English 1A: Feasting on Food Writing
West Valley College, Fall 2009
Section: 79562
Time and Place: Tu/Th 7:45-9:10 AM, LA 37
and
Section: 79564
Time and Place: Tu/Th 9:20-10:45 AM, LA 33
Instructor: Daniel Hendel De La O
Office Hours: Tu/Th 10:50–11:50 AM, LA Workroom
Email: dhdelao@gmail.com
Blog: threepointeau.blogspot.com
Twitter: twitter.com/ProfDLo
“Marry, sir, 'tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers;
therefore he that cannot lick his fingers goes not with me.”
—William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
therefore he that cannot lick his fingers goes not with me.”
—William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
Course Content and Objectives
This course introduces the techniques of collegiate English composition with emphasis on clear and effective writing and analytical reading. Students will write a series of essays including a documented research paper. Because this is a collegiate-level writing course, students must enroll with strong grammatical competence. This course fulfills the written communication requirement for Associate and Bachelor degrees.
Course Theme
In many ways, our personal food tastes are as individual as our fingerprints. We not only have our own likes and dislikes, but we’ve each taken our own unique food journey. Whether we are picky or adventurous, moderate or voracious, what we eat says much about us. In fact, as much as anything else, food helps define who we are. Therefore, this semester we will explore our personal relationships with that most vital part of life: food. We will do this through reading from and writing about a variety of texts on food issues.
Required Course Materials
English 1A required texts:
- Best Food Writing 2007, Holly Hughes (Editor) (ISBN-10: 1600940390)
- Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain (ISBN-10: 0060899220)
- The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan (ISBN-10: 1594200823)
Prentice Hall Reference Guide by Muriel G. Harris (ISBN-10: 0131856405)
English 991 Co-Requisite
Overview
When you enrolled in ENGL 905/1A/1B/1C for 3.0 units, you also enrolled in the corresponding lab for this course: ENGL 990/991/992/993 (Writing Skills Lab) for 0.5 unit (CR/NC). This lab provides supplementary instruction that will help you succeed in this course and any course with a writing requirement.
Assignments
When you work in the WVC Writing Center (WC), you may complete required exercises assigned in MyCompLab or use tutoring to help you develop essays for any of your courses. To earn the 0.5 unit for this co-requisite, you must:
- Buy the Prentice Hall Reference Guide by Muriel Harris which will include a personal access code to MyCompLab for three consecutive years and for use in each of the Writing Skills Labs that you will take as co-requisites in future composition courses at WVC (available at the campus bookstore).
- Record a minimum of one hour per week in the WC and one hour per week off site. By the end of the semester, you must complete 14 hours on-site in the WC and 14 hours off-site.
- During the first week of the semester, drop by the WC to examine the self-guided Orientation materials and complete a self-assessment activity. Please plan to spend about 30 minutes in the WC during your first visit. It is located in the Library annex between the Media Center and Television Studios. Please enter via the Television wing of the Library and follow the signs.
Disability Statement
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation required that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact DESP (Disability and Educational Support Program; 408.741.2010) located in the Learning Services building.
Unlawful Discrimination/Sexual Harassment Statement
If you have a complaint or someone has shared information with you as a student that is unlawful discrimination or sexual harassment, contact either the Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources at West Valley-Mission Community College District (408.741.2060) or the President of West Valley College (408.741.2097).
Policy on Student Attendance
Students are expected to attend all sessions of each class. Instructors may drop students from the class if they fail to attend the first class meeting, or when accumulated unexcused hours of absences exceed ten percent of the total number of hours the class meets during the semester. Moreover, an instructor may drop from the class any student who fails to attend at least one class session during the first three weeks of instruction.
Policy on Academic Dishonesty
Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, in-class cheating, out-of-class cheating, plagiarism, knowingly assisting another student in cheating or plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to College staff, faculty, administrators, or other officials. Additionally, it includes unauthorized use of expression of ideas from either published or unpublished work(s) as a student’s own work for a grade in a class. This also includes the violation of copyright laws, including copying of software packages.
When a student is charged with plagiarism or cheating related to a class, and the instructor has reasonable proof or documentation or the student admits the violation, the instructor may select one or more of the following options:
- Issue an oral or written notification and warn the student that further acts of this sort will result in additional disciplinary action.
- Issue a NC or a failing grade (“F” or “0”) for the assignment in question
- Refer the student to the CSSO for disciplinary action.
- You are responsible for all materials assigned, presented, and discussed in class.
