Law, lit & med: assignments

Spring 2008

Rules for On Doctoring selections: For class discussion, please select no more than six readings and no more than twenty-five pages.  Everyone is encouraged to read the remainder of the week's pages for their own enjoyment. 

Class 1  Jan 11 

Special instructions/comments

• Please bring your calendars and be prepared to discuss the make-up class dates (February 9 & April 12) and your class-discussion dates.
• Faculty announce On Doctoring readings for Class 2

Assignment

Handouts - faculty lead discussion

• Rita Charon, Narrative and Medicine
• James Boyd White, Legal Knowledge
• Benjamin DeMott, English and the Promise of Happiness
• Billy Collins, "Introduction to Poetry"
• John Stone, “The Truck”
• Carl Sandburg (I), “Lawyer”
  

Optional

We read a lot of poetry for this class, for lots of reasons.  For the briefest (7 minutes, 0 seconds) introduction to poetry, Scott Simon's conversation with Ed Hirsch (poet, critic, MacArthur "genius" grant recipient) is terrific (especially their reading of the four subjects of poetry as told by William Matthews) [Weekend Edition/Saturday, April 6, 2006]. 

For a slightly more leisurely (1 hour) introduction to poetry, try Linda Pastan (whom we read later in the semester), Ed Hirsch, and E. Ethelbert Miller discussing poetry on Diane Rehm's show (April 19, 2006).  For our purposes, I was particularly struck by Linda Pastan's observation at the end of the show that she is most often asked for recommendations for a poem for weddings and funerals -- times of celebration and consolation.  It's an hour well spent.  We read a lot of poetry for this class, for lots of reasons.

 

Class 2   Jan 18

Special instructions/comments

• Jason Yeh & Corey Humphrey announce On Doctoring readings for Class 3

Assignment

On Doctoring, pp. 22-73 - faculty lead discussion

Read for class discussion:

• "This Living Hand, Now Warm and Capable," p. 24
• "Misery," p. 36
• "Out, Out --," p. 43
• "Between Walls," p. 58
• "The Last Words of My English Grandmother," p. 61

Handouts - faculty lead discussion

• "A Lesson Before Dying"
• "To Kill a Mockingbird" (I)

 

Class 3   Jan 25

Special instructions/comments

• The first poetry assignment is due next week.  The guidelines are here.
• Amanda Burcham & Mike Seymour announce On Doctoring readings for Class 4

Assignment

On Doctoring: pp. 73-119 - Jason Yeh & Corey Humphrey lead discussion

• The Use of Force, p. 73
• The Watch, p. 77
• The Old Gray Couple (I & II), p. 95
• Indian Camp, p. 102
• Hills Like White Elephants, p. 106
• A Summer Tragedy, p. 110

Handouts - Ryan Waller & Danny Tobey lead discussion

• "The Good Mother" 

 

Class 4   Feb 1

Special instructions/comments

• First poems due Thursday, Jan 31, noon

Assignment

On Doctoring: pp.  119-165 - Amanda Burcham & Mike Seymour lead discussion

Read for class discussion:

•  Stop All the Clocks, p. 128
• A Worn Path, p. 130
• The Tides, p. 140
• Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, p. 151
• The X-Ray Waiting Room in the Hospital, p.154
• Coming Into the End Zone, p. 158

Handouts - Meredith Francis & Kinsey Rowe lead discussion

• "Billy Budd"

Optional

• Very useful web site for modern readers of "Billy Budd"
• "Villanelle" (handouts)
• Listen to Dylan Thomas reading Do Not Go Gentle(wav)
• For a great modern villanelle, read One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
• Listen to Auden reading Musée(mp3)
• View Breughel's Icarus

Class 5   Feb 8  CMCD PICU walkabout

Special instructions/comments

• Click here for driving directions to Children's Medical Center and map.
• The essay assignment is due next week.  The instructions for the assignment are here.

