English 271 Schedule

Literary Analysis

Fall 2007

Last updated: December 7, 2007


SECTION 02    TUESDAYS-THURSDAYS

MINARD HALL 340

SECTION 01          THURSDAYS

SOUTH ENGINEERING 116

Class 1, Tues. Aug. 21

Class Activities

 

Class 2, Thurs. Aug. 23

SPECIAL DAY—NO REGULAR CLASS MEETING.

Be reading Gatsby and other coming assignments.

See Class 1 above for work you'll need to do by Class 3.

 

Thurs. Aug. 23

Class Activities

  • Course introduction.
  • Boot camp Power Point presentation. Look at Molly Giles, "The Poet's Husband" (handout). Instructions for at-home "Boot Camp Worksheet."
  • 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. Much of the Bedford St. Martin material, however, is very good. Please study it carefully.)


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."
  • Sign out copies of Oleander.

Class 4, Thurs. Aug. 30


BEGIN MEETING EVERY THURSDAY IN SOUTH ENGINEERING #116 WITH SEC 01. ON TUESDAYS MEET IN OUR REGULAR CLASSROOM.

Before class

  • Have all of Gatsby read.
  • Read CTT, Chapter 1, pp. 1-10. (Read this carefully.)
  • Finish "Boot Camp Worksheet" at home, if necessary. Bring a print-out of your copy to class.
  • Post your diagnostic essay (assigned on the 21st) to our Blackboard "Digital Dropbox" by noon on Wed. the 29th.


Class Activities

  • Collect "Boot Camp Worksheets."
  • 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 applied.
  • Look at sample diagnostic essays and create perspectives wheel. Brief intro to several critical lenses. [Skip because of BB snafu.]
  • 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

  • Write a diagnostic essay. Click here for full instructions. Post this essay to our Blackboard "Digital Dropbox" by noon on Wed. the 29th.
  • Complete the "Boot Camp Worksheet." You can find this in Blackboard Course Documents. Bring a print-out of your work to 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.] Read all of this material carefully.
  • 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" is a very good one. Please see our PowerPoint presentation titled "Boot Camp" in Blackboard "Course Documents" for an alternate definition. Much of the Bedford St. Martin material, however, is very good. Please study it carefully.)

Class Activities

Segment 1

  • Collect "Boot Camp Worksheets."
  • Go over worksheets.
  • 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 applied.
  • Look at sample diagnostic essays and create perspectives wheel. Brief intro to several critical lenses. [Skip because of BB snafu.]
  • List the basic critical skills you'll be learning this semester.

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"
    • "Sample New Critical Essay on Marvell's 'To His Coy Mistress'"
    • "To Autumn"
    • "Sample New Critical 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 for a potential New Crit. essay Oleander to our Blackboard "Discussion Board." 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

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.

Work on draft for Essay #1.


Class Activities

  • Draft of Essay #1 due. Bring 2 copies.
  • Groups do Psycho. work with film and readings, including Ai.
"they f**k you up, your mum and dad"

—Philip Larken

Class 8, Thurs. Sept. 13

Before Class

Read Hawthorne, Young Goodman Brown and The Birthmark.

Class Activities

  • Return peer critiques to classmates.
  • Go over Boot Camp-Tyson-Gatsby quiz and Worksheet from previous week, reviewing all basics and New Criticism.
  • New Crit quiz #2.
  • Discuss Psycho hardcopy work from Tues.

 

 

 

 

Thurs. Sept. 13

Note: you should email me your Essay #1 draft by the end of the day on Tues. the 11th. Please attach it as a Word document.

Before Class

O'Connor, "A Good Man is Hard to Find."

Class Activities

Segment 1

  • Instructor-marked drafts returned by email sometime around Sept. 15th.
  • Go over Boot Camp-Tyson-Gatsby quiz and Worksheet from previous week, reviewing all basics and New Criticism.
  • New Crit quiz #2.
  • Psycho harcopy work due. This assignment is in BB "Course Documents," in a file titled, "Psychoanalytic Criticism Power Point Presentation." Open that file, then scroll through the slides until you reach "Assignment (Sept. 6): Applying Psychoanalytic Tools to Literature."
  • Discuss hardcopy work.

Segment 2

  • Peer critiques.
  • Work with Lacan, plus Hawthorne and O'Connor stories.
  • Groups share results with class.

