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FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE

ADVANCED SPANISH [SPA 375] | The Art of Prose in Spanish
Spring | Primavera 2017

MW | 1:00-2:20pm | Shadek-Fackenthal Library 106

Prof.: Sergio Díaz-Luna [he/him/his] | sergio.diazluna@fandm.edu

Office: Keiper 111 | Hours: MW | 11am-12pm; T | 10am-12pm &/or by appointment.

El sabor de la tierra—Edmond Baudoin & Jean-Marc Troubet “Troubs” (Astiberri, 2013)

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C REATIVE W RITING
“T HE A RT OF P ROSE IN S PANISH ”
DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES
This is a workshop course to introduce you to creative writing in Spanish, focusing on prose:
creative nonfiction (chronicles, memoirs, profiles, narrative and personal
essays, testimonies, and so on) as well as literary fiction (short stories). There will be
much experimental work, short spontaneous exercises in class and weekly reading assignments,
designed to encourage you to push your writing in Spanish to a new level of craft, and to get you
to try different things. Reading “the masters” (Rodolfo Walsh, Elena Poniatowska, Leila
Guerriero, Julio Cortázar, Gabriel García Márquez, among many others) will connect us with
both the fundamental elements of fiction (narrative structure, style, and content) and the
chronicler’s main subjects (place, people, and things/situations/actual states of affairs in the
world).

This course operates on the belief that you will improve as a writer not just by writing every
week and receiving detailed criticism from both your instructor and your class peers, but also by
becoming a more sophisticated and articulate critic of other writers’ work. We will also have the
opportunity to interact (via Skype) with professional writers.
*No previous experience is required, only a big imagination and an accurate
sense of observation.
Se trata de un curso-taller [práctico] para relacionarse con la escritura creativa en español,
concentrado en la prosa: literatura de no ficción (crónicas, memorias, perfiles, ensayos narrativos
y personales, testimonios, etc.), así como la ficción literaria (especialmente cuentos). Habrá
mucho trabajo experimental, ejercicios cortos y espontáneos en clase y tareas semanales de
lectura, diseñadas para animarle a empujar su escritura en español a un nuevo nivel de
producción y para experimentar con nuevas técnicas en el proceso creativo. La lectura de “los
maestros” (Rodolfo Walsh, Elena Poniatowska, Leila Guerriero, Julio Cortázar, Gabriel García
Márquez, entre otros) nos conectará tanto con los elementos fundamentales de la ficción
(estructura narrativa, estilo y contenido) y los temas principales del cronista (lugares, personajes,
y ambientes/situaciones/estados reales y cuestiones del mundo).

Este curso opera sobre la creencia de que mejora como escritor no sólo escribiendo cada semana
y recibiendo críticas detalladas tanto de su instructor como de sus compañeros de clase, sino
también convirtiéndose en un crítico más sofisticado y articulado del trabajo de otros escritores.
Interactuaremos (vía Skype) con escritores profesionales.

Course Objectives:
• explore the creative process through writing,
• define/determine individual goals as a writer,
• expand & refine vocabulary & style resources,
• become familiar with the conventions of craft (specific to genre),
• learn about varied techniques of fiction, non-fiction (& poetry),
• learn how to critique (and be critiqued) constructively,
• reinforce revising skills, not only of language but also of ideas,
• prepare a portfolio of original texts (approx. 6000 words total),
• prepare a text for submission to a publisher or competition.
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Materials: Reading assignments [short stories/essays/news/articles, etc] will be available on

Canvas*.

1. Operación masacre—Rodolfo Walsh (Book)

2. “Operación masacre: Investigación y escritura”—Roberto Ferro (Article)
3. “Coser y cantar”—Dolores Prida (Play)
4. “Coser y cantar de Dolores Prida. El trenzar dramático de la asimilación...”—Alberto
Sandoval Sánchez (Article)
5. “Cuando era puertorriqueña”—Esmeralda Santiago (Introduction)
6. Querido Diego, te abraza Quiela—Elena Poniatowska (Book)
7. “‘Siento que también yo podría borrarme con facilidad’: Epistolaridad y constitución
del(os) sujeto(s) en Querido Diego, te abraza Quiela”—Pablo Brescia. (Article)
8. El sabor de la tierra—Edmond Baudoin & Jean-Marc Troubet “Troubs” (Book)
9. Así me nació la conciencia—Rigoberta Menchú (Fragments)
10. “¿Dónde estaba yo cuando escribí esto?”—Leila Guerriero (Chronicle)
11. “El mejor oficio del mundo”—Gabriel García Márquez (octubre 7 de 1996) (Conference)

* A selection of readings for analysis & discussion: fiction, non-fiction (and

poetry).

