Required Texts:
Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The Grand Inquisitor. New York: Hackett Publishing, 1993.
C. S. Lewis. The Screwtape Letters. San Francisco: Harper, 2001.
Truman Capote. In Cold Blood. New York: Vintage, 1993.
Max Frisch. Homo Faber. New York: Harvest Books, 1994.
Paulo Coelho. The Alchemist. San Francisco: Harper, 1995.
Dan Brown. The DaVinci Code. New York: Doubleday, 2003.
Erik Larson. The Devil in the WhiteCity. New York: Crown Publishing, 2003.
Stephen Greenblatt and Catherine Gallagher. Practicing New Historicism. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2001.
Steven Lynn. Texts and Contexts. New York: Longman, 2000.
Recommended Texts:
William Harmon. A Handbook to Literature. New York: Prentice Hall, 2005.
Michael Bentley, ed. Companion to Historiography. New York: Routledge, 2002. top
Course Overview:
This section of Honors 199: Introduction to Literature and Composition will expose you to literary texts, the writing of literary texts, and the writing about literary texts. Since history will be our gateway into these various realms of literary culture, we will be leaping through the centuries and across borders. And we will walk the line between fiction, non-fiction, creative non-fiction, and historical fiction, while examining the crossroads of history, the imagination, and the “real” world.
Roughly, the semester will be broken up into 3 sections, each of which lasting 5 weeks, and each covering a different variety of “literary culture”: Fiction (e.g. Frisch, Dostoyevsky, Coelho), Historical Fiction (e.g. Larsen, Brown) and Creative Non-Fiction (e.g. Capote). Intersections between these cultures cannot be avoided, and it will be our task to analyze the texts, the techniques with which they were composed, the history from which they draw, and the ways in which they represent the world, and discover variations and determine differentiations.
In addition to reading and discussing literary texts, we will also view visual representation of the works on the syllabus. With the exception of The Devil in the White City, all of the books on the syllabus have been turned into movies and for some several versions exist. Every other Wednesday, we will meet for “movie night.” Attendance at these events is entirely optional and will be counted as extra credit work. Besides attending the movies, you are also encouraged to bring in whatever visual aids or stories you discover in preparation for class discussion and which might help the rest of us experience the texts we are reading more fully. top
Course Objectives:
At the end of this course you should be able to:
1) Read, comprehend, and respond to literature in a confident and competent manner.
2) Write reflective, interpretive, and critical essays about a variety of literary genres.
3) Identify, utilize, and criticize various critical/theoretical approaches to literature.
4) Contextualize and historicize texts from a variety of literary periods. top
Course Policies:
Read these guidelines carefully and ask me for clarifications if you experience problems understanding one or several of these policies. Your success in English 102 is dependent upon your complete comprehension of all guidelines and policies.
- All assigned readings need to be completed before class in preparation for class discussion, pop quizzes and short in-class reaction papers on the reading material. All assignments must be typed and proofread.
- No late assignments will be accepted; please plan accordingly.Remember, it is your responsibility to stay in contact with me and to ask me for help if you are experiencing difficulties following the course material or completing work on time.
- Timely attendance in class is a requirement for all students enrolled in English 102. Two late arrivals will count as one absence. Students with four absences will earn an F for the course. Excused absences are still absences, so please keep careful tabs on your attendance.
Note: By staying in this class, you are showing your acceptance of and compliance with these guidelines and policies. top
Absences and Contact Information:
You are responsible for finding out what you missed on the days you were absent, and this should not take place by asking me at the beginning of the next class period. Call, e-mail, or swing by my office prior to our next meeting as a class. Alternatively, gather the names, phone numbers, and E-mail addresses of at least two other students (preferably four) you can contact to find out what happened in class. I suggest that you record this information below, so you will have it handy when you need it.
