Papers and Other Assignments

Note: all assignments, evaluation sheets, and most handouts are posted on Blackboard.

ASSIGNMENTS

At various points in the semester you’ll write short responses to assigned readings.  These in-class graded assignments will include a short quiz, a brief but effective summary of the reading, and short answer responses to questions that ask you to analyze various literary elements in the reading.  You may also be asked to write a personal response to the reading, which may include questions you might have for the author or for a particular character, thoughts on themes, style, or author’s intent, or your own personal experiences that may be relevant to the reading.  Unlike the formal papers you will write for this class, these assignments allow you to use the first person (“I”).  Average required length: two and a half to three pages

In-class graded assignments cannot be made up nor can they be taken at the end of class if you arrive late. 

PAPER ONE

For this paper, you will read four assigned short stories and write a comparative analysis of two of them.  Your paper will compare plot and will analyze four literary elements—conflict, character, point of view, and theme.  You must write distinct, focused paragraphs that include supporting evidence from the text.  And you will need a clear conclusion that summarizes the main points of your comparative analysis.   We will discuss conflict, character, point of view, and theme in class before you write this paper.  A sample student paper that conducts a comparative analysis is in your book.  MLA Works Cited and in-text citations required.

PAPER TWO

This paper involves the analysis of a play and a developed argument defending your interpretation of certain elements of the play.  In class, we will discuss ways to incorporate argument into the analysis of a literary work.  A Works Cited page and in-text citations using the MLA format for quoting from a play is required.

PAPER THREE

For this paper, you will choose 1-2 poems and write an essay that contains the elements of evaluation and reader-response.  A Works Cited page and in-text citations in the MLA format for quoting from a poem are required.

PAPER FOUR

This is the final paper of the semester and constitutes the largest portion of your semester grade (25%).  For this paper, you will write a comparative analysis on the theme of oppression and resistance or, more generally, social critique.  Your paper must include the novel and at least two other readings from this semester.  Those additional readings must come from at least two other genres: short fiction, drama, or poetry.  A Works Cited page and in-text citations in the proper MLA format are required.

PRESENTATION

This is a small group presentation to the class that requires research, a handout for each student in the class, a visual and/or audio presentation, and may include reading portions of the text out loud to the class.  Each student in the group will receive the same grade.  If a student is absent on the day of the presentation, that student will receive half credit.

Required Textbooks

-- Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. 11^th edition. Edited by X.J. Kennedy

   and Dana Gioia. (Published by Pearson/Longman)

-- In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez    

[For specific required readings, please refer to the full syllabus below.]

COURSE SYLLABUS

Note: all assignments, evaluation sheets, and most handouts are posted on Blackboard.

Each date listed below contains both in-class activities and the assignments for the next class period. 

Changes to this syllabus may occur and will be announced in class; be sure to contact me if you are absent.

TUES Aug 24     Introduction to the course.  Bring your book to class.        

                        Assignment: Read pages 5-6, 22, 1912-16, and “Dead Men’s Path” (ACHEBE)

THURS Aug 26   In class: Review the elements for analysis of short fiction.  Discuss Achebe. 

                        Paper #1 is assigned.

                        Assignment: Read pages 183-5, 220-22, 1929-32, and “Shiloh” (MASON).

TUES Aug 31     In class: Discuss theme and how to write a comparative analysis.  Discuss Mason.

                        Assignment: Read pages 25-29, 74-5, “Everyday Use” (WALKER), and pages 462-70.

THURS Sept 2    In class: Discuss point of view and Walker.

                        Assignment: Read pages 78-9, 105-6, “Cathedral” (CARVER), “My Life with the Wave”

                        (PAZ), pages 341-44, and “With Eyes Closed” (PAZ 925).  Work on Paper #1.

TUES Sept 7      In class: Discuss character, Magic Realism, Carver, and Paz.

                        Assignment: Read pages 107-9, 146-7, and “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”

                        (ALEXIE).  Work on Paper #1.

THURS Sept 9    Paper #1 is due.

