Can a highway billboard be counted as literature? Is Bob Dylan a sellout? Who is Lady Gaga? Can Google be used as a poetic constraint? How do internet phenomena like Youtube and Facebook shape our attitudes toward wisdom, knowledge, and information? Are we morally implicated just by watching? Is constructing our own identities a dangerous thing, and is deconstruction possible?
In this course we will try and answer these questions.
We will discuss relatively nascent literary forms, such as children’s literature, graphic novels, genre fiction, fan fiction, and blogging; we will explore the art of adaptation, and talk about the ways in which the narrative techniques used in film and television have shaped our formal understanding of image, character, metaphor, and plot; we will question the mythologizing power of nostalgia and ask whether speculative fiction (science fiction and fantasy) can offer us a better understanding of our own world.
Come prepared to both read and write generously. This course will be graded on enthusiasm, regular attendance, and a final portfolio of polished work.
Required Reading List:
Alan Moore, From Hell
Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass
Additional reading materials will be provided in photocopy form.
Monday, November 29, 2010
The End
For you last post, please watch the video above and write a short narrative (one to two paragraphs) in the style of the video that tells the story of our Creative Writing and Popular Culture class--from those early days in August till the nuclear winter that is late November in Iowa City.
So my creative writing and popular culture class goes a little like this: every Monday from 4:30 to 6:30, (right in the middle of a prime dinner time), we listen to our teacher Ellie talk about what makes superb writing. Every week we have written assignments and we have to comment about random ideas on a blog - a blog that no one else besides people in this class will ever spend a moment to look at. (It will probably be deleted after the completion of this class, or become lost and forgotten in the inertia of Internet Limbo forever.) We have to write one big story for the year, which everyone will get the chance to scrutinize and critique...to your face. This class comes to a sad end tomorrow, the fifth of December in the year two thousand and ten.
Ok so we have our creative and popular writing class that started in August when it is was pretty warm. Then, every week, from 4:30 to 6:30, we meet to discuss writing styles and some other things about popular culture in today's world. Then, the world becomes colder as the semester moves on where everyone writes a story. This story is then discussed with the entire class and our teacher, Ellie, at a later date. As winter approaches, the class, unfortunately, ends.
So there's this creative writing class taught by Ellie. We meet every Monday for a semester from 4:30 to 6:30 even though it's supposed to end at 7:15, but no one complains. The class consists of three main components: class meetings, blog assignments, and take home assignments. So there's a short story too and it's like "wtf?" because it doesn't know where it fits in, but we had to write one anyways. Then everyone critiqued it and we all felt like launching missiles at each other. (just kidding)But it was resolved by Ellie telling us all our stories are awesome : ) And now this creative writing class ends, but we will miss it forever : ( (Seriously this was such an awesome class!)
Okay, so we all attended this Creative Writing class, what a sweet class you might say. COOL! Alright. If we came to class, turned in our ten assignments, weekly blogs, our story with revisions, we might pass the class. Okay, so basically we have Ellie as the teacher, sometimes Steve, and Us. So one day we were like "you teaching sons-of-a-bitches are going to listen to what we have to say (because it was assigned) by presenting you and all with our blogs and stories. Ellie was like "WTF" and Stephen was like, "but I want a cigarette." Okay, have a cigarette break, BUT THEN BACK TO THE STORIES! Now we have winter and it's cold. Assuming we have turned in all assignments, revisions made, and blogs posted, we can chill for the rest of the semester, Ellie can too. THE END.
Heres how it goes. Every Monday night we have this class from 4:30-6:30. It is supposed to go until 7:30 but we get out early every week. AWESOME!!!! The name of the class is Creative Writing in Pop Culture. Our techer Ellie is from New Zealand, she talks different than everyone in the class. WHO CARES!!!! She tells us each week how to be a good writer and come up with interesting stories. MAYBE!!! We have all these interesting conversations about LAdy Gaga, Jack the Ripper, Golden Compesses, and that horrible show GLEE!!!! After we talk about these things we go home and write about them and then post funny things onto this blog!! LOL!!!!!!! That is about it!! END!!!!
