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 |
AM056/AM056AM056 |
| テーマ・サブタイトル等/ Theme・SubtitleTheme・Subtitle |
Street Poets II: Micheline |
| 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 |
秋学期/Fall semesterFall 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 texts 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 of the United States during the second-half of the twentieth century.
To provide students with a better contextual background, some supplementary materials and information on Jack Micheline and his circle of correspondents and fellow writers from both within and outside of the Beat Generation, 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 and Part 2), three or four writers of a similar ilk will be introduced as a means of comparison against the writings of Jack Micheline himself (the same form of comparison was conducted with Charles Bukowski’s work in the first semester), to help students deepen their understanding of certain aspects of what some have called ‘street poetry’ or ‘outlaw poetry’ or ‘vagabond poetry’. Micheline is also commonly referred to as a ‘Beat poet’ so Beat poetry and philosophy will also be broached from time to time during this course. Along with Bukowski and Micheline, other writers that we will discuss during this course (who all knew Micheline well) include Jack Kerouac, Bob Kaufman, Harold Norse, Jack Hirschman, Tony Scibella, Janine Pommy-Vega, Marty Matz, Michael McClure, Steve Tropp, Piero Heliczer 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 texts provided by their teacher in class, and listening to some of the existing recordings of Jack Micheline reading from his own poetry (some of which are in the teacher’s possession) as well as short interviews available on YouTube. 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.
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 the 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. Three written homework assignments will be assigned on supplementary materials provided in class. While the main textbook used in class, One of a Kind, is a work of poetry, the assignments will be based on some of Micheline’s prose (short stories) as well as poetry from his other well-known but unfortunately out-of-print books, especially his major collections North of Manhattan and Sixty-seven Poems for Downtrodden Saints. The supplementary text, available in the Rikkyo Library, In the Bronx, represents one of the best collections of Micheline’s prose (and was recently re-published by Micheline’s son). Assignment #1 #2 and #3 will be based around some supplementary materials (not in the textbook), including some short stories taken from In the Bronx and other poetry and prose collections. 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 orthodox academia (NOTE: this will already be familiar to those who took Street Poets I: Bukowski in the Spring term);
2. the style, structure, musicality, aims and various complexities found within Jack Micheline’s writings (both prose and poetry), with a particular focus on his poetry in class (and some prose 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 Micheline’s life, times and ongoing legacy upon American letters as a whole (There is an excellent festschrift / celebration of Micheline’s life and writings called Ragged Lion, which 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 offer enrolled students the opportunity to read and discuss Jack Micheline’s poetry and prose. We will be using the book, One of a Kind as the main textbook for this class for 2 reasons: 1) it offers a brief but good overview of Micheline’s poetry; and 2) it is, unfortunately, one of only a few books by Micheline that is still in print today. As mentioned above, extra poems from two major sources, North of Manhattan (Micheline’s greatest collection of poems), and Sixty-seven Poems for Downtrodden Saints will also be referred to and copies of some poems from these books will be provided in class. Importantly, where possible, the teacher aims to address the relevance of certain themes that appear throughout Micheline's poems that can be considered, also, from the perspective of contemporary social issues across the globe, including Japan.
Most supplementary notes have been drawn from a few very helpful texts: the 1999 Ragged Lion: A Tribute to Jack Micheline edited by Matt Gonzales, represents the major collection of writings by and about Jack Micheline to date, an essay on Micheline by Kerouac scholar Gerald Nicosia (included in Beatdom 23), a small chapbook on the street poet by Jack Hirschman, plus several key articles on Micheline from Beat Scene magazine. Finally, where possible, the teacher will use any audio files by or on the writer. The aim of sharing these materials is twofold: to enrich students’ knowledge of Jack Micheline, his writings and his perceptions of the world; and to help them enjoy studying poetry and prose through audio materials, not just the written page. As Micheline was known as much by his entertaining and very musical 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.
