English 497
"Transformations: From Children's Literature to Film"
Summer II, 2006
Dr. Susan Stewart
Hall of Languages 314
903-468-8624
Office Hours: Monday and Tuesday 10:00-10:50
e-mail: susan_stewart@tamu-commerce.edu
website: http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/slstewart/

Co-teaching with me:

Ms. Andi Miller

Reading Schedule

This is a very tentative schedule. We'll have to see how discussion goes, if we need more or less time for each text, and so on. I urge you to read ahead.

All readings should be completed by class time for the day assigned. For instance, when you come to class on Tuesday, you should have read "Little Show White," Grimm, 1812 version, and the annotations on the SurLaLune Fairy Tales site

Expect quizzes, in-class writings, and critical responses for each text/film. I'm not saying that you'll be writing critical response papers for every film, but you need to know that's a possibility. We'll have to see how the semester goes. You can, however, expect a quiz over each reading and several in-class writing assignments. I have only listed Critical Responses for the first week. Watch the website for updates.

Also note that I might include critical materials not listed on the schedule at this point.

Week One:

Monday, July 10:

Introductions, background regarding oral tradition, ideology, and children's literature

For Tuesday, July 11:

Critical Response #1 Due

Reading

Follow the links:

"Little Snow White," Grimm, 1812 version (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0709.html#snowwhite). Be sure to read the assigned version. It's the first on the page, and a little different than you might anticipate. Also pay attention to the notes at the end of the story.

"Snow White," those Grimm Brothers (Annotated) (http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/sevendwarfs/index.html) The story isn't quite the same as the 1812 version. You don't have to read the story, but do read the annotations.

"The Young Slave," Italy, Giambattista Basile (http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/sevendwarfs/index.html). Pay attention to the notes at the end of the story.

Also read this short introduction to film: http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/slstewart/film.pdf

In Class:

• Be sure you have read the syllabus and understand it. If you don't understand something, ask! Expect a quiz over the syllabus
• Understanding film
• View Disney Snow White (1936) (84 minutes)

Script: http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/s/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarves-script.html

For Wednesday, July 12:

In Class:

• View alternative version of Snow White, 1996 (101 minutes)
• Discussion

For Thursday, July 13:

Critical Response #2 Due

Reading

The Witches (moved to Wednesday, August 9)

Malleus Maleficarum Part 1, Question VI (http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/mm/mm01_06a.htm). (This is from a witch-hunting manual dated 1486)

In Class

View The Witches, 1990 (92 minutes)

Week 2

For Monday, July 17

Reading

The Grimms' "Cinderella," http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm021.html

An Italian "Cinderella" http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0510a.html#italy

Perrault's "Cinderella, .http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/index.html (read the entire tale and the annotations)

In Class:

• Guest lecturer on "Cinderella"
• View various versions of "Cinderella"
• Discussion

For Tuesday, July 18

In Class:

• View more "Cinderella"
• Discussion

Script: http://animationarchive.net/Feature%20Films/Cinderella/Script/index.php

For Wednesday, July 19

In Class:

• View more "Cinderella"
• Discussion

For Thursday, July 20

Reading

Pinocchio

In Class:

• View Disney Pinocchio, 1939 (88 minutes)
• In-class writing
• Discussion

Script: http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/p/pinocchio-script-transcript-walt-disney.html

Week 3

For Monday, July 24

Reading

Be familiar with these terms by class on Monday. Go to http://www.imdb.com/Glossary/ for definitions (look under index)

• Auteur
• Character actor
• Close-Up
• Crosscut
• Editing
• Establishing Shot
• Fade
• Long shot
• Mise-en-scene
• Montage
  

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

In Class:

• View Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 1971 (98 minutes)
• Discussion

For Tuesday, July 25

In Class:

• View Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 2005 (115 minutes)
• Discussion

For Wednesday, July 26

More on Charlie and Willy

For Thursday, July 27

Reading

Introduction to "The Little Mermaid"

"The Little Mermaid," Andersen (http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/littlemermaid/index.html). Be sure to read annotations.

I won't be assigning an out-of-class writing for this, but I do want you to consider some things:

• What is the motivation for Andersen's (not Disney's) Little Mermaid's quest?
• To quote Tina Turner, in Andersen's version, "what's love got to do with it?"--it being Andersen's story?
• Pay particular attention to Andersen's sea witch. What is her role and what is her motivation? How does she view the Little Mermaid's desire to become human?
• What is the Little Mermaid's father's role in Andersen's version?
• What does self-denial accomplish in Andersen's version?
• What is the cost of Andersen's Little Mermaid's transformation from mermaid to human?

In Class:

• View Disney's Little Mermaid, 1989 (83 minutes)
• Discussion

Script: http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/l/little-mermaid-script-transcript-ariel.html

Week 4

For Monday, July 31

Reading

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

In Class

Finish "Little Mermaid" discussion

Begin Oz discussion; view film, 1939 (101 minutes)

For Tuesday, August

In Class

Discussion

For Wednesday, August 2

In Class

• Discussion

Script: http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Wizard-of-Oz,-The.html

For Thursday, August 3

• More on Oz

Week 5

For Monday, August 7

Reading

"Donkeyskin" (http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/donkeyskin/index.html). Also read the annotations. (This version was recorded by Andrew Lang, but the story has earlier origins including Giambattista Basil ("The She Bear") and the tale ususally anthologized by Perrault.)

In Class

• View Donkey Skin, 1969 (89 minutes)
• Discussion

For Tuesday, August 8

In Class

• Read Shrek
• View Shrek, 2001 (93 minutes)
• Discussion

For Wednesday, August 9

Reading

The Witches

Malleus Maleficarum Part 1, Question VI (http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/mm/mm01_06a.htm). (This is from a witch-hunting manual dated 1486)

In Class

View The Witches, 1990 (92 minutes)

Thursday, August 10

Final Exam