ENGL 101: Introduction to Literature
http://www.csub.edu/~ccoffman/ENGL101-F04/
CSUB Bakersfield Campus
Classroom: Music 114
T Th 6-8:05 PM
CRN: 43377
Fall 2004
Dr. Chris Coffman
Office: Faculty Towers 303A
Phone/Voicemail: 664-3053
E-mail: ccoffman at csub.edu
Office Hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays 1:30-3 PM
And by Advance Appointment (T Th only)
Course Description:
This course is designed to give you the critical tools to analyze literature and other kinds of texts from a wide range of cultural traditions. Though the study of a broad selection of poems, plays, short stories, and a novella, as well as film and television, we will explore a variety of critical approaches to the analysis of texts. The larger goal of this course is to cultivate your awareness of the constructed nature of narratives—not only those that we read in print and view on film, but also those that we create about ourselves in order to make sense of our lives.
The readings for this class are relatively light so that you will have time to read each text carefully, examining each layer of its construction and significance in detail. I suggest that you read each text once, taking notes, and then read it again, considering whatever study questions our book may make available.
Course Goals:
Department Goals and Objectives:
This course supports the following goals and objectives of the CSUB undergraduate program in English:
Goal I: To know major writers in their cultural context, and to compare these writers’ characteristic styles and themes.
Goal II: To analyze and compare literary works in a well-organized, thesis-driven argument that demonstrates a high level of understanding both of textual form and theme.
Please save all of the papers that you write for this and
other courses. If you decide to be
an English major, you will need use them in your senior year to complete a
portfolio in which you demonstrate your competencies. For more information on the portfolio, please see http://www.csub.edu/english/mission_statement.htx
and the Handbook at
http://www.csub.edu/english/eng200folder/nenglish200.htm
Required Books:
·
Kalaidjian, Walter, Judith
Roof, and Stephen Watt. Understanding
Literature: An Introduction to
Reading and Writing. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2004. ISBN 0-618-40540-2.
·
Hacker, Dianna. A
Writer’s Reference. New
York: Bedford, 2003. 0-312-41523-0.
Recommended
Books:
·
Pearsall, Judy. The
Concise Oxford Dictionary. Oxford
University Press. 2002. ISBN 0-19-860636-2.
Prerequisites:
ENGL 100 or equivalent. As this course will assume the skills
in college-level writing that are developed in ENGL 100, I will not waive this
prerequisite.
Waiting List Policy:
This course is capped at 50
students. If you wish to add and the course is closed, you should appear
on the first day of classes to be put on the waiting list. (No students
will be put on the waiting list before the first day of classes.) To
remain on the waiting list, you must continue to attend class and turn in all
work on schedule. Please
keep in mind that being on the waiting list does not guarantee admission to the
course, which is contingent on your satisfaction of prerequisites, your
position on the waiting list, and the number of enrolled students that
drop. (If nobody drops, no students from the waiting list can
enroll.) Thus, if you are on the waiting list, it is in your best
interest to arrange for a backup course.
Course Policies:
Requirements and Criteria for Evaluation:
Tests:
The tests will take a half hour
and will ask you:
1) to define important terms as precisely as possible;
2)
to apply those terms to the critical analysis of texts;
3) to identify the author and source of specific quotations from the text, and
briefly
to discuss their significance within the text as a whole.
The tests will be taken at the beginning of class on the noted dates, and will be offered online through WebCT. We will meet for the tests in the PC lab in WSL 016 and will return to our regular classroom for the second half of class. You may not take the tests on your own.
Final Examination:
You must be available to take the
final on November 30. It will be closed book, will cover all of the
aspects of literary form examined in the course, and will be comprised of essay
questions. You will need at least
one large Blue Book for the exam. I will not ask you to recall texts
assigned during the course, but rather to apply your ability to analyze
literature to several brief texts that I will provide with the exam.
The tests and exam will not
involve “trick” questions that ask for obscure information.
They will only cover concepts that we have discussed, and should not be
difficult for those who attend class regularly. I recommend that you make
a running list of concepts that we discuss in the course and be sure that you
understand how to identify them in literary texts.
