日本語 English
| 開講年度/ Academic YearAcademic Year |
20252025 |
| 科目設置学部/ CollegeCollege |
文学部/College of ArtsCollege of Arts |
| 科目コード等/ Course CodeCourse Code |
AM046/AM046AM046 |
| テーマ・サブタイトル等/ Theme・SubtitleTheme・Subtitle |
Street Poets I: Bukowski |
| 授業形態/ Class FormatClass Format |
対面（全回対面）/Face to face (all classes are face-to-face)Face to face (all classes are face-to-face) |
| 授業形態（補足事項）/ Class Format (Supplementary Items)Class Format (Supplementary Items) |
|
| 授業形式/ Class StyleCampus |
演習・ゼミ/SeminarSeminar |
| 校地/ CampusCampus |
池袋/IkebukuroIkebukuro |
| 学期/ SemesterSemester |
春学期/Spring SemesterSpring Semester |
| 曜日時限・教室/ DayPeriod・RoomDayPeriod・Room |
火5/Tue.5 Tue.5 ログインして教室を表示する（Log in to view the classrooms.） |
| 単位/ CreditsCredits |
22 |
| 科目ナンバリング/ Course NumberCourse Number |
EAL2411 |
| 使用言語/ LanguageLanguage |
英語/EnglishEnglish |
| 履修登録方法/ Class Registration MethodClass Registration Method |
自動登録/Automatic RegistrationAutomatic Registration |
| 配当年次/ Assigned YearAssigned Year |
配当年次は開講学部のR Guideに掲載している科目表で確認してください。配当年次は開講学部のR Guideに掲載している科目表で確認してください。 |
| 先修規定/ Prerequisite RegulationsPrerequisite Regulations |
|
| 他学部履修可否/ Acceptance of Other CollegesAcceptance of Other Colleges |
履修登録システムの『他学部・他研究科履修不許可科目一覧』で確認してください。 |
| 履修中止可否/ Course CancellationCourse Cancellation |
×（履修中止不可/ Not eligible for cancellation） |
| オンライン授業60単位制限対象科目/ Online Classes Subject to 60-Credit Upper LimitOnline Classes Subject to 60-Credit Upper Limit |
|
| 学位授与方針との関連/ Relationship with Degree PolicyRelationship with Degree Policy |
各授業科目は、学部・研究科の定める学位授与方針（DP）や教育課程編成の方針（CP）に基づき、カリキュラム上に配置されています。詳細はカリキュラム・マップで確認することができます。 |
| 備考/ NotesNotes |
This English literature course aims to help students develop their English abilities in the four core skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing through a combination of various texts, media and in-class activities, as well as some supplementary optional materials (paper and audio-visual), which students are encouraged to engage in, in order to deepen their understanding of this course and its writer. Students enrolled in this course will have the opportunity to enhance their abilities to analyze a text of literature through close reading of the original text, the provision of supplementary notes, as well as videos or audio materials as supplements to aid them in their reading and interpretation of the source text (as well as the wider social contexts and milieu that encompass the novel's settings) from various perspectives. This approach has been taken with the hope that it will facilitate students’ overall understanding of twentieth-century literature, both poetry and prose, with a particular focus in this case, on writers of the West Coast of the United States (particularly the LA and SF area) during the second-half of the twentieth century.
To provide students with a better contextual background, some supplementary materials and information on Charles Bukowski and his circle of correspondents and fellow writers from both within the same generation as Bukowski’s or before, will also be provided to help students better understand both past and contemporary influences on his work, as well as those writers he influenced, in turn, during his own time and beyond. In each semester for this “Street Poets” course (consisting of Part 1: Bukowski and Part 2: Micheline), three or four writers of a similar ilk will be introduced as a means of comparison against the writings of Charles Bukowski himself (the same form of comparison will be conducted with Jack Micheline’s work in the second semester), to help students deepen their understanding of certain aspects of what some have called ‘street poetry’ or ‘outlaw poetry’ or ‘vagabond poetry’. Along with Bukowski and Micheline, these writers include John Fante, Robinson Jeffers, Knut Hamsun, Steve Richmond, John Thomas, William Wantling, Harold Norse, Neeli Cherkovski, Stuart Perkoff, Frank Rios, James Ryan Morris, Tony Scibella, Steve Tropp, d. a. levy, Jack Kerouac and others.
In terms of skills related to English ability and proficiency, students will have the opportunity to improve their English listening skills through the interpretations of the text provided by their teacher in class, and listening to a wide range of existing recordings of Charles Bukowski reading from his own poetry (some of which are in the teacher’s possession) as well as short interviews available on YouTube, which were recorded between the late 1960s up until shortly before Bukowski’s death in the 1990s. This will be used not only as a listening-comprehension exercise but as a way to better appreciate the feel and sounds of poetry and literature as a whole, as well as the connotations the author wishes to express that lie embedded within the text of his prose and poems.
