I. Description:

This course is designed to foster and develop critical reading skills.  Collectively, we will work towards “reading with understanding” by carefully focusing on texts by and about Bob Dylan.  An underlying conceit of the course is that Bob Dylan’s work is, at its root, an investigation of the meaning and message of “Americaness”—what it means to be an American.  In reading and thinking about the career of Bob Dylan we will be tracing the trajectory of 20^th Century American history, notions of identity and performativity, and the relationship between artist and society. 

II. Purpose:

The ability to read with understanding and critical judgment cannot be underestimated.  Academic success, professional competence, cultural literacy, and intellectual development depend fundamentally on flexible reading skills that can be applied to a wide range of texts.  Reading with “understanding” involves several important processes: comprehending and contextualizing information; identifying meaningful patterns and conventions; identifying key ideas, claims, and assumptions; synthesizing an author’s ideas with the reader’s experiences and knowledge; and developing a comprehensive and well-informed interpretation.  Reading with “critical judgment” is a similarly complex task that includes reading with a sense of objectivity, asking questions about what a text literally says and what it implies, evaluating an author’s reasoning, and assessing the degree to which a writer has achieved his or her purpose.  This seminar provides students with opportunities to develop these skills.  

A. Objectives for the student:

Successful completion of this course will enable the student to

1. identify the tone, purpose, audience, and main idea of a text
2. determine the meaning of a text through close textual analysis
3. annotate, outline, summarize, and evaluate a text
4. situate a particular text within a larger cultural and critical context
5. understand different uses of language and writing conventions
6. determine the uses and validity of different kinds of evidence
7. find and evaluate sources from a variety of mediums (books, journals, magazines, newspapers, the Internet, and so on)
8. synthesize materials from several sources to express ideas, formulate positions, and construct arguments in spoken and written forms

B.  General Learning Outcomes for the Student:

This course aims to help students

1. understand the crucial role that critical reading plays in academic work
2. approach reading as a process in which critical understanding occurs gradually over time with rereading and as new information is acquired
3. recognize the ways in which reading can foster intellectual, moral, and spiritual enrichment and contribute to a satisfying and purposeful life
4. better understand the role of language in everyday life (business, politics, humanities, sciences, etc.) and how it is used to explain, inform, influence, persuade, express, and entertain 
5. take pleasure in the process of making and defending interpretations
6. appreciate the importance of looking at and discussing an issue from a variety of perspectives and disciplines
7. develop the skills and habits of good scholarship—critical reading, logical thinking, effective oral and written argumentation, and academic integrity
8. recognize the personal significance and social relevance of intellectual questioning and liberal arts learning

III. General Requirements

A. Course Readings:

Dylan, Bob, Chronicle, Volume One, Simon and Schuster, 2005

Marcus, Greil, The Old Weird America: The World of Bob Dylan’s Basement Tapes, Picador, 2001

Studio A: The Bob Dylan Reader, Benjamin Hedin, ed., W. W. Norton, 2004

Wilentz, Sean, Dylan in America, Doubleday, 2010

B.  Course Films:

The films for the course are an intrinsic part of the course--they will be the centerpiece of class discussion on the week they are shown, and viewing them is a requirement for the course.   The films will be available on reserve at the King's College Library (please remember that there are roughly 20 people taking this class so plan accordingly).  A subscription to Netflix <<www.netflix.com>> (shared or otherwise) is an inexpensive way to watch the films on your own time.  

Charles, Masked and Anonymous, Columbia TriStar, 2004

Haynes, I’m Not There, Weinstein, 2007

Pennebaker, Don’t Look Back, New Video Group, 2007

Scorsesse, No Direction Home, Paramount, 2005

C.  Written Assignments

Your written work this semester will culminate in a 8-10 page paper that will ask you to situate the work of Bob Dylan in the context of the American 20^th century.  This will take place in several stages over the course of the semester in the form of smaller written assignments are designed as parts of the larger final paper.  Each assignment asks you to focus on the same album as the subject of your larger final paper.