Class 9, Tues. Sept. 18

Before Class

O'Connor, "A Good Man is Hard to Find."


Class Activities

  • Groups work with Lacan plus Hawthorne and O'Connor stories.
  • Groups share results with class.

 

 

Class 10, Thurs. Sept. 20

Before Class

  • Review material on Lacan in your text.
  • Continue to work on your short critical essays.

Class Activities

  • Review all daily work to date and grading policies.
  • Discuss any issues with first short essay.
  • PP presentation on Lacan.
  • Small groups share last week's work.
  • PP on Marxist Crit.
  • Begin Chaplin film, 1 hr. 23 min.

Thurs. Sept. 20

Before Class

  • Review material on Lacan in your text.
  • Read CTT, Chap. 3, "Marxist Criticism," pp. 53-79.
  • Continue to work on your short critical essays.


Class Activities

Segment 1

  • Review all daily work to date and grading policies.
  • Discuss any issues with first short essay.
  • PP presentation on Lacan.
  • Sec. 2 small groups share work from last week.
  • PP on Marxist Crit.
  • Begin Chaplin film.

Segment 2

  • Finish Chaplin film.

 

 

Class 11, Tues. Sept. 25

Before Class

Read CTT, Chap. 3, "Marxist Criticism," pp. 53-79.


Class Activities

Finish Chaplin film; 75 minutes.

 

Class 12, Thurs. Sept. 27

Before Class

  • Be reading longish assignment for next Tues. the 2nd?

Class Activities

  • Essay #1 due. Format manuscript according to MLA guidelines, and staple your peer critiques to your paper.
  • Watch commentators on Chaplin; 26 min.
  • Discuss Chaplin through Marxist lens.

 

 

 

Thurs. Sept. 27

Before Class

  • Read CTT, Chap. 4, "Feminist Criticism," pp. 83-131.
  • Also skim "Feminist Reading of Marvel" in Blackboard "Course Documents."
  • Have print-outs of your Hawthorne and O'Connor stories in your folders, ready to use.


Class Activities

Segment 1

  • Essay #1 due. Format manuscript according to MLA guidelines, and please staple your peer critiques to your paper.
  • Watch commentators on Chaplin. 26 min.
  • Discuss Chaplin through Marxist lens.

Segment 2

  • Feminist Crit. Power Point Presentation.
  • Discuss "Modern Times" and other films/readings through Feminist lens.

Class 13, Tues. Oct. 2

Before Class

  • Read CTT, Chap. 4, "Feminist Criticism," pp. 83-131.
  • Also read "Feminist Reading of Marvel" in Blackboard "Course Documents."
  • Have print-outs of your Hawthorne and O'Connor stories in your folders, ready to use.


Class Activities

  • Feminist Crit. Power Point Presentation.
  • Discuss "Modern Times" and other films/readings through Feminist lens.

Class 14, Thurs. Oct. 4

Before Class

  • Read CTT, Chap. 12, "Postcolonial Criticism", pp. 417-446.


Class Activities

  • Work with Poco Crit.

For more about colonialism, click here.

And here.

British Empire in 1914: click here.

Thurs. Oct. 4

Before Class

  • Read CTT, Chap. 12, "Postcolonial Criticism", pp. 417-446.
  • Skim and review all of the chapters we've covered so far.


Class Activities

Segment 1

  • Work with Poco Crit.

Segment 2

  • General review of all theories to date. Look at sample critical essays, TBA, to practice identifying theories.

For more about colonialism, click here.

And here.

British Empire in 1914: click here.

Class 15, Tues. Oct. 9

Before Class

Skim and review all of the chapters we've covered so far.

Class Activities

General review of all theories to date. Look at sample critical essays, TBA, to practice identifying theories.

 

Class 16, Thurs. Oct. 11

Review Week.

Thurs. Oct. 11

Review Week.

Class 17, Tues. Oct. 16

Review Week.

 

Class 18, Thurs. Oct. 18

Before Class

  • Skim/peruse very well Chap. 7, "Structuralist Criticism," pp. 209-245.
  • Read Chap. 8, "Deconstructive Theory," pp. 250-265.


Class Activities

  • Brief work with Structuralism. Begin work with Deconstruction.
  • Historical accounts of class period.

 

Thurs. Oct. 18

Before Class

  • Skim/peruse Chap. 7, "Structuralist Criticism," pp. 209-245.
  • Read Chap. 8, "Deconstructive Theory," pp. 250-279.


