Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CW 356"
COURSE NAME: "Creative Writing Workshop: Writing the Eternal City"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2025

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Elizabeth Farren
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 103 or 105 with grade of C or above
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This interdisciplinary writing workshop employs the city of Rome as its muse and offers instruction in several genres of creative writing. By examining a variety of works inspired by the Eternal City, students will learn how to evaluate literature in light of an aesthetic and historic precedent, as well as participate in the long tradition of international writers who have recreated Rome on the page. The course will also problematize Rome, exploring the ancient city’s contemporary contradictions and complexities and the way writers both perpetuate and dismantle certain myths, such as the illusory La Dolce Vita. Writing workshops will acquaint students with the techniques and tools used to critique and incorporate critical feedback into their own revision process. Through studied writing practice and the examination of the Roman setting as a vital literary component, students will generate a final portfolio of textual interpretations in response to the Eternal City.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This on-site writing class with a workshop component will discuss techniques of fiction writing, poetry, and non-fiction, and offers guidance in generating original creative work that utilizes the city of Rome as inspiration. Students will examine literature that reflects the city’s vast influence on Western creativity and culture throughout the ages, while simultaneously navigating the Eternal City itself. Students are encouraged to look beyond the veneer of the Rome depicted in travel guides and observe the ways that the Mediterranean city can provide meaning and depth for a story. On site classes take place amidst the quintessential intersection of the ancient, medieval, and modern world, inviting students to respond to, participate in, problematize, and incorporate Rome’s layered history and influence in their prose. Through the studied practice of descriptive writing and the examination of the Rome setting as a vital literary component, students will produce their own fictional interpretations of the Eternal City.

Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the technical vocabulary and critical skills necessary for discussing, analyzing and formulating arguments about creative writing, and will produce a portfolio of their own original fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Students will participate in both free writing, assigned writing, and responses to the assigned readings. Through experiential learning, students will gain a deeper understanding of the multidimensional and ongoing influence of the city of Rome upon Western culture, history, art, and ideas and, in particular, literature and literary fiction.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will become familiar with the ways that the city of Rome has inspired writers over the centuries with its lore, its beauty, and its layers of history. Students will become familiar with basic elements of storytelling, descriptive writing, and revision. The goal for this course is for students to produce, develop, and revise an original portfolio of Rome based creative work. The workshop and review of their peers’ work will teach students how to offer thoughtful criticism, as well as gain the editorial skills necessary to self-edit. Through reading and writing, students will gain experience and confidence in the craft

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments
Daisy Miller	Henry James	Penguin Classics	ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780141441344

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Final Portfolio	Around 30 pages of creative work. Students must complete a polished final portfolio which shows growth and development over the course of the class. Guidelines for the specific assignments will be posted in Moodle.	50
Class Participation, Preparation, Student Feedback, and Attendance	Participation, preparation and conscientiousness: is the student participatory and attentive both in the classroom and on site? Does the student do thorough and thoughtful reading of the assigned readings and respond to them? Is the student prepared and doing a close reading of his or her peer work? Is the student’s feedback thoughtful and helpful? Students must not miss more than three classes; each additional absence will cause a 5 percent deduction in the final grade. Students are expected to contribute to discussion and workshop activities enthusiastically. Students who use their phone, surf the internet, or are later than 10 minutes may be counted as absent.	20
Self-Editing and Revision toward Development of Work in Progress	Is the student editing and revising their work in a significant way, with thoughtful alterations and improvements? Do the final drafts show significant development through revision, alteration, and re-imagination? Students will be required to submit revised versions of their work and show a thorough understanding of the importance of this writing skill.	15
Journal and Reader Responses	Has the student completed the free-writes and assigned reader response questions in a thorough and thoughtful manner?	15

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

NB: All writing assignments and homework will be found on Moodle; the syllabus below only includes in-class activities and readings. All activities below are subject to change; for updated information, please use Moodle as your primary resource for class information.

WEEK 1:

Mon: Introduction to the workshop; intro to fiction; intro to the class; intro to the micro, in class writing

Wed: Continuation of introductions; in-class writing, possible first workshop of the micros

READING (due Monday Jan 27th): Wharton's "Roman Fever" and Updike's
"Twin Beds in Rome"

WEEK 2:

Mon: ON SITE: Ara Coeli and the Jewish Ghetto ( Roman Fever and Twin Beds in Rome). Please make sure that you have completed the reading before class.

Meeting Point: Antico Caffe del Teatro Marcello, Via di Teatro Marcello, 42

https://goo.gl/maps/iiHAwV7T7uo

Wed: Workshop and discussion of showing vs telling. Your micro is due today at 1:30 p.m. Please make sure that you are prepared to workshop and be workshopped.

READING: Please read Savas' "Long Distance" and Marquez' "The Saint" for Monday February 3rd.

WEEK 3:

Mon: ON SITE: Tiber Island and Trastevere (make sure to have read Gabriel Garcia Marquez' “The Saint,” and Savas' “Long Distance”

Meeting Point: Caffe Tiberino,

Via Ponte Quattro Capi 17

https://g.co/kgs/Npw94Jd

Wed: We will continue our workshop of the micro and begin discussion of character development; the creation of a strong central protagonist as the center of literary fiction.

