English 206: Business and Literature

Spring 2022. MWF, 11:15 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. Ferguson Building 202.  

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Schedule

Complete Read and Watch assignments before the class meeting for which they are listed.

Getting Started

Jan 10 (Mon): What's this course about?

• Photo of Discussion Chalkboard: Works and Themes

Jan 12 (Wed): What work will I do in this course? Assignment Introduction: Course Journal Entry

Finance

Jan 14 (Fri): Discovery: Bond Girl, Identifying Keywords and Questions
Read Bond Girl, 1–94

Jan 17 (Mon): Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, No Class

Jan 19 (Wed): Methods: How to Close Read a Text
Read Bond Girl, 95–207
Mentioned in class: Literary London 2022 Summer Program

Jan 21 (Fri): Assignment Introduction: Close Reading Essay
Class will end at 11:50 so that interested students can watch the CALS webinar livestream from 12:00–1:00. Interested students should register to get the Zoom link. See Syllabus -> Assignments -> Extra Credit for details.

Jan 24 (Mon): Topic: Gender and the Workplace
Mentioned in class: Free COVID-19 vaccination clinic Jan 26 (Wed)

Jan 26 (Wed): Ethics: Abuse, Harassment, and Finance
Read Bond Girl, 208–290 (i.e. Chapter 15 through 20).

Jan 28 (Fri): Methods: Film Analysis. Unit Wrap-Up: Finance and the Global Financial Crisis
Watch The Big Short (2:10).
Slides from class: Methods: Film Analysis & Close Reading

Global Business

Jan 31 (Mon): Discovery: Severance, Identifying Keywords and Questions
Read Severance, 1–98 (Prologue—Ch. 7)
Slide from class: Course Journal Entry Question
Photo of Chalkboard: Bond Girl-related Terms with Broad Meanings and two Finance Unit themes.

Feb 2 (Wed): Methods: Defamiliarization and Reading about a Pandemic Apocalypse During a Pandemic
Mentioned in class: Pace Law Library Research Guides. “Financial Crisis and Recovery: Financial Crisis Timeline,” April 29, 2021.
Merle, Renae. “A Guide to the Financial Crisis — 10 Years Later.” The Washington Post, September 10, 2018, sec. Business.
Chalkboard photo: Venn diagram comparing COVID-19 epidemic to Severance’s Shen Fever epidemic

Feb 4 (Fri): No Class, Snow Day
Extra Credit due at 11:59 p.m.: Reflection on The Role of the Humanities in Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy Webinar.

Feb 7 (Mon): Close Reading Essay, Prewriting Discussion
Submit Close Reading Prewriting Discussion Post by 11:15 a.m.
Read Severance, 99–190 (Ch. 8–16)
Powerpoint Slide: Prewriting Small Group Discussion prompt

Feb 9 (Wed): Methods: Genre + Ethics Key Terms
Mentioned in class: Gibson, Kevin. Ethics and Business: An Introduction. Cambridge Applied Ethics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
Abbott, H. Porter. The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative. 2nd Edition. Cambridge Introductions to Literature. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008.
Chalkboard Photo: Genre discussion and ethics keywords

Feb 11 (Fri): LOCATION CHANGE: Meet in Sparks 009 for Close Reading Essay, Writing Workshop
Mentioned in class: The Writing Center @ Penn State Learning

Feb 14 (Mon): Methods: Compare & Contrast, Candace Chen and Alex Garrett in 2006 New York City
Read Severance, 191–291 (Ch. 17–26)

Feb 16 (Wed): Topic: Supply Chain
Mentioned in Class: Chin, Monica. “File Not Found: A Generation That Grew up with Google Is Forcing Professors to Rethink Their Lesson Plans.” The Verge, September 22, 2021.
Goodman, Peter S. “How the Supply Chain Broke, and Why It Won’t Be Fixed Anytime Soon.” The New York Times, October 22, 2021.
Chalkboard Photo: Ethics discussion, Gemstone Bible Example

Feb 18 (Fri): Viewing and Discussion: Superstore S6E1 "Essential." Pandemic, Retail, and Network TV.
Submit by 11:59 p.m. Close Reading Essay .TXT file.
Mentioned in class: Biakolo, Kovie. “Farewell to Superstore, a Show That Got Representation Right.” Vulture, March 24, 2021.

