HON 295

Seminar: Tolkien and Film

COURSE SYLLABUS OUTLINE

 

Course Title and Number:                     Tolkien and Film HON 295; Writing Intensive

            Semester and Year:                  Spring, 2005     Smith 414, 2:00-3:15 MW

 

Text Information:         

Required Text(s):                      The Hobbit (Houghton-Mifflin; 0-618-00221-9)

                                                The Lord of the Rings (Houghton-Mifflin; 0-618-12902-2)

The Silmarillion (Del Rey, 034-532-5818)

Tolkien’s Letters (Houghton-Mifflin, 0-618-05699-8)

 

We realize that you probably own copies of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings already.  However, we’re requiring you to buy the editions listed here, so that we’re all on the same page (literally). 

 

*Computer Requirements:         Internet Searches; E-mail account;

 

Instructor:         Name:              Dr. Timothy Burbery 

                        Office:              Corbly Hall 265   

                        Office Hours:    MWF 10-11, F 1-2, 3-5,

                        Phone/Email:     Office: 696-2369.

 

             Burbery@Marshall.edu; EDMUNDS@MARSHALL.EDU; rfedmunds@aol.com

 

                        Name:              Dr. Bob Edmunds

Office:              OM  236 and SH 249

Office Hours:   SH 249: T  9:00-11:00 a.m.; OM 236: M W R F 9:00-12:00;

Phone: Office: 696-2805 or 696-2494

 

Course Description; Credits; Prerequisites: The class will study Tolkien’s well-known trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit  in depth, as well as portions of The Silmarillion, and selected essays and short stories by Tolkien.  We will also examine Peter Jackson’s films The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King and Ralph Bakshi’s animated version of LOTR, as well as the animated version of The Hobbit.   We are assuming that you have already read LOTR and The Hobbit when the class starts.  Otherwise, you will have a hard time participating in group discussions.    

 

 

Desired Learner Outcomes/Objectives:

After completing Honors 295, you should be able to

 

            1.         Learn to read and appreciate Tolkien in depth;

            2.         Gain an understanding of Tolkien’s notion of myth and the creative process;

            3.         Deepen your awareness of the links between Tolkien’s life and work;

            4.         Improve your ability to read both visual and cinematic texts;

            4.         Be able to analyze and synthesize Peter Jackson’s film The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and Return of the King.. 

           

Evaluation/Measurement of Learner Outcomes:

In order to measure the above outcomes we will do the following activities (including, but not limited to):

            1.         2 short analysis papers, approximately 750-900 words each.   

            2.         1 in-depth paper.  2000-2700 words for a traditional essay. 

            3.         9-10 Prompts, (approximately 400-500 words), and a Prompt Portfolio.

            4.         Examinations as necessary. 

 

 

Assessment of Learner Outcomes:

            1.         9-10 Prompts. 

            2.         Prompt portfolio of the 4-5 best prompts

            3.         3 Papers. 

 

Papers:  All essays must be well-edited, in MLA style (including a Works Cited section).  Also, if you write on one topic for Paper 1, you must choose one of the others for Paper 2. We’d prefer it if not everyone wrote on the same topic, so try to spread out, with perhaps one to two people on each of the in-depth topics.  Also, you cannot write both Paper 1 and Paper 2 on The Hobbit; at least one paper must consider LOTR.  If you have other paper ideas not listed here, you’re free to pitch them to us, but both of us must approve them before you start working.  Finally, when citing LOTR in your paper, use a Roman numeral to indicate book, and an Arabic one to indicate chapter.  For example, for book I, chapter 3, write (I/3); for book 2, chapter 7, write (II/7). 

 

 

For the shorter analytic essays, here are some possibilities:

 

• Analyze a character in The Hobbit or in one (1) of the three LOTR books.  How is he/she/it described in this book (age, physical appearance, habits, etc.)?  How do we learn about them – through their speech, thoughts, actions, or contrast with another character? Does this character change in the course of this particular book, and if so, how? To analyze that change, you may wish to focus on one or two virtues, such as courage or pity, then discuss early and later excerpts.  Also, keep summary to a minimum – assume we’ve already read the books.  Analysis is your principle task here.  Finally, cite the book often and correctly. 

