University of Nebraska at Omaha, "Beats and Hippies"

Instructor: Michael Skau

Four outlines are included here:
1995-Fall
1997-Spring
1998-Fall
1999-Fall

1995-Fall
ENGLISH 300 Michael Skau
Beats and Hippies Office:209B--AS (554-3314)
Fall 1995 Hours:6-7pm M and by appt.

The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to significant literary, cultural, and societal values and accomplishments of the American Beat Generation and Hippie movements.
Grading: 25%=Examination #1 (Beat Generation)
25%=Examination #2 (Hippies)
20%=Critical analysis paper--1200-1500 words (5-6 pages); due 10/30/95
20%=Active and intelligent class participation or 15 pp.
critical research paper on any Kerouac novel other than those assigned for class (see instructor by 10/23/95 to approve this latter option)(due 12/4/95)
10%=Quizzes over assigned readings (lowest quiz will be dropped)
8/21 Introduction
8/25 Last day until 4pm to add a course, add an audit course, or change to CR/NC grade in a course
8/28 The Portable Beat Reader: Burroughs 102-16, 126-44
9/4 Labor Day Vacation; no class
9/11 Kerouac--On the Road + The Portable Beat Reader: Kerouac 57-58
9/18 The Portable Beat Reader: Ginsberg 60-77
9/25 Kerouac--The Dharma Bums + The Portable Beat Reader: Watts 607-14
10/2 The Portable Beat Reader: Corso 174-85, Ferlinghetti 246-49, Snyder 288-89, 291-92, Baraka 339-41, DiPrima 361-62
10/9 Fariña--Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me
10/13 Last day for filing applications for December degree
*10/16 Examination #1 (Beat Generation)
10/23 Vonnegut--Cat's Cradle
*10/30 Critical analysis paper due
Berkeley in the Sixties (film) + "The Student as Nigger" (handout)
11/3 Last day until 4pm to drop a course with a grade of W, to change a course to audit credit, and to change from CR/NC to grade registration
11/6 The Best of Abbie Hoffman (1-95, 105-25, 139-41, 149-57,
258, 375-83, 388-408)
11/13 Easy Rider (film)
11/20 Stone--Dog Soldiers
11/27 Potpourri
12/4 Piercy--Dance the Eagle to Sleep
*12/11 Course evaluation
Examination #2 (Hippies)

The critical analysis paper should be a well-organized, detailed, coherent, and thorough treatment with clear thesis statement. Choose one of the following works for your topic of analysis:
Corso--"Columbia U Poesy Reading--1975" (524-28)
DiPrima--Loba Parts I-V (531-34)
Ferlinghetti--"In Goya's greatest scenes" (249-50)
Ginsberg--"Wichita Vortex Sutra" (544-48)
Snyder--"Smokey the Bear Sutra" (569-71)
The focus of each paper should illuminate themes and/or techniques of the works. Your thesis sentence should narrow and identify your topic, and your paper should explore that topic in specific detail. Use parenthetical source citation to identify direct quotations and paraphrases. Avoid plagiarism and biographical criticism.

Disclaimer for English 300 (Fall 1995)

Professor Skau has informed the class that the materials for this course will include the following characteristics:
1) attitudes toward women, homosexuals (male and female), racial minorities, and others which may strike some as oppressive and/or insensitive;
2) sexual conduct and language which may be offensive to some people;
3) violence and strong language;
4) unapologetic use (and even endorsement) of drugs which are currently illegal.

My signature below does not indicate support of such attitudes and behavior; it simply verifies that Skau has informed the class of such matters and that he has indicated that I can withdraw from the course during the first week of class if I feel that I may be offended by the materials.

 

(signature)

(date)

1997-Spring
ENGLISH 300 Michael Skau
Beats and Hippies Office:209B--AS (554-3314)
Spring 1997 Hours:6-7pm W and by appt.

