Instructor: Jackielee Derks

Office: CO 409 / Phone: 382-6600

e-mail: Jackielee.derks@alverno.edu
Office Hours: Wednesday (via Zoom) 1-2pm and by appointment

HUM 150
Expressions and Interpretations of Human Experience:
Fantasy in Modern Fiction & Film

Course Overview & Calendar

In this course we will study fiction, in the form of both literature and film, that blurs the
boundaries between the fantastic and the real. Specifically, we will investigate how
contemporary writers and filmmakers often use the supernatural to grapple with current
problems or crises. Specifically, we will explore works that use magical realism and elements of
the fantastic to examine issues such as racism, poverty, immigration, gender-based violence,
and climate change.

Course Texts:
 Plato, “Allegory of the Cave”
 Anjali Sachdeva, “The World by Night”
 Ibi Zoboi, American Street (ISBN: 0062473050)
 Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
 Additional readings per the calendar below.

Major Assessments:
 Assessment 1: Philosophical Essay on the Cave
 Assessment 2: Analyzing Literature through the Humanities
 Assessment 3: Analytical Essay on American Street
 Assessment 4: Final Presentation
Class In-Class Activities Homework due Before Next Class

Week 1
Th 1/28 Introduction to HUM150  Read “The World by Night”
Students with last names starting with  Complete “The World by Night”
A-J meet 10:10-11:00 Reading Response (Moodle)
K-Z meet 11:10-12:00  Read “Introduction to Magical
Discuss pandemic adjustments; review Realism”
Syllabus & Calendar; discuss Outcomes  Read the Philosophy Framework
and Alverno Abilities  Read the Analysis Ability

Week 2 Philosophical Thinking

T 2/2 & Students A-J meet Tues., Feb. 2
Th 2/4 Students K-Z meet Thurs., Feb. 4
 Assessment 1: Essay on the Cave
Read and analyze Plato’s “Allegory of the (Upload to Moodle as a Word file)
Cave”; Discuss “The World by Night”;
Introduction to Assessment 1: Essay on
the Cave

Week 3 Introduction to American Street  Read Chapters 1-8 in American

T 2/9 & Discuss magical realism as a literary
Th 2/11 concept; Introduction to Ibi Zoboi and
American Street; Read & Discuss the
Literature Framework and analytical
reading strategies
Street (AS)
 Read “Requiem: Detroit and the
Fate of Urban America” (Moodle)
 Read the History Framework
 Start your Analytical Reading
Journal

Week 4 Historical Connections  Read Chapter 9-16 (AS)

T 2/16 In this session, we will explore the  Read “Explore the Timeless World
Th 2/18 novel’s two settings, Detroit, MI and of Vodou”
Haiti, using the History Framework  Read the Religious Studies
Framework
 Read the Global Perspectives
Ability
 Continue your Analytical Reading
Journal

Week 5 Studying Religions  Read Marjorie & Valerie’s Story

T 2/23 We will examine the historical roots and through Chapter 24 (AS)
Th 2/25 present-day practice of the Haitian  Read the Valuing Ability
religion of Vodou; practice close reading  Continue your Analytical Reading
strategies Journal

Week 6 Magical Realism in American Street  Finish reading American Street

T 3/2 We will revisit magical realism as a  Work on your Analytical Reading
Th 3/4 concept for analyzing American Street; Journal
preparing for Assessment 2 and