Group discussions will be held in regular classes on questions directly related to the texts and given to students beforehand to prepare. Students will also have the opportunity to make a presentation in class (towards the end of the course in Lessons 11 and 12) on one of the writers mentioned above, with the following goals in mind: 1) this exercise will help them improve their written proficiency (in preparing their presentation script); and 2) it will help them improve their spoken English proficiency when they give the presentation in class in front of their peers (not to mention their presentation skills). Three written homework assignments will be assigned on supplementary materials provided in class. While the main textbook used in class, Factotum, is a work of prose, the assignments will be based on Bukowski’s major poems, covering a span that almost covers four decades. The supplementary text, available in the Rikkyo Library, Pleasures of the Damned, provides an excellent overview of Bukowski’s major poems. Assignment #1 will cover a selection of Bukowski’s earliest poems from the late 1950s and 1960s, while he was still a relatively unknown writer. Assignment #2 will be about his poems from the 1970s, when Bukowski’s fame as a writer was at its peak. Assignment #3 will focus on his later poems from the 1980s and 1990s, which reflect upon life, death and our mortality. Assignment #4 will be held over two weeks towards the end of term, during which students will give a 3-4 minute presentation (on one of the writers mentioned above). Supplementary materials will be provided either in class or on a Google Classroom website set up exclusively for students who register for this course, to help students prepare and complete ALL assignments. Some guidelines on how to complete these assignments will also be provided by the teacher, to help students improve their abilities in English written composition and expression.
Successful completion of this course should indicate an understanding of…
1. the historical background and contexts of street poetry (also referred to as ‘outlaw poetry’ or ‘vagabond poetry’), which includes its controversial aspects, namely, its somewhat excluded status from the halls of orthodox academia (as touched upon by Bukowski critic Harrison and others);
2. the style, structure, humor, aims and various complexities found within Charles Bukowski’s writings (both prose and poetry), with a particular focus on his prose in class (and poetry for the assignments);
3. several ways of analyzing a text, through supplementary readings, slides and recordings provided in or outside of class.
4. a better background knowledge of Bukowski’s life, times and ongoing legacy upon American letters as a whole. (Legendary biographer, Howard Sounes’ groundbreaking biography on Bukowski called Charles Bukowski: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life, commonly regarded as one of, if not, the best biography on the writer, will be used extensively as a source and reference for generating background notes, details and commentary.)
This course also involves the development of the following skills…
1. the ability to interpret and discuss a text, based on its historical and cultural context and milieu;
2. the ability to inform an original text through the use of secondary sources;
3. the ability to interpret and understand the literary analysis of other critics and writers;
4. the ability to present an argument or summary of one’s opinion on a literary work both in writing (in the essay question on the final test) and orally (in the presentation task for Assignment #4).
This course, predominantly conducted in English, will provide enrolled students the opportunity to read and discuss Charles Bukowski’s prose and poetry, with a focus on what is considered by some to be one of his novel-masterpieces, Factotum. Importantly, where possible, the teacher aims to address the relevance of certain themes that appear in the novel from the perspective of contemporary Japanese society and modern social issues. (The teacher’s recent essay on this topic (forthcoming) will also be briefly touched upon to provide students with extra information).
Most supplementary notes have been drawn from a few very helpful texts: Howard Sounes’ ground-breaking biography on Bukowski called Locked in the Arms of a Crazed Life, the earliest major study of Bukowski’s poetry by Hugh Fox, called Charles Bukowski: A Critical and Biographical Study (1968), a collection of essays by Russell Harrison called Against the American Dream: Essays on Charles Bukowski (one of the major collections of essays on Bukowski to date), plus several other smaller books and essays on Bukowski by people such as Steve Richmond (a friend and fellow poet), Abel Debritto (one of the leading critics of Bukowski today) and more. Finally, where possible, the teacher will use any audio files by or on the writer. The aim of sharing these materials is twofold: 1) to enrich students’ knowledge of Charles Bukowski, his writing and his perceptions of the world; and 2) to help them enjoy studying poetry and prose through audio materials, not just the written page. As Bukowski was known as much by his amusing and sometimes controversial performances of his own poetry and writings at the various events where he was invited to read, as much as for his publications, this is also an important aspect of the writer that students should attempt to comprehend.
NOTE: Students should be aware that often there are delays with book orders and therefore there is the possibility that they may not be able to obtain the textbook, Factotum, before the first class begins. Therefore, students who are committed to enrolling in this class, are encouraged to purchase a copy of the textbook as soon as possible. If this proves to be difficult, they should try to obtain copies of the relevant pages of the text from the copy available in the Rikkyo University Library. Photocopies or scans of the textbook will NOT be provided to students; students are responsible for obtaining copies of the relevant reading pages before each class. On the other hand, where appropriate, copies of some useful supplementary materials on Bukowski and his circle will be distributed from time to time in class.