| 1 | Lesson 1 – An Introduction to Jack Micheline, Street Poetry & the Beat Generation In our first class for the course, Street Poets II: Micheline, we will begin by discussing the social contexts of several decades during which Micheline lived, both on the East Coast and West Coast, starting from the 1950s (when Micheline began publishing his work in 1958 with his first book River of Red Wine) right up until the late 1990s (he died in 1998). We will also take a look at some of Micheline’s major influences who came before his time (such as Vachel Lindsay, Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire, Garcia Lorca) or those who were contemporaries (such as Jack Kerouac, Bob Kaufman, Jack Hirshman, Harold Norse, Charles Bukowski, Steve Tropp, Marty Matz and others). Although each of these poets is different 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, of which Micheline played an important role, including in the Wormwood magazine publications edited by Marvin Malone (an early champion of Charles Bukowski’s work as well). We will also briefly discuss the censorship trial of Micheline’s short story, Skinny Dynamite. 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 be shown a few videos of Micheline reading from his poems that are available online. |
| 2 | Lesson 2 – Introduction + One of a Kind: pages 1-15 In Lesson 2, we will focus on the first 15 pages of the textbook, One of a Kind, including the introduction to the book. There will also be some supplementary materials, consisting mostly of articles on Bukowski taken from Beat Scene magazine, as well as some other articles on Micheline by Nicosia and Hirshman. A few samples of Micheline’s paintings will also be shown on the slides to gradually introduce Micheline’s style as a painter and visual artist as well. Looking ahead to Assignment #4 (the presentation), some of the writers who knew and corresponded with Micheline (i.e. his contemporaries poets and correspondents), as well as some of his earliest literary influences will be briefly introduced in this lesson as well. |
| 3 | Lesson 3 – One of a Kind: Pages 16-31 In Lesson 3, we will begin by quickly reviewing content from the previous lesson before continuing on with the next section of One of a Kind. (Students will generally be asked to read around 15 pages of the textbook per week, plus some supplementary materials). In this class, we will discuss one of the main themes in Micheline’s work: the independent mind and the freedom to live life as one desires (a key theme that links Micheline with other Beat poets). The first assignment on Micheline’s early short stories (from the 1960s) will also be uploaded and briefly explained to students in class. |
| 4 | B>Lesson 4 – One of a Kind: pages 32-47 In Lesson 4, we will cover the next 15 pages of the textbook. Students will be divided into one of four groups, with each group assigned different question 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 – One of a Kind: Pages 49-69 In Lesson 5, we will cover the next 20 pages of One of a Kind. 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 – One of a Kind: Pages 70-85 This week, in Lesson 6, we will cover the next 15 pages of the textbook. 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 – One of a Kind: Pages 86-103 In Lesson 7, we will cover the next 17 pages of this book of poems and drawings. As usual, some supplementary materials will be provided. As usual students will be divided into one of four groups, with each group assigned different question 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 Micheline’s essay on censorship will be uploaded and briefly explained. Micheline’s position on censorship is key to understanding the Beats’ position on pushing the conservative status quo in the field of accepted literature. We will also briefly address other well-known censorship trials of this era, such as the famous "Howl" trial and "Naked Lunch" trial. |
| 8 | Lesson 8 – One of a Kind: Pages 104-129 In Lesson 8, we will cover the next 25 pages of the book. This week’s reading assignment includes many reprints of Micheline’s drawings and paintings and therefore we will talk about Micheline’s career as a painter in this week as well. (For students interested in painting, there will be an essay topic about painting on the final test). 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 – One of a Kind: Pages 130-155 In Lesson 9, we will read the closing pages of One of a Kind. In this week's class, we have more pages to cover and discuss, especially Micheline’s major work “A Letter to Jack Kerouac in Heaven.” We will discuss two of Micheline’s major influences (Bukowski and Kerouac), and how he has been placed in both the ‘Beat’ category and ‘street poet’ category. |
| 10 | Lesson 10 – Supplementary materials In Lesson 10, we will study some supplementary materials by Jack Micheline and about Jack Micheline. A selection of poems and short stories from some of his other out-of-print works will be shared in class. We will also take a look at some of the essays that have been written on this Beat poet. |
| 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. It may be one of the writers of Micheline’s circle of friends and correspondents or literary influences whom we have discussed in class (Vachel Lindsay, Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire, Garcia Lorca, Jack Kerouac, Bob Kaufman, Jack Hirshman, Harold Norse, Charles Bukowski, Steve Tropp, Marty Matz, etc.) or another writer we have discussed in passing (such as the Venice Beat 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. It may be one of the writers of Micheline’s circle of friends and correspondents or literary influences whom we have discussed in class (Vachel Lindsay, Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire, Garcia Lorca, Jack Kerouac, Bob Kaufman, Jack Hirshman, Harold Norse, Charles Bukowski, Steve Tropp, Marty Matz etc.) or another writer we have discussed in passing (such as the Venice Beat 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 One of a Kind and the various Micheline-related 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 (One of a Kind) 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 Micheline’s writings covered in One of a Kind or the general topic of street and outlaw writing, or they will have the option of writing an essay on Micheline’s songwriting / musical compositions, or career as a painter. (NOTE: access to the supplementary audio recordings of Micheline’s songs will be provided where necessary). |
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 Jack Micheline will be taken from Beat Scene magazine as well as excerpts from, Ragged Lion, and other essays on Micheline by Nicosia, Hirschman and others.
