The School of Arts and Humanities Presents the

Syllabus for
ENG 3103

World Literature I Sec. 1  Online-Version

Instructor: Dr. Anderson M. Rearick III

Credit: 3 Hours / LLRC 038: 9:00-11:30 a.m. 
Summer 2009 TWThF first week
Online from thence: The Adventure Begins ! 
Sec. 1--Online Hours

Dr. Rearick's Office: Founders Hall 219C
(Within 219: Lit., Lang., & Comm. Dept.)

Office Ext. 3508
Home Phone 392-3738
(but please do not call after 8:00--Andy and Laura are hopefully in Bed)
email: anderson.rearick@mvnu.edu

Instant Messenger Name: trearick

I am also on Facebook

Course Index:

Course Description:

The purpose of ENG3103, World Literature I, is to expose students to a global vision of the human mind involved in the universal art of storytelling.  ENG3103 World Literature I [3] is, according to the current catalogue, "a survey of literary classics from the Ancient through the Neoclassical Periods.  Its Prerequisite is Research Writing ENG1053. This will be achieved by reviewing texts in various genres written by male and female, and Western and non-Western authors (China, Japan, India, the Middle East, and Africa). World Literature I covers works from the earliest written text (Gilgamesh and Holy Scripture) to those composed in the early Renaissance [1650 AD].  You may note that your Norton text contains both American and English authors.  However because of American Literature I and II (ENG 3073 & 3083) and British Literature I and II (ENG 3003 & 3013), this class will emphasize the non-English speaking cannon.  Believe me there is still plenty to cover.   

Class Procedure:

This class will meet daily for the first week up till Friday May 29 and then will gather online for seven weeks to assimilate lectures about and to discuss the development of literature from a global perspective. One of the fundamental concerns for this class will be the comparison of our Western "Bible shaped" (we hope) world views with world views of other cultures. One of the most important questions with which we will grapple is whether writers outside our worldview have something to say to the Christian reader?  There will be an online quiz every Friday. 

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The purpose of this course is. . .

  1. To examine ideas and styles of literature from ancient times up to the renisaunce.
  2. To become familiar with some of the greatest authors in western literature.
  3. To consider the evolution of the following concepts: the roles of men and women, the definition of hero and his/her relation to society, the changing image of the individual, the changing values of society in each age, the conflict between fate and free will, the role of formal religion and family life in each age, the expressions of faith in various forms.
  4. To consider some of the important elements in the philosophies from ancient Greek to nineteenth-century to modern Existential view of life.
  5. To practice reading texts critically and carefully in order to find the textual evidence to support their interpretations.
  6. To promote within students the vision and ability to apply communication skills and knowledge to enhance personal relationships, human society and God's kingdom.
  7. To enable students to improve written communications through directed experience in their Discussions, their papers and exams.
  8. To acquire a knowledge of the assigned content matter

Required Texts:  

The Norton Anthology of World Literature (Package One)

Volume A: Beginnings to AD 100

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0-393-92450-5

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paper

Volume B: 100 to 1500

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0-393-92451-3

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paper

Volume C: 1500 to 1650

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0-393-92452-1

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paper

Grading:

Grading Scale:

100 - 93 = A Exceptional! A cut above--unusually good.

92 - 90 = A - Very, Very Well Done! -- above expectations.

89 - 87 = B + Well Done! A fine Job!

86 - 83 = B Really Good

82 - 80 = B - Pretty Good

79 - 77 = C + Solidly in there

76 - 73 = C Clearly a concrete understanding of the subject

72 - 70 = C - Understanding of subject is workable

69 - 60 = D Passing but weak.

59 and below is an "F" Fell short of required understanding of material

Chronological List of Assignments:

Quizzes: There will be a quiz at least once every week. Unless indicated by the professor readings assigned for that Friday could appear on the quiz. These quizzes will be composed of multiple-choice, true or false and matching questions, six in total.  One quiz will be dropped at the end of the semester.  These quizzes will be taken online and usually will be available for a 48 hour time span while the actual quiz once opened will be so for one hour.

Final Exam: The final examination is scheduled for on Friday afternoon, July 10, 2009 from 12:30-3:00 p.m.

Extra Credit: Although there will be no papers required for this class, a student can add extra credit to his or her grade by writing a paper or papers on outside reading concerning any of the works or authors covered in class. Another option for extra credit is to view or listen to and then write a review about tapes or video films on reserve in the library.  If the student learns of dramas being performed and attends and writes up the experience, extra credit will be added to his or her grade. Credit will vary according to the assignment.

Attendance and Class Participation: Since we are functioning on an intensive schedule, it is vital that you keep up with the reading throughout the semester.  Of course there will be not attendance after this week but your class participation grade will depend strongly on what I see online. 

