English 271 Schedule

Literary Analysis

Fall 2007

Last updated: August 18, 2007

Class 1, Tues. Aug. 21

Class Activities

• Course introduction.
• Adjourn to write diagnostic critical essay on Poems for First Class Meeting, using Microsoft Word. When finished, put your document in our Blackboard Digital Dropbox.

Class 2, Thurs. Aug. 23

SPECIAL DAY—NO REGULAR CLASS MEETING.

Be reading Gatsby and other coming assignments.

 

 

 

 

Thurs. Aug. 23

Class Activities

• Go to Arch 102 cluster.
• Course introduction.
• Write in-class diagnostic critical essay on Poems for First Class Meeting, using Microsoft Word. When finished, put your document in our Blackboard Digital Dropbox.
• Boot camp Power Point presentation. Look at Molly Giles, "The Poet's Husband" (handout).
• "Boot Camp Worksheet" (located as Word document in Blackboard Course Documents. (Begin in class or take home).
• Begin White Oleander (1 hr. 49 min.).

Class 3, Tues. Aug. 28

Before Class

Print out Molly Giles, "The Poet's Husband."

Continue making your way through Gatsby.

Study: Elements of Poetry, Elements of Fiction, and Critical Approaches (a summary).

Note: I do NOT think that the Bedford St. Martin definition of "theme" (at the Elements of Fiction link above) is a very good one. Please see our PowerPoint presentation titled "Literature Bootcamp" in Blackboard "Course Documents" for an alternate definition.

Class Activities

• Find out if Sec. 2 has access to same BB as Sec. 1.
• Review course info. as needed.
• Boot camp Power Point presentation. Look at Giles story.
• "Boot Camp Worksheet."

Class 4, Thurs. Aug. 30

BEGIN MEETING EVERY THURSDAY IN SOUTH ENGINEERING #116 WITH SEC 01. ON TUESDAYS WE'LL BE IN OUR REGULAR ROOM.

Before class

Have all of Gatsby read.

Read CTT, Chapter 1, pp. 1-10.

Finish "Boot Camp Worksheet" at home, if necessary. Bring a print-out of your copy to class.

Class Activities

• Sign out copies of Oleander.
• Quiz Pass/Fail: CTT Chap. 1 and Gatsby.
• Go over quiz. Read passages of novel and talk informally.
• Identify type of criticism we were just, unwittingly, applying.
• Look at sample diagnostic essays and create perspectives wheel. Brief intro to several critical lenses.
• List the basic critical skills you'll be learning this semester.
• Go over "Boot Camp Worksheet."
• Gatsby Boot Camp Quiz.
• Go over quiz.

Thurs. Aug. 30

Before class

• Have all of Gatsby read.
• Read CTT, Chapter 1, pp. 1-10, and Chapter 5, "New Criticism," pp. 135-164 . [Total reading for this day is 220 pp. or 44 pp. per day.]
• Study Elements of Poetry, Elements of Fiction, and Critical Approaches (a summary).
• Finish "Boot Camp Worksheet" at home, if necessary. Bring a print-out of your copy to class.

Class Activities

Segment 1

• Quiz Pass/Fail: CTT Chap. 1 and Gatsby.
• Go over quiz. Read passages of novel and talk informally.
• Identify type of criticism which we just, unwittingly, applied.
• Look at sample diagnostic essays and create perspectives wheel. Brief intro to several critical lenses.
• List the basic critical skills you'll be learning this semester.
• Go over "Boot Camp Worksheet."
• Gatsby Boot Camp Quiz.
• Go over quiz.

Segment 2

• New Crit Power Point presentation.
• How is Tyson's New Crit essay on Gatsby indeed "New Crit."? Basic structure of a simple Formalist piece.
• Finish watching Oleander, if necessary.
• Begin outlines for hypothetical New Crit essay on film?

Class 5, Tues. Sept. 4

Recommended (not mandatory)

• In Blackboard under "Course Documents," read:
  • "To His Coy Mistress"
  • "Formalist Essay on Marvell's 'To His Coy Mistress'"
  • "To Autumn"
  • "Formalist Essay on Keats' 'To Autumn'
• Look at Definition of Formalism.

Before class

• View all of White Oleander.
• Read CTT, Chapter 5, "New Criticism," pp. 135-164.

Class Activities

• New Crit Power Point presentation.
• How is Tyson's New Crit essay on Gatsby indeed "New Crit."? Basic structure of a simple Formalist piece.
• Write in-class outlines for hypothetical New Crit essay on film.