| 種類 (Kind) | 割合 (%) | 基準 (Criteria) |
|---|---|---|
| 平常点 (In-class Points) | 100 |
Assignment #1 (Short stories)(10%) Assignment #2 (Essay on Censorship)(10%) Assignment #3 (Other poems)(10%) Assignment #4 (Presentation)(10%) In-class discussions & participation(30%) 最終テスト(Final Test)(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 | Micheline, Jack. | One of a Kind. | Ugly Duckling Press | 2008 | 9781933254418 |
| No | 著者名 (Author/Editor) | 書籍名 (Title) | 出版社 (Publisher) | 出版年 (Date) | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Micheline, Jack. | In the Bronx | Martino Fine Books. | 2019 | 9781684223022 |
| 2 | Micheline, Jack & Gonzales, Matt (ed.). | Ragged Lion: A Tribute to Jack Micheline. | Vagabond Press | 1999 | 9780912824390 |
| 3 | Wills, David. | Beatdom 23: The Environment Issue | Self-published | 2023 | 9798394509254 |
It will help to have a laptop computer in order to take lecture/class notes and prepare the script and slides for the presentation assignment.
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, One of a Kind, 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 Micheline and his friends and correspondents will be distributed from time to time in class.
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 texts 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 of the United States during the second-half of the twentieth century.
To provide students with a better contextual background, some supplementary materials and information on Jack Micheline and his circle of correspondents and fellow writers from both within and outside of the Beat Generation, 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 and Part 2), three or four writers of a similar ilk will be introduced as a means of comparison against the writings of Jack Micheline himself (the same form of comparison was conducted with Charles Bukowski’s work in the first semester), to help students deepen their understanding of certain aspects of what some have called ‘street poetry’ or ‘outlaw poetry’ or ‘vagabond poetry’. Micheline is also commonly referred to as a ‘Beat poet’ so Beat poetry and philosophy will also be broached from time to time during this course. Along with Bukowski and Micheline, other writers that we will discuss during this course (who all knew Micheline well) include Jack Kerouac, Bob Kaufman, Harold Norse, Jack Hirschman, Tony Scibella, Janine Pommy-Vega, Marty Matz, Michael McClure, Steve Tropp, Piero Heliczer 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 texts provided by their teacher in class, and listening to some of the existing recordings of Jack Micheline reading from his own poetry (some of which are in the teacher’s possession) as well as short interviews available on YouTube. 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.