Feb 21 (Mon): Discovery: How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, Identifying Keywords and Questions.
Read How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, 1–115 (Ch.1–6)
Slides from Class: Mid-Semester Reminders

Feb 23 (Wed): Assignment Introduction: Historicization Presentation. Methods: Focused Historical Research
Slides from Class: Assignment Introduction: Historicization Presentation

Feb 25 (Fri): Snow Day, No Class

Feb 28 (Mon): Topic: Literature as Self-Help
Read How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, 115–222 (Ch.7–12)
Slide: How DO you get filthy rich in rising Asia?

Mar 2 (Wed): Methods: Research and Presentations
Complete Discussion Board post 3/2 Best/Worst Presentation Slides.
Mentioned in class: Robles-Anderson, Erica, and Patrik Svensson. “‘One Damn Slide After Another’: PowerPoint at Every Occasion for Speech.” Computational Culture, no. 5 (January 15, 2016).
Slides: Presentations and Research

Mar 4 (Fri): Extra Credit In-Class Project + Unit Wrap-Up: Global Business
Watched in class: Foley, James. Glengarry Glen Ross. New Line Cinema, 1992. Excerpt: 8:30–15:34.
Mentioned: Hashemi, Mahsa. “A Few Bad Friends: Dynamics of Male Dominance and Failure of Masculine Bonding in David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross.” Arcadia 55, no. 1 (June 5, 2020): 122–41.
Glengarry Glen Christmas: Elf Motivation. Saturday Night Live, 2005.
Slide: Projected prompt Chalkboard: AIDA

Mar 7 (Mon) – Mar 11 (Fri): Spring Break, No Class

Sales

Mar 14 (Mon): LOCATION CHANGE: Meet in Sparks 009 for Historicization Presentation Check-In Meetings

Mar 16 (Wed): Methods: Strategies for Discussing Race in the Classroom
Read Black Buck, from ix–94 (Author’s Note through Ch. 8).
Mentioned: Harbin, M. Brielle, Amie Thurber, and Joe Bandy. “Teaching Race, Racism, and Racial Justice: Pedagogical Principles and Classroom Strategies for Course Instructors.” Race and Pedagogy Journal: Teaching and Learning for Justice 4, no. 1 (2019).
Equity vs. Equality, baseball-game-watching graphic. Examples and short history of the graphic here: Froehle, Craig. “The Birth, Weird Life, and Afterlife of an Internet Meme.” Wired, September 26, 2016.
Chalkboard photo: select strategies for discussing race in the classroom, based on Harbin, Thurber, and Bandy’s piece linked above.

Mar 18 (Fri): Discovery: Black Buck, Identifying Keywords and Questions
Chalkboard photos: Guiding questions for reading Black Buck, Misc. Terms Introduced, Narrator v. Author v. Book re: Sales.

Mar 20 (Sun)
Submit by 11:59 p.m. Historicization Presentation .PPTX file.

Mar 21 (Mon): Historicization Presentations
Read Black Buck, 95–196 (Ch. 9–17)

Mar 23 (Wed): Historicization Presentations

Mar 25 (Fri): Historicization Presentations
Mentioned: Selber, Stuart A. Multiliteracies for a Digital Age. Studies in Writing & Rhetoric. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2004.