1. Canvas: We will be using Canvas [a Learning Management System] to support this

course. All course information and main assignments will be organized by week under
‘Modules’. Be sure to check the modules list to see how to prepare before coming to
class; pre-class preparation will be listed each week. We will also use the discussion
forum feature in Canvas for online discussions.

Course Components and Grading:

Performance Tests Homework Compositions Final Paper
&
Extracurricular [5% | 4] [3% | 10] [5% | 4]
events
20% 20% 30% 20% 10%

Grading Scale:
94-100 A 87-89 B+ 77-79 C+ 67-69 D+ 59 and below F
90-93 A- 84-86 B 74-76 C 64-66 D
80-83 B- 70-73 C- 60-63 D-

REQUIREMENTS
Participation & attendance [20%]:
Students are expected to actively and vocally participate in class—making frequent,
productive, and unsolicited contributions in class, thereby demonstrating a solid grasp
of the reading materials, lecture topics, and film analysis covered during the semester. Also,
participation means to demonstrate respect and collegiality with your classmates and myself. In-
class writing exercises and small group activities fall under the participation
requirement. I will assign two participation grades, one during mid-semester and another at the
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end of the term; if you would like to know how you are doing in terms of your participation
grade before then, please feel free to come to my office during office hours to discuss it.

E Quality participation means…

• arriving in class on time with all assigned homework completed;
• being prepared to interact with your classmates and your instructor meaningfully in
Spanish;
• asking and responding to questions thoughtfully;
• listening to and contributing comments respectfully

E Attendance: You are allowed 2 absences after which 2% will be deducted from the
final grade for each day missed: 3 absences = -2%; 4 absences = -4%; 5 absences = -6%.
Absences are not considered excused unless I receive notice of an exceptional circumstance
from the Dean’s Office. Be prompt! Three late arrivals constitute an absence. Plan
carefully! Late homework will not be accepted & major assignments/exams cannot be
made up. Students missing 30% of class meetings for any reason will automatically fail the
course.

E Community & Culture: You are invited to participate in three (3) co-curricular
events on campus and/or in the community this semester. There will be various extra curricular
events sponsored by the Spanish Department or/and by the College related to the Spanish-
speaking world. A calendar of events will be maintained on our Canvas site. These activities
will count for 30% of your participation grade [that means: if you choose not to complete them,
the highest score you can receive in participation is 70%]. To obtain the percentage assigned for
this category, you have to write a reflection paper on each (250 words minimum for each event)
by the deadlines indicated on the schedule. Essays should be a one page maximum, double-
spaced, explaining/describing any particular aspect of the presentation you find interesting.
Compositions & Final paper/text [20% + 10%]:
During the semester, students will write a total of four compositions. Each text will require a first
draft and a final version. Most likely, we will spend time in class to work on these works.
Homework assignments [30%]:
This is, without a doubt, the most crucial component of the course, and the one facet of the
course that demands the majority of your time and effort on a continuous basis. The homework
assignments will help you develop your understanding of key thematic issues of the course,
review grammar, and prepare you for each class meeting and tests. More importantly, you will
practice the skill of active reading and creative writing which will give me an accurate
assessment of your intellectual progress and comprehension of the course materials throughout
the semester. There will be a total of 10 homework assignments.
HOMEWORK MUST BE TYPED, STAPLED, AND TURNED IN AT THE END
OF CLASS. You will be penalized for late homework and/or if it is submitted
via email. NO EXCEPTIONS). Compositions cannot be made up and deadlines
are non-negotiable.
Tests [20%]:
This is a component of the course that assesses your overall progress during the semester:
grammar, writing and reading skills, and comprehension of readings and films. We will talk
about the format and content of each test in class.

E Academic integrity: Be a good citizen! Behaviors that interfere with student

learning and/or violate university policy will result in disciplinary action and referral to the
Committee on Student Conduct. This includes plagiarism. Do not submit any work for this
course that is not your own. Please be aware that summarizing or paraphrasing the ideas of an
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author without the appropriate citation, the use of online translators and help from friends or
classmates may all constitute plagiarism. The College policy on academic honesty is outlined in
detail in the Catalog (pp. 201-04).

