All items are subject to compliance with current university policy.

Transcription

1 English Introduction to Literature Spring 2015 Instructor: Bill Lancaster Classroom Location: Education South 133 Class Time: TTH 9:30-10:45 AM Office Location: Hall of Languages 126 Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:00 AM 12:00 PM and 2:00 3:00 PM or by appointment Office Phone: (903) ( is the best method of contact.) Office Fax: (903) Address: All items are subject to compliance with current university policy. Course Description: An Introduction to Literature is designed to give students an overview of the possibilities in the three major literary genres (drama, poetry, and prose) as well as film. An Introduction to Literature will provide a foundation for understanding literary media (poetry, short stories, novels, plays, and film) with exposure to source material from a wide range of authors and an emphasis on analysis of literary media using a variety of critical methods. Student Learning Outcomes: 1) The students will be able to identify various genre and sub-genre of literary media as reflected in daily warm-up exercises and unit tests. 2) The students will understand concepts important to the analysis of literature as reflected in daily warm-up exercises, unit tests, and response papers. 3) The students will be able to analyze various genres of literary media as reflected in response papers and unit tests. Required Texts: Mays, Kelly, ed. The Norton Introduction to Literature, 11 th Edition. New York: Norton, Print. Steinbeck, John. Cannery Row. New York: Penguin, Print. Any full-text edition of Cannery Row is acceptable. Other readings and films will be ed, posted in E-College, or placed on room reserve in Gee Library.

2 Assignments and Grading: Participation 15% Response Papers (6) 40% (two may be replaced with a reading journal) Unit Tests (3) 45% Participation: Participation includes attendance, class preparation (reading), and active engagement in class discussions and will be determined through daily warm-ups and teacher observation. Response Papers: Six response papers (two per unit) of one to two pages ( words) are required during the semester and can be written over any of the required readings from that unit. These should NOT be summaries of the texts but scholarly analyses and discussions of the text. One response per unit can take the form of the genre being studied: i.e. one poem or poem series (100 and 500 total words), one short story (1200 words maximum, and one original short film or play (10 minute maximum run time or 10 page maximum play script) can be used as an alternative to those responses. The instructor may choose to require a reading journal in place of two response papers. Response Paper Due Dates: Poetry 1: Poetry 2 Novels and Shorts Stories 1: Novels and Shorts Stories 2: Drama and Film 1: Drama and Film 2: Unit Tests: Three unit tests will be administered during the semester related to each of the three units: Poetry, Novels and Short Stories, and Drama and Film. These tests will consist of a combination of objective and analytical questions. Unit Test Dates: Poetry: Novels and Short Stories: Drama and Film: Grades: A B C D F 0-59

3 Attendance: Any student who misses seven (7) or more classes will automatically fail the course. In order to be successful in this class, regular attendance is required. Excessive absences will result in a reduced grade or an administrative drop from the course. Students who are absent with good cause, such as university-sanctioned activities or hospitalization, will be allowed to make up major assignments without penalty if done in a timely manner. Students with Disabilities: Statement on behalf of students with disabilities ADA Statement Students with Disabilities The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact: Office of Student Disability Resources and Services Texas A&M University-Commerce Gee Library- Room 132 Phone (903) or (903) Fax (903) StudentDisabilityServices@tamuc.edu Student Conduct: All students enrolled at the University shall follow the tenets of common decency and acceptable behavior conducive to a positive learning environment. (See Code of Student Conduct from Student Guide Handbook). Students should also consult the Rules of Netiquette for more information regarding how to interact with students in an online forum: Texas A&M University-Commerce will comply in the classroom, and in online courses, with all federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination and related retaliation on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, genetic information or veteran status. Further, an environment free from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression will be maintained. Academic Honesty: The official departmental policy: Instructors in the Department of Literature and Languages do not tolerate plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. Instructors uphold and support the highest academic standards, and students are expected to do likewise. Penalties for students guilty of academic dishonesty include disciplinary probation, suspension, and expulsion (Texas A&M University-Commerce Code of Student Conduct 5.b [1,2,3]).

4 Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cutting and pasting material from online sources, copying directly from a source without providing appropriate documentation (citation), paraphrasing a source without providing appropriate documentation, having another student do your assignments or doing another student s assignments, turning in and taking credit for any work that is not your own. This does not include assistance that a student might normally get in the course of study groups, tutorials, Writing Center assistance, and instructor consultations. If you are unsure of a particular source or need for citation, please see your instructor. Course Schedule: This schedule is subject to change to reflect academic needs. Week 2 Tuesday, January 27 Thursday, January 29 Poetry Week 3 Tuesday, February 3 Thursday, February 5 Week 4 Tuesday, February 10 Read for today: Course Syllabus; Discussion: Introduction and class orientation Read for today: Poetry: Reading, Responding, Writing and Poetic Subgenres and Kinds And all associated poems. Read for today: Responding to Poetry and Writing About Poetry along with Robinson: Richard Cory, Hardy: The Ruined Maid, Wordsworth: I wandered lonely as a cloud, and Sample Writing: Response Paper; Discussion: An introduction to poetry steps in reading and responding to poetry Read for today: The Art of (Reading) Poetry and associated poems; Discussion: What poets think and narrative versus symbol. Due Today: Response Paper 1 Read for today: Situation and Setting: What Happens? Where? When? along with Marvell To His Coy Mistress And Frost Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening and The Road Not Taken. Discussion: What does poetry do? Syllabus Norton (846-59) attached to instructor . Norton (860-68) Norton (875-81) Norton (915-20) And Norton ( )

