Assignments

English 6685 The Postmodern Novel, Spring 2024

W 5:00-7:45 p.m., Arts & Sciences 349

Annotated Bibliography

Compose an annotated bibliography comprised of 10 critical sources (scholarly journal articles, books, book chapters) interpreting the postmodern novel in particular and the overarching themes of the postmodern author in general who you have signed up to research.

 

The sources should comprise a mix of scholarly journal articles and scholarly book chapters as well as intepretations of the novel in particular and the author in general. 3-7 sources should be scholarly journal articles; and 3-7 sources should be scholarly book chapters. 1-3 sources should be on the author in general; 7-9 sources should interpret the novel rather than the novelist. If annotating a book by a single author, select a single chapter to summarize; if annotating an essay collection, you may summarize up to three separate essays.

 

Each annotation should be approximately 100 words long and describe 1) the topic of scholarly discussion, 2) the main idea, meaning, or conclusion as it relates to the novel, and 3) how the source helps your understanding of the novel. The OWL provides additional strategies of summarization, evaluation, and reflection as well as sample annotations.

 

Additionally, you will select one source for the entire class to read and discuss. If two students are scheduled to complete an annotated bibliography on one novel, then they should select the one source for the class to read together.

 

While the annotated bibliography is due in GeorgiaVIEW > Annotated Bibliography on the day the class discusses the film and period, the selected source for the class to read is due via email to your professor (via pdf attachment or permalink) on the Wednesday before the novel is discussed in class.

Sign Up

Sign up for the annotated bibliography and the undergraduate scene analysis here.

Parameters

• Length: 10 100-word annotations, 1 selected source for the class to read and discuss
• Format: MLA Style in Word or RTF format (I suggest using this template)
• Due: The selected source for the class to read and discuss is due one week before we talk about the novel in class. The annotated bibliography is due anytime in GeorgiaVIEW > Course Work > Assignments > Annotated Bibliography on the day we talk about the novel in class.
• Grades: You will be graded on the quality of your research and annotations. You can retrieve your graded assignment approximately one week after your presentation in GeorgiaVIEW > Course Work > Assignments > Annotated Bibliography. Here's how to calculate your course grade.

Comparison and Contrast Paper

While the annotated bibliography requires you to research a postmodern novel and the book review compels you to appreciate and interrogate the argument of a scholarly book about the postmodern novel, the comparison/contrast paper allows you to compare a pertinent issue in two postmodern novels. These novels can be either two in-class novels or one in-class novel and one out-of-class postmodern novel approved by the professor. Although no outside research is required, the essay should include issues or ideas from at least two of our in-class scholarly articles that define and characterize the postmodern novel (Connor, Lewis, McHale, Storey, Hutcheon, Waugh). Your essay should not catalogue similarities and differences but should instead argue, through textual analysis, how a significant point of structural, stylistic, and/or thematic similarity shared by the two novels nonetheless functions in distinct ways across the two novels.

• Length: 8-10 pages
• Format: MLA Style in Word or RTF format (I suggest using this template)
• Due: The paper is due in GeorgiaVIEW > Course Work > Assignments > Comparison/Contrast Paper on either Wednesday, February 14 or Wednesday, March 13.
  • If you submit the book review on February 14, you must submit the comparison and contrast paper on March 13. If you submit the book review on March 13, you must submit the historical influence paper on February 14.
• Grade: Your assignment will be assessed in terms of your critical understanding of structural, stylistic, and/or thematic issues of the postmodern novel and your comparative analysis of the two novels. Retrieve your graded assignment in GeorgiaVIEW > Course Work > Comparison/Contrast Paper approximately one week after you submit the essay. Here's how to calculate your course grade.

Book Review

While the annotated bibliography requires you to research a novel, the book review compels you to read and evaluate a scholarly book about the postmodern novel, either the postmodern novel in general, a postmodern novelist, or a particular postmodern novel. For example, you could evaluate a scholarly book on postmodern fiction and consumerism, a scholarly book on postmodern novelist Thomas Pynchon, or a scholarly book on The Crying of Lot 49. After consulting with the professor on a suitable book (for instance a book on one of our novelists or novels), write a 8-10 page essay that summarizes the book's overall critical claim and then evaluates the thesis and methodology. Your essay should both appreciate and interrogate the book. The GeorgiaVIEW course packet contains sample book reviews by Chetwynd, Dewey, Ebbesen, and Lopez; and you can find more examples using GALILEO.

Parameters

• Length: 8-10 pages
• Format: MLA Style in Word or RTF format (I suggest using this template)
• Due: The paper is due in GeorgiaVIEW > Course Work > Assignments > Book Review on either Wednesday, February 14 or Wednesday, March 13.
  • If you submit the book review on February 14, you must submit the comparison and contrast paper on March 13. If you submit the book review on March 13, you must submit the historical influence paper on February 14.
• Grades: Your assignment will be graded on its appreciative summary of the book as well as its ability to evaluate and interrogate the book. You can retrieve your graded assignment approximately one week after submission in GeorgiaVIEW > Course Work > Assignments > Book Review. Here's how to calculate your course grade.

Seminar Paper

You will write a 12-15 page seminar paper entering, engaging, and advancing the scholarly discourse of a postmodern novel or novels, which are either discussed in class or selected by you and approved by the professor. Your essay should be worthy of being presented at a conference, integrate at least five secondary sources (scholarly journal articles and/or book chapters) obtained through the library, and apply at least two theoretical articles on postmodernism available in our course packet. You will also submit a 250 word conference proposal/abstract and read 10-15 minutes of your paper-in-progress for class question and answer, akin to a conference panel.

Parameters

• Length
  • Paper Proposal: 250 words
  • Paper Presentation: read 10-15 minutes of your paper-in-progress
  • Seminar Paper: 12-15 pages
• Format: MLA Style in Word or RTF format (I suggest using this template)
• Due
  • Paper Proposal: The proposal is due in GeorgiaVIEW > Course Work > Assignments > Seminar Paper on Wednesday, March 27.
  • Paper Presentation: Sign up here for a presentation on Wednesday, April 10, April 17, or April 24..
  • Seminar Paper: The seminar paper is due in GeorgiaVIEW > Course Work > Assignments > Seminar Paper on Wednesday, May 1.
• Grades: Your essay will be assessed in terms of its interpretive understanding of the postmodern novel, integration of literary criticism, and application of postmodern theory. You can retrieve your graded paper approximately one week after submission in GeorgiaVIEW > Course Work > Assignments > Seminar Paper. Here's how to calculate your course grade.