| 1 | Lesson 1 – An Introduction to Charles Bukowski, His Circle and His Times In our first class for the course, Street Poets I: Bukowski, we will begin by discussing the social contexts of several decades during which Bukowski lived, starting from the 1940s right up until the 1990s (he died in 1994). We will also take a look at some of Bukowski’s major influences who came before his time (such as John Fante, Knut Hamsun and Robinson Jeffers) or who were contemporaries (such as John Thomas, William Wantling, Harold Norse, Steve Richmond, Jack Micheline, d. a. levy and more). Although each of these poets differ in terms of their writing style and the tropes we encounter in their works, we will attempt to trace out some thematic commonalities and concerns that may link all of these poets. There will also be some brief discussion of the ‘underground press’ (and mimeo revolution) of the 1950s-1970s, in which Bukowski played an important role, sometimes referred to as “the King of the Littles” (i.e. little magazines). A rough outline of the content of the three writing assignments, plus the fourth presentation assignment will be given and briefly explained. Students will also have a chance to watch a movie version of the novel, Factotum (starring Matt Dillon), in their own time, which is available to watch online for free. This is especially recommended for students interested in film criticism or novel-film comparative criticism. (NOTE: One of the essay topic candidates on the final test in Week 14 will allow students the opportunity to compare the novel, Factotum, with its adaptation to the screen). |
| 2 | Lesson 2 – Chapters 1-11 (pp. 11-29) In Lesson 2, we will focus on the first 18 pages of the novel, Factotum. There will also be some supplementary materials, consisting mostly of articles on Bukowski taken from Beat Scene magazine, a small chapbook by Bukowski scholar Abel Debritto and elsewhere. A few samples of Bukowski’s poetry will also be shown on the slides to gradually introduce Bukowski’s style as a poet as well. Looking ahead to Assignment #4 (the presentation), some of the writers of ‘Bukowski’s circle’ (i.e. his contemporaries poets and correspondents), as well as some of his earliest literary influences will be briefly introduced in this lesson. (Note all page references in this syllabus will henceforth refer to the ECCO edition of Factotum). |
| 3 | Lesson 3 – Chapters 12-22 (pp. 30-52) In Lesson 3, we will begin by quickly reviewing content from the previous lessons before continuing on with the next section of Factotum. In this class, we will discuss one of the main themes in Bukowski’s work: the refusal to work. Russell Harrison’s essays on this aspect of Bukowski’s work have been particularly insightful and therefore relevant excerpts from his book Against the American Dream will be introduced and discussed in class. The first assignment on Bukowski’s earliest poetry (from the 1950s and 1960s) will also be uploaded and briefly explained to students in class. |
| 4 | Lesson 4 – Chapters 23-32 (pp. 52-73) In Lesson 4, we will cover the next 21 pages of the novel. Students will be divided into one of four groups, with each group assigned different questions to discuss. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. (Students are awarded participation scores based on effort, rather than grammatical accuracy). Some groups may be assigned questions on supplementary materials (such as poems and essays), considering the short number of pages they are required to read each week. |
| 5 | Lesson 5 – Chapters 33-40 (pp. 74-95) In Lesson 5, we will cover the next 21 pages of the novel (pp. 74-95). As usual students will be divided into one of four groups, with each group assigned different question to discuss. As some slang terms and street language appear in the novel, students will have a chance to confirm the meanings of some of this vocabulary, where necessary. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. Some groups may be assigned questions on supplementary materials (such as poems and essays), considering the short number of pages they are required to read each week. |
| 6 | Lesson 6 – Chapters 41-50 (pp. 95-114) In Lesson 6, we are now around halfway through the novel, so we will do a brief recap of the story so far and students will have a chance to discuss and predict what might happen in the second-half of the novel. This week, we will cover the next 19 pages of the novel. Around this point in the semester, students will be reshuffled and reassigned a new group, so that they will have an opportunity to engage in English discussion with different classmates. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. Some groups may be assigned questions on supplementary materials (such as poems and essays), considering the short number of pages they are required to read each week. |
| 7 | Lesson 7 – Chapters 51-61 (pp. 115-140) In Lesson 7, we will cover the next 25 pages of the novel. As students will be assigned a slightly longer reading task in this lesson, there will be fewer supplementary materials covered. As usual students will be divided into one of four groups, with each group assigned different questions to discuss. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. The second assignment on Bukowski’s 1970s poetry (written around the time he was working on Factotum) will be uploaded and briefly explained. This includes poetry written and published at the height of Bukowski’s fame, and we will briefly discuss changes in Bukowski’s poetry, as compared with his earlier 1960s output. |
| 8 | Lesson 8 – Chapters 62-68 (pp. 140-161) In Lesson 8, we will cover the next 21 pages of the novel. As usual students will be divided into one of four groups (the same group as in the past 2 lessons), with each group assigned different questions to discuss. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. Some groups may be assigned questions on supplementary materials (such as poems and essays), considering the short number of pages they are required to read each week. |
