 |
The School of Arts and Humanities Presents the
Syllabus for
ENG 2013
|
| Introduction to Literature Sec. 1 |
| Instructor: Dr. Anderson M. Rearick III |
Credit: 3 Hours
/ MO 203
Fall 2005 Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays
Time: 12:40pm 1:40pm
Dr. Rearick's Office: Founders Hall 219C
(Within 219: Lit., Lang., & Comm. Dept.)
Office Hours: Daily 9:00-10:20, M-W-F 1:50-2:50, T-Th 12:40 -2:50 or by appointment
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
(checked twice, daily)
Course Index:
- [procedure] [purpose] [tools] [A Note About the Texts] [texts] [grading] [grading scale] [attendance] [participation] [journal] [quizzes] [midterm] [final] [extra credit] [Disability Needs] [Lit. on the Web]
- [Week One] [Week Two] [Week Three] [Week Four] [Week Five] [Week Six] [Week Seven] [Week Eight] [Week Nine] [Week Ten] [Week Eleven] [Week Twelve] [Week Thirteen] [Week Fourteen] [Week Fifteen: Finals Week]
The purpose of ENG2013, Introduction to Literature, is--as described by the Online Catalogue-- "A study of literary genres through representative readings. It's Prerequisite: ENG1053G." This class meets three times a week for fourteen weeks to discuss the nature of literature using as raw material the readings listed as well as a series of handouts to be dispersed during the semester. Furthermore, discussions will center on some of the common themes of life that have haunted the human mind and heart throughout western history..
ENG2013 Introduction to Literature: This class meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to discuss the nature of literature using the below reading list as raw material as well as a series of handouts to be dispersed during the semester. Furthermore this class exists on the Blackboard platform on which can be found extra credit threaded discussions, links to notes for further study and study guides. Also announcements will be posted regularly on the Blackboard platform as well as sent out in emails. Discussions in class, meanwhile, will center on the big ideas about the human condition, such as isolation, gender differences, cultural injustice, war, and the universal experience of loss.
The following reading list is not exclusive and, in fact, many important works (including, probably, some of your favorites) have been excluded. This class can only function as an introduction, not an exhaustive study. I encourage you to think of the texts for this class not as a single resource but a series of inexhaustible treasure chests, capable of refreshment and inspiration time and time again.
Students will be evaluated by a series of ten tests (out of thirteen), three journal collections, a midterm and a final. Also the option for extra credit will made available for those who are willing to do extra work.
The purpose of this course is. . .
1. to expose the student to a wide range of literary genres: poetry, drama, novel and short story
2. to introduce the student to a wide ranger of authors of different cultures, genders and ages.
3. to encourage the student to consider what makes a work of literature worthy--how should the cannon be formed?
4. to introduce some of the important common issues which authors--in spite of their different backgrounds, cultures, and mediums--often examine.
Tools:
You must purchase a Loose-leaf Notebook divided into three (3) parts
A-Handouts, B- Class-notes, C-Journal
Actual
Reading Texts: I know at times you may feel like this fellow below but stay with it.
A Note on the texts: The
central purpose of this class is to
enrich your life. This is not a vocational
training session in which the question of what information is
actually applicable to one's present or future job is central to
the class's worth. In point of fact most companies have
programs to deal with that need. The purpose of this course
is to broaden the student's understanding of the human
condition, to widen his or her understanding of how
people think, and develop their own sense of what is worthwhile
and beautiful. Thus these texts have value long after the
student completes this class and should be looked upon as the
beginning of what may become a treasure trove of future
reading. One final note, readings listed on a day in a
syllabus are expected to be completed by that day.
An Experiment in Criticism by C.S.
Lewis
Cambridge University Press; Rep edition (January 31, 1992)
ISBN: 0521422817
List Price: $16.99
Required
The Internet Literary Vocabulary Page accessed from Dr. Rearick's Reading Corner.
The Anthology:
Perrine's
Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense Ninth (9th)
Edition
Edited by Thomas Arp and Greg Johnson.
