ENG 106 - Writing the Environment (W) (1)

The word ecology, coined by German zoologist Ernst Haeckel in 1866, comes from the Greek oikos, meaning “house, dwelling place, habitation.”  In keeping with the word’s intertwinement of human and nonhuman worlds, we will explore, through writing, the intersections of place, nature, and humanity. Though many of our readings will come from the canon of nature writing, we will also analyze texts that focus on built environments, current ecological crises, and place-making.  This class will consider a wide array of questions: What does it mean to consider a place a home?  What ethical responsibilities do we hold toward the land?  What is the difference between wilderness and wildness?  How do our identities inform our relationships with place?  How has the Anthropocene shifted how we talk and write about the natural world?

Our primary goal in this class is to experiment in our writing with many modes and genres.  Inside and outside of class, we will write on foot, develop vocabularies for describing landscapes and their inhabitants, and investigate the nuances of place.  Longer assignments will involve descriptive, reflective, and research-driven writing.  Our “texts” will likely include essays, poems, stories, and films in addition to physical locations around Mount Vernon.  Requirements will include prompt responses, essays, and participation in workshops of student writing. Not open to students who have previously completed a First Year Writing Course.
(First Year Writing Seminar (FYW)) (Humanities)