5 Thursday, February 12 Week 5 Tuesday, February 17 Thursday, February 19 Novels and Short Stories Week 6 Tuesday, February 24 Read for today: Angelou Africa and Authors on Their Work, Auden Stop All the Clocks Baca Green Chili, Dickenson Because I Could Not Stop Shakespeare Shall I Compare Thee and My Mistress Eyes The Twenty-Third Psalm Discussion: Follow the Poems and review for Unit test. Due Today: Response Paper 2 Unit Test Poetry Read for today: Fiction: Reading, Responding, Writing, Telling Stories, and Alexie: Flight Patterns ; Discussion: Three Corners of Literary Fiction Read for today: Understanding the Text and Vapnyar: Puffed Rice and Meatballs and ; Discussion: Sensitive subjects in Literature. Norton (939-40) (957) (967) (995) (998 and 1091) (998) Norton (11-16) (53) (54-67). Norton (82-89) and (72-81) Thursday, February 26 Week 7 Tuesday, March 3 Thursday, March 5 Week 8 Tuesday, March 10 Read for today: Baldwin Sonny s Blues, Discussion: TBA Read for today: The Author s Work as Context and Joyce The Dead, Discussion: Joyce s Use of Language and Irish Identity in The Dead. Read for today: Cultural and Historical Contexts and Chopin: The Story of an Hour Discussion: Perspective Read for today: Lahiri Interpreter of Maladies and Authors on Their Work ; Discussion: TBA Norton (95-118) Norton (592-96) and (605-35) Norton (648-52) and (653-54) Norton (448-63) and (462-64)

6 Thursday, March 12 Week 9 Spring Break Tuesday, March 17 Thursday, March 19 Week 10 Tuesday, March 24 Thursday, March 26 Week 11 Tuesday, March 31 Thursday, April 2 Week 12 Tuesday, April 7 Thursday, April 9 Drama and Film Week 13 Tuesday, April 14 Read for today: Russell: St. Lucy s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves ; Discussion: The Subtle Heroine and Polyphony in Prose. Due Today: Response Paper 3 No class meeting No class meeting Read for today: The Longer Work and A Brief History of the Novel AND Cannery Row Prelude and Chapters 1-8; Discussion: John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts- The Importance of background and the Sin of Authorial Intention. Read for Today: Cannery Row chapters 9-16; Discussion: Steinbeck s Economic Inversion Read for today: Cannery Row chapters 18-25; Discussion: Morality in Cannery Row Read for today: Cannery Row Chapters 26-32; Discussion: Finish Novels Discussion and review for Unit test. Due Today: Response Paper 4. Unit Test Novels and Short Stories Read for today: Reading, Responding, Writing and The Elements of Drama. Watch in class Cannery Row. Read for today: Complete in class Cannery Row; Discussion: Steinbeck or Ward Director as auteur and What s in the Frame? Norton ( ) Norton (475-77) Norton ( ) and ( )

7 Thursday, April 16 Week 14 Tuesday, April 21 Thursday, April 23 Week 15 Tuesday, April 28 Thursday, April 30 Week 16 Tuesday, May 5 Thursday, May 7 Watch for today: Sorkin Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Season 1, Episode 1: Pilot. Watch in Class, Episode 2: The Cold Open. Discussion: Portrayals of Writers in Film and Television. Read for today: Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest. Discussion: Identifying Dramatic Elements. Read for today: Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest; Discussion: Reader s Theater Due Today: Response Paper 5 Read for today: Cultural and Historical Contexts and Hansberry A Raisin in the Sun. Discussion: Art as Protest Read for today: Hansberry A Raisin in the Sun. Discussion: Reader s Theater Read for today: Exploring Contexts Watch in Class: Whedon: Much Ado About Nothing. Discussion: TBA Watch in Class: Whedon: Much Ado About Nothing. Discussion: Complete Shakespeare discussion and Unit Test review. Due Today: Response Paper 6 On Room Reserve in Gee Library Norton ( ) Norton ( ) Norton ( ) and ( ) Norton ( ) Norton ( ) Finals Week Unit Test Drama and Film (in place of final exam)