Hardcover:1776 pages Case Bound: List Price: $85.95
Harcourt College Pub (Thomson)
ISBN: 141300654X
Required
Autobiographical:
A Grief Obscured by C.S. Lewis
HarperSanFrancisco
ISBN: 0060652381
List Price: $9.95 Required
A Novel:
Great Expectations (Dover Thrift
Editions) (Paperback)
by Charles Dickens
Dover Publications (August 1, 2001)
ISBN: 0486415864
List Price: $3.00
Required
Plays:
Please note that except for Othello which is in The Perrine's Anthology all the others on web sites. Furthermore we will be viewing these in class, as the dramatists intended.
Hand outs
Handouts will be given throughout the class. Unless specified by Dr. Rearick, such hand-outs should be considered required reading like any of the assigned texts. Click Here for the Word Document Readings and Here for the Contents Page and Here for the Cover Page. This is a long document. Do not print unless you can pay.
94 to 100
is an "A" Exceptional! A cut above--unusually
good.
90
to 93 is an "A-" Outstanding!
87
to 89 is "B+" Very Well Done!
84
to 86 is a "B" A fine Job!
80
to 83 is a "B-" Fairly Good.
77
to 79 is a "C+" Solidly in there!
74
to 76 is a "C" Good, a concrete understanding of the
subject.
70
to 73 is a "C-" Understanding of subject is workable.
60
to 70 is a "D" Passing but weak.
59
and below is an "F" Fell short of required
understanding of material.
Attendance: Since we are functioning on an intensive schedule, it is vital that you be in attendance throughout the semester--even on days when a play is being shown in class since there will be discussion even on those days. Three absences will be allowed and then five points will be taken from the student's final score at the end of the term. Students who are involved in a recognized activity for the school (Mandate weekends, traveling musical groups, athletes) need to see the instructor ahead of time so arrangements can be made.
Class Participation: Lecture will only play a part in the class activities. Literature is meant to be talked about. Students are encouraged to express their opinions and share their unique insights. Each of us brings something special to a text that is ours alone. Your comments are very important. I have been known to add extra credit to students who show an exceptional willingness to participate in class discussion. Furthermore your online blackboard web class will have ongoing discussion questions if you find talking in the group difficult
Your journal is IMPORTANT! In fact, it counts more for your final grade than either the midterm or final. You should write in it three times a week. It is your personal repository for what you think about the works you are reading and about the material being covered in class.
I will be looking for the following in your journal:
1. Three entries per week (totaling 27 by the end of the semester). Going beyond that entries could indicate to the instructor the kind of student who will achieve a high grade. Please note that writing in your journal is not connected with days in class. In fact to reach beyond the required 27 entries you may have to write on weekends or on a holiday. I am aware that this is a lot of writing but remember that no literary paper is required for this class. Finally remember it is also allowable to write two entries on a day as long as both are adequately developed. Please note the following:
A. Periodic class checks may occur to determine the currency of your journal entries. So, always bring your journal with you to class.
B. Journals will be handed in three times during the semester:
Sept. 28 (8), Nov. 2 (18), and Nov. 30 (27).C. Journals when handed in will be kept in a provided folder. Therefore do NOT use a spiral notebook.
2. A table of contents made from the thesis sentence (the main idea) found in each entry.
3. Journal entries must be at least 2/3 of a page long. Furthermore, if you are one of those individuals like St. Paul with BIG handwriting--
"Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand" (Gal. 6:11)
--then you should plan to write more than what I have suggested. I’ve seen some fill up 2/3 of a page with "I’ve been thinking about our reading." Typing is not required, but typing does get a leg up just like extra entries. So if you can type and are comfortable doing so, do it.
4. All entries should be numbered and dated:
(For Example: Entry # 14; Sept 28, 2005).5. Although I will not be grading the journal harshly concerning mechanics and restarts of thought (which require a single line to cross out some material), I do expect the final product to be neat and legible. (Typing helps this)
6. Also you should write full sentences within paragraphs--no fragmented stream of consciousness experiments. "Split from society--bad." To be specific, I will be especially looking in your journal for. . .
A. Development of ideas. Remember that it is not necessary to finish a work to have a good idea. In fact waiting till you have finished can be overwhelming. Keep your journal handy while reading.