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 the 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. Three written homework assignments will be assigned on supplementary materials provided in class. While the main textbook used in class, One of a Kind, is a work of poetry, the assignments will be based on some of Micheline’s prose (short stories) as well as poetry from his other well-known but unfortunately out-of-print books, especially his major collections North of Manhattan and Sixty-seven Poems for Downtrodden Saints. The supplementary text, available in the Rikkyo Library, In the Bronx, represents one of the best collections of Micheline’s prose (and was recently re-published by Micheline’s son). Assignment #1 #2 and #3 will be based around some supplementary materials (not in the textbook), including some short stories taken from In the Bronx and other poetry and prose collections. 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 orthodox academia (NOTE: this will already be familiar to those who took Street Poets I: Bukowski in the Spring term);
2. the style, structure, musicality, aims and various complexities found within Jack Micheline’s writings (both prose and poetry), with a particular focus on his poetry in class (and some prose 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 Micheline’s life, times and ongoing legacy upon American letters as a whole (There is an excellent festschrift / celebration of Micheline’s life and writings called Ragged Lion, which 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 offer enrolled students the opportunity to read and discuss Jack Micheline’s poetry and prose. We will be using the book, One of a Kind as the main textbook for this class for 2 reasons: 1) it offers a brief but good overview of Micheline’s poetry; and 2) it is, unfortunately, one of only a few books by Micheline that is still in print today. As mentioned above, extra poems from two major sources, North of Manhattan (Micheline’s greatest collection of poems), and Sixty-seven Poems for Downtrodden Saints will also be referred to and copies of some poems from these books will be provided in class. Importantly, where possible, the teacher aims to address the relevance of certain themes that appear throughout Micheline's poems that can be considered, also, from the perspective of contemporary social issues across the globe, including Japan.
Most supplementary notes have been drawn from a few very helpful texts: the 1999 Ragged Lion: A Tribute to Jack Micheline edited by Matt Gonzales, represents the major collection of writings by and about Jack Micheline to date, an essay on Micheline by Kerouac scholar Gerald Nicosia (included in Beatdom 23), a small chapbook on the street poet by Jack Hirschman, plus several key articles on Micheline from Beat Scene magazine. Finally, where possible, the teacher will use any audio files by or on the writer. The aim of sharing these materials is twofold: to enrich students’ knowledge of Jack Micheline, his writings and his perceptions of the world; and to help them enjoy studying poetry and prose through audio materials, not just the written page. As Micheline was known as much by his entertaining and very musical 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.
| 1 | Lesson 1 – An Introduction to Jack Micheline, Street Poetry & the Beat Generation In our first class for the course, Street Poets II: Micheline, we will begin by discussing the social contexts of several decades during which Micheline lived, both on the East Coast and West Coast, starting from the 1950s (when Micheline began publishing his work in 1958 with his first book River of Red Wine) right up until the late 1990s (he died in 1998). We will also take a look at some of Micheline’s major influences who came before his time (such as Vachel Lindsay, Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire, Garcia Lorca) or those who were contemporaries (such as Jack Kerouac, Bob Kaufman, Jack Hirshman, Harold Norse, Charles Bukowski, Steve Tropp, Marty Matz and others). Although each of these poets is different 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, of which Micheline played an important role, including in the Wormwood magazine publications edited by Marvin Malone (an early champion of Charles Bukowski’s work as well). We will also briefly discuss the censorship trial of Micheline’s short story, Skinny Dynamite. 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 be shown a few videos of Micheline reading from his poems that are available online. |
| 2 | Lesson 2 – Introduction + One of a Kind: pages 1-15 In Lesson 2, we will focus on the first 15 pages of the textbook, One of a Kind, including the introduction to the book. There will also be some supplementary materials, consisting mostly of articles on Bukowski taken from Beat Scene magazine, as well as some other articles on Micheline by Nicosia and Hirshman. A few samples of Micheline’s paintings will also be shown on the slides to gradually introduce Micheline’s style as a painter and visual artist as well. Looking ahead to Assignment #4 (the presentation), some of the writers who knew and corresponded with Micheline (i.e. his contemporaries poets and correspondents), as well as some of his earliest literary influences will be briefly introduced in this lesson as well. |