The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to significant literary, cultural, and societal values and accomplishments of the American Beat Generation and Hippie movements.
Grading: 25%=Examination #1 (Beat Generation)
25%=Examination #2 (Hippies)
20%=Critical analysis paper--1200-1500 words (5-6 pages); due 4/2/97
15%=Active and intelligent class participation or 15 pp.
critical research paper on any Kerouac novel other than those assigned for class (see instructor by 3/12/97 to approve this latter option)(due 4/30/97)
15%=Quizzes over assigned readings (lowest quiz will be dropped)
1/15 Introduction
1/17 Last day until 5pm to add a course, add an audit course, or change to CR/NC grade in a course
1/22 The Portable Beat Reader: Burroughs 102-16, 126-44
1/29 Kerouac--On the Road
2/5 The Portable Beat Reader: Ginsberg 60-71, 72-77
2/12 Kerouac--The Dharma Bums
2/19 The Portable Beat Reader: Corso 179-82, Ferlinghetti 246-49, Snyder 288-89, 291-92, DiPrima 361-62
2/26 Fariña--Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me
*3/5 Examination #1 (Beat Generation)
3/12 Vonnegut--Cat's Cradle
3/14 Last day for filing applications for May degree
3/19 Brautigan--Trout Fishing in America
3/26 Spring Vacation; no class
*4/2 Critical analysis paper due
Easy Rider (film)
4/4 Last day until 4pm to drop a course with a grade of W, to change a course to audit credit, and to change from CR/NC to grade registration
4/9 "The Student as Nigger" (handout)
4/16 The Best of Abbie Hoffman (1-95, 115-21, 139-41, 149-57,
258, 375-83, 388-408)
4/23 Potpourri
4/30 Stone--Dog Soldiers
*5/7 Course evaluation
Examination #2 (Hippies)

The critical analysis paper should be a well-organized, detailed, coherent, and thorough treatment with a clear thesis statement. Choose one of the following works for your topic of analysis:
Corso--"Vision of Rotterdam" (173-74)
DiPrima--Loba Parts I-V (531-34)
Ferlinghetti--"In Goya's Greatest Scenes" (249-50)
Ginsberg--"A Supermarket in California" (71-72)
The focus of each paper should illuminate the themes and techniques of the works. Your thesis sentence should narrow and identify your topic, and your paper should explore that topic in specific detail. Use parenthetical source citation to identify direct quotations and paraphrases. Avoid plagiarism and biographical criticism.

The following books are on reserve at the UNO Library:
Cherkovski--Ferlinghetti
Sánchez and Gállego--Goya: The Complete Etchings and Lithographs (pp. 90-140)
Smith--Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Hyde--On the Poetry of Allen Ginsberg
Merrill--Allen Ginsberg
Morgan--The Response to Allen Ginsberg, 1926-1994
Portugés--The Visionary Poetics of Allen Ginsberg
Charters--Kerouac
French--Jack Kerouac
Gifford and Lee--Jack's Book
Hunt--Kerouac's Crooked Road
Nicosia--Memory Babe
Weinreich--The Spontaneous Poetics of Jack Kerouac

Disclaimer for English 300 (Spring 1997)

Professor Skau has informed the class that the materials for this course will include the following characteristics:
1) attitudes toward women, homosexuals (male and female), racial minorities, and others which may strike some people as oppressive and/or insensitive;
2) sexual conduct and language which may be offensive to some people;
3) violence and strong language;
4) unapologetic use (and even endorsement) of drugs which are currently illegal.

My signature below does not indicate support of such attitudes and behavior; it simply verifies that Skau has informed the class of such matters and that he has indicated that I can withdraw from the course during the first week of class if I feel that I may be offended by the materials.

