Syllabus
English 2200: Writing about Literature, Fall 2008
Section 01: TR 2:00-3:15PM, Arts & Sciences 366
Section 02: MW 5:30-6:45PM, Bell Hall 340
Professor
Professor: Dr. Alex E. Blazer
Office: Arts & Sciences 3-30
Office Hours: MW 4:30-5:20PM, TR 1:00-1:50P, and by appointment
Phone: 478.445.0964
Email: alex.blazer@gcsu.edu
Web: www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~ablazer/
The search is what anyone would undertake if he were not sunk in the everydayness of his own life. —Walker Percy, The Moviegoer |
The undergraduate course catalog describes English 2200 as "A course emphasizing theory and practice in writing literary analysis and practical criticism." In this course, we will learn how to critically write about literature by analytically reading and researching the five major genres—short story, novel, drama, poetry, and film.We will see how the techniques of literature—such as characterization, setting, plot, and point of view—can be interpreted to reveal core psycho-existential conflicts of the human condition. This course's Academic Assessment page describes our topics:
- The interpretation and critical analysis of a variety of literary works;
- The methods for locating appropriate secondary sources;
- The development of a critical essay that uses one or more secondary sources as the theoretical basis for a thesis or as evidence in the argument;
- The development of a full-length research paper that incorporates the thoughtful and appropriate use of secondary sources as theoretical foundations or evidence.
as well as course outcomes:
- Students will be able to discuss a variety of literary works within a theoretical framework;
- Students will be able to write coherent, consistent critical essays incorporating secondary works on a variety of literary works;
- Students will be able to write coherent, well-developed research papers incorporating a full sample of relevant secondary sources.
We will informally answer study questions in order to prepare us to draft and revise three formal papers, which will dig deeper into each work and eventually include research; and we'll do a group project in which we analyze, research, and finally teach the rest of the class a new work of literature. I will guide class discussion, present concepts and modes of analysis, and assess assignments. I expect you to read and study the material, attend and participate in class regularly, turn assignments in on time, and approach assignments with intellectual curiosity, educational investment, and academic honesty. Note that this course's prerequisite is English 1102.
required (GCSU Bookstore or Amazon.com)
Gibaldi, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th ed.
Percy, The Moviegoer
Roberts, ed., Literature, 4th ed.
required (online)
various stories and articles
Assignments and Grade Distribution
informal writing, 15%
Informal writing is comprised of responses to the reading and responses to the first drafts of your peers' papers. Approximately once per text, in class or out of class, you will write short, informal responses to a work of literature in order to practice writing about literature and work toward writing fully developed, interpretive papers. Groups of 3-4 will respond to their peers' first drafts for revision.
paper 1, 15%
In the first paper of 4-5 pages, you will rigorously analyze a key passage of a literary work, for example, discussing how it highlights the core conflicts and themes of the text.
paper 2, 20%
In the second paper of 5-6 pages, you will discuss a point of debate in interpretation of a work of literature and then argue your reading of the work.
paper 3, 30%
In the final research paper of 7-9 pages, you will interpret a literary work of your choice, using at least 4 works of scholarly criticism to support your analysis.
group project, 20%
Groups of 4-5 members will analyze, research, and then teach the class a text via both audiovisual presentation and written component.
Class Preparation and Participation
I expect you to come to class having read, annotated, and reviewed the assigned reading. Moreover, you should prepare at least two comments and two questions. We're going to be working with challenging texts; therefore, we'll all benefit from sharing our ideas and questions. If I feel that you're not participating because you're not keeping up with the reading, I will give a pop quiz.
Office Hours and Professor Email
I encourage you to stop by my office hours to discuss any aspect of the course, literature, or life. I'm happy to answer minor questions such as due dates over email, but I prefer face-to-face conversations for more substantive topics like papers and exams. Please use email etiquette.