| 3 | Lesson 3 – One of a Kind: Pages 16-31 In Lesson 3, we will begin by quickly reviewing content from the previous lesson before continuing on with the next section of One of a Kind. (Students will generally be asked to read around 15 pages of the textbook per week, plus some supplementary materials). In this class, we will discuss one of the main themes in Micheline’s work: the independent mind and the freedom to live life as one desires (a key theme that links Micheline with other Beat poets). The first assignment on Micheline’s early short stories (from the 1960s) will also be uploaded and briefly explained to students in class. |
| 4 | B>Lesson 4 – One of a Kind: pages 32-47 In Lesson 4, we will cover the next 15 pages of the textbook. Students will be divided into one of four groups, with each group assigned different question 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 – One of a Kind: Pages 49-69 In Lesson 5, we will cover the next 20 pages of One of a Kind. 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 – One of a Kind: Pages 70-85 This week, in Lesson 6, we will cover the next 15 pages of the textbook. 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 – One of a Kind: Pages 86-103 In Lesson 7, we will cover the next 17 pages of this book of poems and drawings. As usual, some supplementary materials will be provided. As usual students will be divided into one of four groups, with each group assigned different question 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 Micheline’s essay on censorship will be uploaded and briefly explained. Micheline’s position on censorship is key to understanding the Beats’ position on pushing the conservative status quo in the field of accepted literature. We will also briefly address other well-known censorship trials of this era, such as the famous "Howl" trial and "Naked Lunch" trial. |
| 8 | Lesson 8 – One of a Kind: Pages 104-129 In Lesson 8, we will cover the next 25 pages of the book. This week’s reading assignment includes many reprints of Micheline’s drawings and paintings and therefore we will talk about Micheline’s career as a painter in this week as well. (For students interested in painting, there will be an essay topic about painting on the final test). 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 – One of a Kind: Pages 130-155 In Lesson 9, we will read the closing pages of One of a Kind. In this week's class, we have more pages to cover and discuss, especially Micheline’s major work “A Letter to Jack Kerouac in Heaven.” We will discuss two of Micheline’s major influences (Bukowski and Kerouac), and how he has been placed in both the ‘Beat’ category and ‘street poet’ category. |
| 10 | Lesson 10 – Supplementary materials In Lesson 10, we will study some supplementary materials by Jack Micheline and about Jack Micheline. A selection of poems and short stories from some of his other out-of-print works will be shared in class. We will also take a look at some of the essays that have been written on this Beat poet. |
| 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. It may be one of the writers of Micheline’s circle of friends and correspondents or literary influences whom we have discussed in class (Vachel Lindsay, Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire, Garcia Lorca, Jack Kerouac, Bob Kaufman, Jack Hirshman, Harold Norse, Charles Bukowski, Steve Tropp, Marty Matz, etc.) or another writer we have discussed in passing (such as the Venice Beat 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. It may be one of the writers of Micheline’s circle of friends and correspondents or literary influences whom we have discussed in class (Vachel Lindsay, Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire, Garcia Lorca, Jack Kerouac, Bob Kaufman, Jack Hirshman, Harold Norse, Charles Bukowski, Steve Tropp, Marty Matz etc.) or another writer we have discussed in passing (such as the Venice Beat 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 One of a Kind and the various Micheline-related 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 (One of a Kind) 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 Micheline’s writings covered in One of a Kind or the general topic of street and outlaw writing, or they will have the option of writing an essay on Micheline’s songwriting / musical compositions, or career as a painter. (NOTE: access to the supplementary audio recordings of Micheline’s songs will be provided where necessary). |
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 Jack Micheline will be taken from Beat Scene magazine as well as excerpts from, Ragged Lion, and other essays on Micheline by Nicosia, Hirschman and others.
| 種類 (Kind) | 割合 (%) | 基準 (Criteria) |
|---|---|---|
| 平常点 (In-class Points) | 100 |
Assignment #1 (Short stories)(10%) Assignment #2 (Essay on Censorship)(10%) Assignment #3 (Other poems)(10%) Assignment #4 (Presentation)(10%) In-class discussions & participation(30%) 最終テスト(Final Test)(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 | Micheline, Jack. | One of a Kind. | Ugly Duckling Press | 2008 | 9781933254418 |
| No | 著者名 (Author/Editor) | 書籍名 (Title) | 出版社 (Publisher) | 出版年 (Date) | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Micheline, Jack. | In the Bronx | Martino Fine Books. | 2019 | 9781684223022 |
| 2 | Micheline, Jack & Gonzales, Matt (ed.). | Ragged Lion: A Tribute to Jack Micheline. | Vagabond Press | 1999 | 9780912824390 |
| 3 | Wills, David. | Beatdom 23: The Environment Issue | Self-published | 2023 | 9798394509254 |
It will help to have a laptop computer in order to take lecture/class notes and prepare the script and slides for the presentation assignment.
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, One of a Kind, 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 Micheline and his friends and correspondents will be distributed from time to time in class.