B. Interconnectedness of journal entries. This means that an idea you examine at one point in your journal might have relevance to another work discussed later. Works in literature should not be thought of in a vacuum.
7. For many, writing reaction essays on literature can be daunting. Therefore I have provided in the assignment section possible journal cues. These are not required but are only suggestions. You are free to examine any aspect of the works covered or the analytical discussions in class.
A Journal is NOT. . .
1. A diary: Your entries should be a mixture of commentary concerning what you read and what you discuss in and out of class about literature. I do not want to read (as I have in the past) what you had for lunch or who is presently percolating your hormones.
2. A place for notes: Class notes belong in the section provided for them in your loose leaf. I should not see your actually writing in your journal during class. This also means that a journal is not a re-hashing of what is covered in class ("today in class we talked about. . .etc etc.").
To see an example of a possible journal entry see text included at syllabus' conclusion.
REMEMBER:
Your journal accounts for 20% of your grade. That’s
the same as your midterm plus your final: DO NOT PUT OFF TO THE
LAST MINUTE: DO NOT "BLOW IT OFF!"
Quizzes: There will be quiz every week, including Thanksgiving week. Unless indicated by the professor reading assigned for that Friday could appear on the quiz. Material in lectures, however, will not. These quizzes will be composed of multiple choice, true or false and matching questions, about twelve in total. There will be makeups only for medical emergencies or such like. Students who know they will be missing an exam ahead of time, should contact the professor ahead of time. Three quizzes will be dropped at the end of the year.
Midterm Exam: The midterm exam, which is schedule for the Wednesday before midterm break will be similar to the quizzes given as far as the type of questions. There are usually 100 questions.
Final Exam: The final exam, which is scheduled for 10:00 - 11:50 on Friday, Dec.9th (the Last Day), will be accumulative and based strongly on the tests given throughout the semester. However, be surprised if part of the day is used to cover NEW material. This class is so cramped I may need some time for some final readings. The exam itself will not take more than an hour.
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.
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 so I am especially sensitive to the needs and challenges faced by otherwise qualified students. 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, 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. Pursue these things and see me if you have any such needs.
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!
Remember that
your journal should have a table of contents page on which the big
idea of each of your journal entries should be found. It
should look something like the following:
Contents
Note that
every entry should have the entry number, the date, and the
opening statement. Since one can not always know where one
is going with a journal entry until it is finished, do not write
the opening statement until you have written the entry.
Journal Entry # 3 Sept. 7, 2005
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.
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. Also there are several longer works which will be covered. Although Great Expectations [online text] by Charles Dickens, A Grief Observed and A Christmas Carol will not be overtly touched until the proper section, the student will find the recommended reading schedule will break down these long readings into shorter segments. (For example, throughout the semester plan to read three chapters of GE over the weekend, and then two chapter by the next Friday.) Material in these readings will appear in the weekly quizzes. Unless otherwise indicated all page numbers refer to the Perrine's text.
Class Calendar Fall 2005--M-W-F
Week One: By the end of the week you should have 1 journal entry completed.
The
Nature of Literature and its depiction of Isolation
Terms:
Here
are some terms which you should know by the end of this section.
Look
up the literary meaning for. . .
Note: this is not an
Option; it is expected: Remember to look at the Glossary
available at Dr. Rearick's
Reading Corner under the heading: "Resources."
Wednesday: Aug. 31st Introduction
My Lecture on Pleasure: the Cornerstone of
Literature
Friday: Sept. 2
Quiz # 1
Possible Journal Topics:
Week Two: By the end of the week you should have 3 journal entries completed.
Monday: Sept. 5
My Lecture on The Changing Canon
Possible Journal Topics:
Wednesday: Sept. 7
More Possible Journal Topics:
Friday: Sept. 9
Quiz # 2
My Lecture on The Romantics and Two Young Men Who
Turned the World of Poetry Upside down!
What is Going On in Kubla Khan?
Possible Journal Topics:
Week Three By the end of the week you should have 5 journal entries completed.
Monday: Sept. 12
Possible Journal Topics:
Wednesday: Sept. 14
Gender Difference and Cultural Expectations
Learn the literary meaning for. . .