Class Activities

Segment 1

  • Brief work with Structuralism. Begin work with Deconstruction.
  • Historical accounts of class period.

Segment 2

  • Continue work with Deconstruction.


Class 19, Tues. Oct. 23

Before Class

Read CTT, Chap. 8, "Deconstructive Criticism," pp. 265-279.


Class Activities

  • Continue work with Deconstruction.
 
 

Class 20, Thurs. Oct. 25

Before Class

Read "New Historical and Cultural Criticism," pp. 281-295.


Class Activities

  • Examine historical accounts from previous week.
  • New Hist/Cultural Crit. Power Point presentation.
  • Practice applying Cult. Crit.

Thurs. Oct. 25


Before Class

  • Read CTT, "New Historical and Cultural Criticism," pp. 281-295.
  • "New Historical and Cultural Criticism," pp. 295-312.

 

Class Activities

Segment 1

  • Examine historical accounts from previous week.
  • New Hist/Cultural Crit. Power Point presentation.
  • Practice applying Cult. Crit.

Segment 2

Continue work with Culturalist Crit.

 

 

 

Class 21, Tues. Oct. 30

Before Class

"New Historical and Cultural Criticism," pp. 295-312.

Class Activities

Continue work with Culturalist Crit.

 

 

Class 22, Thurs. Nov. 1


Before Class

  • Read CTT, Chap. 13, "Gaining an Overview," pp. 451-456.
  • Read Fight Club, whole book, 199 pp.

Class Activities

  • Go over October review materials and other backwork.
  • Theory Slam, Or: Taking Critical Theory to Fight Club: gripes, swipes, punches, and pops.
  • Patching up Critical Theory: benefits, uses, value.
  • Quescussion.
  • Begin multi-theory review with focus on novel. General free discussion of Fight Club and work with handout questions.

 

 

Thurs. Nov. 1

Before Class

Class Activities

Segment 1

  • Go over October review materials and other backwork.
  • Theory Slam, Or: Taking Critical Theory to Fight Club: gripes, swipes, punches, and pops.
  • Patching up Critical Theory: benefits, uses, value.
  • Quescussion.
  • Begin multi-theory review with focus on novel. General free discussion of Fight Club and work with handout questions.

Segment 2

Continue group work with handout. Begin work on group essays. Theories will be assigned and groups will begin independent discussion and collaboration.

Class 23, Tues. Nov. 6

Before Class

Optional: print out assignment for collaborative group essays.

Class Activities

  • Continue group work with handout.
  • Begin work on group essays. Theories will be assigned and groups will begin independent discussion and collaboration.

 

  

Class 24, Thurs. Nov. 8

Before Class

Go to our Homepage and scroll down to "Helpful Resources." Check out some of the links.

 

Class Activities

  • Groups continue work on hypothetical Fight Club essays. No regular meeting. I'll stop by our classroom to see how groups are doing. Feel free to drop by my office or email any questions throughout the week.
  • You should also be using this time to review all semester materials for the upcoming exam and to begin work on your own essays.

 

Thurs. Nov. 8

Before Class

Go to our Homepage and scroll down to "Helpful Resources." Check out some of the links.

 

Class Activities

Segment 1

  • Groups continue work on hypothetical Fight Club essays. No regular meeting. I'll stop by to see how groups are doing. Feel free to stop by my office or email any questions throughout the week.
  • You should also be using this time to review all semester materials for the upcoming exam and to begin work on your own essays.

Segment 2

  • Groups continue to work independently (no large-group meeting for this segment). Please stay in touch with me via email if your group needs assistance.

Class 25, Tues. Nov. 13

  • Groups continue to work independently. Please stay in touch with me via email if your group needs assistance.

Class 26, Thurs. Nov. 15


Class Activities

  • Instructor will be at an ND Humanities Council event in Cooperstown. This event has been re-scheduled, so I WILL be available in my office or by email for assistance. I'll also drop by our classroom in case some groups show up to work therre.
  • Groups continue work on essays.

Thurs. Nov. 15


Class Activities

Segment 1

  • Instructor will be at an ND Humanities Council event in Cooperstown. This event has been re-scheduled, so I WILL be available in my office or by email for assistance. I'll also drop by our classroom in case some groups show up to work therre.
  • Groups continue work on essays.

