SU 20
Instructor: Dr. Jacinta
Yanders (aka Dr. J)
Pronouns: She/Her (what’s
this about?)
Email: yandersj@cod.edu
Catalogue Description
and Objectives:
Explores the process of film
adaptation from a variety of
sources. Includes
examination of films
adapted directly and
indirectly from prior media,
as well as an overview of
theoretical approaches to
studying film adaptation.
Through close study of
selected films, students will
develop a nuanced, open
approach to considering the
process of adaptation on
screen.
• Practice active rather
than passive
spectatorship of film
• Compare and contrast
film adaptations from
different eras, nations,
and authors
• Discuss film as a mass
medium in terms of its
differences from other
media, including in
relationship to
spectatorship
• Explain the theoretical
progression of film
adaptation criticism
• Apply theoretical
approaches to studying
film adaptation
• Analyze formal film
techniques in relationship
to both film and source
material content
1
ENGLI/MPTV 1154: Film as Literature: “New
Year, New Look, Same Story”
Hello! In recent years, it's become commonplace to discuss
film remakes, adaptations, and the like as though they are
new inventions. But such works have always existed. Over
time, scholars have developed a rich body of theoretical and
analytical texts that consider why and how these works
function. Why are there so many The Secret Garden
adaptations? What does our collective obsession with the
murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents say about us? Why did the
casting of Amandla Stenberg as Rue in the first Hunger
Games movie and the existence of a female-led
Ghostbusters movie elicit so much rage?
In this class, we'll think through questions like this and more.
We'll do this by reading, watching, writing, and thinking a lot.
We definitely won't be able to tap into every analytical
framework in an 8-week semester. But we will grapple with
questions of production and reception, keeping a keen eye
directed toward how adaptations are situated in genre,
culture, and the media industry in general. How true to the
original text does an adaptation need to be? Is the point of
adaptation to do the same thing or to do something different?
How different is too different? Does canon really matter?
Our course texts will range from literature to films to
webseries to television series, all the while tracking a
particular narrative that continuously finds new life - Jane
Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Originally published in 1813,
P&P has spawned several adaptations, many of which have
very dedicated fandoms. What is it that makes this narrative
so adaptable? Why do new audiences continue to become
drawn to the world of the Bennett sisters? How do
contemporary creators expand upon and put new spins on
that universe? And perhaps most importantly, why does any
of this matter?
SU 20 2

Accessibility Dr. J’s Goals

We all have different learning needs. In designing this class,
I've tried to account for many of those needs. We’ll complete In addition to the catalogue
a mix of activities and assignments because people thrive in objectives listed above, the
different areas. We’ll also consume information in various goals below represent I'd
modes to increase our collective comprehension. If there's like emphasize in our class.
some way in which your access and ability in this course These goals are not set in
could additionally be supported, please let me know. In stone and may change as
order to receive accommodations from COD’s Center for we move through the
Access and Accommodations, you can call them at semester. Once we start
630-942-2154 or email them at access@cod.edu. If you’d interacting as a class, we
like to learn more about what the Center does, check out may well determine there
their website: www.cod.edu/access. are other goals we want to
achieve. But this is where
What You Need I'd like us to start:
• Pride by Ibi Zoboi (ISBN:
978-0062564054), $8.25 used/ • Develop as readers and
$10.99 new from the COD interpreters of and
bookstore thinkers about film
• Media that will need to be • Understand different types
purchased or rented: of adaptations and some
• Pride & Prejudice, 1995 Adaptation Theory
miniseries (full season • Understand how form
purchasable for $5.99 on shapes content and vice
Amazon Prime Video; also versa
currently available on Hulu • Understand how culture
for subscribers) and adaptation are
• Pride & Prejudice, 2005 movie (rentable for $3.99 on intertwined
Amazon Prime Video) • Share our thoughts
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, 2016 movie generously and
(rentable for $3.99 on Amazon Prime Video) respectfully as a class and
• Death Come to Pemberley, 2014 miniseries (full learn from one another
season purchasable for $7.99 on Amazon Prime
Video) Also, I organize all of my
• Bride & Prejudice, 2005 movie (available to rent for classes around four key
$3.99 on Amazon Prime Video) principles borrowed from
• NOTE: Due to the limited time window for Clint Smith III: Read
viewing rented materials from Amazon, you critically, write
should not rent any of these items until I tell you consciously, tell your
to. truth.
• Any additional materials needed will be posted in the
Blackboard modules each week Now here's your first
• You should have a dedicated notebook (or notebook assignment: what do you
section) for this class. Doesn’t matter whether it's digital or want to get from this class?
analog. Use whatever suits you. Write your answer down
• Storage. I recommend having at least one type of physical somewhere. We'll come
storage (flash drive, portable hard drive, etc) and one type back to this later in the
of cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc). Device semester and see how
failures are inevitable. They come for all of us eventually. we're progressing toward
Save your work early, often, and in multiple places. achieving those goals.
SU 20 3
Basic Needs
It's really hard to focus on school work when you're also facing difficulties with having your
basic needs (such as food and shelter) met. I do not expect you to leave your humanity at the
metaphorical door for the sake of this class. I've created a Resources page on our course site
that includes campus and community resources that can assist with resolving such issues. If
you want help with communicating with any of these resources, please don't hesitate to ask. I
also want to note here that COD does require me (as well as the rest of your professors) to
report disclosures of sexual violence to our Title IX office. I want to be upfront about that
because while I absolutely do want to provide support in such instances, I also know that a
student may not wish to trigger an automatic report for various reasons, and I believe it's
important for you all to have that information before making the decision to disclose.

