Course Length: Semester

This is a course designed to analyze how art uses satire to question the major social and political challenges of our times. Effective satire often tries to institute a change in thought or behavior either on the part of the subject of the satire, the audience, or the reader.  Using a variety of critical lenses, students will explore satire in the essay, short story, novel, film, and in popular representation in the media. Students will be able to differentiate between farce, spoof, parody, irony, and satire, and use those skills in creative projects of their own. Students will also write an analytical research paper to explore the ways that satire can be used to change hearts and minds.  Some sample texts include: A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift; Candide, Voltaire; Mister Monkey, Francine Prose; selected articles by Christopher Hitchens, Alessandra Stanley, Nora Ephron; Text from Adbusters, The Onion, & topical, popular memes; and films such as Mean Girls, Shrek, Brazil.

This course is designed to investigate various portrayals of women in literature, film, and other media in order to learn how gender roles develop and change in different historical, political, and cultural contexts.    Through a study of diverse literary greats – Virginia Woolf, Emily Bronte, Sylvia Moreno-Garcia, and others—we will examine the myriad images of women in literature.  We will explore how women have accepted, struggled against, and transformed traditional roles of daughter, sister, friend, wife, and mother.  This course involves critical thinking about contemporary issues and will prepare the student for a college introductory composition class.  The writing in the course will be both expository and creative; we will react critically to the works we read, and we will continue to develop our personal literary “voices.” The goal of the course is to broaden our understanding– historically, socially, economically, spiritually — of women, of men and women in relationships, of the cultural forces that make “gender” such a compelling, interesting topic.  This course promises to be exciting and valuable to women and men; all are encouraged to join in the adventure of “Women in Literature.”

In this single semester course, students will investigate the patterns and archetypes of world mythology by reading a variety of ancient myths, in addition to plays, short stories, poems, and novels that utilize the themes and characters inspired by myth.  Students will consider different theories concerning the origin of myths and the function that this genre serves in the development of the individual and society. Units of study will include creation myths from around the world, Mesopotamian myths, classical myths, the Hero’s Journey pattern, Norse mythology and modern works inspired by mythology.  In addition to enjoying the irresistible charm of fantasy, students will also analyze the “truths” or the myths by discussing the relevance of mythological themes in the modern world.  Students will purchase core texts; however, we will study numerous excerpts from on-line sources, particularly the Perseus Project.  Another component of this class will be working on writing skills, including the expository essay and creative writing.

Designed as a critical thinking and writing course for seniors, this course investigates the evolution of the United States through social, cultural, economic, and ideological lenses.  Examination of the growth of American society and myths through a diverse set of readings enables students to grasp the connections and struggles between the powerful and the disenfranchised throughout American history.  The readings illuminate and deconstruct American cultural myths through a broad range of topics (family, education, power, race — and mediums such as fiction, nonfiction, music (jazz, folk, rock, hip-hop) and film.  By fostering intellectual independence essential to not only critical thinking, but to becoming “men and women with and for others,” this course benefits and welcomes students of all backgrounds.  Featured authors include Toni Morrison, Maxine Hong Kingston, Cornel West, Tomas Rivera, and Malcolm X.  Students will engage in expository, creative, and autobiographical writing.

Students enrolled in this class are required to participate in San Francisco State University’s Dual Enrollment Ethnic Studies course and will earn college credit from SF State. Instructions for completing the dual enrollment process will be provided after students are registered for the class. No additional coursework is required to receive college credit. Please reach out to Ms. Nikki Narvaez (nnarvaez@siprep.org), English Department Chair, with any questions.