| 9 | Lesson 9 – Chapters 69-80 (pp. 161-185) In Lesson 9, we will cover the next 24 pages of the novel. Students will be reshuffled one more time into yet another group so that they can have chances to discuss the assigned questions in English with other classmates once again. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. Some groups may be assigned questions on supplementary materials (such as poems and essays), considering the short number of pages they are required to read each week. As the end of the novel is approaching, students will once again try to anticipate the finish/end of the novel. |
| 10 | Lesson 10 – Chapters 79-87 (pp. 181-205) In Lesson 10, we will read the final chapters of Factotum. In this lesson, students will discuss questions in the same group they had been newly assigned to in Lesson 9. As we finish the novel in this lesson, instead of distributing supplementary materials, students will reflect upon some of the messages of this novel and the Factotum movie will be briefly discussed (and the online link provided for students interested in watching the movie). The final written assignment, Assignment #3, on Bukowski’s later poetry (from the 1980s and 1990s) will be uploaded, explained and briefly discussed. His later works of poetry arguably contain some of his strongest poetic output and the themes of death and mortality will be briefly discussed in class as well. (Note that the deadline for completing Assignment #3 falls after the presentations conducted in the next two weeks, Lessons 11 and 12, so students are encouraged to work on their presentation scripts and slides first). |
| 11 | Lesson 11 – Presentations I In Lessons 11 and 12 students will have a chance to present on ONE of the writers we have discussed over the course of the semester. (Half of the class will present in Lesson 11, the other half in Lesson 12). It may be one of the writers of Bukowski’s circle of friends and correspondents whom we have discussed in class (Richmond, Wantling, Thomas, d. a. levy, Micheline etc.), an early influence on Bukowski (Fante, Hamsun, Jeffers etc.) or it may be another writer we have discussed in passing (such as the Venice Beach beats). Students are asked to prepare a 3-4 minute presentation (PPT presentations are recommended) and students will be asked a couple of questions at the end of the presentation either by the audience or by the teacher. Depending on the size of the class, we will try to cover at least half to two-thirds of the presentations in this lesson, in order to shore up more time for a comprehensive review of the course contents at the end of Lesson 12, as well as in Lesson 13. |
| 12 | Lesson 12 – Presentations II In Lessons 11 and 12 students will have a chance to present on ONE of the writers we have discussed over the course of the semester. (Half of the class will present in Lesson 11, the other half in Lesson 12).It may be one of the writers of Bukowski’s circle of friends and correspondents whom we have discussed in class (Richmond, Wantling, Thomas, d. a. levy, Micheline etc.), an early influence on Bukowski (Fante, Hamsun, Jeffers etc.) or it may be another writer we have discussed in passing (such as the Venice Beach beats). Students are asked to prepare a 3-4 minute presentation (PPT presentations are recommended) and students will be asked a couple of questions at the end of the presentation either by the audience or by the teacher. Depending on the size of the class, we will try to cover at least half to two-thirds of the presentations in this lesson, in order to shore up more time for a comprehensive review of the course contents at the end of Lesson 12, as well as in Lesson 13. |
| 13 | Lesson 13 – Comprehensive Review This lesson will be devoted to covering the main points and themes throughout the course that we have covered in Factotum and the various Bukowski-related supplementary materials that students read while completing their assignments, to prepare students for the final test in Lesson 14. If we run out of time, review questions will be provided either by email or through a video recording uploaded and shared by the teacher. |
| 14 | Lesson 14 – Final Test In Lesson 14, students will take their final test. All parts of the textbook will be covered in the final test, including some of the materials (poems) used in Assignments 1-3 as well as supplementary materials (articles, essays, recordings). There will be three sections to the final test: 1) in the first section students will answer multiple-choice questions (10 pts.); 2) in the second section students will write short answers (10 pts.); 3) in the third section, students will write one essay on topics relating to Bukowski’s writings covered in Factotum or the general topic of street and outlaw writing, or they will have the option of writing a film-criticism essay in which they compare the novel with the screen adaptation of Factotum, which they are asked to watch in their own time outside of class. |
板書 /Writing on the Board
スライド（パワーポイント等）の使用 /Slides (PowerPoint, etc.)
上記以外の視聴覚教材の使用 /Audiovisual Materials Other than Those Listed Above
個人発表 /Individual Presentations
グループ発表 /Group Presentations
ディスカッション・ディベート /Discussion/Debate
実技・実習・実験 /Practicum/Experiments/Practical Training
学内の教室外施設の利用 /Use of On-Campus Facilities Outside the Classroom
校外実習・フィールドワーク /Field Work
上記いずれも用いない予定 /None of the above
In addition to the weekly reading assignments from the textbook, students will also be encouraged to read and explore other supplementary sources of information. Some of the supplementary reading materials will be provided by the teacher (either photocopies handed out in class or sent by email or uploaded onto a Google Classroom webpage, set up specifically for this course) and extra 'recommending reading' sections will be suggested by the teachers to help them enrich their understanding of the novel, the writer, the field of street/outlaw writing, and the course overall. Many of the extra articles on Charles Bukowski will be taken from Beat Scene magazine as well as excerpts from Howard Sounes’ biography on him, Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life, the excellent collection of essays called Against the American Dream: Essays on Charles Bukowski by Russell Harrison, the recent very thorough bio-bibliography called A Catalog of Ordinary Madness by Bukowski scholar, Able Debritto, as well as other smaller chapbooks and books on the LA writer.