First Written Assignment        Review Synthesis                    February 10^th               2-3 pages

This assignment asks you to synthesize three unique reviews of a single Bob Dylan album. Your synthesis should place the three reviews in dialogue with one another pulling out their theses, noting where they overlap and disagree.  These reviews should be from a mainstream magazine, newspaper or internet site (i.e. the New York Times, Rolling Stone , or any of the books on reserve at the King’s College Library) and should not include individual reviews on blogs or commercial websites (i.e. Amazon.com etc.).

Second Written Assignment   Interview Synopsis                 February 22^nd              1 page

This assignment asks you to provide a synopsis of an interview with Bob Dylan as he promoted the album reviewed in your first written assignment.  Your synopsis should, in looking at the questions asked, situate the expectations for and receptions to the album and in reading Dylan’s answers, contextualize how Bob he understood, explained and marketed the album to the public.

Third Written Assignment      Album Review                        March 22^nd                  1-2 pages

This assignment asks you to write your own review of the Dylan album you are investigating.  This review should be written with an eye to examining the album within the context of his larger work in your final paper. 

Fourth Written Assignment    Contextualizing Bob Dylan    April 14^th         2 pages

This assignment will ask you the process of placing Bob Dylan’s music in the context of American Popular music.  You will log onto Pandora.com which uses what it terms the “music genome project” to categorize artists and songs with similar artists and songs.  Chose a Bob Dylan song and listen and record the results of the search for one hour.  Try to figure out how the music genome project works.  What is it that makes songs similar?  Do some brief research on the song how are they part of a single geneology (or are they)?  How does the music genome project understand the place of Bob Dylan in popular music?  How might you do it differently?

Final Written Assignment       Final Paper                              May 3^rd            8-10 pages

This paper should include elements from the other written work you have completed this semester.  The final assignment asks you to place your chosen Bob Dylan album within its historical context.  How does it relate to other albums?  How has it been understood by critics, scholars and the public?  How is it in dialogue with other texts in American history, literature and music?  How is Dylan seeking to come to terms with the meaning and message of “Americanness?”

D.  Exams

This class will have two midterm examinations (held March 1^st and April 7^th) and a final examination during finals week.  These examinations held in class will primarily consist of your close reading, paraphrasing and syntesizing assigned texts. 

E. Quizzes

There will be ten pop-quizzes over the course of the semester.  These short quizzes will test your careful reading of the assigned texts.

F.  Class Participation:

King’s College regards student participation in class as essential to the learning process.  Therefore, regular class attendance is required of all students.  After three unexcused absences your class participation grade will drop a letter grade (from A to B).  Each subsequent absence will result in another letter grade deduction.  Please see the King’s College Student Handbook for policies regarding excusing absences and campus attendance policies.

Your class participation component of your final grade will be assessed on several criteria.  You will be responsible for leading class discussion of a Bob Dylan album once during this semester.  This will entail reading the album closely, arranging a list of topics and themes to discuss in class and preparing a series of questions to discuss during class.  You will e-mail a list of 8-10 questions to me and your classmates no later than 5:00 the evening before class so that we will have time to reflect on them and prepare responses.

In a class of this nature it goes without saying that a classroom environment in which everyone feels comfortable is essential.  You should treat your fellow classmates with respect, listen carefully to their comments and respond to them in a polite manner. 

I. Grading:

It is your responsibility to understand why you have achieved a certain grade, and what steps you can take to maintain or improve your grade.  You should consult with the instructor during office hours or by appointment before and after exams and written assignments.  Your final grade will be based on the following percentages

Your grade distribution for class assignments is as follows:

J. Academic Integrity:

The Department of History adheres to guidelines on academic integrity outlined in the Student Conduct Code in the Student Handbook: 

http://www.kings.edu/student_handbook/studentregulations_rights/conductcode.htm

Cheating and plagiarism will be penalized in accord with the penalties and procedures indicated in that source.  All students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the definition of these infractions of academic honesty. 

K. Absences:

I will regularly take attendance in this class. Absences due to college activities, emergency or extended illness may be excused by the appropriate college official. You should consult with the professor about making up missed work in advance or as soon as possible after your return.  Other absences are unexcused and will lower the class participation portion of your grade. After any absence, you are responsible for requesting hand-outs and already returned assignments from me or borrowing notes from other students. If you miss an exam, contact me as possible. You may take a missed exam only at the discretion of the instructor.

