SYLLABUS

Religion 335
Religion and Fantasy
MWF 1:30-2:20 PM
Class: N316
Office: N321
email: gcaichele@gmail.com
WWW page: http://gcaichele.home.comcast.net/

Course Summary:

This is a topics course at the advanced level. Our topic is interrelationships between religious beliefs and values on one hand, and literary fantasy (including science fiction, horror/supernatural fiction, and other related forms) on the other. The study of fantastic literature raises important philosophical problems, such as: What is the reality-status of the fantastic? How is the fantasy-world related to reality? What is the literary structure of fantasy? The presence of religious themes in much "secular" fantasy and science fiction, and also of fantastic elements in biblical and other religious literature, raises further questions: is religion inherently fantastic? Is fantasy inherently "religious"? What are the theological implications of the fantastic?

We will be reading and viewing a number of fantasies, contemporary, ancient, and biblical, as well as theoretical studies of the fantastic. Students will be encouraged to form their own conclusions. Prerequisite: any one previous course in Religion or Philosophy.

Books:

J. Zipes (ed.), Arabian Nights
C. Miéville, King Rat
J. Morrow, Towing Jehovah
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Tolkien Reader
P.K. Dick, The Man in the High Castle
U.K. LeGuin, The Left Hand of Darkness

Texts from the Bible: Job, Jonah, Apocalypse of John (Book of Revelation), Gospel of Mark.
Online story by Franz Kafka and articles by various scholars.

The World Wide Web:

A lot of information about the Bible, fantasy and science fiction, and other related matters can be found on the World Wide Web. However, you must be careful in your use of this material, as much of it is of no scholarly value. A  number of WWW links that I have found to be quite helpful can be found at http://gcaichele.home.comcast.net/links.htm. If you discover other WWW pages that you think are helpful, please let me know! If I agree that the page is a good one, you will get extra credit.

Course (Grade) Requirements:

Participation in class discussion = 40%
4 short response papers (4-5 pages) = 40% (10% each)
1 term paper (15-20 pages) = 20%
There will be no exams.

NOTE:  late assignments will not be accepted without prior arrangements with the instructor. It will be assumed that students are prepared to discuss the reading assignments on the dates listed below. Writing assignments are described at the end of this syllabus.

Schedule of Assignments:

8/29-9/2

Course introduction.
Tolkien, vii-xvii.
Jonah (entire book).
Peter Miscall, "Biblical Narrative and Categories of the Fantastic" (online).

9/7-9

Film: Aladdin.
Zipes, vii-x, 136-222.

9/12-16

Tolkien, 33-99.
Jack Zipes, "The Messianic Power of Fantasy in the Bible" (online).
Response #1 due, 9/16.

9/19-23

Film: Dragonslayer.
Apocalypse of John/Book of Revelation (entire book).
Tina Pippin, "The Heroine and the Whore" (online).
Pippin, "Apocalyptic Horror" (online).

9/26-30

Job 1-3, 28-42.
Roger Schlobin, "Prototypic Horror" (online).
Miéville, King Rat (first half).

10/3-7

Miéville, King Rat (second half).
Gospel of Luke 1-2.
George Aichele, "Dark Conceptions" (online).
Response #2 due, 10/7.

§ MIDTERM BREAK §
NOTE: midterm grades will not be given in this course! If you want to know how your grade stands at midterm (or at any other time), see the instructor.

10/12-21

Film: eXistenZ.
Dick, The Man in the High Castle.
Aichele, "Two Forms of Metafantasy" (online).
Term paper topics due.

10/24-28

Kafka, "The Metamorphosis" (online).
Aichele, "Postmodern Fantasy, Ideology, and the Uncanny" (online).
Response #3 due, 10/28.

10/31-11/4

Gospel of Mark.
Aichele, "Fantasy and the Gospels" (online).
Aichele, "The Fantastic in the Discourse of Jesus" (online).
Aichele, "Jesus's Uncanny 'Family Scene'" (online).

11/7-11

Film: DOGMA.
Aichele, "Further News From Nowhere" (online).
Term paper tentative bibliographies due, 11/7.

11/14-18

Morrow, Towing Jehovah.
Aichele, "An Apology for the Madman" (online).
Response #4 due, 11/18.

11/28-12/2

Film: Contact.
LeGuin, The Left Hand of Darkness.

12/5-9

Tolkien, 100-251.
Aichele, "Tolkien's Faërie Stories" (online).
Term paper due, 12/9.

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:

NOTE: more than 5 spelling, typing, and/or grammatical errors will result in a lowering of your grade! Papers should  be typed or word-processed. They may be turned in as hard copy or digital file (via email).  All pages must be double-spaced, with writing on one side of the page only. Late papers will not be accepted unless I have given prior approval to you. If you need any further information, see me.

Response Papers (4-5 pages each)

The topic is open, but each response should feature the student's thoughts about the readings, film, and class discussions of the previous 2-3 weeks: questions raised, issues of disagreement or agreement, difficulties in understanding.

Term Paper (15-20 pages):

TOPIC: any fantasy, horror, or science fiction story (written, film, or TV) not directly studied in this course. May include biblical or non-biblical texts. Interpret and analyze the story in terms of relevant concepts and methodologies introduced in this course, with additional research into critical reception of the story. Be sure to include your own comments and criticisms.