 

• Discuss the setting of a key episode, such as Rivendell, Moria, Lothlorien, or Mordor.  In your own words, what does this place look, smell, sound like? In which book(s) does it figure? How does the setting shed light on the plot and characters in this episode?  

 

• Compare and contrast Tolkien’s description of a scene with Jackson’s version of it.  (Be sure to pick a movie scene that differs significantly from the book.)  Be specific about Jackson’s alterations: What exactly has he changed, left out, added? Evaluate the changes: Do they help or hinder, and why?

 

• Compare and contrast Ralph Bakshi’s and Jackson’s versions of a scene from the book. Who is truer to the book? Which film version is more effective, in your view? 

 

• Compare and contrast two similar scenes, such as Merry and Pippin volunteering their services to Denethor and Théoden  (Book 5/1 and Book 5/2); or Éomer / Aragorn (Book 3/2) and Frodo / Faramir (Book 4/5)

 

• To what extent might gender have affected the film script of LOTR?  Select several scenes from the film and compare them with the textual materials.  In addition, you may wish to look at some references to Feminist Film Theory. (Fran Walsh and Philipa Boyens were the principal script writers).  Cite specific examples.

 

• Analyze the sound components of a scene in Jackson’s trilogy.  Use the questions on the “Film Analysis Guide” to do so.  Consider source music, score, sound effect, musical motifs, ambient sound, and so on. 

 

• Select a poem from The Two Towers or The Return of the King and explain what it adds to the story.  You’ll need to summarize it, briefly but accurately, and explain its context: Who speaks it, at what point, and why? How would the story differ if the poem were dropped?

 

• Discuss the significance of the elves in The Fellowship of the Ring.  You should focus on Frodo’s encounters with Gildor and Glorfindel, as well as the sojourns in Rivendell and Lorien.  Devise and support a specific, arguable thesis; don’t simply summarize the plot. 

 

 

For the longer, in-depth paper, here are some options:

 

n      Compare and contrast one of Peter Jackson’s LOTR films with two of his other movies.  How does the LOTR compare with his other work? Is it typical, or not?

n      Compare and contrast one of Ralph Bakshi’s LOTR films with two of his other movies.  How does the LOTR compare with his other work? Is it typical, or not?

n      Discuss the representations of evil in LOTR, and incorporate key critical discussions, including those by Tom Shippey, Ralph Wood, and at least one other Tolkien scholar.    

n      Read 10-15 reviews of one (1) of Jackson’s LOTR films, then write up a discussion of them.  What patterns and trends emerge among the reviewers? Which critics, in your view, are the most compelling, and why? Be sure to choose a range of opinions, and explain why you picked the ones you did.  You need to quote from the sources, and organize them in a way that’s easy to follow.  Also, you must take a stand, to assess the critics.  It’s not sufficient to say something like, “They all have their opinions, and they’re all equally valid.”

n      Pick two scenes that were completely (or almost completely) left out in the Jackson films, such as the Tom Bombadill episode and the Scouring of the Shire.  Why were they omitted? Do you agree with their being left out? Why or why not?

n      Listen to an audio dramatization of LOTR, and compare it with one of the films.  Are they some effects that are more compelling in an aural medium? If so, what are they? Some that are more effective when seen, not just heard? Which medium, overall, does more justice to the book?

n      There are over 600 allusions to The Silmarillion in LOTR.  Pick one or two major threads, such as the Beren and Luthien tale, and examine how the thread functions in LOTR.  How often is the tale referred to, and by whom? At what points in the story? What purposes does this poetry serve in the book? Is it left out of the film, and if so, why?  

n      Tolkien was an artist as well as a writer and scholar.  Select a group of his illustrations, either for The Hobbit or one of his other works, and research them.  What do they have in common with each other? How would you characterize his style? Be sure to support your discussion with plenty of specific references to the artwork. 

n      Research biblical imagery in one (1) of the book and its film version.  For example, when the Nazgul are washed away by the flood (temporarily, alas), is Tolkien echoing the Exodus story? And, when Gandalf hits the rock (in front of Moria), is he meant to recall Moses striking the rock? (Be sure to examine both versions of the account, in Exodus and in Numbers.) Moreover, in the cinematic version of Fellowship, does Aragorn nearly cross himself at Boromir’s death? Then examine Jackson’s own religious views, and decide if he was trying to play up or down the book’s religious references.  Also, discuss any patterns within the imagery.  Do they tend to be, say, more Old Testament than New?