L.  Disabilities:

King’s College and I will make every effort to accommodate students with a bona-fide disability that impacts on their ability to learn the course material.  Please meet with me privately so that appropriate arrangements can be made to help in the learning process.

IV. Course Schedule

Course Introduction

Tuesday, January 18^th

Section I: Folk and “Finger Pointing Songs”

Discography

Bob Dylan (1962)

The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963)

The Times they Are a-Changin’ (1964)

Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964)

Becoming Bob Dylan, part I

Thursday, January 20^th

Reading           1) Wilentz, “Introduction” and “Music for the Common Man,” in Bob Dylan in America, 1-47  

Becoming Bob Dylan, part II

Tuesday, January 25^th

Reading           1) Wilentz, “Penetrating Aether,” in Bob Dylan in America, 47-87  

2) David Wohjan, “Woodie Guthrie visited by Bob Dylan: Brooklyn State Hospital, New York, 1961 in Studio A, 14-16   

Dylan and American Identity

Thursday January 27^th

Film:                1) Haynes, I’m Not There

Becoming Bob Dylan, part III

Tuesday, February 1^st

Reading:          1) Dylan, “Markin’ Up the Score,” Chronicles, 1-22

                        2) Dylan, “My Life as a Stolen Moment, in Studio A, 3-7

Becoming Bob Dylan, part IV

Thursday, February 3^rd

Reading:          1) Dylan, “This Lost Land,” Chronicles, 23-105

                        2) Robert Shelton, “Bob Dylan: A Distinctive Folk Song Stylist,” in Studio A, 8-14

The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan

Tuesday, February 8^th

Album:            The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, 1963

Reading:          1) Lyrics: The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan <<course moodle site>>

                        2) Nat Hentoff, “That Crackin’ Shakin’ Breakin’ Sound” in Studio A, 22-41

                        3) Eric Bulson, “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,” <<course moodle site>>

No Direction Home

Thursday, February 10^th

Film:                1) Scorsesse, No Direction Home

**First Written Assignment: Review Synthesis**

Section II: “Judas”—Running Away to Join Little Richard’s Band

Discography

Bringing it all Back Home (1965)

Highway 61 Revisited (1965)

Blonde on Blonde (1966)

Plugging in at Newport and the Folk Movement

Tuesday, February 15^th

Reading:          1) Marcus, “Another Country,” from The Old Weird America, 1-42

Bringing it all Back Home

Thursday, February 17^th

Album:            Bringing in all Back Home, 1964

Reading:          1) Lyrics: Bringing in all Back Home <<course moodle site>>

                        2) Jean Tamarin, “Bringing in all Back Home” <<course moodle site>>

Making Sense of the Electric

Tuesday, February 22^nd

Reading:          1) Fred Goodman, excerpt from The Mansion on the Hill in Studio A, 40-43

2) David Hajdu, excerpt from Positively 4^th Street in Studio A, 43-46

3) Paul Nelson, “What’s Happening?”  in Studio A, 47-50

4) Excerpt from KQED Press Conference ,in Studio A, 51-57

5) Ralph Gleason, “In Berkeley the Dig Bob Dylan,” in Studio A, 58-61

**Second Written Assignment: Interview Synopsis**

Making Sense of the Electric, part II

Thursday, February 24^th

Film:                Pennebaker, Don’t Look Back

First Exam

Tuesday, March 1^st

Part III:  Motorcycles Accidents and Basement Tapes

Discography

John Wesley Harding (1967)

Nashville Skyline (1969)

Self Portrait (1970)

New Morning (1970)

Pat Garrett &Billy the Kid (1973)

Dylan (1973)

Planet Waves (1974)

Blood on the Tracks (1975)

Basement Tapes (1975)

Desire(1976)
Street Legal (1978)

Into the Basement

Thursday, March 3^rd

Reading:          Marcus, “Time is Longer than Rope” and “Basement Noise,” in The Old Weird America,   42-87

The Basement and America, part I

Tuesday, March 15^th

Reading:          Marcus, “The Old Weird America” and “Kill Devil Hills,” in The Old Weird America,   87-149