Class 6, Thurs. Sept. 6

Before Class

Post outline or summary of New Crit essay on White Oleander to Blackboard Discussion Forum. This is due on Blackboard by noon on Wed., Sept. 5.

Read CTT, Chap. 2, "Psychoanalytic Criticism," pp. 11-26.

See Freud's couch!

Class Activities

Large-group and instructor New Crit analysis and outline for Oleander, viewing segments of film.

PowerPoint presentation on Psycho Crit.

 

Thurs. Sept. 6

Recommended (not mandatory)

• In Blackboard under "Course Documents," read:
  • "To His Coy Mistress" and "Formalist Essay on Marvell's 'To His Coy Mistress.'"
  • "To Autumn," and "Formalist Essay on Keats' 'To Autumn'.
• Look at Definition of Formalism.
  

Before Class

• Post outline or summary for a potential New Crit. essay on Oleander to Blackboard Discussion Forum. This is due on Blackboard by noon on Wed., Sept. 5.
• Read CTT, Chap. 2, "Psychoanalytic Criticism," pp. 11-47.
• Read Hawthorne, Young Goodman Brown and The Birthmark.
• See Freud's couch!
  

Class Activities

Segment 1

Large-group and instructor New Crit analysis and outline for Oleander, viewing segments of film.

PowerPoint presentation on Psycho Crit.

Segment 2

Groups do Pyscho. work with film and readings, including Ai.

Class 7, Tues. Sept. 11

Before Class

Read CTT, Chap. 2, "Psychoanalytic Criticism," pp. 26-47.

Also read Hawthorne, Young Goodman Brown and The Birthmark

Class Activities

Groups do Psycho. work with film and readings, including Ai.

Class 8, Thurs. Sept. 13

Before Class

Read Jungian Essay on Harry Potter.

Read Faulkner, Barn Burning. and O'Connor, "A Good Man is Hard to Find."

Class Activities

Go over group work from last time. Lecture on Myth Crit., film, and readings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs. Sept. 13

Before Class

• Read Jungian Essay on Harry Potter.
• Read Faulkner, Barn Burning.and O'Connor, "A Good Man is Hard to Find."
• Read CTT, Chap. 3, "Marxist Criticism," pp. 49-79.

Class Activities

1) Go over group work from last time. Lecture on Myth Crit., film, and readings.

2) Power Point presentation on Marxist Crit. Begin Modern Times, 1 hr. 23 min.

 

Class 9, Tues. Sept. 18

Before Class

Read CTT, Chap. 3, "Marxist Criticism," pp. 49-79.

Class Activities

Power Point presentation on Marxist theory. Begin Modern Times, 1 hr. 23 min.

Thurs. Sept. 20

Class Activities

Finish Modern Times and examine through Marxist lens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs. Sept. 20

Before Class

• Read CTT, Chap. 4, "Feminist Criticism," pp. 81-115.
• Also read "Feminist Reading of Marvel" in Blackboard "Course Documents."

Class Activities

1) Finish Modern Times and examine through Marxist lens.

2) Power Point presentation on Feminist + Crit.

Tues. Sept. 25

Before Class

• Read CTT, Chap. 4, "Feminist Criticism," pp. 81-115.

Class Activities

Power Point presentation on Feminist + Crit.

Thurs. Sept. 27

Before Class

Read "Feminist Reading of Marvel" in Blackboard "Course Documents."

Skim and browse chapters on Postcolonial, African-American, and Queer Crit.

Class Activities

Continue work with Feminist + Crit.

 

 

 

 

Thurs. Sept. 27

Before Class

Read "Feminist Reading of Marvel" in Blackboard "Course Documents."

Skim and browse chapters on Postcolonial, African-American, and Queer Crit.

Skim and browse Chap. 7, "Structuralist Criticism," then read carefully Chap. 8, "Deconstructive Criticism," pp. 245-279.

Class Activities

1) Continue work with Feminist + Crit.

2) Power Point presentation on Deconstruction.

 

Tues. Oct. 9

Before Class

Skim and browse Chap. 7, "Structuralist Criticism," then read carefully Chap. 8, "Deconstructive Criticism," pp. 245-279.

Class Activities

Power Point presentation on Deconstruction.

Thurs. Oct. 11

Before Class

Read sample essay, TBA.

Class Activities

Continue work with Deconstruction.

Thurs. Oct. 11

Before Class

Read sample essay, TBA

Read CTT, Chap. 9, "New Historical and Cultural Criticism," pp. 281-312.