- You are expected to study the material beforehand and come prepared to discuss the readings in class.
- The use of laptops during class is restricted to note taking only.
- If you come to class after the first 15 minutes, please wait for an appropriate moment to enter so as not to disturb the class.
- All writing assignments are due on the dates indicated on ThreePointEau, which contains the most up-to-date schedule and information.
- A missed writing assignment can be turned in no later than the following class meeting after the due date; however, it will be lowered one letter grade.
- Writing assignments will not be accepted beyond the following class meeting after the initial due date.
- Without prior notification, missed in-class essays and presentations cannot be made up; if you must miss your presentation date, make prior arrangements with a classmate to switch days.
- I will not accept any late research papers.
I maintain this class blog, ThreePointEau as a centralized location for assignments, reminders, documents, important dates, links, and general class information. It also contains an easy-to-reference archive of the course work. In addition, this website will be the location of the course’s e-Reader (eR). These Web articles will be required to complete some assignments. On the homepage, click on “West Valley College: English 1A” to be routed to our page. Also, feel free to use the “Comments” function in each posting; it is often a helpful way to communicate with classmates.
I also maintain a class Twitter account. Twitter is a useful social networking tool that allows me to communicate with you instantaneously. I may use it if class has to be canceled unexpectedly, or if there is a significant change to our agenda. If you already have a Twitter account, search for “ProfDLo” under “Find People.” If not, go to Twitter to register for free. Twitter membership is not required for this course, but it is recommended.
Course Standards for Presentation of Work
All typed work must be in MLA format. On ThreePointEau, look for an MLA page format sample under “Writing Resources.” Please note, unstapled work will not be accepted.
Please follow this heading for all typed work:
Name
ENG 1A, Sec #
Assignment
Date
Course Grades
- The grade you earn is the grade you will receive; grades will never be rounded up unless mathematically appropriate.
- There may be little or no opportunity for extra credit in this course, so it is imperative to stay on top of all assignments.
- The completion of every assignment is the minimum requirement for an “A” or “B” grade, not a guarantee for those grades.
- Per West Valley College policy, you must earn a “C” or better to pass the course.
Class sessions will employ a combination of lectures, group discussions, presentations, and writing workshops that will cover a range of activities, including analyzing, interpreting, outlining, revising, and editing. Again, all submitted work must be in MLA format.
- Autobiographical Essay (Diagnostic): This in-class diagnostic essay will be my first opportunity to evaluate your writing. (15 pts./500 words)
- Nonfiction Analysis Essay: You will write a nonfiction analysis essay based upon Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore's Dilemma. (20 pts./750 words)
- Literature Analysis/Short Answer Responses: You will write in-class short answer responses to stories by T.C. Boyle, Roald Dahl, Giles Smith, and Laura Esquivel. (20 pts./500 words)
- Persuasive Essay: You will write a persuasive essay about the merits of eating organically based upon readings from the eReader and Best Food Writing 2007. (20 pts./750 words)
- Process Essay: This in-class process essay will be about the methods we employ in cooking—or not cooking. (20 pts./750 words)
- Comparative Analysis Essay: In this in-class compare and contrast essay, based upon Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. (20 pts./750 words)
- Annotated Bibliography: In this assignment, you will organize and evaluate the sources for your research paper. (20 pts./250 words)
- Research Paper: Your 10-page research paper will examine one aspect of food culture. I will provide a list of prompts for you to choose from early in the semester. (80 pts./2500 words)
- Reflective Journals: Prompts to these five 1 ½-page responses are located in this syllabus and in the eReader. (50 pts.—5 @ 10 pts each/1875 words)
- PowerPoint Presentation: You will create a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation and class hand-out based upon either some aspect related to our reading (e.g. local food movement, street food) or another food-related subject (e.g. fusion cuisine, the dieting industry). Note that presentations must be PC-compatible and be either emailed to your or contained on an external hard drive, such as a flash drive. (15 pts.)
- Catering Groups: Obviously, you cannot have a course on food without actually tasting some. So, later in the semester the class will be divided into six catering groups, and be assigned one course of a six-course meal (appetizer, salad, soup, main, cheese, and dessert). For the last six weeks of class, one catering group a week will provide a dish from their assigned course for the entire class. The courses needn’t be extravagant, but it is an opportunity to explore new dishes and tastes, so don’t be afraid to be creative. (10 pts.)
- Participation: Full participation points are achieved by regular attendance and active participation. (10 pts.)