Mar 28 (Mon): Race, Opportunity, and Identity
Read Black Buck, 197–302 (Ch. 18–27)

Mar 30 (Wed): Assignment Introduction:  Adaptation Project & Reflection
Slides: Adaptation Project and Reflection - Assignment Introduction
Chalkboard Photo: Adaptation Project Ideas

Apr 1 (Fri): Topic: Sumwun’s Business and Operations. Adaptation Project Examples and Select Application Tutorial
Mentioned: Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC. Adobe Creative Cloud Express.
Chalkboard Photos: Sumwum’s Business 1, Sumwun’s Business 2, Other Industries in Black Buck

Apr 4 (Mon): Sales, Culture, and Society
Read Black Buck, 305–381 (Ch. 28–Epilogue)

Apr 6 (Wed): Applying Ethical Decision-Making Frameworks
Mentioned: Jagoe, Eva-Lynn, Emma Planinc, and Simon Stern. “The Ethics of Ethics and Literature.” Centre for Ethics, University of Toronto, February 9, 2017.
Rock Ethics Institute. “Ethical Decision-Making Model Flyer (8.5x11).” Penn State, January 27, 2016.

Apr 8 (Fri): Viewing and Discussion: The Office S5E7 "Customer Survey." Contrast and Compare Representations of Sales
Slides: Adaptation Project and Reflection - Criteria Review
Submit by 11:59 p.m.: 4/8 Adaptation Project Prewriting Discussion Post

Entrepreneurship

Apr 11 (Mon): Topic: From Sales to Entrepreneurship through Media
Watch Joy, (2:04)
Mentioned: Calautti, Katie. “Why Is the True Story of David O. Russell’s Joy Such a Mystery?” Vanity Fair, December 17, 2015.
Gudelunas, David. “QVC: Television Retail & Ritual.” Journal of American and Comparative Cultures 25, no. 1/2 (Spring/Summer 2002).
HSN. HSN | MEET JOY: The Miracle Returns, 2016.
QVC. Miracle Mop Infomercial (1996), 2014.
Stanford Online. “What Is Entrepreneurship?” Stanford Online.

Apr 13 (Wed): Discovery: Startup, Identify Keywords and Questions
Read Startup, 1–97 (Prologue: Save Your Generation–Ch. 8: Hold the Phone)
Mentioned: HI Annual Event Honoring Dr. V.P. Franklin
CALS UnPrecedented Webinar: Racial Justice Protests and the Media: Unprecedented and Routine Violence
Chalkboard photo: Startup guiding questions

Apr 15 (Fri): LOCATION CHANGE: Meet in Sparks 009 for Adaptation Project & Reflection, Writing Workshop
Extra Credit 3 due at 11:59 p.m.: LinkedIn Learning Course

Apr 18 (Mon): Topic: Webs of Influence: Journalism, Entrepreneurship, and Business Cultures
Read Startup, 98–195 (Ch. 9: More Money, More Problems–Ch. 17: No Children)
Chalkboard photos: Balances and mini-lecture main points, Gramercy Capital official and unofficial connections

Apr 20 (Wed): Topic: Golden Handcuffs and Changing the World

Apr 22 (Fri): Topic: Growing Pains (personal and company)
Mentioned: Carroll, Rory. “Silicon Valley’s Culture of Failure … and ‘the Walking Dead’ It Leaves Behind.” The Guardian, June 28, 2014.
First Round Review. “How To Manage Your Startup’s Fast Growth.” Fast Company, March 27, 2014.
Slide: Company and Personal Growth, Characters & Page References

Apr 25 (Mon): Topics: Startup Perspectives on its Central Problem + #MeToo
Read Startup, 195–291 (Ch. 18: Age of Innocence–Ch. 27: Three’s Company)

Apr 27 (Wed): Unit Wrap-Up: Entrepreneurship + Instructor’s Closing Comments
Mentioned: Sample citations in Chicago footnote and author-date style

Apr 29 (Fri): SRTEs, Closing Survey, and Students’ Closing Comments
Submit by 11:59 p.m. Adaptation Project & Reflection .PDF file and Adobe app working file or link.
Mentioned: Le Guin, Ursula K. “The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction.” In Dancing at the Edge of the World : Thoughts on Words, Women, Places. Newburyport, United States: Grove/Atlantic, Incorporated, 2017.