| 種類 (Kind) | 割合 (%) | 基準 (Criteria) |
|---|---|---|
| 平常点 (In-class Points) | 100 |
Assignment #1 (Early Poems)(10%) Assignment #2 (Mid-career Poems)(10%) Assignment #3 (Late Poems)(10%) Assignment #4 (Presentation)(10%) 最終テスト(Final Test)(30%) In-class discussions & participation(30%) |
| 備考 (Notes) | ||
| No | 著者名 (Author/Editor) | 書籍名 (Title) | 出版社 (Publisher) | 出版年 (Date) | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bukowski, Charles. | Factotum | Ecco | 2002 | 9780876852637 |
| 2 | Bukowski, Charles. | Pleasures of the Damned: Poems, 1951-1993 ures of the Damned | Ecco | 2008 | 9780061228445 |
| 4 | Harrison, Russell. | Against the American Dream: Essays on Charles Bukowski. | Black Sparrow Press | 1994 | 9780876859612 |
| No | 著者名 (Author/Editor) | 書籍名 (Title) | 出版社 (Publisher) | 出版年 (Date) | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bukowski, Charles. | Pleasures of the Damned: Poems, 1951-1993. | Ecco | 2008 | 9780061228445 |
| 2 | Fox, Hugh. | Charles Bukowski: A Critical and Biographical Study. | Abyss Publications. | 1968 | |
| 3 | Harrison, Russell. | Against the American Dream: Essays on Charles Bukowski. | Black Sparrow Press | 1994 | 9780876859612 |
| 4 | Debritto, Abel. | A Catalog of Ordinary Madness: A Complete Bio-bibliography of the Works of Charles Bukowski. | Chatwin Books. | 2024 | 9781633981720 |
Having a laptop computer, iPad or similar device will be helpful, especially for taking class/lecture notes and for helping students prepare for their presentations.
Students intending to enroll in this course are advised that some of the contents of this class (sexual themes, violence etc.) may be offensive to some people.
This English literature course aims to help students develop their English abilities in the four core skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing through a combination of various texts, media and in-class activities, as well as some supplementary optional materials (paper and audio-visual), which students are encouraged to engage in, in order to deepen their understanding of this course and its writer. Students enrolled in this course will have the opportunity to enhance their abilities to analyze a text of literature through close reading of the original text, the provision of supplementary notes, as well as videos or audio materials as supplements to aid them in their reading and interpretation of the source text (as well as the wider social contexts and milieu that encompass the novel's settings) from various perspectives. This approach has been taken with the hope that it will facilitate students’ overall understanding of twentieth-century literature, both poetry and prose, with a particular focus in this case, on writers of the West Coast of the United States (particularly the LA and SF area) during the second-half of the twentieth century.
To provide students with a better contextual background, some supplementary materials and information on Charles Bukowski and his circle of correspondents and fellow writers from both within the same generation as Bukowski’s or before, will also be provided to help students better understand both past and contemporary influences on his work, as well as those writers he influenced, in turn, during his own time and beyond. In each semester for this “Street Poets” course (consisting of Part 1: Bukowski and Part 2: Micheline), three or four writers of a similar ilk will be introduced as a means of comparison against the writings of Charles Bukowski himself (the same form of comparison will be conducted with Jack Micheline’s work in the second semester), to help students deepen their understanding of certain aspects of what some have called ‘street poetry’ or ‘outlaw poetry’ or ‘vagabond poetry’. Along with Bukowski and Micheline, these writers include John Fante, Robinson Jeffers, Knut Hamsun, Steve Richmond, John Thomas, William Wantling, Harold Norse, Neeli Cherkovski, Stuart Perkoff, Frank Rios, James Ryan Morris, Tony Scibella, Steve Tropp, d. a. levy, Jack Kerouac and others.
In terms of skills related to English ability and proficiency, students will have the opportunity to improve their English listening skills through the interpretations of the text provided by their teacher in class, and listening to a wide range of existing recordings of Charles Bukowski reading from his own poetry (some of which are in the teacher’s possession) as well as short interviews available on YouTube, which were recorded between the late 1960s up until shortly before Bukowski’s death in the 1990s. This will be used not only as a listening-comprehension exercise but as a way to better appreciate the feel and sounds of poetry and literature as a whole, as well as the connotations the author wishes to express that lie embedded within the text of his prose and poems.
Group discussions will be held in regular classes on questions directly related to the texts and given to students beforehand to prepare. Students will also have the opportunity to make a presentation in class (towards the end of the course in Lessons 11 and 12) on one of the writers mentioned above, with the following goals in mind: 1) this exercise will help them improve their written proficiency (in preparing their presentation script); and 2) it will help them improve their spoken English proficiency when they give the presentation in class in front of their peers (not to mention their presentation skills). Three written homework assignments will be assigned on supplementary materials provided in class. While the main textbook used in class, Factotum, is a work of prose, the assignments will be based on Bukowski’s major poems, covering a span that almost covers four decades. The supplementary text, available in the Rikkyo Library, Pleasures of the Damned, provides an excellent overview of Bukowski’s major poems. Assignment #1 will cover a selection of Bukowski’s earliest poems from the late 1950s and 1960s, while he was still a relatively unknown writer. Assignment #2 will be about his poems from the 1970s, when Bukowski’s fame as a writer was at its peak. Assignment #3 will focus on his later poems from the 1980s and 1990s, which reflect upon life, death and our mortality. Assignment #4 will be held over two weeks towards the end of term, during which students will give a 3-4 minute presentation (on one of the writers mentioned above). Supplementary materials will be provided either in class or on a Google Classroom website set up exclusively for students who register for this course, to help students prepare and complete ALL assignments. Some guidelines on how to complete these assignments will also be provided by the teacher, to help students improve their abilities in English written composition and expression.
