English 2235

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Eng 2235 Home Page                 Spring 2014 (Note: This website has been redesigned with new graphics  However, the essential contents on each page remain the same.) Welcome to English 2235!  What is this course about?  Try these questions: What makes a good myth? What myths have been important historically?  How do myths related to society, psychology, culture, and civilization?  What is the difference between a literary myth and a non-literary myth?  Why do some myths have a variety of forms and versions? Is a myth a lie?  What does a myth represent? What are some of our most important myths in our society now?  How, if at all, have they affected our present lives and those around us?  How is a myth made?  What are its basic elements?  Are myths a guilty pleasure or a pillar of society?            Follow your head, your heart, and your interests through hundreds and even thousands of years of myth throughout the world and in our Western literatures.  By the end of this course, you will have many answers--and perhaps even more questions--about many of these questions and much more. I'm very glad to be working with you.  Most students who finish this course with a passing grade say that they have enjoyed the class quite a bit and say how much the course has helped them understand myth, culture, and literature.                                             Important: Please read these 3 very important steps right away!     1. The first class is in person physically, if you can make it! As the IHCC online "Schedule" says for the spring 2014 section of this course,  "Eng 2235-99: The first class for those within 50 miles of IHCC is in computer lab B-144 Thurs., 1-16, 6-8 pm.  Students also are asked to attend one art museum visit and one professional play.  All students should start the class nolater than 1-16 by going to www.richardjewell.net and clicking on '2235 Website.' First, you do not absolutely have to attend the first meeting.  It is mainly for those who don't know much about online classes and/or would like a stronger start in person with me, your instructor, in a computer lab.  If you fit into either of these categories, I would strongly recommend you show up.  You will get two X's of attendance credit for being there two hours.  (Those of you who don't come or can't come may earn these two X's in other ways during the semester--for about the same amount of time spent by those who show up.)  This first meeting, again, is Thurs., Jan. 16, 2013, 6-8 pm, B-144       (The room  is a computer lab in the "Business" building.  Click here to see a "Map of Campus.") If you do somehow miss the first night, please be sure to carefully look over this entire English 2235 web site and carefully read "Starting Online."     2. Please also determine whether you are ready for this time-consuming class! This class will take a lot of time, and it demands a good deal of work.  Because this is a 2000-level literature course and because it is officially one of IHCC's "Writing Intensive" courses, the class is very rigorous.  It is a good introduction to critiquing literature and writing about literature as English majors do--and the subject matter is fun--but the course is very rigorous.  Are you ready for a rigorous, time-consuming class? 3. Third, is this only your 1st or 2nd online class? If so, are you sure that you are ready for independently taking an online class?  If this is only your first or second online class, please go now to  www.breatheptk.org and click on the link near the bottom of the page that says "B.R.E.A.T.H.E. Document."  Read it carefully.  After reading it, if you have any further doubts, take the simple MnSCU quiz at www.minnesotaonline.org/students/distancelearningquiz.php. If you then still believe that this is the class for you, then please continue reading below: Week 1:  Welcome to the class!  I am glad to be working with you in this fully-online section of "English 2235-Mythology" for the spring semester.  I expect the course to be interesting and fun.  In addition to online activities, we'll be seeing two different mythic plays and making one trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts to get a guided tour of mythic art.  (If you're at a distance or must miss these, you may make them up by doing similar or related activities on your own wherever you live.)  The course study materials include work with classic fairy tales, Greek myth, King Arthur, the Bible, C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien, and some independent study.  I hope you'll enjoy the class!  In passing, I'd like to note to you that this course does not use D2L (except for the discussion boards).  In addition, the Web site sometimes shows options for both a fully-online ("FOL") section and a face-to-face ("F2F"), on-campus section.  Please ignore the on-campus section, as Inver Hills currently offers this course each year ONLY in the fully-online version.  Please start by reading the web pages called "Starting Online" and, if you are a high school student, PSEO Students.  Then quickly read (or carefully skim) all the web pages in this course web site. It is also important to note that you should have Thursday nights relatively free, as the IHCC printed and online "Schedule" says.   There will be several Thursday night physical class activities: a first in-person meeting on campus, a trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and a couple of Thursday night live plays.   IMPORTANT--PLEASE NOTE!  (1) This class does not run on D2L (except for the discussion boards).  (2) Please fill out and mail the "Student Info + Photo Sheet" (click here to go to it, or receive it from me by hand--in person--in the computer lab on the first night's physical meeting), and if you have received any emails, yet, from me or the Online Assistant, Davyann Lee, send me your email address right away.  I will send a reply email for both, letting you know I got them.  If you don't hear from me, contact me immediately: (612) 870-7024.  (3) You also should be aware that I always return your emailed homework, marked to show I got it.  And you can always check your records by clicking on "FOL Records" above.  