 

Note: All papers that use Internet sources must be accompanied by Xeroxed copies of the sources, with quotes highlight in orange or green, and organized in a way that’s easy for us to follow.  You need not turn in two sets of sources, just one.  However, papers that are not accompanied by copies of those sources will not be accepted.  If any of the sources are longer than a few pages, you don’t have to include the entire source, just the relevant pages.

 

Grading Policy: We will weight grades more heavily after mid-semester, to give you a chance to get accustomed to our grading styles. Here’s the grading breakdown: 1^st analysis paper: 15%; second one: 20%; longer paper: 30%; prompt portfolio: 25% (10% + 15%); participation: 10%.             

 

 

Policy statement (due dates, make-ups) on major projects and examinations and other assignments:

      Due dates for major assignments are listed in the accompanying daily schedule; please note them.  We will attempt to abide as closely as possible to this schedule.  If you must miss a class, please leave one of us a phone message at as soon as possible. If you must miss because of a University sponsored function, please make sure that your instructor notifies the University Faculty Newsletter.  In these cases, make-ups should be scheduled prior to the event if possible.  A paper copy of all written assignments must be submitted to Dr. Burbery on the day they are due.  All written assignments should be sent electronically in Word format and as an attachment (via e-mail) before the class begins to Dr. Edmunds at rfedmunds@aol.com.   Please keep a file of these in case one gets lost.  Dr. Bob will send an acknowledgment that he has received your e-mail successfully.  Out of fairness to those students who turn in their papers on time, we will penalize late papers five points a day, including Saturday and Sunday.

 

Attendance Policy:  We like lots of discussion in our class, and for that to happen, we need a full, on-time group of people.  Per Marshall policy, you cannot miss more than two weeks’ worth of classes without your grade be negatively affected.   For you, that means you have four (4) freebies, so to speak.  When you incur more than four, you will need to get an official excused absence from the Associate Dean of your college.  Once we have the paperwork, we will delete that day’s (or days’) absence from our records.  Until we see the paperwork, the absences will stand.  Save your cuts for emergencies (car trouble, sickness); you may think you won’t need them, but you just might.  Also, please be on time.  Late students disrupt the flow of classroom dynamics.   

 

Course Philosophy and Themes to be developed:

      The transformation of any work from one medium to another always involves choices and compromises.  We hope to explore the ways in which the spirit of Tolkien has been kept alive by his son, Christopher, Ralph Bakshi, and Peter Jackson.  Novels, such as LOTR tend to be theme driven; however, cinematic efforts tend to be character driven.  We hope to explore these divergent ideas as we move through the novel and the various cinematic versions of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.  What choices and compromises does each of these creators make in terms of their interpretation of this epic?

 

Honors Seminar: Tolkien and Film

 

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Daily Schedule

Spring 2005

LOTR

 

 

