Literary Interpretation:
Climate Change Refugees
Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun;
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
-- Robert Frost
Climate change may be the most momentous challenge human beings have ever faced. During your lifetime, it will profoundly shape the world and impact all life on earth. As drought, sea-level rise, and other human-caused "natural" disasters increase, the numbers of climate refugees, migrants, and displaced people will swell from currently tens of millions, to the hundreds of millions.
How do we understand this problem? What are its human dimensions? What ethical questions does it raise? What should we do about it?
Climate change and associated issues are often considered too big, too complicated, too distant, indeed, "unimaginable."
Welcome to an experimental section of Literary Interpretation where we will attempt to use the human imagination, especially the literary imagination, to begin to understand the experience of climate refugees and the issues they raise for our common humanity.
We will begin with perhaps the most honored American novel ever written -- winner of the National Book Award, and the Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes -- The Grapes of Wrath (1939) by John Steinbeck. We will follow with other contemporary climate and refugee related fiction, "cli-fi," magical realism, young adult literature, poetry, essays, films, etc.
Students will engage in extensive and careful reading, write literary analyses, blog commentaries, a short story, and comparative essays. They will also make class presentations and engage in a community-based activity.
This class will develop skills of literary interpretation relevant to advanced work in English and to global citizenship.
Students in this course are expected to keep up with current events regarding the course theme. I urge you to take advantage of the WMU library making the NY Times available to WMU students for free.
This class is experimental and the syllabus provisional and under development.
Course Success
Since the class is discussion-based, attendance and preparation are essential to your own learning and to the learning of your classmates. It is vital that you acquire, borrow, or rent ALL of the required books and that you carefully complete ALL of the reading and viewing.
Missing any classes will affect your learning. Missing 3 classes or more will lower your grade and missing 5 classes may lead to failing. Study my philosophy regarding discussion, preparation, participation, attendance, grading, and learning!
Your final course grade will be an average of grades for the major assignments, listed and weighted below.
This course will follow WMU policies regarding academic honesty.
My office is 723 Sprau Tower, 387-2605. Office hours are before and after class and by appointment. You can always reach me via email.
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. (1939)
Bacigalupi, Paolo. The Water Knife. (2015)
Gratz, Alan. Refugee. (2017)
Hamid, Mohsin. Exit West. (2017)
Additional reading and viewing as indicated by the syllabus.
Major Assignments
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Literary Analysis Paper (20%) Due: 9-24 Blog (20%) Due: see syllabus below Presentation (10%) Due: throughout semester Community Involvement (10%): Due: before 12-3 Short Story Fragment (10%) Due: 12-5 Class Participation (10%) Final Exam (20%) Due: 12-10 |
Electronic Syllabus
Aug 29: Introductions
1. Join our class phone message system, Remind by: on your smart phone open your web browser and go to: rmd.at/4dhh63 and follow instructions, OR on your text phone sending this message, "@4dhh63" to this number "81010" or 5863590468 (your cell phone number will remain private). [If you don't have a cell phone the website allows you to sign up to receive messages via email.]
Sep 5: Drought
1. Read carefully through the entire on-line syllabus, including all assignments. Bring any questions about the syllabus and assignments to class.
2. Read: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 1-11
Sep 10: Migration
1. Read: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 12-21
Sep 12: Migration Con't
Sep 17: Life in the New Land
1. Finish Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 22-end
2. Send to me the URL of your blog.
Grapes of Wrath, directed by John Ford, staring Henry Fonda
Sep 19: Writing about Grapes of Wrath
Sep 24: Climate Change1. Write a blog post on the topic of your paper - post by 10 pm Tuesday.
2. Read other student blog posts and comment on at least 5.
1. Grapes of Wrath Literary Analysis Paper DUE
Sep 26: Religious/Ethical Perspectives on Climate Change
1. Read: Encylical Letter Laudato Si' by Pope Francis, On Care for Our Common Home (Word version)
Oct 1: Future Drought
1. Read: Water Knife, Chapters 1-18
2. Read: Climate Change Evaporating Colorado River 9-7-18
Oct 3: Future Drought Con't
Oct 8: Water Rights
1. Read: Finish Water Knife, Chapter 19 to end
Oct 9: Last day to register to vote in November
Oct 10: Water Rights Con't
1. Write: Blog Post inspired by Water Knife
Oct 15: The Wall
1. Read: Selections from Storming the Wall: Climate Change, Migration, and Homeland Security by Todd Miller (2017)
2. Write a Blog Post inspired by Storming the Wall
Oct 17-21 Fall Break
Oct 22: Refugees
1. Read: Refugees to page 186
Oct 24: Refugees Con't
1. Read: Convention on Status of Refugees & Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Oct 29: Refugees Con't
1. Read: Finish Refugees
Oct 31: Refugees Con't
1. Write a blog post about Refugees.
Nov 5: Contemporary Refugees
1. Watch Human Flow
Nov 6: Election Day
Nov 7: Climate Change Video
1. Find and watch a documentary film at least an hour long addressing 1) climate change refugees/migrants, 2) climate change, or 3) refugees/migrants internally diplaced people -- and prepare a report for the class.
Nov 12: Climate Change / Raps
Trees Are Dying, Dr. Octagon (lyrics);
Dear Future Generations (Lyrics), Man vs Earth, (Lyrics), Prince Ea;
Climate Change, Coma Niddy;
Global Warming, Make It Hot, Baba Brinkman
Climate Summit "Poem to My Daughter" Lyrics
Nov 14: Refugee Poetry
"Home" by Warsan ShireRead 10 poems and choose one to share with the class from Poetry Foundation, Warscapes, Verbal Remedy, Hello Poetry, Poem Hunter, or ?
Nov 19: Future Global Migration
1. Read Exit West Chapter 1-6
Nov 21-25: Thanksgiving Break
Nov 26: Future Global Migration, Con't
1. Read: Finish Exit West, Chapters 7-12
Nov 28: Ethical Questions
1. Exit West Blog post
Dec 3: Your Vision of the Future
1. Write: Draft of Short Story
2. Final day to complete Community Involvement
3. Final day to complete Presentation
Dec 5: Your Vision of the Future
1. Due: Short Story, Prepare to describe and read a section to the class.
Dec 10 - 14 Finals Week
Dec 10 (Monday) 5:00-7:00: Final Exam:
Based on comparison/contrast questions and ideas we develop all semester.