English 102 Honors: Composition 2: American Silent Cinema of the 1920s


Composition II allows students to build on the writing, research, and communication skills of Composition I; this course will draw on the decade of the 1920s, and particularly the cinema of the period, as the context for our reading and writing over the term. A grade of C- is necessary to pass the course.

 

The significance of the silent era in film history cannot be overstated--during the first decades of the twentieth century, a truly commercial popular art emerged bound closely to the image of a modern America. With the development of synchronized sound, the era drew to a close, but the modes of production, distribution, exhibition, and consumption inaugurated during the silent film era persisted, creating the film industry as we know it
today.

This course is designated “honors,” meaning that you will be doing more advanced reading and participating more actively in the classroom dynamic through film screenings, student-selected film clip presentations, and reading summary presentations. It also means that, in terms of assignments, you will be given more freedom to choose your topics. Finally, the “honors” designation suggests integrity, and therefore I will
not use TurnItIn.com on your work (you may choose to do so of your own accord, of course). However, part of the point distribution for each written assignment includes 5 points for writing and signing the honor pledge on your work. If I suspect plagiarism, intentional or otherwise, I will call you in for a chat!

 

Schedule | Assignments and Grade Breakdown | Online and Library Film Checkout | FB Group | Required Textbooks |  classroom policies