Segment 2

  • Continue independent work on essays. Use this time as well for SEMESTER REVIEW and to WORK ON YOUR OWN MAJOR ESSAY.

Class 27, Tues. Nov. 20

Continue independent work on essays. Use this time as well for SEMESTER REVIEW and to WORK ON YOUR OWN MAJOR ESSAY.

Group essays must be posted to Blackboard "Discussion Board" by 5pm today.

Outside of Class

Group essays must be posted to Blackboard "Discussion Board" by 5pm, Nov. 20th.

Class 28, Thurs. Nov. 22

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

Before Class

Read recipe for roasted turkey.


Class Activities

Cook and then stuff face with turkey.

Thurs. Nov. 22

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

Before Class

Read recipe for roasted turkey.


Class Activities

Cook and then stuff face with turkey.

 

Class 29, Tues. Nov. 27

Class Activities

  • Drafts of long essay due. Bring 2 copies. One copy is for your classmates and one is for me. Peer and instructor critiques.
  • Click here for Peer Critique Form.
  

Class 30, Thurs. Nov. 29

I'll email take-home exam some time before 8pm.

Before Class

PLEASE READ YOUR CLASSMATES' COLLABORATIVE ESSAYS IN BLACKBOARD "COURSE DOCUMENTS" BEFORE COMING TO CLASS.


Class Activities

  • Some thoughts on the uses of theory.
  • Group members rank each other.
  • Look at samples of collaborative group essays and discuss accuracy in applying theories.
  • Plagiarism review.
  • Conference sign-up.
  • Take-home exam instructions.

Thurs. Nov. 29

I'll email take-home exam some time before 8pm.

Before Class

PLEASE READ YOUR CLASSMATES' COLLABORATIVE ESSAYS IN BLACKBOARD "COURSE DOCUMENTS" BEFORE COMING TO CLASS.


Class Activities

Segment 1

  • Some thoughts on the uses of theory.
  • Group members rank each other.
  • Look at samples of collaborative group essays and discuss accuracy in applying theories.
  • Plagiarism review.
  • Conference sign-up.
  • Take-home exam instructions.

Segment 2

  • Drafts of long essay due. Bring 2 copies. One copy is for your classmates and one is for me. Peer and instructor critiques.
  • Scheduled conferences on essay drafts.

 

Class 31, Tues. Dec. 4


Class Activities

Scheduled conferences on essay drafts.

Class 32, Thurs. Dec. 6

Scheduled conferences on essay drafts.

Thurs. Dec. 6

Scheduled conferences on essay drafts.


Tues. Dec. 11

Take-home exam due by noon. Late work is only accepted with documentation of serious hardship.

Post to our Blackboard Digital Dropbox as a Word document (do NOT post it in Word 2007 format). Be sure your full name and "Final Exam " is on the Subject Line.

If you are unsure about how to post material to the Dropbox, visit or call ITS Help, 231-8685 or try the Technology Learning Center, or Blackboard Help.

 

2 finals week meeting times (choose one):

Wed. Dec. 12, 10:30-12:30 in Minard 340.

Thurs. Dec. 13, 3:30-4:45 in SE 116.

During our finals week meeting, graded exams will be returned, and we'll go over exam answers. We'll also do course evaluations, I'll give you a final extra credit opportunity, and then we'll do any last-minute conferencing you may need for your essays.

 

Fri. Dec. 14

Long Essay Due by noon. Late work is only accepted with documentation of serious hardship.

Hardcopy Hand-In Instructions:

1) If you'd like your hardcopy graded essay returned, you must enclose it in a self-addressed and self-stamped manila envelope. After I've graded it, I'll tally your semester grade and then send the whole works home to you. Essays turned in without this envelope will not be returned to you. (They'll be used to make a bonfire in the SE hallway for roasting weenies.)

2) Format your work using MLA guidelines for manuscript preparation.

3) Include any drafts with instructor comments to your essay.

4) Staple all materials. Don't use a folder of any kind.

5) Turn in to my SE 218 mailbox no later than 5pm. You may slip it under my office door if the mailbox is full. I will also put a box out in the SE English Annex hallway with a large note above it; you can put your paper there if the Annex is closed.

Electronic Hand-In Instruction (alternative to hardcopy):

Post your essay to our Blackboard Digital Dropbox as a Word document. Include any drafts with instructor comments. Your header must be: "_________[your name] and Final Essay." I will grade your essay, tally your semester grade, then email it back to you.

 

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