Lecture will only play a part in this class's activities.  Literature is meant to be talked about.  Students must express their opinions and share their unique insights.  Each of us brings something special to a text that is ours alone.  Thus, your comments are very important.  Your online class home on Blackboard will have ongoing discussion questions.  Students should interact online at least once every week (a total of seven entries by the end of the semester).  This amount of activity earns a 90% towards your class participation grade; more interaction raises the grade.   “More” means extra credit which I place as I see needed.  Here is an example of an online response:

Threaded Discussion Example:
Prompt: What is the Nature of Literature?

When adding this class to your schedule last, you probably had in your mind some definition of what literature is. Mark Twain said a classic was "a book which everyone says one should read but no body ever does." Besides being BORING BOOKS, what did you think you were going to study? And why do you think, the study of this material is included in the stuff you MUST take before leaving MVNU?

Student Response: I Recognized Most of the Works
Upon seeing the syllabus, I recognized most of the works and knew that my high school teachers prepared me well for this class. I thought I was in for another episode of high school. In my mind, literature and boredom are synonymous. The outlook was grim.

Looking back, I couldn’t have been more wrong. I can honestly say that my feelings have changed 100%. This class has been such an enjoyment to me. I am always under the assumption that when I study a piece of literature once I become a master of it. Again, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Revisiting different works has challenged me as much as studying them for the first time. I am continually pushing myself to see new points of view or meaning. The class discussion was great and made me face the reality that even on a Christian campus there will be differing opinions.
 

The Review of a Critical Article: Since this is an upper division literature class you are expected to produce a two page summary of the content of a literary essay dealing with one of the works being covered this semester. In MLA format the student should state what the essay is about, how the critic proves his or her point (using quotes or paraphrase), and then state how helpful or not you found the work. This work will be handed in through Turnitin during the fifth week by 11:55 Wednesday June 24.

The Cost of Plagiarism: According to MVNU’s official student handbook, “The penalty for a first offense shall be a zero (0) on that particular assignment, examination, or project. No makeup examination or extra credit project will be permitted. The zero may not count as the lowest grade to be dropped, if a faculty member uses a lowest-grade-dropped policy. The penalty for the second offense during the entire college tenure of the student shall be failure for the course.”

Turnitin Furthermore, MVNU has initiated the use of an anti plagiarism software called "Turnitin." This will require you to submit an e-version of your paper to be evaluated by the program. Do not go to “turnitin.com” but instead submit your work via the Turnitin portal found in the Blackboard site for this class. This system constantly scans the internet for essays and data. However, this is not automatic: I (with the help of some peers) will be reviewing the data before any decision is made.
 

Disability Needs:  Students who qualify for and desire accommodations in this course due to a disability, as defined by the American s with Disabilities Act of 1990, must follow the Disability Service Policies and Procedures as put forth by the office of Academic Support.  The guidelines can be accessed in electronic form at the web address http://www.mvnu.edu/academics/services/dservices.html and in a hard copy at the Academic Support office.  Call extension 4540 for further information.  On a personal note,  I am disabled because of eyesight; my son is disabled by breathing complications and mild Asperger's, my daughter has ADHD as does my wife.  Thus, I am especially sensitive to the needs and challenges faced by otherwise qualified students who may be struggling with physical challenges.  I "toughed" it out when I was at ENC, but the world has changed for the better, and there are many resources available to you I wish I had had, resources I in fact presently use in my office—such as a close-circuit TV attached to the screen of my computer as well as speaking programs which allow text to be read to me and talking books.  Pursue these things and see me (or contact me via email) if you have any such needs. 

Literature on the Web:

As we make our way through the readings you may wish to visit my web page,
Dr. Rearick's Reading Corner, located at. . .

http://nzr.mvnu.edu/faculty/trearick/english/rearick/readings/re_intro.htm

This address is reachable both on and off campus.  Those of you who are local and do not have a computer should remember that the Knox Public Library offers web access for a limited time, and--of course--the labs of the MVNU library and computer labs are available to you.

It is Prof. Rearick's intent that every work covered in this literature class has had a web page created about it, assessable through links of either title, author, genre, sub-genre, time period, or nationality.

I have tried to place some ideas and even sometimes some test questions connected with our class readings on these web pages.  Also in several cases there are links to study guides, e texts, and even connections to relevant web pages on the net.

Note that every work is connected to a page which gives biographical information about the author taken from a wide range of credible sources including Encyclopedia Britannica online. As students at MVNU you are part of an institution which subscribes to a wide number of online resources. Use them!
 
 

One special point of note:  Please do not print off my pages until you find out how long the document is and have asked yourself if you really need a hard copy.  You can check the document's size  by going into print preview and then zoom in so you can read the text.  At the bottom of the first page will be the page number in comparison with the total pages.  For example, my "Dickens’ Christian Carol in Prose" article has at the bottom  ‘1 of 13.’  This tells you that there will be 13 pages of text printed.  Not bad, but my Great Expectations study guide developed by Monarch Notes is 75 pages.  Librarians and computer lab assistants have been dismayed to find piles of such text flowing from their printers.  Please do not abuse this resource!