GeorgiaVIEW Vista and Student Email
We will be using GeorgiaVIEW Vista and/or TurnItIn.com for assignments and GCSU email for class communication. It is your responsibility to learn Vista as well as to check your university email for possible course related messages. I suggest that you forward your university email to your private email account (or vice versa).
MLA Style
Formal assignments should adhere to the Modern Language Association (MLA) style. Formal papers and take-home exams require MLA style while in-class exams; discussion board responses, informal writing, and peer review may be informally formatted. One-third of a letter grade will be deducted from a formal paper or take-home exam for problems in each of the following three categories, for a possible one letter grade deduction total: 1) header, heading, and title, 2) margins, font, and line-spacing, and 3) quotation and citation format. Before you turn in a formal paper, make sure your work follows MLA style by using the checklist on the MLA style handout. I encourage students to use my MS Word template.
Attendance
There will be a one letter final grade deduction for every absence beyond three days. Therefore, missing four class periods will result in a one letter final grade deduction and missing seven classes will result in automatic failure of the course. I suggest you use your three days both cautiously and wisely; and make sure you sign the attendance sheets. Habitual tardies or consistently leaving class early will be treated as absences. Excuses like work, family, and scheduled doctor's appointment will be declined. The only acceptabled excuses are death in one's immediate family and one's own medical emergency. If you participate in an extracurricular activity that you anticipate will cause you to miss class, I suggest you switch sections now. You can check your attendance online by looking for your course number and the last four digits of your student identification number.
Late Assignments
There will be a one letter assignment grade deduction per day (not class period) for any assignment that is turned in late. I sparingly give short extensions if you request one for a valid need; however you must make the request at least one day before the assignment is due. I will inform you via email if I cannot open an electronically submitted assignment; however, your assignment will be considered late until you submit it in a file I can open. I neither read nor grade assignments that are turned in more than five days late for whatever reason, be it extension or computer error. Failing to submit (or resubmit) an assignment that is worth 15% or more of the course grade within five days (not class periods) of its due date will result in automatic failure of the course. Failing to submit (or resubmit) a final exam or final paper within two days of its due date will result in automatic failure of the course.
Plagiarism
Do not do it. The Honor Code defines plagiarism as "presenting as one's own work the words or ideas of an author or fellow student. Students should document quotes through quotation marks and footnotes or other accepted citation methods. Ignorance of these rules concerning plagiarism is not an excuse. When in doubt, students should seek clarification from the professor who made the assignment." Section 3.01 of the Academic Affairs Handbook elaborates other examples of academic dishonesty and outlines disciplinary procedures and appeals for academic misconduct. As plagiarism is not tolerated at GCSU, any student found guilty of willful plagiarism will fail the assignment and the course. Students must submit all formal papers to TurnItIn.com.
Failure of the Course
There are three ways to fail the course: 1) failing to regularly attend class, 2) plagiarizing, 3) failing an assignment that is worth 15% or more of the course grade, be it from poor quality, lateness of submission, or a combination of poor quality and lateness. By contrast, students who regularly attend class, complete their work with academic integrity, and submit assignments on time will pass the course.
Withdrawal
The last day to add a course is August 22. The last day to drop a course without fee penalty is August 26. The last day to withdraw without academic penalty (unless previously assigned an F by professor for absences) is October 16.
Disability Services
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and GCSU's Policy For Students with Disabilities that Affect Learning, if there is a student in this class who has a disability that may affect her learning and progress, please meet with me so we can discuss your particular needs. Notification will be kept confidential. Students with disabilities should also contact Mike Chambers, mike.chambers@gcsu.edu or 445-5931, at Disability Services in Maxwell Student Union 133.
The Writing Center
The Writing Center is a free service available to all members of the university community. Consultants assist writers in the writing process, from conception and organization of compositions to revision to documentation of research. Located in Lanier Hall 209, the Center is open Monday through Friday. Call 445-3370 or email writingcr@gcsu.edu for more information.
