Journalism 318 – Literature of Journalism

R.J. de Maria demariab@wlu.edu

Reid Hall #301

458-8436

In some ways, journalism and literature are, or are thought of, as antithetical forms. Journalism is JOUR-nalism, something written of and for the day. "Literature," on the other hand, suggests something lasting, writing that aims at durability and

universality, something canonical in the fashionable term of the day. Yet it is a familiar truism that some journalism, early and late, eventually comes to be regarded as literature -- some of the work of Swift & Dr.Johnson, for example- while many serious "literary" writers cut their teeth in journalism -- Ernest Hemingway and Stephen Crane being standard examples. Otherwise, writers whose work is primarily fiction or poetry, history or biography, often weigh in on the issues of the day, in a form which is literary by any definition. (E.M. Yoder, 1999)

INTRODUCTION

In this course we will deal with two related but different forms of writing. One is "literary journalism," generally meaning that journalism which the French call "high vulgarization" -- that is, serious journalistic writing about serious topics which is usually expected to be a bit more measured, searching, allusive and penetrating than reporting or comment on the news of the day.

The other form is "journalism as literature," generally meaning that journalism which, whatever the occasion or haste of its origins, has achieved enduring value because of its excellence. The true test lies in the reading. Does this work continue to make compelling fare for the reader, even though the subject itself lies in the past?

Goals

The readings, class lectures and discussion are designed to give each student a historic perspective of journalism. In addition, students will demonstrate an ongoing understanding of the role and importance of the journalist in society.

Requirements

Each member of the class will compose a clearly written, well-researched seminar length paper (15 pages) on a class-related topic. You may choose a topic of particular interest to you, but it must be directly related to our focus in this course.

In addition, students will prepare and submit brief but well-written reactions to every week's reading assignment.

There will be two quizzes. Students will participate in class discussion of all the assigned readings. Discussions are designed to further the understanding of history the expanding role of the journalist throughout history.

Texts

Berner, R. Thomas. The Literature of Journalism. State College, PA

Strata Publishing co. 1999.

Bernstein, Carl and Woodward, Bob. All the President’s Men. New York:

Warner Books, 1974.

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. New York: Vintage International. 1993.

Thompson, Hunter S. Hell’s Angels. New York: Ballantine Books 1966.

Wolfe, Tom. The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1987.

Reserve Materials (Leyburn Library)

American Society of Magazine Editors. The Best American Magazine Writing, 2002. New York: Harper-Collins, 2002.

Beasley, Maurine and Gibbons, Sheila. Taking Their Place: A Documentary History of Women and Journalism. State College, PA Strata Publishing Co. 2003

Bernstein, Mark and Lubertozzi, Alex World War II On The Air. Naperville, IK: Sourcebooks, Inc. 2004

Halberstam, David. The Best American Sports Writing of the Century. New York: Houghton-Mifflin, Co. 1999.

Hartsock, John C. History of American Literary Journalism. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 2000

Kerrane, Kevin and Yagoda, Ben. The Art of Fact. New York: Touchstone Books, 1997.

McPhee, John. The McPhee Reader. Farrar Straus and Giroux, 1992.

Serrin, William & Judith, ed. Muckraking: The Journalism that Changed America. New York: The New Press, 2002.

Sims, Norman & Kramer, Mark. Literary Journalism. New York: Ballantine Books, 1995

Wolfe, Tom. The New Journalism. New York: Harper and Row, 1973.

Zinsser, William. On Writing Well. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1994.

Calendar

Week 1 Journalism as Literature/Literature as Journalism

Introduction; the role of the reporter yesterday and today; Simms & Kramer: 3-34 (reserve)

Kerrane & Yagoda: 17-22 (reserve)

Serrin 1-9 and 12-18

Berner: The Road to Wigan Pier

Let Us Now Praise Famous Men

Zinsser 3-39 (Reserve)

Week 2 Longer Form Writing

Wolfe New Journalism 3-52. (Reserve)

McPhee The Search for Marvin Gardens 310-320 (reserve)

Serrin 23-37

Zinsser 40-62 (Reserve)

Week 3 Can Journalism Be Literature?

Serrin 52-65 (reserve)

Berner Hiroshima 39-49;

Reporting 51-75

Wolfe: Armies of the Night (Reserve)

Zinsser 96-141

Week 4 The Journalist as Historian

McPhee: 233-265 (reserve)

Berner: The Earl of Louisiana 77-89

The Autobiography of Malcolm X 91-106

The Onion Field

The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor

Zinsser 142-155; 187-198

Week 5 Women in Journalism

Berner: A Welfare Mother

Slouching Toward Bethlehem

A Mother in History

The Soul of a New Machine

Serrin: Women, Their Rights, Nothing

Less 83-96

Nellie Bly 142ff

Ida M. Tarbell 151ff

Paper Topic Due

Week 6 The Writer as Commentator; War Reporting

Berner The Right Stuff

The Great China Earthquake

Dispatches

Friendly Fire

Bernstein Radio Days 13-44 (res.)

War in Europe 44ff

First Draft Due

Week 7 Serrin: “Politics” 97-137

Bernstein: All The President’s Men

Paper Outline Due

Week 8 Wolfe: The Kentucky Derby is Decadent &Depraved

Kerrane The Scum Also Rises

Week 9 Thompson: Hell’s Angels

Week 10 Crime Reporter

Wolfe Chariie Simpson’s Apocalypse

Capote In Cold Blood

Kerrane From Whoredom in Kimmage:

Irish Women Coming of Age

Week 11 Tom Wolfe and his shorter pieces

Wolfe The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine- Flake Streamline Baby

Paper Due

Week 12 Wolfe The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine- Flake Streamline Baby

Course Overview and Critique

Grading

Class Participation 10 points

Quizzes 20 points

Weekly Written Assignments 30 points

Paper 40 points