Course Outline and Intro

Dear Students,

I’m thrilled to see that 34 students have signed up for “Comparative Adaptation: Literature and Film.”  Originally initiated by a small handful of students with a strong interest in the subject, we thought it would be a small class with a lot of focused discussion; so, the interest shown is a bit of a surprise, and rumor has it some think this class will be easy, mostly watching movies in the style of an IR.  Therefore, I’d like to provide students with a bit of information ahead of time - most importantly, a list of books to read over the summer with a course outline, but also a bit of warning to those who might not be aware of the heavy work load.  Total pages you’ll have to read (excluding shooting scripts), about 1500 comprised of 6 works.  Fairly light compared to most university literature courses. Luckily, nothing archaic or abstract.

Because of the class size, we might split into two groups from time to time for things like graded discussions.  Most classes will likely have to be held in the conference room, E-112, but as it stands now both conference rooms in the English building are disaster zones. So, I’m going to ask the class to organize a schedule for keeping the room clean in exchange for reward points.  

I’d also like to say a few things about what this class is designed for.  For those of you who anticipate an easy A while watching a lot of films, I think you’ll be disappointed.  As a former English major, I’d like this course to give you a taste of what a university literature course might be like.  A lot of reading and critical thinking will be required, and if you don’t read the books you won’t walk out with an A.  “Summer reading” is a must, and in the style of Mr. Yoon I will be giving tests that will determine whether you covered the material.  I know it is the school’s tradition to hand out A’s to seniors, but in this case I will only be giving them to students who have done the reading and participated in class.

So, while I want to burst the bubble of this being an “easy A,” I also want to assure you that it won’t be boring.  The books I’ve picked out are all fairly straight forward, and the Stephen King selection especially (Different Seasons) is a page turner.

Here is what I’ve posted on the KMLA website:

This course, Comparative Adaptation: Literature & Film, seeks to examine the relationship between films and the written works they are based on. We will examine how certain themes and concepts transcend the page and materialize on screen - either successfully or unsuccessfully. Does the filmmaker fail the writer's purposes? Was artistic integrity sacrificed for commercial gain? In rare cases, can we say that the film was better than the book? Did the director make the right choices?

To begin this process, we will first study a written work before reading the adapted shooting script. Students will be provided with some introduction as to how screenwriting differs from prose in a novel. Limited to action and dialogue, how does a screenwriter compensate for the internal narrative that the original author was at leisure to provide? How does an actor show what a character might be thinking if it can't be literally stated? Some of Hollywood's greatest performances have breathed new life into contemporary characters, and we will attempt to examine adaptations that have worked. Accordingly, we will evaluate those that arguably haven't.

Students are encouraged to complete as much reading as possible during the summer. Some books/short stories/films might be added, but here are the following we will definitely cover in detail:

"Different Seasons" by Stephen King (includes 3 novellas that have been made into films - Shawshank Redemption, Stand by Me, Apt Pupil)

"The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck
"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey
"Forrest Gump" by Winston Groom

Other quick reads and films might be added - and other films might be viewed based on books you've probably read (Heart of Darkness, Lord of the Flies, Of Mice and Men etc).  This will be decided upon in class.

Our classes will follow a pattern - generally spending 4 hours to discuss/examine a book, two hours to discuss a script, and then two hours to view the film - followed up with 4 more hours of presentation/discussion. Generally, we will spend up to three weeks on one work.

Students will be asked to often lead discussions, and do some outside research to find out background information on a film or novel or writer etc. Students will be asked to start blogs at Blogspot, which will facilitate much of our class discussion and study.

6. 평가 (Evaluation Criteria in Percentage)
중간고사 (Midterm) 0%
기말고사 (Final Exam) 20%
과제물 수행 (Assignments) 10%
수업중 활동 (Classroom Activities) 10%
독서 평가 (Book-Reading Evaluations) %40
기타 (Quiz, Workshops, etc) 20%
6-1. 성적산출방법 (Grading Policy)
등록(Grade)

7. 교과서 및 교수-학습자료 (Textbook and other teaching-learning materials)
Comparative Adaptation: Literature & Film

8. 독서평가 도서명 (Critical Reading Book)
Screenplays, various articles, videos, excerpts from books etc.
독서평가 방법(Evaluation Method)
Students will be graded on their level of participation, a great deal of which involves class discussion (some of which will be graded and led by students), and group presentations (10%). Students will also be asked to start a blog at Blogspot.com, where they will be asked to respond critically (about once a week) to the literature and films we compare. This will be holistically marked at the end of the semester, and be worth 40 percent of the grade. The more you wrote the better.  Think of it as an ongoing journal and an online forum for discussion. Students will be responsible for one major term paper which is worth 10%. Tests designed to make sure you’ve read the material will be worth 20%.


9. 강의 진도 계획 (Tentative Class Schedule)  *강의 주제만 모아 주세요 (Class Topics Only)

Unit 1: Understanding "the script" and "The Hero's Journey." In order to identify how a novel has to adjust to a story format ready for the screen, we will interact with shooting scripts. As well, we will study "The Hero's Journey," pioneered largely by Joseph Campbell and his theory of the "mono-myth."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hero_with_a_Thousand_Faces

http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/smc/journey/ref/summary.html

Unit 2: "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" by Stephen King (from Different Seasons)

A quick read, students will also be asked to read the shooting script before actually watching the film. Considered one of the best films ever made, this is a good one to start with.

Unit 3: "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey

A bit of an abstract read, we will also examine the play and the film script before watching the film.

Unit 4: "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck

Published in 1931 and made into a film in 1937, this will be the token older film and novel we study that has a bit more classic/literary value.

Unit 5: "The Body" by Stephen King (from Different Seasons)

Both the film and novella capture a great narrative structure, and the film "Stand By Me" features many actors from the "brat pack" of the 80's (River Phoenix, Cory Feldman).

Unit 6: "Forrest Gump" by Winston Groom

Probably one of the best films ever made, and a rare case where the film arguably improves on the book.


Unit 7: "Apt Pupil" by Stephen King (from Different Seasons)

A thrilling novella, the film is considered "okay" but falls far short of the mark. Here we examine "what could have been," and what we can expect Hollywood to soon attempt again.

Books: The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, Forrest Gump by Winston Groom