Word Total: 8625
Course Schedule
This schedule is subject to change; consult ThreePointEau for the most up-to-date information. Also, look for journal topics to appear on the Web. Consider this paper version of the syllabus a rough guide and already out-of-date.
Key: BFW—Best Food Writing; eR—eReader; KC—Kitchen Confidential; OD—Omnivore’s Dilemma
Week 1
Tu 9.1In-Class: Syllabus review; Food terms quiz
Th 9.3
Read: OD—pg. 1-56; BFW—“My Miami” by Anthony Bourdain, “A Grandchild of Italy Cracks the Spaghetti Code” by Kim Severson
In-Class: Introductions; Sample PowerPoint presentation
Week 2
Tu 9.8Read: OD—pg. 57-84; eR—“Remembrance of Tacos Past” by Mark Dery (Salon.com), “Who Needs Vegetables Anyway?” by Matt Marion (Men’s Health), “Fat's What I'm Talking About” by Tim Carman (Washington City Paper)
In-Class: Book and essay discussion; Presentation sign-ups; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. I”
Th 9.10
Read: OD—pg. 85-119; BFW—“Las Fabulosas Taco Trucks” by Rob Walsh, “A Sugar Binge” by Charles Ferruzza, “The Best Burger” by Raymond Sokolov; eR—“College Cooks Gone Wild” by Margot Kaminski (Chow.com), “Pie (In The Name of Love)” by Vincent Rossmeier (Salon.com), “My Best Meal Ever” by Bryan Miller (O, The Oprah Magazine)
In-Class: Essay discussion; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. II”
Journal 1 Prompt: Chow’s Table Manners column examines the do’s and don’ts of breaking up with someone at a restaurant in “Dumped Over Dinner” (eR). While choosing to end a relationship over dinner may seem harsh (or even inappropriate), restaurants are often the preferred location for a number of other occasions, such as birthdays, wakes, and marriage proposals. Using “Dumped Over Dinner” as a basis, explore the importance of restaurants in our traditions and customs. Why do we like restaurants to be the settings of major events in our lives, both positive and negative? Likewise, have you ever chosen a restaurant to mark a significant occasion?
Due: Journal 1
Week 3
Tu 9.15Read: OD—pg. 120-225
In-Class: Autobiographical essay (Diagnostic)
Th 9.17 Read: OD—pg. 226-286
In-Class: Book discussion; Presentations; Research topic sign-ups
Week 4
Tu 9.22Read: OD—pg. 287-333
In-Class: Lecture—“Food on Film: Ratatouille, When Harry Met Sally…, Mystic Pizza, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Chocolat, and others”
Journal 2 Prompt: Often, dishes tell the story of a family history better than anything else. Whether it’s grandma's cookie recipe or the Thanksgiving dinner tradition no one can remember having started, food plays an integral role in defining who we are as families. Using This American Life’s episode entitled “You Gonna Eat That?” (eR; choose “Full Episode” to hear) as a basis, write about a significant food-related family experience or tradition.
Due: Journal 2
Th 9.24
Read: OD—pg. 334-363
In-Class: Book discussion; Presentations
Week 5
Tu 10.1Read: OD—pg. 364-411
In-Class: Book discussion; Presentations, Lecture—“Reviewing Literary Analysis Techniques”
Th 10.3
Read: CR—“Sorry Fugu” by T.C. Boyle, “Taste” by Roald Dahl
In-Class: Short story discussion, including audio versions of “Sorry Fugu” and “Taste”
Due: Nonfiction analysis essay
Week 6
Tu 10.6Read: CR—“Last Requests” by Giles Smith, “January: Christmas Rolls” by Laura Esquival
In-Class: Short story discussion, Presentations
Journal 3 Prompt: In “New Rule: You Can't Complain About Health Care Reform If You're Not Willing to Reform Your Own Health” (eR), comedian and commentator Bill Maher argues that elephant in the living room in the health care debate is the health (or lack thereof) of the American public. Bill Maher, as others have argued, points to the fact that our skyrocketing health care costs are, at least in part, due to American’s overwhelmingly unhealthy lifestyles. Indeed, the statistics are startling: According to the American Heart Association, the number of obese and overweight Americans includes 23 million children (between the ages 2-19) and 145 million adults (ages 20 and above). Yet, politicians are more likely to lay blame on the evils of government and the health care and food industries. Rarely, will politicians ask Americans to improve their own habits. Why? Is Bill Maher correct that health care reform starts with us, or are there larger issues, beyond an individual’s control, at play?