Name: _________________________ Name: ________________________ Name: ________________________
Phone: ________________________ Phone: ________________________ Phone: ________________________
E-mail: ________________________ E-mail:_________________________ E-mail:________________________ top
Course Requirements:
In addition to daily reading assignments, journal entries, and active participation in class discussions, you will be responsible to complete three essays, two shorter ones (4-6 pages) and one longer term paper (10-12 pages), on any two (this means that one of your shorter papers can be turned into a term paper) or three of the texts listed above. There will be two oral presentations, one group presentation in relation to a critical, scholarly article about one of the texts we are reading (or one of your own choosing, preferably from the list appended to this syllabus), and one individual presentation which replaces the midterm. The second presentation, “midterm-presentation,” will be a reading of one of your shorter papers or of a substantial draft of your longer paper. There will be no final exam. Please keep in mind though that participation is not synonymous with attendance, but that passive attendance is equivalent with being in absentia and that no or inactive participation will affect your overall grade for the course. top
Written Assignments and Oral Presentations:
- One 30-40 min. group presentation on a critical article about one of the text we are reading: This will account for 20% of your final grade.
- One 15-20 min. individual presentation of your own research or research project on one of the text we are reading or one of the text from the “suggested reading list: This presentation will account for 20% of your final grade.
- Two short reflective papers (3-5 pages—see the daily schedule for due dates): Each of these written assignments will account for 10% of your final grade for a total 20%.
- Research Term Paper (10-12 pages; min. 7 secondary sources): This paper will account for 30% of your final grade.
- Participation: Active class participation will ensure you an A for the remaining 10% of your final grade. top
Grading:
This course and all its assignments and components are graded on a standard A through F scale, with A representing >90% work and F representing <50% work. Class assignments, exams, and course projects are clearly marked with percentages; refer to the “Oral presentations, Written assignments, and Exams” section of this syllabus for assignment criteria and individua grade/percentage allotments. Paper grades are determined by applying standards of logic, coherence, style, and mechanics.
Where you can go when you need help and/or want to talk to me:
Avery 487 : My door is always open. If you have questions about assignment instructions or expectations please come and see me. I can guarantee you that I will be in my office during my scheduled office hours, but I am in my office quite a bit outside of office hours as well. I encourage you to stop by and talk with me.
My E-mail account: The quickest way to contact me outside of class is through E-mail. I check my E-mail account frequently, and both my home and my office computer are connected to the Internet at all times. I promise to try to get back to you within 24 hour of your message if at all possible.
A Note on E-mail Etiquette: I am more than happy to answer questions and discuss research topics via E-mail. I do trust, however, that all e-mails will be written in a respectful, professional tone and that they will be proofread before they are sent. Remember please that this is a university level English course and that your writing needs to reflect that.
Note: Students with disabilities need to come see me and arrange accommodations during the first week of class. top
A note about e-mail communication: I gladly answer questions and discuss literary or scholarly concerns via e-mail. I do trust, however, that all e-mails will be written in a respectful and professional tone and that they will be proofread before they are sent. I will not respond to unprofessional or sloppily composed e-mails, and I cannot accept assignments or drafts via e-mail. Remember that this is a University-level English class—your writing needs to reflect that. top
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is grounds for failing an assignment and the course, and all incidents of plagiarism will be reported to the Department Chair, the Dean, and the Academic Vice President. I strongly encourage you to save drafts, notes, and outlines for all of your written and oral assignments; you are expected to provide evidence of significant invention and revision if requested to do so.
Additional suggestions for written assignments and oral presentations:
John Fowles. The French Lieutenant’s Woman. New York: Vintage, 2004. ISBN 0099478331
Albert Camus. The Plague. New York: Vintage, 1991. ISBN 0679720219
John Miles. God: A Biography. New York: Vintage Books, 1996. ISBN 0679743685
Toni Morrison. Paradise. New York: Plume Books, 1999. ISBN 0452280397
Umberto Eco. The Name of the Rose. New York: Harvest Books, 1994. ISBN 0156001314
Stephen Greenblatt. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. New York: W. W. Norton, 2005. ISBN 039332737X
Chinua Achebe. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books, 1994. ISBN 0385474547
Elizabeth Kostova. The Historian. New York: Back Bay Books, 2006. ISBN 0316154547
Thomas Mann. Death in Venice. New York: Vintage, 1989. ISBN 0679722068
Bernard Malamud. The Assistant. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2003. ISBN 0374504849
Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice. London: Penguin Classics, 2002. ISBN 0141439513
Toni Morrison. Jazz. New York: Plume Books, 1993. ISBN 0452269652
John Miles. God: A Biography. New York: Vintage Books, 1996. ISBN 0679743685 top |
