for roundtable discussion, to be led by the student leader. This can be done solo or with someone. If you choose to do this with someone you will need to do it twice. For this assignment you will choose a date on the sign-up sheet that will be passed around class on the first day. 2. Response paper on God or Goddess: You will write a paper about a God or Goddess discussed by Jean Shinoda-Bolen. Going on the premise that nothing happens by chance, you will draw your God or Goddess from a hat on February 22. Points for you to cover in your paper include but are not limited to, why do you think this particular archetype came to you? Can you identify with any of its aspects? Where do you see this archetype in society? What do you think our society values about this archetype and its characteristics? What do you think it devalues? Is there a stereotype associated with this archetype? Is it gender relevant? (an example of this might be, are men (only) from Mars and women (only) from Venus?) Remember, this is a reaction paper, so there are no wrong answers, however, a good answer is written and argued clearly. This is your opportunity to analyze yourself and our social structure. Paper should be 6-8 type written, double spaced pages, and is due in class on March 8. You will also get to give a short oral presentation (5-7 minutes) to tell class about the archetype you learned about. 3. One question for our guest speaker: We will discuss Jonathan Young^Òs work before he arrives on Campus and decide what types of questions we would like to ask him. Each student should bring a potential question for Jonathan Young on March 22. 4. Reaction paper on Jonathan Young: This is your response to Jonathan Young^Òs presentation. Did he say something spectacular that really connected with something you^Òd been wondering about? Was he full of B.S.? You decide here. 2-4 pages, typed, double spaced. Due March 29. 5. Fairy tale analysis: Read any fairy tale that catches your fancy, noticing what archetypes are being depicted. The instructor is available to discuss potential resources or ideas. Write a reaction paper on your observations. Make up your own names for the archetypes, find a theme of your own, or use one we have studied in class, still making up your own names. Once again, there are no wrong answers here. What we are looking for are the messages we get from the stories we read. What are we being told by this one? due April 12, 3-5 type, double spaced pages. 6. Group presentations: For this project we will break into three groups and decide on a fairy tale or myth to depict for the class for your final presentation. This can be done by acting it out, or with props, etc. You need to decide if this will be in the politically correct formula, a feminist formula, a formula of your own, a contrast of formulas, etc. Everyone in the group must have a role in the project. This will be an opportunity for us to continue our discussion about archetypes as being dynamic or static, open to interpretation or set in stone. Please keep presentations under ten minutes. Each student will need to hand in a one paragraph description on their role in the project. Due May 10. Make-up reaction papers: You must write a reaction paper for EVERY class you miss. This class meets only one day a week, therefore it is very important that you keep up with the discussion and all of the short reading assignments. Reaction papers need to be 500 words, typed and double-spaced.