Special Notice to Students in the Arts & Sciences Building
In the event of a fire alarm signal students should exit the building in a quick and orderly manner through the nearest hallway exit. First and Second floor classes should exit through ground level exits; Third floor classes through nearest stairwell to a ground level exit. Do not use elevator. Third floor stairwells are areas where disabled people may communicate with rescue workers. Be familiar with the floorplan and exits of this building.
This schedule is subject to change, so check back in class and online for possible revisions.
Section 1: TR 2:00-3:15PM
[scroll down to see the schedule for Section 2: MW 5:30-6:45PM]
Introductions Rachel, "mcpoem" |
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"Where is Donnie?" |
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Faulkner, "A Rose for Emily" (75-80) Bambara, "The Lesson" (373-7) Roberts, Ch1 Introduction: The Process . . . of Literature (1-54) |
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M, 9-1: No Class: Labor Day Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown" (331-8) Roberts, Ch2 Fiction: An Overview (54-68) Roberts, Ch4 Characters: The People in Fiction (151-7) |
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Conrad, "The Secret Sharer" (202-25) Roberts, Ch5 Setting: The Background of Place, Objects, and Culture in Stories (198-201) Joyce, "Araby" (226-29) |
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Gass, "Emma Enters a Sentence of Elizabeth Bishop's" (online) Roberts, Ch8 Symbolism and Allegory: Keys to Extended Meaning (321-5) Roberts, Ch6 Structure: The Organization of Stories (244-46) |
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Daitch, "X ≠ Y" (online) Carver, "Neighbors" (116-9) Roberts, Ch3 Point of View: The Position of the Narrator or Speaker (107-15) |
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Percy, The Moviegoer Roberts, Ch9 Idea or Theme: The Meaning and Message in Fiction (367-71) |
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Percy, continued Roberts, Ch7 Tone and Style: Conveying Attitudes of Fiction (280-6) |
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|
**Due to peer response group meetings, regular class will not be held. You are only responsible for coming to your class on the day your peer response group meets. |
|
**Due to peer response group meetings, regular class will not be held. You are only responsible for coming to your class on the day your peer response group meets. |
||
|
Roberts, Ch11 Meeting Poetry: An Overview (456-93) Roberts, Ch12 Words: The Building Blocks of Poetry (494-527) |
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Ferlinghetti, A Coney Island of the Mind (online) Roberts, Ch13 Imagery: The Poem's Link to the Senses (528-9) Roberts, Ch14 Figures of Speech, or Metaphorical Language (560-2) |
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Ferlinghetti, continued Roberts, Ch15 Tone: The Creation of Attitude in Poetry (599) |
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Olds, Satan Says (online) Roberts, Ch17 Symbolism and Allusion; Windows to Wide Expanses of Meaning (691-92) |
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Olds, continued Roberts, Ch16 Form: The Shape of Poems (241-43) |
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Albee, The Sandbox (883-90) O'Neill, Before Breakfast (907-13) Roberts, Ch20 The Dramatic Vision: An Overview (862-74, 914-22) |
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Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (981-1090) theoretical approaches: deconstruction, feminism, psychoanalysis, New Historicism, reader-response (online) In Class Activity: Putting Theory into Practice I: General Theory |
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W, 10-29: Shakespeare, concluded R, 10-30: No Class: Professor at Conference |
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Roberts, Ch10A Writing and Documenting the Research Essay (428-55) Film Screening: The Big Lebowski (Joel and Ethan Coen, 1998) (transcript) |
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Film Screening: continued |
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The Big Lebowski, discussion |
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Individual Conference regarding Paper 3 Group Projects meeting time |
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Individual Conference regarding Paper 3 Group Projects meeting time |
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No Class: Thanksgiving Holidays |
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Group Presentations Dorothy Parker, "Love Song" and "Now at Liberty" (poems, project) Student Opinion Surveys |
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Group Presentations Ngugi wa Thiong'o, "A Meeting in the Dark" (online, project) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (transcript, project) [the film is widely available to rent or watch online] |
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Group Presentations Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream (text, project) American History X (transcript, project) [the film is widely available to rent or watch online] |
This schedule is subject to change, so check back in class and online for possible revisions.
