Course Info and Policies

Introduction

In this course, we will explore the motif of imprisonment as a means of identifying crucial aspects of the human experience. Most of us have felt imprisoned at some point in our lives, and we are often threatened with the loss of freedom. While we will begin the course with a narrative of literal imprisonment in The Shawshank Redemption, we will quickly move toward an investigation of abstract and metaphorical forms of confinement.

I will expect a high degree of personal reflection, preparation, and the investment of individual thought. My evaluation of your performance throughout the marking period will be weighed as follows:

Essays: 50%
Quizzes: 30%
Project 20%

My daily expectations will consist of every student coming to class thoroughly prepared to discuss the assigned reading. This does not mean a quick once-over in the halls before the start of class. Rather, intelligent reading of literature demands close analysis with a pen and/or highlighter in hand, notes written in the margins, and your questions and most profound insights captured in your notebook. This level of preparation will lead to the development of your own ideas regarding the text, which I hope you will contribute to lively class discussions.

I am available for one-on-one help in my office (C217) every even day during periods 1, 2, and 3, and you can find me in the Writing Center during 5th period each day. I am more than happy to meet with students either before or after school by appointment. You may call me for urgent help before 10 o’clock in the evening at 410-917-2419.

Plagiarism

In order for you to progress as a writer, I need to evaluate your own abilities and address your weaknesses as they present themselves. In this way, the essays you submit need to represent your exclusive work.

A simple rule of thumb: cite your sources. Even if you have taken great pains to reconstruct the wording of your paraphrasing, cite your source. I will be impressed by your efforts to employ outside information, and I won’t feel the need to test your veracity with the highly effective software available to teachers these days.

I have absolutely no problem with you asking your parents or older sibling to read your papers, but I ask that they limit themselves to general comments, such as “I have difficulty following your argument in the third body paragraph,” “You might want to review your use of commas in the conclusion paragraph,” or “Your thesis statement needs clarification.” However, your reader crosses the line the minute he or she puts ink on the page. I’m not interested in evaluating your sister’s ability to properly punctuate a compound sentence with a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb; rather, I need to see accurate reflections of your knowledge in order to improve your writing.

Cheating

With regards to quizzes and tests, the discussion thereof is strictly prohibited until each and every member of both of my classes has completed the assignment. Even such innocent questions as “Was the vocab quiz hard?” seek to acquire an unfair advantage over those who already took the quiz without this knowledge, thus constituting a breach of the Honor Code. At the conclusion of each quiz and test, you should write out and sign the pledge, signaling that you have represented yourself honorably.

Any behavior perceived to be in violation of the Honor Code will be immediately reported to the proper administrative authorities.

Late Papers

Essays are due in my email inbox at the designated time (or, if submitted in paper form, at the start of class on the assigned due date). Late papers will lose 5 points each day until they are submitted.

Extensions will be happily granted when requested prior to the due date and for legitimate reasons (i.e. prolonged illness, impossible workloads, and late-breaking flashes of brilliance which require a substantial reconstruction of your argument). However, a failure to plan ahead does not call for an extension.

Behavior

In this class, we will behave as polite ladies and gentlemen. We will respect the thoughts and abilities of our fellow students, and when we disagree, we will do so with intelligent and rational argument. Such characteristics as punctuality, diligence, and attentiveness are prototypical of polite behavior.