Perelandra College Syllabus
Class title: The Fiction of C.;S. Lewis
Class Schedule: Self-paced, recommend 12 weeks
Class Location/Times: On-line. This course is asynchronous, meaning that assignments can be completed and submitted at any time within the limits specified by the professor.
Class Description: Engaging with several influential modern and contemporary authors.
Class Materials:
The Chronicles of Narnias: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe; The Horse and his Boy; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair; The Last Battle; The Magician’s Nephew
The Space Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet; Perelandra; That Hideous Strength.
Till We Have Faces.
The Life and Writing of C.S. Lewis, a Great Courses lectureby Louis Markos.
Should you decided to purchase any or all of the texts through the links at perelandra.edu/books, the college will receive a small kickback and thereby help us keep tuition to a minimum.
Professor’s Name, Telephone, E-mail Address, Availability:
Ken Kuhlken
ken@perelandra.edu
www.kenkuhlken.net
619-335-0441
Prefer email. Please no phone calls evenings or weekends unless a matter is urgent.
Professor’s Bio:
Some of Ken’s favorites are early mornings, the desert in spring, kind and honest people, baseball and other sports played by those who don’t take themselves too seriously, most kids, and films he and his Zoe can enjoy together.
He reads a lot.
He has long been the author of novels, stories, articles, poems, and essays. Lots of honors have come his way, including a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship; Poets, Essayists and Novelist’s Ernest Hemingway Award; Private Eye Writers of America Best First Novel and Shamus Best Novel; and several San Diego and Los Angeles Book Awards.
In Writing and the Spirit, he offers a wealth of advice to writers and everyone looking for inspiration.
He has taught all kinds of literature and writing at the University of Arizona, California State University, Chico, San Diego State University, Christian Heritage College, and Perelandra College.
Ken resides online at: www.kenkuhlken.net
Class Objectives: Students will experience close reading of difficult texts and will grow in their ability to respond to the reading in a variety of literary genres.
Class Evaluation Criteria
This is a competency-based class. In order to receive credit, students must demonstrate the evidence of competency given for each lesson.
Grading is CR (credit) or NR (no record)**. At the conclusion of the class, the professor provides a summary appraisal of the student’s work and progress toward meeting his or her writing goals.
LESSONS
Lesson 1:
Read: The Chronicles of Narnia, Books one through seven
Write*: a substantial essay detailing your opinions about the value of these novels both for adult readers and for children.
Evidence of Competency: Effective, understandable prose, coherent and clear presentation of theme or themes, and logical development.
Lesson 2:
Read: The Space Trilogy
Write* an essay, sermon, story or poem either defending or refuting the strategy (or Lewis’s success or failure with using the story format present or clarify a certain spiritual position or theme.
Evidence of Competency: Effective, understandable prose, coherent and clear presentation of theme or themes, and logical development.
Lesson 3:
Read: Till We Have Faces
Write* a reflection on Lewis’ use of non-Christian myth to illuminate Christian principles.
Evidence of Competency: Effective, understandable prose, coherent and clear presentation of theme or themes, and logical development.
Lesson 4:
Listen to : The Life and Writing of C.S. Lewis,
Write*, in any prose or poetic form, a fictional encounter with C.S. Lewis in which you discuss or question him about anything he advocates or appears to advocate.
* Notes about the writing assignments. 1) No more than two of the four assignments should be in the form of fiction or poetry. At least two should be written as argumentative or personal essays. In all, the four writing assignments should total at least around 5000 words (around 20 typed pages). 2) The topics given are merely suggestions. Alternate topics are encouraged though they should be pre-approved by the professor.
** The NR grade means that, although the conditions explained in the enrollment agreement apply, no record of this class will appear on the student transcript.