[scroll up to see the schedule for Section 1: TR 2:00-3:15PM]
Introductions First Day Poem |
||
Faulkner, "A Rose for Emily" (75-80) Bambara, "The Lesson" (373-7) Roberts, Ch1 Introduction: The Process . . . of Literature (1-54) |
||
Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown" (331-8) Roberts, Ch2 Fiction: An Overview (54-68) Roberts, Ch4 Characters: The People in Fiction (151-7) |
||
No Class: Labor Day Holiday |
||
Conrad, "The Secret Sharer" (202-25) Roberts, Ch5 Setting: The Background of Place, Objects, and Culture in Stories (198-201) Joyce, "Araby" (226-29) |
||
Gass, "Emma Enters a Sentence of Elizabeth Bishop's" (online) Roberts, Ch8 Symbolism and Allegory: Keys to Extended Meaning (321-5) Roberts, Ch6 Structure: The Organization of Stories (244-46) |
||
Daitch, "X ≠ Y" (online) Carver, "Neighbors" (116-9) Roberts, Ch3 Point of View: The Position of the Narrator or Speaker (107-15) |
||
Percy, The Moviegoer Roberts, Ch9 Idea or Theme: The Meaning and Message in Fiction (367-71) |
||
Percy, continued Roberts, Ch7 Tone and Style: Conveying Attitudes of Fiction (280-6) |
||
|
**Due to peer response group meetings, regular class will not be held. You are only responsible for coming to your class on the day your peer response group meets. |
|
**Due to peer response group meetings, regular class will not be held. You are only responsible for coming to your class on the day your peer response group meets. |
||
|
Roberts, Ch11 Meeting Poetry: An Overview (456-93) Roberts, Ch12 Words: The Building Blocks of Poetry (494-527) |
||
Ferlinghetti, A Coney Island of the Mind (online) Roberts, Ch13 Imagery: The Poem's Link to the Senses (528-9) |
||
Ferlinghetti, continued Roberts, Ch14 Figures of Speech, or Metaphorical Language (560-2) |
||
Olds, Satan Says (online) Roberts, Ch15 Tone: The Creation of Attitude in Poetry (599) |
||
Olds, continued Roberts, Ch17 Symbolism and Allusion; Windows to Wide Expanses of Meaning (691-92) |
||
Albee, The Sandbox (883-90) O'Neill, Before Breakfast (907-13) Roberts, Ch20 The Dramatic Vision: An Overview (862-74, 914-22) |
||
Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (981-1090) theoretical approaches: deconstruction, feminism, psychoanalysis, New Historicism, reader-response (online) In Class Activity: Putting Theory into Practice I: General Theory |
||
Shakespeare, continued |
||
Roberts, Ch10A Writing and Documenting the Research Essay (428-55) Film Screening: The Big Lebowski (Joel and Ethan Coen, 1998) (transcript) |
||
Film Screening, continued |
||
The Big Lebowski, discussion |
||
The Big Lebowski, criticism (online) |
||
Individual Conference regarding Paper 3 Group Projects meeting time |
||
Individual Conference regarding Paper 3 Group Projects meeting time |
||
No Class: Thanksgiving Holidays |
||
Group Presentations John Keats, "The Eve of St. Agnes" (text, project) Fight Club (transcript, project) [the film is widely available to rent or watch online] |
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T. S. Eliot, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" (poem, project) Ibsen, A Doll House (available in our textbook, project) Student Opinion Surveys |
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Group Presentation Fitzgerald, "Winter Dreams" and "Babylon Revisited" (texts, project) |