The Basement and America, part II

Thursday, March 17^th

Reading:          Marcus, “Get into the Graveyard,” “City on a Hill” and “Back to the World,” in The Old Weird America, 149-224

New Morning

Tuesday, March 22^nd

Album:            Dylan, New Morning, 1970

Reading:          1) Dylan, “New Morning” in Chronicles, 105-143

                        2) Lyrics, New Morning <<course moodle site>>

**Third Written Assignment: Album Review**

Rolling Thunder

Thursday, March 24^th

Reading:          1) Wilentz, “Children of Paradise,” in Bob Dylan in America, 131-172

Blood on the Tracks

Tuesday, March 29^th

Album:            Dylan, Blood on the Tracks 1975

Reading           1) Lyrics, Blood on the Tracks <<course moodle site>>

                        2) Carrie Brownstein, “Blood on the Tracks”  <<course moodle site>>

                        3) Rick Moody, “Blood on the Tracks,” in Studio A, 109-113

Part IV: Dylan and Jesus

Discography

Slow Train Coming (1979)

Saved (1980)

Shot of Love (1981)

Saved!

Thursday, March 31^st

Album:            Bob Dylan, Saved

Reading:          1) Lyrics, Saved <<course moodle site>>

2) Robert Hilburn, “Dylan: I Learned that Jesus is Real and I wanted that,” in Studio A, 147-155

                        3) Lester Bangs, “Love or Confusion?” in Studio A, 155-157

Saved?

Tuesday, April 5^th

Reading:          1) R. Clifton Spargo and Anne K. Ream, “Bob Dylan and Religion” <<course moodle site>>

2) Christopher Ricks, “Sins, Virtues and Heavenly Graces” <<course moodle site>>

Second Exam

Thursday, April 7^th

Part V: Knocked out Loaded

Discography

Infidels (1983)

Empire Burlesque (1985)

Knocked Out Loaded (1986)

Down in the Groove (1988)

Oh Mercy (1989)

Under the Red Sky (1990)

Infidels

Tuesday, April 12^th

Album:            Dylan, Infidels, 1983

Reading:          1) Lyrics, Infidels <<course moodle site>>

                        2) Jonathan Lethem, “Infidels” <<course moodle site>>

                        3) Clinton Heylin, “Infidels,” in Studio A, 158-166

Oh Mercy!

Thursday, April 14^th

Album:            Dylan, Oh Mercy! 1985

Reading:          1) Lyrics, Oh Mercy! <<course moodle site>>

                        2) Dylan, “Oh Mercy!” in Chronicles, 143-223

**Fourth Written Assignment: Contextualizing Bob Dylan**

Part VI: Dylan and Delia

Discography

Good as I Been to You (1992)

World Gone Wrong (1993)

Blind Willie McTell

Tuesday, April 19^th

Reading:          1) Wilentz, “Many Martyrs Fell,” in Bob Dylan in America,” 172-209

                        2) Michael Gray, “Excerpt from Song and Dance Man,” in Studio A, 166-181

Penance and Redemption: Good as I been to You and World Gone Wrong

Tuesday, April 26^th

Album:            Dylan, Good as I been to You, 1992

Reading:          1) Lyrics Good as I been to You and World Gone Wrong <<course moodle site>>

2) Wilentz, “All the Friends I ever had are Gone,” and “Dylan and the Sacred Harp,” in Bob Dylan in America, 209-261

Part VII: Old Testament Prophet of America (Almost went to See Elvis)

Time Out of Mind (1997)

Love and Theft (2001)

Modern Times (2006)

Together Through Life (2009)

Christmas in the Heart (2009)

Love and Theft

Thursday, April 28^th

Album:            Dylan, Love and Theft, 2001

Reading:          1) Lyrics, Love and Theft <<course moodle site>>

                        2) Eric Lott, “Love and Theft <<course moodle site>>

Becoming Bob Dylan (?), part V

Tuesday, May 3^rd  

Reading:          1) Dylan, “River of Ice,” in Chronicle, 223-293

                        2) Alex Ross, “The Wanderer” in Studio A, 291-312

**Final Written Assignment: Final Paper**