Successful completion of this course should indicate an understanding of…
1. the historical background and contexts of street poetry (also referred to as ‘outlaw poetry’ or ‘vagabond poetry’), which includes its controversial aspects, namely, its somewhat excluded status from the halls of orthodox academia (as touched upon by Bukowski critic Harrison and others);
2. the style, structure, humor, aims and various complexities found within Charles Bukowski’s writings (both prose and poetry), with a particular focus on his prose in class (and poetry for the assignments);
3. several ways of analyzing a text, through supplementary readings, slides and recordings provided in or outside of class.
4. a better background knowledge of Bukowski’s life, times and ongoing legacy upon American letters as a whole. (Legendary biographer, Howard Sounes’ groundbreaking biography on Bukowski called Charles Bukowski: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life, commonly regarded as one of, if not, the best biography on the writer, will be used extensively as a source and reference for generating background notes, details and commentary.)
This course also involves the development of the following skills…
1. the ability to interpret and discuss a text, based on its historical and cultural context and milieu;
2. the ability to inform an original text through the use of secondary sources;
3. the ability to interpret and understand the literary analysis of other critics and writers;
4. the ability to present an argument or summary of one’s opinion on a literary work both in writing (in the essay question on the final test) and orally (in the presentation task for Assignment #4).
This course, predominantly conducted in English, will provide enrolled students the opportunity to read and discuss Charles Bukowski’s prose and poetry, with a focus on what is considered by some to be one of his novel-masterpieces, Factotum. Importantly, where possible, the teacher aims to address the relevance of certain themes that appear in the novel from the perspective of contemporary Japanese society and modern social issues. (The teacher’s recent essay on this topic (forthcoming) will also be briefly touched upon to provide students with extra information).
Most supplementary notes have been drawn from a few very helpful texts: Howard Sounes’ ground-breaking biography on Bukowski called Locked in the Arms of a Crazed Life, the earliest major study of Bukowski’s poetry by Hugh Fox, called Charles Bukowski: A Critical and Biographical Study (1968), a collection of essays by Russell Harrison called Against the American Dream: Essays on Charles Bukowski (one of the major collections of essays on Bukowski to date), plus several other smaller books and essays on Bukowski by people such as Steve Richmond (a friend and fellow poet), Abel Debritto (one of the leading critics of Bukowski today) and more. Finally, where possible, the teacher will use any audio files by or on the writer. The aim of sharing these materials is twofold: 1) to enrich students’ knowledge of Charles Bukowski, his writing and his perceptions of the world; and 2) to help them enjoy studying poetry and prose through audio materials, not just the written page. As Bukowski was known as much by his amusing and sometimes controversial performances of his own poetry and writings at the various events where he was invited to read, as much as for his publications, this is also an important aspect of the writer that students should attempt to comprehend.
NOTE: Students should be aware that often there are delays with book orders and therefore there is the possibility that they may not be able to obtain the textbook, Factotum, before the first class begins. Therefore, students who are committed to enrolling in this class, are encouraged to purchase a copy of the textbook as soon as possible. If this proves to be difficult, they should try to obtain copies of the relevant pages of the text from the copy available in the Rikkyo University Library. Photocopies or scans of the textbook will NOT be provided to students; students are responsible for obtaining copies of the relevant reading pages before each class. On the other hand, where appropriate, copies of some useful supplementary materials on Bukowski and his circle will be distributed from time to time in class.
| 1 | Lesson 1 – An Introduction to Charles Bukowski, His Circle and His Times In our first class for the course, Street Poets I: Bukowski, we will begin by discussing the social contexts of several decades during which Bukowski lived, starting from the 1940s right up until the 1990s (he died in 1994). We will also take a look at some of Bukowski’s major influences who came before his time (such as John Fante, Knut Hamsun and Robinson Jeffers) or who were contemporaries (such as John Thomas, William Wantling, Harold Norse, Steve Richmond, Jack Micheline, d. a. levy and more). Although each of these poets differ in terms of their writing style and the tropes we encounter in their works, we will attempt to trace out some thematic commonalities and concerns that may link all of these poets. There will also be some brief discussion of the ‘underground press’ (and mimeo revolution) of the 1950s-1970s, in which Bukowski played an important role, sometimes referred to as “the King of the Littles” (i.e. little magazines). A rough outline of the content of the three writing assignments, plus the fourth presentation assignment will be given and briefly explained. Students will also have a chance to watch a movie version of the novel, Factotum (starring Matt Dillon), in their own time, which is available to watch online for free. This is especially recommended for students interested in film criticism or novel-film comparative criticism. (NOTE: One of the essay topic candidates on the final test in Week 14 will allow students the opportunity to compare the novel, Factotum, with its adaptation to the screen). |