	In Class Activities	Out of Class Preparation
Week 1
Session 1, Monday,  January 10	Course Introduction	Please bring all texts to every class session.
Session 2, Wednesday, January 12	Tolkien’s view of film	Tolkien’s letters: Read all that mention film and Disney as well as Letters 201, 202, 207, and 210
Week 2
Martin Luther King Holiday, January 17	HOLIDAY
Session 3, Wednesday, January 19	The Silmarillion	Silmarillion Ch. 19
Week 3
Session 4, Monday, January 24	The Silmarillion	Silmarillion: AKALLABÊTH
Session 5, Wednesday, January 26	OnTolkien’s life and how he came to write LOTR The Hobbit	Letters on Hobbit, Lord of the Rings; Chs. 1-8
Week 4
Session 6, Monday, January 31	The Hobbit	Chs. 9-19
Session 7, Wednesday, February 2	Fellowship of the Ring 1	LOTR Book 1, Chs. 1,2,3,4,5
Week 5
Session 8, Monday, February 7	Fellowship of the Ring 2 Peer Editing of Paper 1	LOTR Book 1, Chs. 6,7,8
Session 9, Wednesday, February 9	Fellowship of the Ring 3 Paper 1 due in class.	LOTR: Book 1, Chs. 9,10
Week 6
Session 10, Monday, February 14	Fellowship of the Ring 4	LOTR: Book 1 Chs. 11-12
Session 11, Wednesday, February 16	Fellowship of the Ring 5	LOTR: Book 2, Chs 1-2
Week 7
Session 12, Monday, February 21	Fellowship of the Ring 6 Paper 2 Peer Editing	LOTR: Book 2, Chs. 3-4-5
Session 13, Wednesday, February 23	Fellowship of the Ring 7 Paper 2 due in class	LOTR: Book 2, Chs. 6,7,8
Week 8
Session 14, Monday February 28	Fellowship of the Ring 8	LOTR: Book 2, Chs. 9-10; Book 3 Ch. 1
Session 15, Wednesday, March 2	Two Towers 1 Peer Editing of paper 2	LOTR:Book 3, Chs 2,3,4
Week 9
Session 16, Monday, March 7	Two Towers 2	LOTR: Book 3, Chs. 5,6,7
Session 17, Wednesday, March 9	Two Towers 3	LOTR: Book 3, Chs. 8,9,10,11
Week 10
Session 18, Monday, March 14	Two Towers 4	LOTR: Book 4, Chs. 1,2
Session 19, Wednesday, March 16	Two Towers 5 Pre-Portfolio due
Week 11
Spring Break March 21-25
Week 12
Session 20, Monday, March 28	Two Towers 6	LOTR: Book 4 Chs. 3,4,5
Session 21, Wednesday, March 30	Two Towers 7	LOTR: Book 4, Chs. 6,7
Week 13
Session 22, Monday, April 4	Two Towers 8 Turn in first 1/3 of in-depth paper for a grade (1/3 of total).	LOTR: Book 4, Chs 8,9,10
Session 23, Wednesday, April 6	Return of the King 1	LOTR: Book 5, Chs. 1,2,3
Week 14
Session 24, Monday April 11 (Bob--Out of town, NCA Chicago	Return of the King 2 Peer editing: Final Paper	LOTR: Book 5, Chs. 4,5,6
Session 25, Wednesday, April 13	Return of the King 3 Final Paper due in Class	LOTR: Book 5, Chs. 7,8,9,10
Week 15
Session 26, Monday, April 18	Return of the King 4	Lotr: Book 6, Chs. 1,2,3
Session 27, Wednesday, April 20	Return of the King 5	LOTR: Book 6, Chs. 4,5
Week 16
Session 28, Monday, April 25	Return of the King 6	LOTR: Book 6, Chs 6,7
Session 29, Wednesday, April 27	Return of the King 7 Final Portfolio due in class.	LOTR: Book6, Chs. 8,9
Week 17
EXAM WEEK May 2-6.		The class won’t have a formal final exam; however, we’ll have a party at Dr. Edmunds’ house.  Join us for at least the first hour, and come costumed as your favorite Tolkien character, or bring some token of that figure, such as fireworks for Gandalf, a fish for Gollum, and so on.

 

 

 

 

PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS

 

 

Purposes:

 

to prompt class discussion;

to improve your writing in concrete, specific ways;

to raise your awareness of your personal composition process;

to furnish you a hit list of your own writing obstacles;

to breathe voice and life into your writing.    