Due: Journal 3
Th 10.8
In-Class: Literary analysis/Short answer responses
Week 7
Tu 10.13Read: BFW—“Waiting for Asparagus” by Barbara Kingsolver, “Feast of Burden” by Sara Deseren, “Local Heroes?” by Barry Estabrook, “Organicize Me” by Michael A. Stusser; eR—“Central Valley Disconnect: Rich Land, Poor Nutrition” (Morning Edition), “All You Can’t Eat” by Crystal Allen (Metro Silicon Valley)
In-Class: Book discussion; Presentations; Lecture—“Effective Persuasive Techniques in Writing” Returned: Nonfiction analysis essay
Th 10.15
Read: eR—“Is Local Food Really Miles Better?” by Roberta Kwok (Salon.com), “Organic Food is No Healthier, Study Finds” by Ben Hirschler (Reuters), “Don’t Write Off Organic Food” by Molly Conisbee (The Daily Telegraph)
In-Class: Essay discussion; Presentations
Journal 4 Prompt: For this journal, you must retry a food you have previously decided you did not like. This may be either an individual food (e.g. pickles, mushrooms) or a prepared dish (e.g. liver and onions, sushi). Using “A Conversation with Dad” from Food on the Food (eR), think about the experience of eating this food once again. Does eating it again confirm your earlier opinion? Is it better now than before? Why or why not?
Due: Journal 4
Week 8
Tu 10.20In-Class: Writer’s workshop
Due: Persuasive essay (Draft 1; bring three copies)
Returned: Literary analysis/Short answer responses
Th 10.22
In-Class: Writer’s workshop
Due: Persuasive essay (Draft 2; bring three copies)
Week 9
Tu 10.27Read: eR—“Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch” by Michael Pollan (The New York Times Magazine), “On Cooking—I Don’t Know and I Don’t Care” by “candylover” (thecandyfactory.wordpress.com)
In-Class: Essay discussion; Presentations
Due: Persuasive essay (Final draft)
Th 10.29
Read: eR—“Thursday, September 12, 2002” by Julie Powell (The Julie/Julia Project), “Mistakes Were Made” by Lessley Anderson (Chow.com), “Macaroni and Lots of Cheese” by Julia Moskin (The New York Times)
In-Class: Essay discussion; Presentations, Lecture—“How to Write a Process Essay”
Week 10
Tu 11.3In-Class: Presentations; Lecture—“How to Write a Process Essay”
Th 11.5
Read: KC—pg. 3-35
In-Class: Process essay
Returned: Persuasive essay
Week 11
Tu 11.10Read: KC—pg. 36-74
In-Class: Watch—Food Inc. (2009)
Journal 5 Prompt: Do the foods you eat say anything about your social standing? For example, can a correlation be made between the types of foods you eat and your income level, access to health care, and education? Using “Chewing the Fat: Alton Brown on Race, Class, and Food” from Serious Eats (eR) as a basis, explore the theory that your diet is a reflection of your socio-economic standing.
Due: Journal 5
Th 11.12
Read: KC—pg. 75-127
In-Class: Book discussion; Presentations
Catering: Group 1—Appetizer course
Week 12
Tu 11.17Read: KC—pg. 128-161
In-Class: Book discussion; Presentations
Th 11.19
Read: KC—pg. 162-203
In-Class: Book discussion; Presentations
Catering: Group 2—Salad course
St 11.21
Field trip (Optional; TBA)
Week 13
Tu 11.24Read: KC—pg. 204-243
In-Class: Watch—Waitress (2007)
Due: Annotated bibliography
Catering: Group 3—Soup course
Th 11.26
NO CLASS—Happy Thanksgiving
Week 14
Tu 11.31In-Class: Comparative analysis essay
Th 12.3
In-Class: Writer’s workshop
Due: First five pages of your research paper (bring three copies)
Catering: Group 4—Main course
Week 15
Tu 12.8In-Class: Guest speaker (TBA)
Th 12.10
In-Class: Writer’s workshop
Due: First draft of your completed research paper (bring three copies)
Returned: Comparative analysis essay
Catering: Group 5—Cheese course
Week 16
Tu 12.15(Note: Special schedule—Section 79562 meets from 7:30-9:30 AM; Section 79564 meets from 9:40-11:40 AM)
In-class: End of class surveys, Course review
Due: Research paper
Catering: Group 6—Dessert course
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