Ho-kay. There's the University of Iowa. Dang, this is a sweet school you might say. But then there's a small decrepit building known as the North Hall. Ruling out Wild Bill's Coffee shop and the paper-making facility and the international volunteer office, there is room 220. Ho-kay so basically, we have about 20 students meeting monday nights. We have short papers to turn in and ... shit! shit! - a blog most of us forget about. We write about pop culture and Lady Gaga and YouTube and a big paper to do for workshop once. Right-o. But assuming we get past all of that, we get to nuclear winter and read through other people's papers and wait for the rest of the school year to finish. THE END.
Ho-kay, So! There's this sweet class. It's called Creative Writing: Pop Culture. We talk about things about writing which is super awesome. Our teacher is Ellie, and she comes from New Zealand. She's a writer which is wicked cool. Every week we have to write on this blog, which is cool, but we forget sometimes. We write stories and stuff and talk about how writing works. We also read these super awesome books. And then Stephen taught a few classes on poetry, which was also cool. We started in August, and we workshopped people's awesome stories, and now, it's over because the semester is ending, which is even more awesome. THE END
Ohkay, so we have this school that we attend is called Iowa. Dang, that is a shweet school, wrong...So we have classes, this class is creative writing. It is fun, interactive, and hopefully doesn't blow us up. So basically we have all sorts of classes that make up the university of Iowa. We have this really good football team, but whatever. So one day we were like screw Michigan, and beat the hell out of them w our football team. Then Penn state was like shit shit, we have to play them next bring out the big boys. Then Michigan State was like oh shit we have to fight they game, bring out the shit. And Ohio State was like fire our buckeyes, i mean shit, but im tired, well sleep then fire the shit! Montana is up like like WTF? ISU is so confussed it doesn't know what to do. So we have everyone meeting to play football and fire their shit. So now we have Boise State whos like Shit! we are screwed. Montana is still like WTF, and Iowa is thinking we are dumb we should of won the big 10. So now we have this stupid thing called the BCS series were everything gets fucked up and no ones truly happy with how it turns out. TCU ending up joining the big east, and Montana's still like wtf?
The last monday in august i went to a creative writing class. I have gone every mnday since since. I learned about writing words and sentences and paragraphs. I wrote a short story sometime in there. I turn in assignments every week and write on a blog. Saw some youtube videos. This monday is my last one with creative writing. Shit. The End.
So my creative writing and popular culture class goes a little like this: every Monday from 4:30 to 6:30, (right in the middle of a prime dinner time), we listen to our teacher Ellie talk about what makes superb writing. Every week we have written assignments and we have to comment about random ideas on a blog - a blog that no one else besides people in this class will ever spend a moment to look at. (It will probably be deleted after the completion of this class, or become lost and forgotten in the inertia of Internet Limbo forever.) We have to write one big story for the year, which everyone will get the chance to scrutinize and critique...to your face. This class comes to a sad end tomorrow, the fifth of December in the year two thousand and ten.
ReplyDeleteOk so we have our creative and popular writing class that started in August when it is was pretty warm. Then, every week, from 4:30 to 6:30, we meet to discuss writing styles and some other things about popular culture in today's world. Then, the world becomes colder as the semester moves on where everyone writes a story. This story is then discussed with the entire class and our teacher, Ellie, at a later date. As winter approaches, the class, unfortunately, ends.
ReplyDeleteSo there's this creative writing class taught by Ellie. We meet every Monday for a semester from 4:30 to 6:30 even though it's supposed to end at 7:15, but no one complains. The class consists of three main components: class meetings, blog assignments, and take home assignments. So there's a short story too and it's like "wtf?" because it doesn't know where it fits in, but we had to write one anyways. Then everyone critiqued it and we all felt like launching missiles at each other. (just kidding)But it was resolved by Ellie telling us all our stories are awesome : ) And now this creative writing class ends, but we will miss it forever : ( (Seriously this was such an awesome class!)
