COURSE OBJECTIVES

The two decades between 1940 and 1960 witnessed some of the most dramatic changes in American history. A nation that, its relatively brief participation in World War I notwithstanding, remained somewhat isolated from the rest of the world, much of which was already at war in 1940, became the most dominant nation the world has ever seen. A world that was only beginning to comprehend the horrors of air power in 1940 had come five years later to confront for the first time the real possibility of the end of all life on earth. The ominous shadow of a mushroom cloud hung over all the events of the late forties and fifties. Women, who during World War II took jobs from which they had always been excluded, found themselves pushed back into traditional roles in the postwar years. African-Americans returned from their experiences in the war to face segregationists who were digging in their heels to preserve white control. The horrors of Nazism and the Holocaust caused many Americans to reconsider their own racial attitudes. By the mid-fifties, a new and ultimately successful civil rights movement was underway. In that decade, dominated by the Cold War, accusations of "un-Americanism," conformity, and family life, the new medium of television began to transform American life. And in the midst of the surface placidity, a rebelliousness in youth began to be heard -- quite literally, as Rock and Roll burst on the scene in the middle of the decade. This course will explore all these aspects of the two decades, through politics, novels, films, music, plays, television, poetry, sports, and other avenues.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Tests

There will be two tests during the semester, in addition to a final exam. Students will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria: an extensive journal (3 grades), the tests (3 grades), and participation in class discussion (2 grades). Each of the eight grades will receive equal weight in determining a student's grade for the course.

Journals

The journal is central to the course. It will have a two-way relationship with the discussions, both preparing students for class discussions and providing a vehicle for further reactions to points that have been discussed in class.

In their journals students are asked to interact with the readings, films, and classes. You should ask questions about what you read, see, and hear, and ponder (in writing) possible answers. Journal entries should demonstrate both that you have read the assignment (or seen the film or kept up with what was being discussed in class) and that you are thinking about what you read, see, and hear.

A journal is a diary of your thought processes. After a session of reading, after a class discussion, or after a film or music listening session, you should sit down and simply start writing about your most dominant or curious impressions, just as in a diary you might review or comment upon the day's events. By its nature, a journal may ramble, because you may have no idea what you are going to say when you begin writing. The act of getting words and ideas on the page will help you discover what your most important concerns are in the course.

Although the instructor will, in fact, be grading your journals, what you write is primarily for your own use, both during the course and in the future. You will want to keep your journals from this course, since they will constitute a record of your thoughts during what we hope will be an interesting period of your lives. You need not worry about shifting topics, contradicting yourself, losing sense or being unconvincing. Correctness of language and problems of spelling should not even cross your mind (unless, of course, you want them to be a concern). Just put down your first reactions and explore them until you have worked them out fully.

The journal will work for you only if you make it a habit. If you wait for the spirit to move you before you pull out the journal, many of you will not use it very much. The best way to establish real discipline is quite simply to set aside 15 minutes or so after each reading session, class, and film. You may not always get done in that time, but at least you will know that it is a part of your routine.

Doing your journal in the proper spirit will make you a better reader, viewer, listener, and thinker; it will also prepare you to participate more fully in class discussion and enable you to raise issues that really concern you.

The Journal Assignment

* Obtain a notebook that you use only as a journal for this course. This should be separate from the place where you take notes in class.

* Date each entry and keep up with the assignments right from the start.

* Begin your journal immediately, with entries on this week's readings, films, and discussions.

* Journals should contain at least one entry for each of the reading assignments (several on each novel) and one for each film. Also include entries on some class discussions. Refer to a substantial number of specific points, using quotations where helpful; question these points and comment on them.

In addition to comments on the readings and films, journals should also contain comments on some points that come up in class discussions. Journals will be collected for comments and grading several times during the semester.

Because your journal is to be used, among other purposes, to help stimulate class discussion, students are required to bring their journals with them to each class. In order to ensure that they are being kept up to date, the days on which they will be collected for review by the instructor will NOT be announced in advance.

Discussions

Attendance at all class meetings is expected. It is also expected that reading assignments will be completed before the class meeting for which they are assigned. A diversity of viewpoints is welcomed in class discussions. Students should bring up in class any questions they have from the readings. Absences in excess of THREE will adversely affect a student's grade. Absences in excess of SIX may result in failure of the course.

REQUIRED READINGS

Michael C.C. Adams, The Best War Ever: America and World War II.

Norman Mailer, The Naked and the Dead.

Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman.

David Halberstam, The Fifties.

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man.

Jack Kerouac, On the Road.

Other readings will be distributed in class.

FILMS

Fourteen feature films from the 1940s and 1950s will constitute an integral part of this course. The films will be shown on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM in Sullivan-Harrell 221. It is expected that students will attend these screenings, which should be considered the equivalent of regular class meetings. These movies were made to be shown in theaters, on large screens, and to be viewed communally. That is the experience we seek to duplicate in the course. In special circumstances, with the permission of the instructor, a student may view a particular film at another time. In most cases, the films will be available on videocassette at the reserve desk in the Millsaps Library. Students who cannot attend a showing on a particular Wednesday evening and have received permission to miss the Wednesday evening meeting are required to view the video on their own before that time. Films will usually be discussed in the class immediately following the Wednesday showing.