(signature)

(date)

1998-Fall
ENGLISH 300 Michael Skau
Beats and Hippies Office:209B--AS (554-3314)
Fall 1998 Hours:6-7pm M and by appt.
mskau@cwis.unomaha.edu
The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to significant literary, cultural, and societal values and accomplishments of the American Beat Generation and Hippie movements.
Grading: 25%=Examination #1 (Beat Generation)
25%=Examination #2 (Hippies)
20%=Critical analysis paper--1200-1500 words (5-6 pages); due 11/16/98
15%=Active and intelligent class participation or 15 pp.
critical research paper on any Kerouac novel other than those assigned for class (see instructor by 10/26/98 to approve this latter option)(due 12/7/98)
15%=Quizzes over assigned readings (lowest quiz will be dropped)
8/24 Introduction
8/28 Last day until 5pm to add a course, add an audit course, or change to CR/NC grade in a course
8/31 The Portable Beat Reader: Burroughs 102-16, 126-44
9/7 Labor Day vacation; no class
9/14 Kerouac--On the Road
9/21 The Portable Beat Reader: Ginsberg 60-72, 74-77
9/28 Kerouac--The Dharma Bums
10/5 The Portable Beat Reader: Corso 179-82, Ferlinghetti 246-49, Snyder 288-89, 291-92, DiPrima 361-62
10/12 Fariña--Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me
10/16 Last day for filing applications for December degree
10/19 Semester break; no class
*10/26 Examination #1 (Beat Generation)
11/2 Vonnegut--Cat's Cradle
11/6 Last day until 5pm to drop a course with a grade of W, to change a course to audit credit, and to change from CR/NC to grade registration
11/9 Brautigan--Trout Fishing in America
*11/16 Critical analysis paper due
Easy Rider (film)
11/23 "The Student as Nigger" (handout)
11/30 The Best of Abbie Hoffman (1-95, 115-21, 139-41, 149-57,
258, 375-83, 388-408)
12/7 Stone--Dog Soldiers
*12/14 Course evaluation
Examination #2 (Hippies)

The critical analysis paper should be a well-organized, detailed, coherent, and thorough treatment of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The focus of each paper should illuminate the themes and techniques of the work. Your thesis sentence should narrow and identify your topic, and your paper should explore that topic in specific detail. Use parenthetical source citation to identify direct quotations and paraphrases. Avoid plagiarism, biographical criticism, and mere plot summary.
The following books are on reserve at the UNO Library:

Carroll--Hunter
McKeen--Hunter S. Thompson
Perry--Fear and Loathing
Whitmer--When the Going Gets Weird

Charters--Kerouac
French--Jack Kerouac
Gifford and Lee--Jack's Book
Hunt--Kerouac's Crooked Road
McNally--Desolate Angel
Milewski--Jack Kerouac: An Annotated Bibliography of Secondary Sources
Nicosia--Memory Babe
Tytell--Naked Angels
Weinreich--The Spontaneous Poetics of Jack Kerouac

Disclaimer for English 300 (Fall 1998)

Professor Skau has informed the class that the materials for this course will include the following characteristics:
1) attitudes toward women, homosexuals (male and female), racial minorities, and others which may strike some people as oppressive and/or insensitive;
2) sexual conduct and language which may be offensive to some people;
3) violence and strong language;
4) unapologetic use (and even endorsement) of drugs which are currently illegal.

My signature below does not indicate support of such attitudes and behavior; it simply verifies that Skau has informed the class of such matters and that he has indicated that I can withdraw from the course during the first week of class if I feel that I may be offended by the materials.