Essay Assignments:
I will distribute essay topics,
instructions, and criteria for evaluation in advance and discuss them with you
in class. You are welcome to stop by my office hours to receive
commentary on an early draft of your essay or to discuss preliminary plans for
it. You may also e-mail me a thesis statement and outline for feedback,
but not an entire draft of the paper.
In this class, you will not be
expected to do outside research, and will be expressly forbidden from using any
material about your topic that you have found on the Internet. Essays
will ask you to engage in close analysis of assigned texts, formulating and
defending a thesis about them. Keep in mind that college-level essays are
not “reports” that repeat the ideas of others or summarize the
assigned texts; instead, they allow you to interact critically with the
texts by citing and interpreting details from them as support for an argument
(a thesis).
Your essays should be typed in a
font no larger than Times 12 and double-spaced, with pages numbered, margins no
larger than one inch, and your name, ENGL 101, the assignment number, the topic
number, and the date listed at the top on the first page. They must be
stapled (before class—I do not carry a stapler). Unstapled papers
are one of my pet peeves! Also, please check your assignments carefully
before submission. You alone are responsible for their
completeness; papers with missing pages or other errors will not be returned
for correction and will be graded in the state in which I receive them. To
prevent the stress of last-minute computer or printer problems, I suggest that
you not wait until the last minute to print your essays. You are also
responsible for keeping a second paper copy (not just an electronic file) of
each paper.
Unexcused late papers will be
penalized by one-half grade level per day late, including weekends. Extensions will only be granted for compelling and
documented reasons, and are more likely to be given if requested well in
advance of the date due.
Writing Assistance:
I am always happy to work with you
on your writing during office hours;
also, CSUB offers assistance through The Writing Center at the Oasis in
AE 101. You can find information
on The Writing Center at http://dolphin-diver.com/TheWritingCenter.htm,
and can find a list of online resources on writing at http://www.csub.edu/~ccoffman/WritingHelp/
Plagiarism:
While most people know that
submitting papers written entirely by others constitutes plagiarism, many often
do not understand that it also includes using others’ ideas and turns of
phrase without appropriate documentation. This includes the cutting
and pasting of materials from the Internet!
Pages 331-39 of Hacker’s A
Writer’s Reference, which explain
how to integrate other authors’ words into your essay while giving them
proper credit, should help you avoid accidental plagiarizing of the assigned
texts. Keep in mind that when you use a short (two or fewer lines)
passage from another author’s text, you should place it in quotation
marks and integrate it with your own prose; when you use a longer passage from another author, you
should break the paragraph, indent the quotation, and not use quotation
marks. Because papers that do not
properly use quotation marks and indention to give credit to their sources
violate academic integrity, you should be sure that you understand how to
integrate quotations effectively.
Whether deliberate or unintended,
plagiarism in any form diminishes the quality of your education and is a
violation of academic integrity that will
result in a disciplinary hearing.
If you are found guilty of plagiarism in such a hearing, you will likely
receive an F for the course and be put on academic probation. A second academic integrity violation
will likely result in suspension, which will be noted on your university
transcript, and a third will likely result in your expulsion from the CSU. Neither suspension nor expulsion are
looked on favorably by those evaluating you for employment or for admission to
academic programs. Please consult p. 57 of the CSUB Course Catalog
2003-2005 for full information about CSUB’s
policies concerning the serious consequences of plagiarism, cheating, and other
violations of academic integrity.
It is your responsibility as a
student to understand and avoid plagiarism, and my role as university faculty
to help you understand. To that end, in addition to making Hacker’s
book a required text, I have provided links on the course’s website to
several excellent discussions of different forms of plagiarism. If you
continue to have questions about plagiarism after reading A Writer’s Reference and the online materials, feel free to schedule an
appointment with me or to drop by during office hours.
Attendance:
Because you may well become lost
in the complexity of the readings if you do not participate in classroom
discussion, prompt attendance at each class is required. You are allowed two (2) unexcused absences,
after which point one half grade level per excess absence will be deducted from
your final grade. If your absence falls on the date of a test or an
essay deadline, or if the quantity of your absences becomes excessive, I will ask for documentation. Make-up exams are only
permitted for those students that can document an “excusable”
absence. Illness, personal or
family emergencies, and religious holidays are examples of excusable reasons
for absence; “I overslept,” “I had to study for my
psychology midterm,” “I’m leaving early for the
weekend,” and “I’m going on vacation” are examples of
unacceptable reasons.