Note: this is not an
Option; it is expected: Remember to look at the Glossary
available at Dr. Rearick's
Reading Corner under the heading: "Resources."
My Lecture on Gender Differences
Here is a helpful Study Guide on the Taming of the Shrew
Friday: Sept. 16
Quiz # 3
Shakespeare's Bad/Good Woman &
Good/Bad Woman
Possible Journal Topics:
Week Four By the end of the week you should have 7 journal entries completed.
Love
and Marriage
Learn the literary meaning for. . .
Note: this is not an
Option; it is expected: Remember to look at the Glossary
available at Dr. Rearick's
Reading Corner under the heading: "Resources."
Monday: Sept. 19
Possible Journal Topics:
Wednesday: Sept. 21
Friday: Sept. 23
Quiz # 4
Week Five By the end of the week you should have 9 journal entries completed.
Monday: Sept. 26
The Power of love and Marriage
Against The Isolating Force of Culture:
Learn the literary meaning for. . .
Remember that there is a Glossary available at Dr. Rearick's Reading Room
Note: this is not an Option: it is strongly recommended. Web
pages have been created with further information, study guides
and sometimes even sample questions at Dr. Rearick's Reading Room
Possible Journal Topics you should have 16 finished by the end of the week:
Wednesday: Sept. 28
First
Journal Check (8 entries expected)
Possible Journal Topics:
Friday: Sept. 30
Quiz # 5
What is it like to be Marginalized by Society?
Possible Journal Topics:
Week Six By the end of the week you should have 11 journal entries completed.
Monday: Oct. 3
How Does Society Treat and Perceive its Young and its Old?
Wednesday: Oct. 5
Possible Journal Topics:
Friday: Oct. 7
Quiz # 6
Week Seven By the end of the week you should have 13 journal entries completed.
Monday: Oct. 10
Wednesday: Oct. 12: Midterm Exam
Friday: Oct. 14 - Midterm Break Actually Begins at Thursday Oct. 13th at 9:30pm
Week Eight By the end of the week you should have 15 journal entries completed.
Monday: Oct. 17
Wednesday: Oct. 19
Friday: Oct. 21
Quiz # 7
Week Nine By the end of the week you should have 17 journal entries completed.
Monday: Oct. 24
Wednesday: Oct. 26
Death
and Consolation
Learn the literary meaning for. . .
Be
sure to look up definitions for these terms in the Glossary provided by Prof.
Rearick and linked and from his Readers' Corner.
Friday: Oct. 28
Quiz # 8
Week Ten By the end of the week you should have 19 journal entries completed.
Monday: Oct. 31
Poems on Death
Wednesday: Nov. 2
Second Set of Journals (Hand in 18)
Friday: Nov. 4
Quiz # 9
On the Approach of Death
Week Eleven By the end of the week you should have 21 journal entries completed.
Monday: Nov. 7
Wednesday: Nov. 9
Friday: Nov. 11
Quiz # 10
Week Twelve By the end of the week you should have 23 journal entries completed.
Monday: Nov. 14
Chivalry
and War
Be
sure to look up definitions for these terms in the Glossary provided by Prof.
Rearick and linked and from his Readers' Corner.
Wednesday: Nov. 16
Henry
V by William ShakespeareFriday: Nov. 18
Quiz # 11
Week Thirteen By the end of the week you should have 25 journal entries completed.
Monday: Nov. 21
Wednesday: Nov. 23 -
Quiz # 12
Thanksgiving begins on Wednesday at 1:40 p.m.
Friday: Nov. 25 - Thanksgiving Break
Week Fourteen By the end of the week you should have 27 journal entries completed.
Monday: Nov. 28
My Lecture on Dickens' "Christian" Carol
Wednesday: Nov. 30
Third
Journal Check (27 entries expected)
Friday: Dec. 2
"Nativity" By John Donne [Handout]
Quiz # 13
Monday: Dec. 5: Reading Day - Week of final exams
Friday: Dec. 9: FINAL
Final is scheduled for 10:00 - 11:50 on Friday, Dec.9th (the Last Day),
Last Updated Oct. 31st, 2005