 

(signature)

(date)

1999-Fall
ENGLISH 300 Michael Skau
Beats and Hippies Office:209B--AS (554-3314)
Fall 1999 Hours:6-7pm M and by appt.
michael_skau@unomaha.edu
The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to significant literary, cultural, and societal values and accomplishments of the American Beat Generation and Hippie movements.
Grading: 25%=Examination #1 (Beat Generation)
25%=Examination #2 (Hippies)
20%=Critical analysis paper--1200-1500 words (5-6 pages); due 11/8/99
15%=Active and intelligent class participation or 15 pp.
critical research paper on any Kerouac novel other than those assigned for class (see instructor by 10/25/99 to approve this latter option)(due 12/6/99)
15%=Quizzes over assigned readings (lowest quiz will be dropped)
8/23 Introduction
8/27 Last day until 5pm to add a course, add an audit course, or change to CR/NC grade in a course
8/30 The Portable Beat Reader: Burroughs 102-16, 126-44
9/6 Labor Day vacation; no class
9/13 Kerouac--On the Road
9/20 The Portable Beat Reader: Ginsberg 60-74
9/27 Kerouac--The Dharma Bums
10/4 The Portable Beat Reader: Corso 171-72, 179-82, Ferlinghetti 245- 49, Snyder 288-89, 291-92, DiPrima 359, 361-62
*10/11 Examination #1 (Beat Generation)
10/15 Last day for filing applications for December degree
10/18 Semester break; no class
10/25 Fariña--Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me
11/1 Vonnegut--Cat's Cradle
11/5 Last day until 5pm to drop a course with a grade of W, to change a course to audit credit, and to change from CR/NC to grade registration
*11/8 Easy Rider (film)
Critical analysis paper due
11/15 Brautigan--Trout Fishing in America
11/22 The Best of Abbie Hoffman 1-95, 115-21, 139-41, 149-57, 258, 375-83, 388-408
11/29 "The Student as Nigger" (handout)
12/6 Thompson--Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
*12/13 Course evaluation
Examination #2 (Hippies)

The critical analysis paper should be a well-organized, detailed, coherent, and thorough treatment in standard formal English and with a clear thesis statement. Choose one of the following works for your topic of analysis:
DiPrima--Loba Parts I-V (531-34)
Ginsberg--"America" (74-77)
Snyder--"Smokey the Bear Sutra" (569-71)
The focus of each paper should illuminate the themes and techniques of the work. Use reference books to look up all proper nouns in the poem you choose. Examine, where pertinent, such elements as alliteration, assonance, metaphor, simile, rhythm, repetition, style, etc. and the ways in which these contribute to the themes and success of the poems. Your thesis sentence should narrow and identify your topic, and your paper should explore that topic in specific detail. Use parenthetical source citation to identify direct quotations and paraphrases. Avoid plagiarism, biographical criticism, and mere plot summary.
The following books are on reserve at the UNO Library:

Hyde--On the Poetry of Allen Ginsberg
Merrill--Allen Ginsberg
Miles--Ginsberg
Morgan--The Response to Allen Ginsberg, 1926-1994
Portugés--The Visionary Poetics of Allen Ginsberg
Schumacher--Dharma Lion
Tytell--Naked Angels
Murphy--Critical Essays on Gary Snyder
Murphy--Understanding Gary Snyder
Snyder--The Real Work: Interviews and Talks, 1964-1979
Amburn--Subterranean Kerouac
Charters--Kerouac
French--Jack Kerouac
Gifford and Lee--Jack's Book
Hunt--Kerouac's Crooked Road
McNally--Desolate Angel
Miles--Jack Kerouac
Milewski--Jack Kerouac: An Annotated Bibliography of Secondary Sources
Nicosia--Memory Babe
Tytell--Naked Angels
Weinreich--The Spontaneous Poetics of Jack Kerouac

Disclaimer for English 300 (Fall 1999)

Professor Skau has informed the class that the materials for this course will include the following characteristics:
1) attitudes toward women, homosexuals (male and female), racial minorities, and others which may strike some people as oppressive and/or insensitive;
2) sexual conduct and language which may be offensive to some people;
3) violence and strong language;
4) unapologetic use (and even endorsement) of drugs which are currently illegal.

My signature below does not indicate support of such attitudes and behavior; it simply verifies that Skau has informed the class of such matters and that he has indicated that I can withdraw from the course during the first week of class if I feel that I may be offended by the materials.

 

(signature)

 

(date)