READING: John Gardner's "Interest and Truth"

WEEK 4:

Mon: Workshop and discussion of fictional techniques; introduction to the Roman Story (due Wednesday February 19th) .

Wed: Workshop and continued discussion of craft and fiction; in class writing.

READING: Malamud "Behold the Key" and Cheever's "Boy in Rome"; please prepare these for Monday of week 5.

Week 5

Mon: ON SITE: The Aventine Hill

Please come prepared to discuss “Behold the Key” by Malamud and “Boy in Rome” by Cheever

Meeting Point: Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verita’) we will be meeting in front of the church

https://maps.app.goo.gl/A6YaBhEyQxWxViwt6

Wed: Workshop and discussion of POV in fiction

READING: For next Monday, please read Andre Aciman's chapter from Call Me By Your Name, "The San Clemente Syndrome". You may also choose to read Call Me By Your Name in its entirety.

WEEK 6:

{NB the onsite element will be on Wednesday this week}

Mon: In class workshop and discussion of setting

Wed: ON SITE: The Basilica of San Clemente ( Andre Aciman “The San Clemente Syndrome”)

Meeting Point: Basilica di San Clemente: Given the distance from campus to the basilica, please make sure to leave JCU promptly. Entrance to the museum is at 2 p.m. We will begin class with discussion of Aciman.

https://g.co/kgs/VRW7ihn

READING: Begin Daisy Miller

WEEK 7:

Mon: Workshop and discussion of fiction

Wed: MIDTERM CONFERENCES

Please sign up for the midterm conference from the link below. Conferences are 10 minutes in length, and are mandatory. Please sign up as soon as possible.

READING: Read Daisy Miller (not on Google Drive...to be purchased). To be completed by Monday March 17th, when we will visit the Protestant Cemetary.

WEEK 8

SPRING BREAK

Complete Daisy Miller and complete your reading journal assignment:

WEEK 9:

Mon: ON SITE: The Protestant Cemetery. Please be prepared to discuss Henry James’ Daisy Miller. We will meet in front of the entrance to the cemetery. Our entrance time will be at 2 p.m.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/GkoSUjdQNhqd2sr16

Wed: Workshop and discussion of plot and fictional structure. Roman Story 2 due at 1:30 p.m.

READING: Please read Scego's "Exmatriates" and Wolff's "The Benefit of the Doubt"

WEEK 10:

Mon: Workshop and discussion of Scego and Wolff's story.

Wed: Workshop and beginning of discussion of poetry

READING: Please read the following poems:
Lord Byron, George Gordon: "From Childe Harold's Pilgrimage IV"
Charles Wright: "Roma I";
Jorie Graham :"Scirocco";
Peter Riley: "Santa Cecilia in Trastevere";
Robert Gittings: "Church of San Clemente, Rome" .
Percy Byshe Shelley: "Adonais"
John Keats: "On First Seeing the Elgin Marbles;
"On First Looking into Chapman's Homer";
"La Belle Dame Sans Merci";
"To Fanny Brawne, June 1820"

WEEK 11

Mon: ON SITE: The Keats and Shelley House (Piazza di Spagna) (Please be sure to come having read the poetry selection from the previous week)

https://maps.app.goo.gl/LLRhN9ftrjgJzb2HA

Wed: Workshop and discussion of the importance of poetry and language in prose

READING: Continue reading the following poems:

Molly Peacock: "Systems of a Poem"

Kim Addonzio: "Poetry exercise"

James Wright "In View of the Protestant Cemetery in Rome"

Thomas Hardy "At the Pyramid of Cestius Near the Graves of Keats and Shelley"

Christina Rossetti "On Keats"

WEEK 12:

Mon: Workshop and discussion of poetry

Wed: Workshop and discussion of nonfiction writing; Roman poems due today

READING: Elizabeth Geoghegan's "The Marco Chronicles"; please purchase copy at the link below.

https://www.amazon.com/Marco-Chonicles-Elizabeth-Geoghegan-ebook/dp/B0CBNBZXFF?keywords=santa+fe+writers+project&qid=1698149611&sr=8-4&linkCode=sl1&tag=santafewriterspr&linkId=ab9be711a5ef6354f4703b8830b1bdf9&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

WEEK 13:

Mon: ON SITE: TBD (Please be ready to discuss the Geogheghan essay)

Wed: Workshop and continued discussion of nonfiction writing; please begin work on your one page nonfiction assignment.

READING: "The Roman Hour" Andre Aciman and "Windows on the World" by Taiye Selassi

WEEK 14

Mon: Workshop and discussion of nonfiction; nonfiction assignment due

Wed: Workshop and discussion of nonfiction and portfolio

READING: Dyer "Decline and Fall"

WEEK 15:

Mon: Workshop and discussion of final portfolio

Wed: Workshop and discussion of publication and the public side of the writing life; your reading journal is due at midnight

CREATIVE WRITING SHOWCASE: Date and place TBD. The creative writing showcase is the culmination of the semester's hard work. It is a chance for you to read and hear your peers' read their work out loud. Attendance at the showcase is mandatory, and I do hope a majority of you will choose to read your work there as well.