If you must miss class, please
inform me by e-mail as soon as possible and contact a classmate to find out
what you missed. You are responsible for all material covered in class,
even if you are absent or late when it is discussed.
Finally, as the arrival of late
students is extremely disruptive to the progress of the class, I ask that you
arrive in class on time. If an emergency dictates that you absolutely
must arrive late to a given class, try to enter through the back door and make
as little noise as possible. Students who arrive late in class
without a compelling explanation will have 1/2 of an unexcused absence noted in
my grade book; be aware that these can quickly add up to significant
deductions from your final grade!
Office Hours:
I am teaching at both CSUB’s
Bakersfield and Antelope Valley campuses this quarter. At the Bakersfield campus I keep 3
office hours per week, listed at the top of this syllabus. This is time
that I make myself available to discuss any questions or concerns that you
might have about the course: to comment on drafts of your paper, to
clarify writing assignments and examinations, to answer questions about my
feedback on your work, to discuss reasons for absence or other concerns about
the course, or simply to chat about the assigned texts or courses that I plan
to offer in the future. Generally you may drop in without an appointment
during office hours, but if my office hours are very popular on a given day
(the day before an exam is scheduled or a paper is due, for example), I may
post a sign-up sheet for your convenience. Also, if other obligations
dictate that you can only appear in office hours at a specific time, feel free
to contact me to see if you can schedule in advance.
Because university faculty have
multiple responsibilities on campus, I am only able to take unscheduled
drop-in appointments during my posted office hours. If you have a school- or work-related conflict with my
scheduled office hours, I would be happy to consult with you briefly by e-mail
(I can offer feedback on thesis statements but not entire papers that way) or
to schedule an appointment at another time that I am on campus. I am in
Bakersfield on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
I thus ask that—rather than stopping me unexpectedly on campus
when I’m not holding office hours—you e-mail me in advance to identify
a meeting time that fits both of our schedules.
Cellular Phones and Other Noisy
Devices:
Noise from cellular phones and
other electronic devices is extremely disruptive to the class, demonstrating a
lack of respect for everyone in the room. I turn mine off before class,
and ask that you do so as well. I reserve the right to ask you to leave
for the rest of the day if your phone rings in class.
Computers:
You will need to have Internet access and your CSUB e-mail
account for this course, and should check e-mail daily: I will be providing course materials,
including readings, writing assignments, and quizzes, online through WebCT. You may check your CSUB e-mail from off-campus computers by
going to http://runner.csub.edu/
Students with Disabilities:
If you have a disability and will be requesting accommodations, please let me know as soon as possible and contact the appropriate office on campus to document your request.
The Fine Print:
I reserve the right to modify this syllabus.
Schedule:
You will find it most beneficial to read all selections from Understanding Literature in the order indicated on the schedule. Sometimes, the syllabus notes individual sections or stories from a chapter; this means that you only need to read the listed pages and texts. At other times, the syllabus lists a range of pages within a chapter—for example, Ch. 17, pp. 817-837—without specifying individual texts. In cases such as these, read through all the pages, which may contain stories or poems that are not listed individually.
Unit 1: The Shaping of Fiction
9/16 (Th): Introduction to Reading and Writing about Fiction
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 1, pp. 4-8; Ch. 2, pp. 9-22; Ch. 3, pp. 23-26; Ch. 4, pp. 68-69.
2) Read: Ch. 52, “Writing about Literature,” 2221-2232; Ch. 53, “Writing about Fiction,” 2233-2239.
3)
Write: In
a 2-page, typed, double-spaced, thesis-driven essay, respond to one of the two
“Topics for Critical Writing” on p. 22. You will likely find it useful to have thought about the
“Topics for Critical Thinking” before beginning your essay, but you
need not answer them directly in your essay. Please consult and follow the instructions for formatting essays
listed under “Essays” earlier on this syllabus. This essay will be evaluated on a
check/plus/minus basis and will count toward your participation grade.