Class Activities

1) Continue work with Deconstruction.

2) Finish Deconstruction and begin New Historicist.

 

Tues. Oct. 16

Before Class

Read CTT, Chap. 9, "New Historical and Cultural Criticism," pp. 281-312.

Class Activities

Finish Deconstruction and begin New Historicist.

 

Thurs. Oct. 18

Before Class

Class Activities

Continue work with Culturalist-New Historicist Crit.

 

Thurs. Oct. 18

Before Class

Class Activities

1) Continue work with Culturalist-New Historicist Crit.

Tues. Oct. 23

Read CTT, Chap. 6, "Reader-Response Criticism," pp. 169-182.

Class Activities

Thurs. Oct. 25

Before Class

Class Activities

Thurs. Oct. 25

Before Class

Class Activities

Tues, Oct. 30

Before Class

Class Activities

Thurs. Nov. 1

Before Class

Class Activities

Reader Response Crit.

 

Thurs. Nov. 1

Before Class

Read CTT, Chap. 6, "Reader-Response Criticism," pp. 169-203.

Class Activities

1) Reader Response Crit.

2) Finish Reader Response Crit.

Tues, Nov. 6

Before Class

Read CTT, Chap. 6, "Reader-Response Criticism," pp. 183-203.

Class Activities

Finish Reader Response Crit.

Thurs. Nov. 8

Before Class

Have all of Fight Club read.

Class Activities

Take-home exam assigned. Examine novel through multiple lenses and review all types of criticism studies to date.

Thurs. Nov. 8

Before Class

Have all of Fight Club read. Print out Basic Conventions for Writing About Literature.

Class Activities

1) Take-home exam assigned. Examine novel through multiple lenses and review all types of criticism studies to date.

2) Discuss Long Critical Essay assignment. Continue examining novel through multiple lenses.

Tues. Nov. 13

Before Class

Print out Basic Conventions for Writing About Literature.

Class Activities

Discuss Long Critical Essay assignment. Continue examining novel through multiple lenses.

Thurs. Nov. 15

Class Activities

Take-home exam due. Go over exam. Long essay strategies and outlining. Resources for further exploration of selected theory. Basic conventions of the critical essay.

Thurs. Nov. 15

Class Activities

1) Take-home exam due. Go over exam. Long essay strategies and outlining. Resources for further exploration of selected theory. Basic conventions of the critical essay.

2) Work on essays.

 

 

 

Tues. Nov. 20

Class Activities

Work on essays.

 

 

 

Thurs. Nov. 22—Thanksgiving Holiday.

Thurs. Nov. 29

Class Activities

Long Critical Essay draft due. Bring 2 copies. Peer critiques.

Thurs. Nov. 29

Class Activities

1) Long Critical Essay draft due. Bring 2 copies. Peer critiques.

2) Course Course evaluations. Extra credit opportunity.

Tues. Dec. 4

Class Activities

Course evaluations. Extra credit opportunity.

Thurs. Dec. 6 —Conferences. No regular meeting.

Thurs. Dec. 6—Conferences. No regular meeting.

Tues. Dec. 12 —Long Critical Essay final version due no later than 5pm in my SE 318 (English Annex) mailbox, under my office door, or on my desk. If you would like it returned to you after grading, enclude a self-addressed and self-stamped manila envelope with peel-off adhesive closure. Essays handed it without this envelope will be discarded after grading.

You may alternately email your final essay to me as a Microsoft Word document attachment. Be sure the subject line is very clear, do NOT use Works or WordPerfect, and do NOT paste your essay into the body of the email message itself. I'll grade the piece and then just email it back to you.

NO WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER 5PM ON THIS DATE EXCEPT FOR DOCUMENTED ILLNESS, HARDSHIP, OR EMERGENCY.

Long Critical Essay final version due no later than 5pm in my SE 318 (English Annex) mailbox, under my office door, or on my desk. If you would like it returned to you after grading, enclude a self-addressed and self-stamped manila envelope with peel-off adhesive closure. Essays handed it without this envelope will be discarded after grading.

You may alternately email your final essay to me as a Microsoft Word document attachment. Be sure the subject line is very clear, do NOT use Works or WordPerfect, and do NOT paste your essay into the body of the email message itself. I'll grade the piece and then just email it back to you.

NO WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER 5PM ON THIS DATE EXCEPT FOR DOCUMENTED ILLNESS, HARDSHIP, OR EMERGENCY.