Threaded Discussion Example                                                                     May 24. 10, 2006

The Role of Nature in Rime of the Ancient Mariner Seems Important

In my latest reading of Coleridge "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" I noticed that even though the work is filled with supernatural elements, the hard edged description of nature itself also plays a dominate role in in the work in setting the mood and cueing the reader to what is going to happen.  What I mean is that as memorable as the vampire-like woman who claims the narrator or the celestial beings who possess the dead crew members bodies are, there are also striking moments of natural beauty such as the storm which fills his water buckets and then clears to reveal a starry night.  

Of course it is the natural beauty of the water snakes which begins the narrator's journey towards redemption.  Although some readers may think Coleridge is exaggerating, such florescent water creatures are well documented.  And it is true of myself that when faced with the glories of nature, the doorway towards the supernatural world seems close.

Tools for the class.  

Microsoft's Internet Explorer: Although I use all sorts of browsers, including Firefox and AOL Explorer, Blackboard was developed especially with Internet Explorer in mind.  Therefore I strongly recommend that when taking online exams, you should use Internet Explorer.  Whenever I contact the support people with problems students are having the first thing they ask is "Are they using Internet Explorer?"  You may go to this page to download Internet Explorer if you do not have it.  However, this is the default program in most PCs.

Another useful tool is Microsoft's free viewer.  This is provided by Microsoft as a free download.  With it you can view any PowerPoint presentation although you can not edit the material.  You may either download it from Microsoft's Web Page.  Or you can try this link from our web page or the program is also in the course documents section of the Blackboard..  

Another helpful program is one which will unlock zip files.  Especially for those of you who are working with dialup (as I am), it is very helpful to have files zipped in that download time can be greatly reduced.  However, you will need to find a freeware program.  Winzip which was one of the first is not freeware it is Shareware and they assume payment will be made eventually.  Freeware is just out there for the consumer to use.  Follow this link to view a page which offers several possibilities or do a search on Google for freeware zip programs.

One of my favorite programs is Irfanview.   You may find it at this link.  This freeware download allows you to view most graphic and video files as well as hear most audio files.  Very versatile and also runs my scanner.  Major tool for my own work.

 AIM is a very helpful Instant Messenger program that allows participants to chat.  Although we could set up a class time to chat (which is fine if we could come up with a common time, I am often online and always activate this when I am.  thus if I were on your list you could contact me about any issue.  The free program's  download page is located here: http://dashboard.aim.com/aim  My "buddy" name is trearick.

Class Schedule

What follows is a breakdown of what will be discussed this semester. Note, however, that things sometimes occur which alter schedules, This is an estimation not a block of cement.

Class Calendar Summer 2009--T,W, Th. & F.

Week One: May 25-29

 

Tuesday: May 26

"Try Out" Quiz  

 

Wednesday: May 27

Thursday: May 28

Friday: May 28

Test One Online

 

Week Two June 1- 5  Online

Test Two Online

Week Three June 8 - June 12

Test Three Online

Week Four: June 15 - June 19

 

Test Four Online

Week Five: June 22 - June 26

Wednesday June 24 Article Summary is Due in Turnitin (there will be a portal in the bottom of the Week Five Assignment folder)

Test Five Online

Week Six: June 29 - July 3

The Rise of Christianity Islam and Christian and Islamic Literature

Middle Ages and Renaissance

Test Six Online

Week Seven: July 6 - 10

 

The Circles of Light: The Divine Comedy From the Digital Video Collection <http://dmc.ohiolink.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?cc=dvc;view=entry;entryid=x-2786581;viewid=7627-A-NT.RM>  The most celebrated work of Dante Alighieri is certainly the Divina Commedia--a vision of hell, purgatory, and heaven that provides a strangely surrealistic view of medieval attitudes on religious dogma and the price of disobedience. In this program, dramatizations of scenes depicting courtly love, sexual love, love of God, and love of the Virgin Mary are featured. A BBC Production. (50 minutes, color)

Divine Comedy: Visions of Violence and Beauty From the Digital Video Collection <http://dmc.ohiolink.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?cc=dvc;view=entry;entryid=x-6589139;viewid=29985-A-NT.RM

>  Two of Italy's greatest artists are eternally linked, one genius having paid homage to another. Two hundred years after Dante Alighieri wrote The Divine Comedy, Sandro Botticelli illustrated the classic with a series of exquisite drawings crafted at the height of his career. In this program, translator Mark Musa, art historians, clergy, and other experts guide viewers through Botticelli's exquisite portrayal of Dante's Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, images that have had a lasting impact on the collective imagination of Western civilization. This program surveys Dante's epic and the 92 surviving illustrations to provide an unparalleled tour of two masterpieces of literature and art. (60 minutes)

Study Notes

More Study Notes

FINAL is scheduled for Friday afternoon, July 10, 2009 from 12:30-3:00 p.m.