If you are not receiving your homework back and seeing credit for it appear by each Sunday evening on the "FOL Records," contact me immediately!  IMPORTANT NOTE #2: Please note that you must use "MS Word" (not "Works" or an .rtf text) to write and send the term paper, and to read my comments and make your revisions on the term paper!  You may buy Word at an inexpensive student price (about $100) if you are an IHCC student: goto www.inverhillsbookstore.com and, at the bottom of the page, clicking on "Microsoft Promo." I'll look forward to seeing you the first night, when we'll review the Web assignments and discussion boards.  If you have questions or concerns ahead of time, please feel free to email, call, or drop by during my on-campus office hours in the spring.  Click here for information about my office hours and how to contact me. Please also note! I will assume you will be using your "________@go.inverhills.edu" email account (unless you request that I use a different email address for you).  Please check your emails at least once per week, preferably on Mon. or Tues., for emails from me about the class.  Also, please use my home email address to communicate with me.  I look at it almost every day.  (Please do not use my IHCC email address--I only look at it one-three times per wk.; in addition, it sometimes delays email for hours or even days.)  My home email address is as follows:  richard at jeweLL dot net and jeweL001 ("jeweL zero zero one) at umn dot edu      But instead of "at," use "@"; and instead of "dot," use a period. For example, if you were emailing john at smith dot net, you would write it as john@smith.net. Your email system may reject email from people it does not recognize, or from people who send emails frequently.  For this reason, you should add my email address to your "safe sender" or "trusted sender" list.                       If you do not know how to make me a "safe" or "trusted sender," then please use your email system's "help" function or, if there is none, then look in "tools," "options," "settings," or other places where you are allowed to control who sends you email and who doesn't.  UPDATES The best way to check for updates is to  Check email twice weekly: check your email for messages from me: I use email to announce visits to plays/museums and other changes/additions.  I also return - marked - all email homework you send to me.  SAVE A COPY OF EVERY HOMEWORK EMAIL YOU SEND TO ME!  Sometimes email gets lost.  You may need proof that you sent it to me.  The best way to do this is to email the homework not only to me but ALSO to yourself!  Put your own email address in the CC or BCC line whenever you email me your homework.                   If you are not receiving emails from me at least once per week, contact me immediately at my home email address so I can get your email address on my email list.                       Also check the "FOL Records" weekly: make sure you are getting credit for both email homework and for discussion-board attendance.                             If there's a problem, check the FAQs first.  If that doesn't help, email me at my home email address.            Please remember that the official "Schedule" of weekly assignments, though 98% accurate, may have additions and/or changes made on occasion.  This is especially true for such events as plays or museum visits, which cannot be scheduled until just a few weeks beforehand and often are not even mentioned on the schedule itself, but rather in class time and/or by email.  Other changes occasionally are made, too.  Because of such changes, you should always check for updates.  The best way to check for updates is to  Check email twice weekly: check your email for messages from me, where I announce visits to plays/museums and other changes/additions. Grading System - Choose Your Goal for the Semester: A = 90-100 X's (90-100 points, or       90%-100%) B = 80-89 X's C = 70-79 X's D = 60-69 X's F = 0-59 X's Your grade for the class is based on a system of X's, with 100 X's (100 points or 100%) equaling a perfect A+.  90 X's is the minimum for an "A," 80 X's for a "B," etc., as shown above..  You choose what grade you want.  You may earn your X's in four ways: (a) Homework (about 45 X's) (b) Attendance (about 35 X's) (c) Term paper/project (up to 20 X's) (d) Extra credit (70 min. = 1 X) ______________________________________ TOTAL: "a"-"c" above: about 100 X's Absolute Minimums for Passing:  To get a "D" or better in this class, you must do the following: Earn at least 60 X's/points overall. Complete a term paper earning at least a C (11 X's). Be active in the class at least once every two weeks (or be dropped). Other Minimums: When you write homework, discussion board messages, or extra credit, the writing must be a minimum of 150-200 words, depending on the assignment or activity.. When you write 150+ w. for homework, you must write a minimum of 50 words for each chapter (and . An "X" in this class is assumed to be the equivalent of 70 minutes of work. This is a 4-credit class (not 3 credits), so it assumes a workload of at least 12 hrs./wk. (not 9 hrs./wk.) to receive an "A."  Some people--those who read more slowly or more thoroughly and/or who write more slowly or take a lot of time while they write --may need more than 12 hrs./wk. to receive an "A."  See below for more about workload. Your Workload: This class is a 3-credit class.  The hours required for this online class are not less than the same class when taught on campus in a regular, physical classroom.  An online class should not have "fewer hours" just because it is online (except possible time saved in driving to and from campus), nor should it be "easier"--the workload is supposed to be the same.  You do not get to "skip class time" in an online class: instead, time normally spent in a physical classroom on campus is supposed to be converted, in an online course, to additional time spent online.  In fact, the overall work load of a course, whether online or traditional, is governed by a national understanding among colleges and universities.  This understanding states that a first- or second-year college course should require about 3 hours of work each week for every credit (counting both class attendance and homework time).  