| 2 | Lesson 2 – Chapters 1-11 (pp. 11-29) In Lesson 2, we will focus on the first 18 pages of the novel, Factotum. There will also be some supplementary materials, consisting mostly of articles on Bukowski taken from Beat Scene magazine, a small chapbook by Bukowski scholar Abel Debritto and elsewhere. A few samples of Bukowski’s poetry will also be shown on the slides to gradually introduce Bukowski’s style as a poet as well. Looking ahead to Assignment #4 (the presentation), some of the writers of ‘Bukowski’s circle’ (i.e. his contemporaries poets and correspondents), as well as some of his earliest literary influences will be briefly introduced in this lesson. (Note all page references in this syllabus will henceforth refer to the ECCO edition of Factotum). |
| 3 | Lesson 3 – Chapters 12-22 (pp. 30-52) In Lesson 3, we will begin by quickly reviewing content from the previous lessons before continuing on with the next section of Factotum. In this class, we will discuss one of the main themes in Bukowski’s work: the refusal to work. Russell Harrison’s essays on this aspect of Bukowski’s work have been particularly insightful and therefore relevant excerpts from his book Against the American Dream will be introduced and discussed in class. The first assignment on Bukowski’s earliest poetry (from the 1950s and 1960s) will also be uploaded and briefly explained to students in class. |
| 4 | Lesson 4 – Chapters 23-32 (pp. 52-73) In Lesson 4, we will cover the next 21 pages of the novel. Students will be divided into one of four groups, with each group assigned different questions to discuss. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. (Students are awarded participation scores based on effort, rather than grammatical accuracy). Some groups may be assigned questions on supplementary materials (such as poems and essays), considering the short number of pages they are required to read each week. |
| 5 | Lesson 5 – Chapters 33-40 (pp. 74-95) In Lesson 5, we will cover the next 21 pages of the novel (pp. 74-95). As usual students will be divided into one of four groups, with each group assigned different question to discuss. As some slang terms and street language appear in the novel, students will have a chance to confirm the meanings of some of this vocabulary, where necessary. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. Some groups may be assigned questions on supplementary materials (such as poems and essays), considering the short number of pages they are required to read each week. |
| 6 | Lesson 6 – Chapters 41-50 (pp. 95-114) In Lesson 6, we are now around halfway through the novel, so we will do a brief recap of the story so far and students will have a chance to discuss and predict what might happen in the second-half of the novel. This week, we will cover the next 19 pages of the novel. Around this point in the semester, students will be reshuffled and reassigned a new group, so that they will have an opportunity to engage in English discussion with different classmates. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. Some groups may be assigned questions on supplementary materials (such as poems and essays), considering the short number of pages they are required to read each week. |
| 7 | Lesson 7 – Chapters 51-61 (pp. 115-140) In Lesson 7, we will cover the next 25 pages of the novel. As students will be assigned a slightly longer reading task in this lesson, there will be fewer supplementary materials covered. As usual students will be divided into one of four groups, with each group assigned different questions to discuss. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. The second assignment on Bukowski’s 1970s poetry (written around the time he was working on Factotum) will be uploaded and briefly explained. This includes poetry written and published at the height of Bukowski’s fame, and we will briefly discuss changes in Bukowski’s poetry, as compared with his earlier 1960s output. |
| 8 | Lesson 8 – Chapters 62-68 (pp. 140-161) In Lesson 8, we will cover the next 21 pages of the novel. As usual students will be divided into one of four groups (the same group as in the past 2 lessons), with each group assigned different questions to discuss. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. Some groups may be assigned questions on supplementary materials (such as poems and essays), considering the short number of pages they are required to read each week. |
| 9 | Lesson 9 – Chapters 69-80 (pp. 161-185) In Lesson 9, we will cover the next 24 pages of the novel. Students will be reshuffled one more time into yet another group so that they can have chances to discuss the assigned questions in English with other classmates once again. Students should be aware that their end-of-semester participation scores depend on how much they engage in English discussion with their classmates. Some groups may be assigned questions on supplementary materials (such as poems and essays), considering the short number of pages they are required to read each week. As the end of the novel is approaching, students will once again try to anticipate the finish/end of the novel. |
| 10 | Lesson 10 – Chapters 79-87 (pp. 181-205) In Lesson 10, we will read the final chapters of Factotum. In this lesson, students will discuss questions in the same group they had been newly assigned to in Lesson 9. As we finish the novel in this lesson, instead of distributing supplementary materials, students will reflect upon some of the messages of this novel and the Factotum movie will be briefly discussed (and the online link provided for students interested in watching the movie). The final written assignment, Assignment #3, on Bukowski’s later poetry (from the 1980s and 1990s) will be uploaded, explained and briefly discussed. His later works of poetry arguably contain some of his strongest poetic output and the themes of death and mortality will be briefly discussed in class as well. (Note that the deadline for completing Assignment #3 falls after the presentations conducted in the next two weeks, Lessons 11 and 12, so students are encouraged to work on their presentation scripts and slides first). |