 

Requirements: Nine to ten prompts throughout the semester, a midterm portfolio, and a final portfolio.  You may miss one prompt; however, handing in all of them increases the pool when you select prompts for the portfolios.  One hard copy of each prompt must be turned in in class to Dr. Burbery; late prompts will not be accepted, for if they are late, they no longer serve their main purpose -- to prompt discussion. Untyped prompts will not be accepted either; please iron out potential computer problems well ahead of the assigned date.  Email one copy of each prompt to Dr. Edmunds. Prompts must be in Word format and sent as an attachment to the e-mail.  Both instructors will make comments on the documents, and will assign a check plus to well-done pieces, checks to average ones, and check minuses to substandard ones.  Only prompts that are assigned a check or check-plus may be included in the portfolios.  Prompts must be between 400 and 500 words in length.  No rewriting per se will be allowed; however, we expect you to learn from each prompt and apply your new knowledge to subsequent prompts. 

 

At mid-semester, you will revise two prompts, one solely for style and mechanics, one for content.  The style revision must involve more than simply fixing errors; there must be significant improvements in fluency, tone, and precision. For the style revision, begin by fixing the corrections we’ve flagged on the original, then do further editing, using the following list:

 

__ Style is concise, economical;

__ No contractions, except in quotations;

__ No accidental sentence fragments;

__ No comma splices;

__ Consistent use of tenses;

__ Tight, unified paragraphs;

__ Graceful, varied style;

__ At least two proper uses of semicolon, colon, dash, italics, and/or parentheses;  

__ Source text(s) are properly quoted and paraphrased;

__ MLA citation information is correct, in body and at end of text;

__ Required word count is observed and indicated in brackets at the end of the discussion proper, like this: [476]

 

For the content revision, you may incorporate insights generated during class discussion, especially ones that caused you to rethink or deepen your original point.  And/or, you may revise in terms of what you learned from the class lectures, or from further reading on your part.   This revision must be a true revision, a new version of the old.  It is not enough simply to expand on the old by adding a paragraph or two.

 

In addition, you will also provide two typed cover sheets.  The first will be due around midterm, and will be from 550-750 words in length.  The second will be due at the end of term, and will cover your progress throughout the entire semester.  It will thus be longer, from 700-900 words in length.  Moreover, it will be a new document, not just an expanded version of the prior document.  Cover sheets must discuss specific ways your writing has improved during the course of the semester.  In order to make your case, you may talk about your prompts, as well as other writing assignments done this term for our class or for other instructors.  Specific things to examine include sustained improvements – e.g, you identified comma splices as a problem, initially, then rid your papers of them from that point on.  Or, you tended to compose short, choppy sentences at first, then learned to vary your sentences.  Again, this change is documented.  As well, you may discuss short-term improvements – e.g., you temporarily dealt with a problem in your writing, then lapsed later on.  Don’t feel too badly about these; we’re not expecting you to have a nice, neat learning curve.  Sometimes progress involves two steps forward, then one step back.  The key is to keep trying, and to continually raise your awareness of your writing, even of on-going problems.  Conclude by giving yourself two or three specific pieces of advice on writing. 

 

General skills to hone and track throughout the semester: 

 

CONTENT: greater depth of insight; better syntheses of two or more ideas; increased openness to counterarguments; growing ability to construct telling analogies.   

 

STYLE: increased sentence variety; more unified paragraphs; better use of transitions; increasingly varied diction; growing vocabulary; greater fluency with “advanced” punctuation, including semi-colons, dashes, italics, quotation marks, and/or parentheses. 

 

MECHANICS: greater accuracy in spelling, editing. 

 

Here’s what the portfolio should look like: Include all evidence in it; it should be in a folder, and organized in the following order: cover sheet on top; revised prompts next, with older versions directly underneath, so we can easily compare the “before” and “after” examples; then all other required evidence, in descending order from newer to older.  At the end of the term, you will revise two more prompts just as you did at mid-semester, and also provide a new cover sheet that does the same as the first one.  This cover sheet, however, will cover the entire semester’s work, and so will be longer than the mid-semester cover sheet.  It will also be different from the first cover sheet, not just a lengthier version.  As noted earlier, this cover sheet’s length will be 700-900 words.