This would mean that in a 3-credit class, the total amount of work time - both class attendance and homework time - should be about 9 hrs./wk.  Some people may need to do more than that if they want more than a "D" or a "C."  If you cannot handle this much work per week, then you should drop this course.    Museum and Play Visits: We will be going as a class group two to three times to a major museum on Thursday evenings, and to one or two plays somewhere in the Twin Cities on an evening that works best for the most people.  The great majority of students say these activities were one of the highlights of the course and also allowed them a great chance to meet some of their classmates.  It is assumed that if you live within 100 miles of the Twin Cities, you will be able to go.  However, those who will be located further away than 100 miles and those who cannot attend because of work conflicts may find other times and/or ways of making up these events as outlined in the "Attendance & Participation" page. --- VERY  IMPORTANT--DON'T BUY BOOKS UNTIL YOU READ THIS! Do NOT buy the books immediately, except for the Tatar fairy tales book, with which we start.  For many of the other books, you will have options.  Please read the "Readings" page first (see top navigation bar or left-hand navigation bar).     IMPORTANT!  (1) Again, this class does not run on D2L, except for bulletin boards (discussion boards).  (2) Please fill out and mail the "Student Info + Photo Sheet" (available online by clicking here; I also will  pass it out at the first physical-class meeting), and (3) send me an email with your email address--as this is how I keep in weekly contact with everyone.  I will send a reply email for both, letting you know I got them.  If you don't hear from me, contact me immediately.  (3) You also should be aware that I always return your emailed homework, marked to show I got it.  And you can always check your records by clicking on "FOL Records" above.  If you are not receiving your homework back and seeing credit for it appear by each Sunday evening on the "FOL Records," contact me immediately!  (You can always find my contact info by clicking on the very-top, upper-left corner--or on the very-bottom "Questions" line--of every Web page in this Web site.) --- Adding my Email Address to Your Sender List: Please also note the following! I send absolutely necessary weekly emails to you.  And I send assignments back to you after giving you credit for them.  So you MUST BE SURE you are getting my emails. Your email system may reject email from people it does not recognize, or from people who send emails frequently.  For this reason, you may need to add two of my email addresses to your "safe sender" or "trusted sender" list.  The email addresses you should add are as follows: (1) richard at jewell dot net (2) jeweL zero zero one at umn dot edu  --but write it as email addresses normally are written. E.g., john @ smith dot net would be written as john@smith.net. (Why have I written my email addresses in this unusual way?  I get over 600 spam emails per week already.  And spammers have software engines that automatically search the Web for email addresses.  If people avoid typing their actual email addresses on Web sites, they can avoid more spam.) If you do not know how to do add my email address to your own email program, then please use your email program's "help" function or, if there is none, then look in "tools," "options," "settings," or other places where you are allowed to control who sends you email and who doesn't. --- Conclusion: I hope you enjoy the class!  Many people are surprised, by the end of it, not only by how much they have learned but also by how much better they feel they now understand the roots and meanings of our entire Western civilization.  If you need anything, be sure to contact me by email, phone, or in person.                                        Schedule of Consultations about Final Paper/Project      Spring 2015 Consultations:  The consultations will come late in the semester, a few weeks before the final term project/paper is due.  The times are not yet set up.  After the consultation times are set up, below, I'll let you know by email.  Then please send 2-3 times that work for you. At the consultation: The purpose is to talk about your Final Project.  Bring your Draft 1 and your Draft 2 final project to the consultation.  The Draft 2 is required and due at your consultation, no matter which day of Wk. 15 you have the consultation.  Each consultation is worth 2 X's/points--even though it is only 10 minutes, those 10 minutes of meeting with me can be invaluable sometimes. Days/Times/Dates for Spring 2014 The consultations are in my B-136 office.  They are about your term paper: have your Draft I (and preferably D-II) and bring it with you. --- Wed., April 30, 2014  (10-15 min. each):   Have your Draft I (and preferably D-II) and bring it with you. (PLEASE CHOOSE THE EARLIEST TIME YOU CAN ARRIVE.) 6:30 pm: Ashley B. 6:45 pm: Michael R. 7:00 pm: Erika S. 7:15 pm: 7:30 pm: 7:45 pm: --- Mon., May 5, 2014  (10-15 min. each):   Have your Draft I (and preferably D-II) and bring it with you. (PLEASE CHOOSE THE EARLIEST TIME YOU CAN ARRIVE.) 2:45 pm: Tess R. 3:00 pm: Sarah R. 3:15 pm: Meagan S. 3:30 pm: 5:45 pm: 6:00 pm: 6:15 pm:   --- Telephone April 25-May 4: Make an appt. ahead of time.  Here is how a phone consultation works: (1) Ahead of time, you get my phone number.  (2) You email me your Draft I or II at least 24-48 hrs. before the appointment (or drop it off at my office).                                     (3) Both you and I have your Draft I or II on our computers at the appointment time.  (4) You call me, and we talk while looking at the paper together.     If none of these dates or times work for you, contact me for additional dates/times.  I also can set up a phone consultation with you, either at these times or at other times.  Reminder: Phone consultations require that you first send me an attachment or email of your paper so we can look at it at the same time while talking on the phone.      --Richard                                                                               Return to top.