First-Year Writing Seminar (101-8-24)

Topic

Swamps, Bogs, and Marshes

Instructors

Sarah Rebecca Nisenson

Meeting Info

Harris Hall L05: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM

Overview of class

Topic: Swamps, Bogs, and Marshes

With his charmingly grumpy "Get outta my swamp!" Shrek is one of the most beloved swamp-dwelling creatures in popular culture. In contrast to the shiny castle of the villainous Lord Farquaad, Shrek's cozy home inverts the swamp's typical representation as a magical but potentially sinister space. This course takes Shrek's order as a provocation: why must we leave? Is it dangerous to remain in the swamp, and for whom? In this course, we will explore swamps, bogs, and wetlands through a variety of mediums, including literary fiction (Jeff VanderMeer's Annihilation); television episodes ("It's a Swamp Thing" from Harley Quinn); and videogames (Dark Souls 3). Our class will also approach our own campus environment, the Great Lakes wetlands, with curiosity and care through site-specific activities outside of the classroom. The primary goals of this course are to improve your writing, hone your research skills, and refine your critical thinking strategies. To that end, we will approach writing as a process rather than a product; in addition to writing in multiple genres, you will work with your classmates in a peer-review process, providing and responding to substantial feedback. In venturing into the wetlands together, this class will help first-year students acclimate to Northwestern and improve their critical thinking and writing skills.

Evaluation Method

Canvas posts, discussion, writing assignments.

Class Materials (Required)

Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation VanderMeer (ISBN: 9780374104092)
All other materials will be available on Canvas

Class Attributes

WCAS Writing Seminar