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The School of Arts and Humanities Presents the
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Introduction to Literature Sec. 1 & 2 |
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Instructor: Dr. Anderson M. Rearick III |
Credit: 3 Hours
/ MO 203
Spring 2008 Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays
Sec. 1--Time: 11:30pm 12:30pm
// Sec. 2--Time: 1:50
- 2:50pm
Dr. Rearick's Office: Founders Hall 219C
(Within 219: Lit., Lang., & Comm. Dept.)
Office Hours: Daily 8:00-10:20, 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
Course Index:
The purpose of ENG2013, Introduction to Literature,
The purpose of ENG2013, Introduction to Literature, as described by the Online Catalogue: is to be a "study of literary genres through representative readings. Prerequisite: ENG1053G." This class will meet three times a week for three 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. Discussions will center on some of the common themes that have haunted the human mind and heart throughout western history.
ENG2013 Introduction to Literature: This class will meet three times a week to discuss the nature of literature using the below reading list as raw material drawn from textbooks as well as a series of handouts purchased in the bookstore. Rather than divided by literary types or chronological order, class discussions will center on some of the common themes which have haunted the human mind and heart throughout western history. The material will be grouped thematically: isolation through self centeredness, isolation by gender difference, isolation by “cultureral” forces, isolation by death, and isolation by war. In each case authors have depicted responses which include forgiveness, love, community reconciliation and peace.
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 Discussion 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.
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 this 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. 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 two weeks. This amount of activity earns a 90%; more interaction raises the grade. More means extra credit.
Quizzes: There will be a quiz every week. Unless indicated by the professor reading assigned for that Friday could appear on the quiz. Material in lectures for that Friday, however, will not. These quizzes will be composed of multiple choice, true or false and matching questions, about twelve in total. There will be make-ups 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. 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.
Midterm Exam: Friday March 14 The midterm exam, which is schedule for the Friday before midterm break will be similar to the quizzes given as far as the type of questions. There are usually 100 questions. Note: plan now to be here; make your travel arrangements accordingly.
Final Exam: The final exam, which is scheduled for Sec. 1 at 10:00 - 11:50 on Tuesday, May.13th and for Sec. 2 at 3:00 to 4:50 on May 14th, will be accumulative and based strongly on the tests given throughout the semester. The exam itself will not take more than an hour. Please do not ask to take this early.
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. The paper will need to be in MLA form [Click here to see an example using the Perrin's ]. 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. Again use MLA, especially when citing the film. 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. If you have forgotten how to do MLA follow this link to an index where a series of resource web pages are listed which will help you.
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!
Threaded Discussion Example Feb. 10, 2008
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.
I don’t grade this way but if you are looking for a
sense of length this entry is about 151 words long.
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, and A Grief Observed 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 Spring 2008--M-W-F
Week One:
THEME I: 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: Jan. 30th Introduction
My Lecture on Pleasure: the Cornerstone of
Literature
Play Quiz
Friday: Feb. 2
Quiz # 1
Possible Discussion Topics:
Monday: Feb. 4
My Lecture on The Changing Canon
Possible Discussion Topics:
Wednesday: Feb. 6
by Richard Connell (67-86).More Possible Discussion Topics:
Friday: Feb. 8
Quiz # 2
My Lecture on The Romantics and Two Young Men Who
Turned the World of Poetry Upside down!
What they thought of poetry and how it worked against the forces of isolation.
What is Going On in Kubla Khan?
Are
Visionaries, Poets and Prophets Doomed to Isolation?
by Willa Cather (234-251)
Possible Discussion Topics:
Monday: Feb. 11
The Lady of Shallot
Isolation by Aesthetic Vision or by Gender Difference?
Shakespeare
and Drama With Cervantes and the Novel
Possible Discussion Topics:
Wednesday: Feb. 13
THEME II: 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."
Friday: Feb. 15
Online Quiz # 3
Lecture How Does Literature Portray the Isolating Affect of Gender Differences
Here is a helpful Study Guide on the Taming of the Shrew
Monday: Feb. 18
Shakespeare's Bad/Good Woman &
Good/Bad Woman: How the Bard Rebelled Against
the His Age’s Isolating View of Gender Relations
[audio] by Geoffrey Chaucer
[Handout][audio] [e-text] by Susan Gadspell (398-408)
[audio
] by Edith Wharton (409-434)[audio][audio2] by
Earnest Hemingway (268-272)Possible Discussion Topics:
Wednesday: Feb. 20
THEME III: Love
and Marriage—Forces
Against Isolation, Their Success and Failure.
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."
Possible Discussion Topics:
Friday: Feb. 22
Quiz # 4
The
Nature of Poetry
What
Compels Poets to Speak? Another online source which is helpful is Brainy
Encyclopedia's section on Poetry.
Monday: Feb. 25
Wednesday: Feb. 27
THEME
IV: The Power of Familial and Personal Love 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
My Lecture on Charles Dickens A Lecture
about How Charles Dickens Revolutionaries the Novel and Made a Pretty Penny for
Himself at the Same Time Overcoming the Obstacles of Culture, Money, and Class
The
Nature of Prose
What
are the differences between the texts?
Possible Discussion Topics you should have 16 finished by the end of the week:
Friday: Feb. 29
Quiz # 5
Lecture: Cultureral Expectations as Isolating Forces
Possible Discussion Topics:
Week Six March 3-7 (Spring Revival)
Monday: March 3
Living on the Edge
of Society--Does Anyone Know I'm Out Here?
Possible Discussion Topics:
Wednesday: March 5
Beyond Race and
Economics: Culture's Isolating Pressure on Age Groups
Possible Discussion Topics:
Friday: March 7
Quiz # 6
Can the Formulaic
Still Be Great?
Possible Discussion Topics:
Monday: March 10
Possible Discussion Topics:
Wednesday: March 12
Friday: March 14 - Midterm Exam Taken in Class
Monday: March 17 Midterm Break
Wednesday: March 19 Midterm Break
Friday: March 21 Midterm Break (Good Friday)
Monday: March 24 No Class Travel Day
Wednesday: March 28
A Warning to Fathers
Friday: March 30
THEME V: Isolation through Death
and Hope Through 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.
Lecture on Grief
“Weeping Privately and Publicly: How Poets Have Portrayed the Ultimate
Separation”
Quiz # 7
Monday: March 31
Wednesday: April 2
The
Death of the Mighty and the Humble
Friday: April 4
Possible Discussion
Topics:
In “Gray’s “Elegy
Written in a Country Churchyard” there is the phrase “far from the
maddening crowd.” What is
gray saying about the nature of what we consider great against what is truly
noteworthy of those who go ahead of us in death?
Quiz # 8
Monday: April 7
How
do poets deal with their own inevitable appointment with Death?
Wednesday: April 9
Friday: April 11
Online Quiz # 8
Monday: April 16 Easter Break
Wednesday: April 18
Friday: April 20
THEME VI: The
Brotherhood of Chivalry
and the Isolation of War
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.
Quiz # 9
Monday: April 23
From Where Does Isolation Come
in Combat?
Wednesday: April 25
Friday: April 27
Quiz # 10
Monday: April 30
Wednesday: May 2
Whose Side is God On?
Can We Be in Communion With Him and Still Wage War?
Friday: May 4
Catch-up and ReviewQuiz # 11
Friday: May: FINAL
Last Updated Feb. 16th, 2007