Tech
Blackboard (bb.cod.edu) is the central hub for this class. Check it on a regular basis. I don’t
recommend using the Blackboard mobile app unless you have to because it’s prone to
glitches. Each week, you'll be tasked with some combination of reading, watching, listening,
writing, and recording. To do all of this, you’ll need internet access. Since this is a film class,
you'll be streaming a lot of media, which usually requires a strong internet connection.
Because you'll have to record video/audio for some of the class work, you also need a
camera-enabled device to do that on, whether it be a phone, computer, or tablet. If you've
never done anything like that and it makes you nervous to think about, try not to worry too
much. I will provide support for any tech processes and software we'll be engaging in/with.

Communication
Besides the course work requirements, there are two primary ways in which you'll be able to
communicate with me. The first way is via email. You can find my email address on the first
page of this syllabus. You can also send me an email by going to the Send Email tab on our
course Blackboard page. Now a lot of people don't like email (I get it). You should definitely
still check your email daily, not just for communication from me, but also from your other profs
and COD in general. That being said, I'm also setting up a Discord server for our class. For
those unfamiliar, Discord is a chat app, and I've found that for many students, using a chat app
can be quite handy. We'll talk more about Discord during the first week of class. I tend to
respond to messages pretty quickly, but if you don't hear back, give me at least 24 hours
before trying again. I'm also available by appointment for video meetings if you're ever
interested in that. Like you, I have schedules, routines, and obligations that have to be
maneuvered, so make sure you give me some lead time if you want a video meeting.

A Small Collection of Wise Words

• “I tell my students, it's not difficult to identify with somebody like yourself, somebody next door
who looks like you. What's more difficult is to identify with someone you don't see, who's very far
away, who's a different color, who eats a different kind of food. When you begin to do that then
literature is really performing its wonders.”- Chinua Achebe

• "Adapting work from the page to the screen means learning how to transmute the internal to the
external and have them communicate the same thing. That shit is not simple." - Victor LaValle

• “Critical media studies centers on the critical analysis of texts – not texts in isolation, but how
they are produced by individuals, industries, and institutions, and received by audiences and
societies” - Michele Hilmes

• “There are precious few stories around that have not been ‘lovingly ripped off’ from others.’ In
the workings of the human imagination, adaptation is the norm, not the exception” - Linda
Hutcheon
SU 20 4