ReplyDeleteOkay, so we all attended this Creative Writing class, what a sweet class you might say. COOL! Alright. If we came to class, turned in our ten assignments, weekly blogs, our story with revisions, we might pass the class. Okay, so basically we have Ellie as the teacher, sometimes Steve, and Us. So one day we were like "you teaching sons-of-a-bitches are going to listen to what we have to say (because it was assigned) by presenting you and all with our blogs and stories. Ellie was like "WTF" and Stephen was like, "but I want a cigarette." Okay, have a cigarette break, BUT THEN BACK TO THE STORIES! Now we have winter and it's cold. Assuming we have turned in all assignments, revisions made, and blogs posted, we can chill for the rest of the semester, Ellie can too. THE END.
ReplyDeleteHeres how it goes. Every Monday night we have this class from 4:30-6:30. It is supposed to go until 7:30 but we get out early every week. AWESOME!!!! The name of the class is Creative Writing in Pop Culture. Our techer Ellie is from New Zealand, she talks different than everyone in the class. WHO CARES!!!! She tells us each week how to be a good writer and come up with interesting stories. MAYBE!!! We have all these interesting conversations about LAdy Gaga, Jack the Ripper, Golden Compesses, and that horrible show GLEE!!!! After we talk about these things we go home and write about them and then post funny things onto this blog!! LOL!!!!!!! That is about it!! END!!!!
ReplyDeleteHo-kay. There's the University of Iowa. Dang, this is a sweet school you might say. But then there's a small decrepit building known as the North Hall. Ruling out Wild Bill's Coffee shop and the paper-making facility and the international volunteer office, there is room 220. Ho-kay so basically, we have about 20 students meeting monday nights. We have short papers to turn in and ... shit! shit! - a blog most of us forget about. We write about pop culture and Lady Gaga and YouTube and a big paper to do for workshop once. Right-o. But assuming we get past all of that, we get to nuclear winter and read through other people's papers and wait for the rest of the school year to finish. THE END.
ReplyDeleteHo-kay, So! There's this sweet class. It's called Creative Writing: Pop Culture. We talk about things about writing which is super awesome. Our teacher is Ellie, and she comes from New Zealand. She's a writer which is wicked cool. Every week we have to write on this blog, which is cool, but we forget sometimes. We write stories and stuff and talk about how writing works. We also read these super awesome books. And then Stephen taught a few classes on poetry, which was also cool. We started in August, and we workshopped people's awesome stories, and now, it's over because the semester is ending, which is even more awesome. THE END
ReplyDeleteOhkay, so we have this school that we attend is called Iowa. Dang, that is a shweet school, wrong...So we have classes, this class is creative writing. It is fun, interactive, and hopefully doesn't blow us up. So basically we have all sorts of classes that make up the university of Iowa. We have this really good football team, but whatever. So one day we were like screw Michigan, and beat the hell out of them w our football team. Then Penn state was like shit shit, we have to play them next bring out the big boys. Then Michigan State was like oh shit we have to fight they game, bring out the shit. And Ohio State was like fire our buckeyes, i mean shit, but im tired, well sleep then fire the shit! Montana is up like like WTF? ISU is so confussed it doesn't know what to do. So we have everyone meeting to play football and fire their shit. So now we have Boise State whos like Shit! we are screwed. Montana is still like WTF, and Iowa is thinking we are dumb we should of won the big 10. So now we have this stupid thing called the BCS series were everything gets fucked up and no ones truly happy with how it turns out. TCU ending up joining the big east, and Montana's still like wtf?
ReplyDeleteThe last monday in august i went to a creative writing class. I have gone every mnday since since. I learned about writing words and sentences and paragraphs. I wrote a short story sometime in there. I turn in assignments every week and write on a blog. Saw some youtube videos. This monday is my last one with creative writing. Shit. The End.
ReplyDelete