Study Notes for Literature 251: Wilderness Slip

Course Introduction

  • Course Title and Code: Literature 251, Wilderness Slip
  • Class Composition: 30 students enrolled
  • Class Format: Discussion-based
  • Instructor's Request: Students to remain in their seats for the first few weeks for attendance and familiarization with names and faces.

Class Organization

  • Instructor will take attendance verbally.
  • The class aims to explore the concept of wilderness throughout different texts in American history.
  • Students to contemplate their personal understanding of wilderness before discussing.

Student Introductions

  • Each student is asked to introduce themselves and share their wildest experience.
  • Leila (Special Education Major):
    • Wildest Place: Family cabin in rural Pennsylvania.
    • Description: Remote, dark at night with visible stars and animal tracks.
  • Ada (Biology Major, Rehabilitation Concentration):
    • Wildest Place: Costa Rica.
    • Description: Diverse plant and animal life; limited Wi-Fi contributes to feeling of remoteness.
  • Haley (Pre-Med Major):
    • Wildest Place: Niagara Falls, Canada.
    • Description: Imposing natural wonder versus man-made aspects.
  • Joanna (Pre-Vet Major):
    • Wildest Place: The Everglades, involved in python removal.
    • Description: Element of danger from wildlife.
  • Jack (Wildlife Biology Major):
    • Wildest Place: Ireland—noted for its vibrant and green nature.
  • Matthew (ORM Major):
    • Wildest Place: Mexico, characterized by diversity and a different environment.
  • Ben (Exercise Science Major):
    • Wildest Place: Backpacking in the Adirondack Mountains—very desolate.
  • Willow (Wildlife Biology Major):
    • Wildest Place: Botanical garden near home.
    • Description: Curated environment with various ecosystems.
  • Rick (Wildlife Biology Major):
    • Wildest Place: Trails in Appalachia; mention of a man-made spring.
  • Jordan (Finance Major):
    • Wildest Place: Camping in remote mountains; lack of contact.
  • Gabe (Business Admin Major):
    • Wildest Place: Sky Pond in Rocky Mountain National Park; challenging hike.
  • Natalia (Psych Major):
    • Wildest Place: Cave in the ocean in Italy.
    • Description: Entry via boat; beautiful underwater scenery.
  • Sean (Business Administration Major):
    • Wildest Place: White Cliffs of Dover.
  • Luke (Exercise Science Major):
    • Wildest Place: A professional soccer game.
    • Description: Dynamic atmosphere; experience of intensity.
  • Ellie (Exercise Science Major):
    • Wildest Place: Camping in the mountains.
  • Logan (Pre-Med Major):
    • Wildest Place: Being in the mountains surrounding Lees-McRae.
  • Sofia (Pre-Med Major):
    • Wildest Place: Aruba; experience of unique environment.
  • Tamara (Wildlife Biology Major):
    • Wildest Place: Clearing by the river; visibility of stars.
  • Kylie (Wildlife Biology Major):
    • Wildest Place: South Africa during a game drive in a safari.
  • Isaac (ORM Major):
    • Wildest Place: Living in Alaska, near an Arctic mine.
    • Description: Represents natural wilderness and harsh conditions.
  • Kiera (Wildlife Biology Major):
    • Commented she shares a similar experience with Isaac—Alaska as a wild place.
  • Ainsley (Pre-Physical Therapy Major):
    • Wildest Place: Shostel, California, on a houseboat in remote settings.
  • Azalea (Wildlife Biology, ORM Major):
    • Wildest Place: Multi-day firefighting trips, remote from medical care.
  • Camilla (Elementary Education Major):
    • Wildest Place: Remote areas in Colorado; access via ATV.
  • Kim (Field Biology Major):
    • Wildest Place: Following bears in a remote lake in Canada.
  • Anna (Wildlife Biology Manager):
    • Wildest Place: Rainforest camp in Northern South Carolina.
  • Mason (Wildlife Field Major):
    • Wildest Place: Isolated valley near a family member's home.
  • Zeke (Outdoor Recreation Management Major):
    • Wildest Place: Forest Service land in Southwest Virginia; inaccessible area.
  • Caitlin: Reflects on the nature of help and remoteness in wilderness.
  • Emily (Wildlife Biology Major):
    • Wildest Place: Islands in the Florida Keys with unique wildlife.

Instructor Introduction

  • Instructor: Dr. Wirth, Professor of American Literature,
  • Education Background: University of South Carolina, PhD from University of Louisiana.
  • Wildest Place: Daintree National Park, Australia; fears around saltwater crocodiles.

Conceptual Discussion on Wilderness

  • Exploration of the term "wilderness."
  • Students to differentiate between 'wilderness' and 'nature':
    • Wilderness: often viewed as untouched and potentially dangerous.
    • Nature: perceived as more positive, often curated.
  • Emphasis on wilderness as a 'self-willed land' stemming from Old English (will dior).
  • Definition of wilderness by the National Wilderness Preservation System, emphasizing its untrammeled nature:
    "A wilderness where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain."
  • Recognition of humanity’s complex relationship with wilderness and nature—where nature feels curated and harmonious compared to wilderness's raw and unpredictable aspects.

Course Goals

  • Focus on the historical relationship between American literature and wilderness elements.
  • Strategy for students to build a mental timeline of American cultural literary history alongside wilderness perception.
  • Course will cover major moments in American history and literature that influence perspectives on wilderness and conservation.

Course Structure

  • Reading Load: Averages about 100 pages per week.
  • The reading assignment may decrease as major projects approach.
  • Class discussions as primary assessment tools for engagement with literary texts, with short essays as major assignments.
  • Exploration of various literary genres: essays, novels, short stories, poetry, inclusive of film and documentary (e.g. "The Revenant").

Syllabus Highlights

  • Reading Materials:
    • Identify primary texts (e.g., Jack London, Aldo Leopold, Leslie Marmon Silko, Annie Dillard, Jeff VanderMeer).
    • Further exploration of the conservation movement through literature.
  • Assignments and Assessments:
    • Major writing assignments and participation points.
    • Short quizzes aligned with reading assessments and discussions.
    • Group research presentations on American conservationism.

Classroom Policies and Expectations

  • Emphatic reminder regarding academic integrity and the prohibition of AI-assisted writing for course assignments.
  • Discussion about acceptable use of grammar checking tools.
  • Emphasize the necessity of physical texts, making sure students are equipped with their books and notebooks at every class.
  • Attendance policy outlining limits for absences and expectations for make-up work for missed quizzes.

Conclusion

  • The course will involve an extensive examination of wilderness through literature, cultivating discussions about human interactions with these spaces while providing an enriched understanding of American cultural history in relation to wilderness themes.