How This Class Works

Some of you may have taken fully online courses previously, some may have experienced the
Spring 2020 emergency conversion, and some of you may be brand new to the world of online
education. Regardless of your familiarity with online learning, please know that I'm here to
support you. Here’s some things to know to get started:
• Asynchronous: This class will operate primarily asynchronously, which means we won't
have routine required class meetings. There will be optional meetings and chats, which I
hope you'll all join in at least a few times throughout the semester
• Participation: For some of you, especially those new to online classes, asynchronicity can
be a bit jarring. The work of this class is designed for you to demonstrate your
understanding, and also to help foster community. To make this happen, we all have to
regularly engage with each others' questions and ideas. I know that being asked to do this
can sometimes feel inauthentic in online spaces, and I'm hoping that the opportunities I've
set in motion for our class move beyond that feeling of inauthenticity. If you have any
additional ideas about how we can develop our classroom community, please do share
them. Maybe you've taken an online class that did something else that worked really well,
and you think what they did would be a good fit for our class. We may not be able to do
everything, but I'm always open to new possibilities!
• Time Management: One place where I've seen students run into difficulty with online
classes has to do with time management. I recommend that you try to set aside
approximately 6-8 hours per week to do the work of this class. Keep in mind that at least
half of that time will be taken up by watching media each week. I also strongly encourage
you to establish a routine for yourself (Google Calendar, planners, and to-do-list apps are
your friends). In my experience, this is crucial when operating outside of the traditional
class structure. I will include time estimates with your work each week, so you can have a
better sense of what you want to do and when you want to do it.
• Due Dates: Work for this class will typically be due three times a week (Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday). However, you will be able to work ahead for most tasks in a
given week. Each week's module will be opened at 12am on Monday of that week. I will
usually send Announcement emails on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays as well
• Language & Identity: You’ll find that I'm not extremely contrarian about most things, but
I am about this: There's no such thing as “correct” or “proper” English. There is a
thing that can be referred to as standardized English, which has been maintained by the
powers that be, but that isn't the only English or the “right” one. The Conference on
College Composition and Communication had it right in 1972 when they declared
that students have a right to their own language. They noted that "Language scholars
long ago denied that the myth of a standard American dialect has any validity" and "The
claim that any one dialect is unacceptable amounts to an attempt of one social group to
exert its dominance over another. Such a claim leads to false advice for speakers and
writers, and immoral advice for humans" and most importantly " A nation proud of its
diverse heritage and its cultural and racial variety will preserve its heritage of dialects."
I welcome the deliberate usage of language variation in our work. Also, in this class, you
can use "I." You can use personal narrative. You won't necessarily do all of these things all
the time, but we also don't need to avoid them just for the sake of avoiding them. You don't
need to give up your identity, your voice, or your persona to be in this class. We all have
something to bring to the class. For example, I'm a pop culture nerd. I can be silly,
sarcastic, and cheesy as all get out. Like all of you, I'm teeming with life experiences,
values, and beliefs, especially about human rights. This means you should not expect
me to be neutral or objective, just like I don't expect you to be neutral or objective. I do,
however, expect you to back up your claims with evidence and explantation. And I
challenge you to always strive to make your compositions interesting and alive. You have
stories in you that only you can tell. So tell them.
SU 20 5
Community
I tend to find it even more critical to be clear about the type of class community we want to
have when online than when face-to-face. The physical distance afforded by digital
communication sometimes brings out the absolute worst in people. While I generally expect
people to have a better handle on this in educational settings, there are some core principles
for our classroom community that I want to make clear:
• We're going to be watching content in this class that addresses tough topics like race,
sexuality, socioeconomic status, gender, nationality, etc. You may have an emotional
response to something you see, read, or hear, which is perfectly normal (and often, the
intention of the filmmakers). Some ideas and beliefs may challenge your views and/or be
contrary to your experiences. I expect you to enter our discussions with respect and
generosity. Doing so enables our class to be the brave space it needs to be for people to
share and for us all to grow. Listen. Try not to jump to conclusions. Ask clarifying
questions. Make sure you understand what's actually being said before you formulate a
response. We don't have to agree about everything, but we do need to be able to listen to
one another.
• I will always strive to give a heads up when content we're engaging with includes
representations that I know can be traumatic to view, such as sexual violence, child abuse,
and representations of suicide. If there's a particular type of content beyond the more
commonly known ones that you'd like a heads up on, let me know.
• My classes operate on a fundamental agreement that we do not make space for racism,
ableism, transphobia, sexism, xenophobia, etc. None of that is productive, and it's very
disruptive to classroom communities (and, ya know,
humanity in general). By remaining in this class, I expect
you to work with me in ensuring our class is one in which
compassion and care are at the forefront.
• Relatedly, how we address one another conveys respect.
For example, referring to me as Dr. Yanders or Dr. J or
Professor Yanders (my preferred names) rather than Ms.
Yanders or Mrs. Yanders is a matter of respect as is me
using the name you tell me you wish to use. I expect you to
refer to one another by the correct names, with the correct
pronunciations (if you don't know, you can typically find most
name pronunciations online), and with the correct pronouns.
• Last, but certainly not least, the devil does not need an
advocate.