| 11 | Lesson 11 – Presentations I In Lessons 11 and 12 students will have a chance to present on ONE of the writers we have discussed over the course of the semester. (Half of the class will present in Lesson 11, the other half in Lesson 12). It may be one of the writers of Bukowski’s circle of friends and correspondents whom we have discussed in class (Richmond, Wantling, Thomas, d. a. levy, Micheline etc.), an early influence on Bukowski (Fante, Hamsun, Jeffers etc.) or it may be another writer we have discussed in passing (such as the Venice Beach beats). Students are asked to prepare a 3-4 minute presentation (PPT presentations are recommended) and students will be asked a couple of questions at the end of the presentation either by the audience or by the teacher. Depending on the size of the class, we will try to cover at least half to two-thirds of the presentations in this lesson, in order to shore up more time for a comprehensive review of the course contents at the end of Lesson 12, as well as in Lesson 13. |
| 12 | Lesson 12 – Presentations II In Lessons 11 and 12 students will have a chance to present on ONE of the writers we have discussed over the course of the semester. (Half of the class will present in Lesson 11, the other half in Lesson 12).It may be one of the writers of Bukowski’s circle of friends and correspondents whom we have discussed in class (Richmond, Wantling, Thomas, d. a. levy, Micheline etc.), an early influence on Bukowski (Fante, Hamsun, Jeffers etc.) or it may be another writer we have discussed in passing (such as the Venice Beach beats). Students are asked to prepare a 3-4 minute presentation (PPT presentations are recommended) and students will be asked a couple of questions at the end of the presentation either by the audience or by the teacher. Depending on the size of the class, we will try to cover at least half to two-thirds of the presentations in this lesson, in order to shore up more time for a comprehensive review of the course contents at the end of Lesson 12, as well as in Lesson 13. |
| 13 | Lesson 13 – Comprehensive Review This lesson will be devoted to covering the main points and themes throughout the course that we have covered in Factotum and the various Bukowski-related supplementary materials that students read while completing their assignments, to prepare students for the final test in Lesson 14. If we run out of time, review questions will be provided either by email or through a video recording uploaded and shared by the teacher. |
| 14 | Lesson 14 – Final Test In Lesson 14, students will take their final test. All parts of the textbook will be covered in the final test, including some of the materials (poems) used in Assignments 1-3 as well as supplementary materials (articles, essays, recordings). There will be three sections to the final test: 1) in the first section students will answer multiple-choice questions (10 pts.); 2) in the second section students will write short answers (10 pts.); 3) in the third section, students will write one essay on topics relating to Bukowski’s writings covered in Factotum or the general topic of street and outlaw writing, or they will have the option of writing a film-criticism essay in which they compare the novel with the screen adaptation of Factotum, which they are asked to watch in their own time outside of class. |
板書 /Writing on the Board
スライド（パワーポイント等）の使用 /Slides (PowerPoint, etc.)
上記以外の視聴覚教材の使用 /Audiovisual Materials Other than Those Listed Above
個人発表 /Individual Presentations
グループ発表 /Group Presentations
ディスカッション・ディベート /Discussion/Debate
実技・実習・実験 /Practicum/Experiments/Practical Training
学内の教室外施設の利用 /Use of On-Campus Facilities Outside the Classroom
校外実習・フィールドワーク /Field Work
上記いずれも用いない予定 /None of the above
In addition to the weekly reading assignments from the textbook, students will also be encouraged to read and explore other supplementary sources of information. Some of the supplementary reading materials will be provided by the teacher (either photocopies handed out in class or sent by email or uploaded onto a Google Classroom webpage, set up specifically for this course) and extra 'recommending reading' sections will be suggested by the teachers to help them enrich their understanding of the novel, the writer, the field of street/outlaw writing, and the course overall. Many of the extra articles on Charles Bukowski will be taken from Beat Scene magazine as well as excerpts from Howard Sounes’ biography on him, Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life, the excellent collection of essays called Against the American Dream: Essays on Charles Bukowski by Russell Harrison, the recent very thorough bio-bibliography called A Catalog of Ordinary Madness by Bukowski scholar, Able Debritto, as well as other smaller chapbooks and books on the LA writer.
| 種類 (Kind) | 割合 (%) | 基準 (Criteria) |
|---|---|---|
| 平常点 (In-class Points) | 100 |
Assignment #1 (Early Poems)(10%) Assignment #2 (Mid-career Poems)(10%) Assignment #3 (Late Poems)(10%) Assignment #4 (Presentation)(10%) 最終テスト(Final Test)(30%) In-class discussions & participation(30%) |
| 備考 (Notes) | ||
| No | 著者名 (Author/Editor) | 書籍名 (Title) | 出版社 (Publisher) | 出版年 (Date) | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bukowski, Charles. | Factotum | Ecco | 2002 | 9780876852637 |
| 2 | Bukowski, Charles. | Pleasures of the Damned: Poems, 1951-1993 ures of the Damned | Ecco | 2008 | 9780061228445 |
| 4 | Harrison, Russell. | Against the American Dream: Essays on Charles Bukowski. | Black Sparrow Press | 1994 | 9780876859612 |
| No | 著者名 (Author/Editor) | 書籍名 (Title) | 出版社 (Publisher) | 出版年 (Date) | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bukowski, Charles. | Pleasures of the Damned: Poems, 1951-1993. | Ecco | 2008 | 9780061228445 |
| 2 | Fox, Hugh. | Charles Bukowski: A Critical and Biographical Study. | Abyss Publications. | 1968 | |
| 3 | Harrison, Russell. | Against the American Dream: Essays on Charles Bukowski. | Black Sparrow Press | 1994 | 9780876859612 |
| 4 | Debritto, Abel. | A Catalog of Ordinary Madness: A Complete Bio-bibliography of the Works of Charles Bukowski. | Chatwin Books. | 2024 | 9781633981720 |
Having a laptop computer, iPad or similar device will be helpful, especially for taking class/lecture notes and for helping students prepare for their presentations.
Students intending to enroll in this course are advised that some of the contents of this class (sexual themes, violence etc.) may be offensive to some people.