9/20 (M): Complete two WebCT quizzes (on
Plagiarism and the Syllabus) by 4 PM.
9/21 (T): Point of View
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 6, pp. 121-125; Cather, “Paul’s Case,” 125-139; Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” 140-152; Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues,” 175-
2) 198.
9/23 (Th): Tone, Language, and Style
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 10, 345-348; Hemingway, “Hills Like White Elephants,” 364-368; Stein, “Miss Furr and Miss Skeene,” 368-372; Ch. 11, 396-397; Hurston, “Sweat,” 398-406; O’Connor, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” 406-417.
9/28 (T): Image, Motif, and Symbol in Modernist Fiction
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 9, pp. 231-232; “Modernism,” 295-296; Joyce, “Araby,” 328-332; “Symbol,” 332; Woolf, “The Symbol” and “Kew Gardens,” 333-340; Conrad, Heart of Darkness, Ch. 1, pp. 233-256.
9/30 (Th): Image, Motif, and Symbol in the Modern Novella: Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
Homework due:
1) Read: Conrad, Heart of Darkness, Ch. 2 & 3, pp. 256-295.
Unit 2: The Shaping of Poetry
*10/5 (T): Introduction to Poetry
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 19, pp. 691-696; Ch. 20, pp. 697-711.
***WebCT Test on Fiction, 30 minutes, beginning of class***
(Class will meet at 6 PM in WSL
016 for the WebCT Test and will return to the
regular classroom afterwards.)
10/7 (Th): Poetic Imagery and Figurative Language
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 21, pp. 712-726; Ch. 22, pp. 727-741.
*10/12 (T): Symbolism and Myth
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 23, p. 749; Blake, “The Lamb” and editors’ commentary,
750; Blake, “The Tyger,” 1183-1184; all poems and editors’
commentary in Ch. 23 from 751-761; Yeats, “The Second Coming,”
1288; Yeats, “Sailing to Byzantium,” 1289; Ch. 24, 771-775; Shelley,
“Ode to the West Wind,” 785-788; H.D., “Helen,” 1071-1072.
2) Write: Short Paper, 2 pp., graded. On Yeats. See assignment sheet.
10/14 (Th): Prosody
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 26, pp. 799-816.
10/19 (T): Poetic Form
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 27, pp. 817-844.
10/21 (Th): Class does not meet.
Study for Tuesday’s test and get a start on the readings and paper for Unit 3.
Unit 3: The Shaping of Drama
*10/26 (T): Introduction to Drama
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 41, pp. 1361-1385; Ch. 42, pp. 1386-1394.
***WebCT Test on Poetry, 30
minutes, beginning of class***
(Class will meet at 6 PM in WSL
016 for the WebCT Test and will return to the
regular classroom afterwards.)
10/28 (Th): Tragedy: Oedipus Rex
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 43, pp. 1395-1446
*11/2 (T): Critical Perspectives on Oedipus Rex
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 43, pp. 1447-8
2) Write: Long Paper, 5-6 pp., graded. On Oedipus Rex. See
assignment
sheet.
11/4 (Th): Comedy: The Flying Doctor
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 44, pp. 1449-1467.
11/9 (T): Absurdism: Endgame.
Homework due:
1) Read: Ch. 48, pp. 1926-1989.
11/11 (Th): Veterans Day Holiday: Campus Closed
Unit 4: Film and Television: The Shaping of the “Real”
*11/16 (T): True Crime Narratives and the Shaping of the “Real”
Homework due:
1) View Films: Nick Broomfield, Aileen: The Life and Death of a
Serial
Killer
Patty Jenkins, Monster
***WebCT Test on Drama, 30
minutes, beginning of class***
(Class will meet at 6 PM in WSL
016 for the WebCT Test and will return to the
regular classroom afterwards.)
11/18 (Th): Narratives in the News
Homework due:
1) Out-of-class groupwork: begin to prepare material for your group’s
presentation by viewing and discussing your television program. Bring your
notes to class to use.
*11/23 (T): Narratives in the News
Homework due:
1) Graded ten minute group presentations
on literary elements in radio
and television news coverage; see assignment sheet.
*11/30 (T):
FINAL EXAMINATION, 8-10:30 PM.