A Few More Wise Words

“Labor is work the body does over time. Labor in the writing classroom is the
experience of languaging. No matter what our pedagogical assumptions are
about learning or literacy, about grades or how to evaluate student writing, we all take
for granted that our students must labor in order to learn. They must read or write,
take notes or discuss. All pedagogies ask students to labor, to do something in order
to gain something else. However, typical grading systems rarely account for students’
labor in any way...Because labor is neglected in such conventional grading systems,
they often are unfair to diverse groups of students. They
(labor-based grading contracts) open a space for practices that can fail or miss the
mark, allowing students the freedom to take risks, and try new things in their writing
without the fear of losing points or failing the course.”- Asao Inoue
SU 20 6
Assessment
Let's say we have two students who come into a writing class, and one has usually gotten
good grades in writing while the other has struggled to maintain a C average. After a semester
in the same class, the first student hasn't developed much, but they've been able to maintain
the same quality of work that they had
before they started the class.
Meanwhile, the second student still
struggles somewhat, but has put in
significant labor and shown ongoing
growth. Since they don't yet have the
same degree of mastery as the first
student, should the second student
receive a lower final grade simply
because they started the semester on a
different level? Should final grades
reflect what you do in a class or what
you already knew and were able to do
before the class? What if I told you that
letter grades actually do much more to
hinder learning than to support it? There
are many problems with the traditional
grading system (check out this slide
from Jesse Stommel).

In this class, we'll be using a labor-based approach. You won't receive letter grades on
individual submissions. Instead, each assigned task will be accompanied by a point value, with
30 total points earnable each week. Submissions that do what was asked will receive full
points. Submissions that don't will receive no points and are considered incomplete until the
submission is revised and requirements are met. For example, if you are asked to analyze a
film scene, and you turn in a summary rather than an analysis, you will receive no points for
the task until you submit a revised analysis. There will be no partial points given. As such,
points are earned by way of the completeness of your labor, rather than perceptions of quality.
If you do what's being asked, you'll get the credit. And if you need to make revisions, you can
still get the credit. The only ways to not get points are to not to do what's being asked (and not
revise) or to not turn anything at all. I will give feedback on some of the work you submit, and I
expect to see you applying the feedback you receive to future submissions. This is part of the
labor of the class.Please ask questions if you're unsure about any feedback.

Final grades will be based upon the following point scale:

A: 215-240 points
B: 191-214 points
C: 167-190 points
D: 143-166 points
F: 0-142 points

The goal here is to get away from the idea of a letter as the primary purpose of the class.
While grades do have real material consequences, they can't (or at least shouldn't be) our sole
motivation. When all that matters is the grade, course work tends to become an exercise in
landing a grade rather than an opportunity to really grapple with ideas, try new approaches,
and perhaps most importantly, have fun. We're not looking for paint-by-numbers work here.
Make everything you submit interesting, and make sure it matters to you, so that it can also
matter to your audience.
SU 20 7

Timeliness
Our assignments will have due dates, and you should aim to submit your work in accordance
with those due dates. Summer classes move quickly, and catching up later can be especially
challenging. I'm also less able to provide meaningful feedback the farther away we get from an
assignment’s due date. That being said, I’m amenable to extensions. Let me know as soon as
you think it's possible you might need more time, and remember that there's much less wiggle
room at the end of the semester. Try not to fall behind, but ALWAYS reach out if you do.

Assignments and Course Overview

• Blog: The majority of the work you complete for this class will be housed in a blog you will
create during the first week of the semester. This means you’ll be writing for a real, public
audience. The posts you make in the blog will take a variety of forms throughout the
semester, but in general, you can expect them to regularly require you to apply what you’re
learning about film to the films we’re watching.
• Flipgrid: A portion of the work you complete each week will be in video/audio form and
posted to Flipgrid. We’ll talk more about how to use Flipgrid during the first week of class.
• Adaptation Project: At the end of the semester, you will apply what you’ve been learning
throughout the semester to a comprehensive project that demonstrates what you’ve learned
about adaptation
• Other Weekly Tasks: Nondescript, I know, but this is essentially a catch-all category for any
tasks that fall outside of the above categories. These tasks might include answering specific
questions, annotating readings, commenting on your classmates’ work, etc.

Module 1 - Getting Started

1. How does this class work?

2. How do we study literature, film, and other forms of media?

Module 2 - About Pride & Prejudice and Foundations of Adaptation

1. Why do we care about adaptations?

2. What do we mean when we say “Adaptation Theory”?

Module 3 - Traditional Adaptations

1. What are the essential qualities of an adaptation?

2. How similar to one another should adaptations be?

Module 4 - Continuations and Reimaginations

1. Do stories ever really end?

2. Are there any boundaries for reimagining?

Module 5 - Cultural Remixes

1. How do older texts stay relevant?
2. Who is “classic” literature for?

Module 6 - Pride
1. Is it really possible to teach an old narrative new tricks?
2. Is the author dead (figuratively, not just literally)?