Assignment

Handouts

• "A Small Good Thing"

 

Class 6   (Makeup) Saturday, Feb 9, 10am

Special instructions/comments

• Natalie Butler & Tom Dalton announce On Doctoring readings for Class 7

Assignment

Handouts - Melissa Wong & Lincy George lead discussion

• "Ake Dah"
• Sandburg (II), "The Lawyers Know Too Much"

Handouts - Ryan Krech & Cassie Evans lead discussion

• "Other Women's Children"
• "The Sick Wife"
• "The Ship Pounding" 

 

Class 7    Feb 15

Special instructions/comments

• Essay assignment due Thursday, Feb 14, noon
• Rachael Stringer & Amelie Nguyen announce On Doctoring readings for Class 8

Assignment

On  Doctoring: pp. 166-216 - Natalie Butler & Tom Dalton lead discussion

Read for class discussion:

• Fortitude, p. 175
• Case History, p. 194
• Carnal Knowledge, p. 194
• Mercy, p. 213
  

Handouts - David Clark & Rachael Stringer lead discussion

• "A Jury of Her Peers"

Optional

• Listen to a dramatization of "A Jury of Her Peers" (28 mins.) 

 

Class 8    Feb 22   

Special instructions/comments

• The second poetry assignment is due next week.  The guidelines are here.
• Meredith Francis and Obinna Uzodinma announce On Doctoring readings for Class 9

Assignment 

On  Doctoring: pp. 217-65 - Rachael Stringer & Amelie Nguyen lead discussion

Read for class discussion:

• Imelda, p. 217
• Children Imagining a Hospital, p. 236
• A Day in the Death, p. 261
• Warning, p. 264
  

Handouts - Amelie Nguyen & Amanda Burcham lead discussion

• "About Boston"

 

Class 9   Feb 29 

Special instructions/comments

• Poems due Thursday, Feb 28, noon

Assignment

On Doctoring pp. 266-303 - Meredith Francis & Obinna Uzodinma lead discussion

• p. 266 "The Five Stages of Grief," Linda Pastan
• p. 270 "The Tenth Circle," Paul Zimmer
• p. 279 "Beaver Moon," Mary Oliver
• p. 281 "Gaudeamus Igitur," John Stone
• p. 302 "What the Doctor Said," Raymond Carver
• p. 303 "My Death," Raymond Carver

 

Handouts - Ryan Krech & Cassie Evans

• "Bicentennial Man"

Optional

• Read Christopher Smart's "Jubilate Agno (excerpt)"

 

Class 10    March 7

Special instructions/comments

Deadline for final project approval

Assignment  

Text - Rebecca Strauser & Christina Robinson

Whose Life Is It, Anyway? 

 

Handouts - Lincy George & Obinna Uzodinma lead discussion

"The Veraswami Story"

 

Class 11    April 11

Special instructions/comments

David Clark & Sarah Whitfield announce On Doctoring readings for Class 13

Assignment - faculty lead discussion

Text

Wit

Handouts

• The Runaway Bunny

Optional

• Poet (and R.N.) Belle Waring's April 26, 2000, NPR commentary on poetry and a dying patient, RealAudio 28.8, 14.4 (3 mins., 31 secs.) (requires RealPlayer, available here for free)

 

Class 12    (Makeup) Saturday, April 12, 10am

Assignment - faculty lead discussion

Text

• The Cider House Rules

Handouts

• "The Hidden Law"
• "Down From Troy"

Class 13    April 18

Special instructions/comments

• Corey Humphrey & Christina Robinson announce On Doctoring readings for Class 14

Assignment

On Doctoring: pp. 304-53 -David Clark & Sarah Whitfield lead discussion

Read for class discussion:

Mistakes (p. 325)

35/10 (p. 319)

Miscarriage (p. 320)

The Knitted Glove (p. 321)

 

Handouts - Natalie Butler & Tom Dalton lead discussion

• "The Judge's Wife"
• "Crimes of Conscience"
• "Legal Aid" 

 

Class 14   Apr 25

Special instructions/comments

Final projects due; bring to class if you're not able to attend the dinner

Assignment

On Doctoring, pp. 354-401 - Corey Humphrey & Christina Robinson lead discussion

Read for class discussion:

"What Hell Is," p. 347

"My Own Country," p. 360

"On the Ward," p. 373

"First Payment," p. 383

"El Curandero," p. 398

"The Shot," p. 401

 

Handouts - Danny Tobey & Ryan Waller lead discussion

"To Kill a Mockingbird" (II)