E Cell Phones and Computers: Unless otherwise indicated, your cell phones and
laptop computers should not be visible during class. Students using cell phones and/or computers
during class will forfeit their participation points for the day.

E Mandatory Reporting of Sexual Misconduct: All faculty and staff at Franklin &
Marshall College are mandated reporters of sexual misconduct. Mandated reporters who witness
or hear about instances of possible sexual misconduct are required to report to the appropriate
person what they saw or observed. Should a student want to report to a confidential resource, the
personnel at the following campus offices are able to keep reports of sexual misconduct
confidential and are not required to report to the College: Counseling Services, Appel Health
Services, the College Chaplain, and the Sexual Assault Response Line. All of these offices have
individuals on staff whose licenses permit them to keep confidential what is told to them. The
best way to reach these offices is to call them directly during daytime hours or call the Sexual
Assault Response Line (SARL), 24/7, at 717-560-7311.

E College's Office of Disability Services (ODS) At Franklin & Marshall College,

one of our goals is to create an accessible learning environment for all students. If you anticipate
or experience a barrier based on a disability, such as a learning disability, mental health concern,
or mobility impairment, please contact the College's Office of Disability Services (ODS) in order
to establish reasonable accommodations per College policy. ODS contact: 717-358-5988, 623
College Av or www.fandm.edu/disabilityservices.
THE FINE PRINT
This syllabus and seminar schedule may change throughout the quarter depending on student
learning needs and instructor judgment. Stay tuned.

F ECHAS IM PORTANTES PARA LA ENTREGA DE E NSAYOS

Composición 1: 2/06 [1ª versión] & 2/15 [versión final]
Composición 2: 2/22 [1ª versión] & 3/08 [versión final]
Composición 3: 3/27 [1ª versión] & 4/05 [versión final]
Composición 4: 4/12 [1ª versión] & 4/24 [versión final]
Ensayo final: 5/02-06

C RONOGRAM A
SEM ANA 1
1/18 Presentación del curso.
SEM ANA 2
1/23 ¿Qué es una historia?
1/25 ¿Cuál es su historia? (taller de escritura) + Tarea/Diario
SEM ANA 3
1/30 ¿De dónde vienen las ideas? (taller de escritura)
2/01 El perfil de personaje + Tarea 2
SEM ANA 4
2/06 Composición 1, versión 1: El perfil personal (taller de escritura)
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2/08 La(s) biografía(s) + Tarea 3

SEM ANA 5
2/13 Composición 1, v.2 [peer review]
2/15 TEST 1: Historia e ideas + Tarea 4/Diario + Comp. 1
SEM ANA 6
2/20 Escenarios, lugares y atmósfera/ambientación.
Entregar reflexión 1
2/22 Composición 2, v.1: El relato de viajes (taller de escritura)
SEM ANA 7
2/27 TEST 2: Perfil de personaje & biografía
3/01 Tarea 5
SEM ANA 8
3/06 Composición 2, v.2 [ peer review]
3/08 La epístola + Tarea 6 + Comp. 2
SEM ANA 9
3/20 El relato de viaje y la epístola (taller de escritura)
3/22 Entregar reflexión 2 + TEST 3: el relato de viajes y la epístola
SEM ANA 10
3/27 Composición 3, v.1: Una autobiografía ensayística
3/29 Tarea 7/Diario
SEM ANA 11
4/03 Composición 3, v.2 [ peer review]
4/05 Tarea 8 + Comp. 3: La crónica
SEM ANA 12
4/10 TEST 4: la autobiografía ensayística
4/12 Composición 4, v.1: La crónica (taller de escritura)
SEM ANA 13
4/17 El testimonio (taller de escritura)
4/19 Composición 4, [ peer review] + Tarea 9/Diario
SEM ANA 14
4/24 Tarea 10 + Comp. 4
4/26 Entrega ensayo final | Entregar reflexión 3
SEM ANA DE EXÁM ENES FINALES
5/[02-06] TBA. Ver Canvas.

Usar TODA la información del curso y aplicarla en

la vida académica y en su vida práctica.
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J
© Sergio Díaz-Luna | Franklin & Marshall [2016-2018]