The Lives and Works of Dorothy Sayers and C.S. Lewis

Syllabus

By the time our class is over you should be able to:

• Identify topics that lead to a discussion
• Write a clear and concise 300-word essay
• Identify the main influences in the lives of Sayers and Lewis
• Appreciate the art of writing

WEEK ONE: (August 20-22)

Introduction

WEEK TWO (August 27 – 29)

Reading: Screwtape, Preface and chapter 1; Downing, Introduction and chapter 1; Zinsser, Introduction  and chapters 1 and 2.
Watch and Listen to Presentation on Pascal and Descartes
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions

WEEK THREE (September 3 – 5)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 2 and 3; Downing, chapters 2 and 3; Zinsser, chapters 3 and 4.
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions; first 300-word essay

WEEK FOUR (September 10 – 12)

Reading: Screwtape, chapter 5; Downing, chapters 5 and 7; Zinsser, chapter 5.
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions

WEEK FIVE (September 17 – 19)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 7 and 8; Downing, chapter 8; Zinsser, chapters 6 and 7;  McGrath
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions; Revised essay

WEEK SIX (September 24 – 26)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 9 and 10; DuBose  Sayers One; Zinsser, chapter 8.

Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions

WEEK SEVEN (October 1 – 3)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 12 and 13; DuBose,  Sayers Two; Zinsser, chapter 9.

Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions; Second 300-word essay

WEEK EIGHT (October 8 – 10)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 14 and 15; Dalfonzo, Introduction and chapter 1; Zinsser, chapter 10.
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions

WEEK NINE (October 15 – 17)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 16 and 17; Dalfonzo, chapter 2; Zinsser, chapter 11.
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions; Revised essay due

WEEK TEN (October 22 – 24)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 18 and 19; Dalfonzo, chapter 3; Zinsser, chapter 12.
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions

WEEK ELEVEN (October 29 – 31)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 20 and 21; Dalfonzo, chapter 4; Zinsser, chapter 13.
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions

WEEK TWELVE (November 5 – 7)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 22 and 23; Dalfonzo, chapter 5; Zinsser, chapter 14.
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions

WEEK THIRTEEN (November 12 – 14)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 24 and 25; Dalfonzo, chapter 6; Zinsser, chapters 20 and 21.
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions; Third 300-word essay

WEEK FOURTEEN (November 19 – 21)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 28 and 29; Dalfonzo, chapter 7; Zinsser, chapters 22 and 23.
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions

WEEK FIFTEEN (December 3 – 5)

Reading: Screwtape, chapters 30 and 31; Dalfonzo, chapter 7; Zinsser, chapters 24 and 25.
Written Assignment(s): Three discussion questions; Revised essay due

Course Success

This course is rather straight forward–it is about participation, reading carefully, and effective writing.  The grade breakdown is as follows:

Participation (questions, quiz, discussion): 30%
300-Word Essays: 15%
Quizzes: 65%

Participation includes your weekly submission of three questions from the reading that are meant to lead to a group discussion. You will submit these questions on Canvas by midnight the night before class. The questions should be typed in Word, using 12-point font. Participation will also include your oral contributions to the weekly discussions. Your essays should be between 290 and 310 words, 12-point font, and double-spaced. Late work will not be accepted.

Attendance is mandatory. Each unexcused absence after the first one will bring your final grade down one letter. An excused absence is when you let me know before class starts, or you have documentation for your absence.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

“Apparently this Oxford don and Cambridge professor is going to be around for a long time; he calls himself a dinosaur but he seems to speak to people where they are..” The Washington Post Book World

The Most Reluctant Convert: C.S. Lewis’s Journey to Faith  by David C. Downing

“This is a marvelous book about Lewis’s early life. It deals with all aspects of his life up to the time he converted to Christianity. His family, the war, Oxford friends, his changing beliefs, the maturing of his thinking – all this came together to make him the reluctant convert that he was. This is a very readable and helpful book for those who want to understand Lewis.”

On Writing Well by William Zinsser

“On Writing Well” has been praised for its sound advice, its clarity, and its warmth of style. It is a book for anybody who wants to learn how to write, whether about people or places, science and technology, business, sports, the arts, or about yourself. Its principles and insights have made it a cherished resource for several generations of writers and students.”

“Not since The Elements of Style has there been a guide to writing as well presented and readable as this one. A love and respect for the language is evident on every page.” Library Journal

Dorothy and Jack by Gina Dalfonzo

“Beautifully written, Dorothy and Jack will transform not only common understanding of both Lewis and Sayers but also common assumptions about male/female friendships.”

“This book is both delightful and important. The style is so engaging that it is easy to overlook how rich it is in content. Not only do we learn a great deal about Lewis and Sayers but we are also treated to a nuanced account of the nature of friendship itself. I enjoyed every page of it, and I heartily recommend it. It is very, very good.”

Women of Mystery: The Lives and Works of Notable Women by Martha Hailey Dubose

Find PDF Here: “Dorothy Sayers: The Passionate Mind”