                        In class: Discuss setting and Alexie.

                        Assignment: Read pages 148-51, 180-2, “Young Goodman Brown” (HAWTHORNE) and

                        pages 432-5.  Prepare for in-class graded work on these assigned readings.

TUES Sept 14     In class: graded response to Hawthorne and to tone and style.

                        Assignment: Read pages 223-5, 253-8, “Saboteur” (JIN), and “Harrison Bergeron”

                        (VONNEGUT).

THURS Sept 16  In class: Discuss symbol, Jin, and Vonnegut. 

                        Assignment: Read pages 1108-32.

TUES Sept 21     In class: Discuss drama and Glaspell.             

                        Assignment: Read pages 1133-5, 1158-63, and 1235.

THURS Sept 23  In class: Discuss Greek tragedy.  Paper #2 is assigned.

                        Assignment: Read Antigone (pages 1202-31) and pages 1236-8.  Prepare for in-class graded

                        work on these assigned readings.

TUES Sept 28     In class: graded response to Antigone.

                        Assignment: Work on Paper #2.

THURS Sept 30  Paper #2 is due.

                        In class: Discuss Antigone.  Sign up for presentations.

                        Assignment: Read pages 1141-3 in your book and pages 156-65 of the handout I Don’t

                        Have to Show You No Stinking Badges! (VALDEZ).

TUES Oct 5        In class: Discuss comedy and Prologue and Act I, scene 1 of Valdez.

                        Groups present.                    

                        Assignment: Read pages 165-86 of Valdez.

THURS Oct 7     In class: Discuss Act I, scene 2.

                        Groups present.

                        Assignment: Read pages 187-96 of Valdez.

TUES Oct 12      In class: Discuss Act II, scene 1.

                        Groups present.                    

                        Assignment: Read pages 196-209 of Valdez.

THURS Oct 14    In class: Discuss Act II, scene 2.

                        Groups present.

                        Assignment: Read pages 209-14 of Valdez.

TUES Oct 19      In class: Discuss Act II, scene 3 and Epilogue.

                        Groups present.

                        Assignment: Read “Reading a Poem” (631-2), “Reading and Hearing Poems Aloud” (783-4),

                        “Theme and Subject” (633-4), “Tone” (645, 669), “Imagery” (711, 724-5), “Poetry” (MOORE

                        1069), “The Panther” (RILKE 715), and “The Tyger” (BLAKE 1026).

THURS Oct 21    In class: Introduction to Poetry.  Discuss the assigned readings. 

                        Assignment: Read “Persona” (652), “Archetype” (871), “Ballads” (756), “The Sonnet” (816,

                        827-8), “La Belle Dame sans Merci” (KEATS 872-4), “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the

                        sun” (SHAKESPEARE 1084), and “Muchos Somos” (NERUDA 921-2).

TUES Oct 26      In class: Paper #3 is assigned.  Discuss the assigned readings.

                        Assignment: Read “Denotation and Connotation” (698-9, 707-8), “The Minefield” (THIEL

                        704), “The Day the Gates Closed” (RASH 704-5), “Tears, Idle Tears” (TENNYSON 705), and

                        “A Dream within a Dream” (POE 1076).  Prepare for an in-class graded response on these.

THURS Oct 28    In class: graded written response to the assigned readings.

                        Assignment: Read “Metaphor and Simile” (732-4, 748), “Alliteration and Assonance” (775-

                        6), “Rime” (777-81), “To see a world in a grain of sand” (BLAKE 735), and “God’s Grandeur”

                        (HOPKINS 782).

TUES Nov 2       In class: Discuss MLA format for citing poetry.  Discuss the assigned readings.

                        Assignment: Read “Free Verse” (831-4), “Parody” (911-12), “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a

                        Blackbird” (STEVENS 838-40), and “thirteen ways of looking at a tortilla” (Abeyta 914-5).

THURS Nov 4    In class: Discuss the assigned readings.

                        Assignment: Read “Culture, Race, and Ethnicity” (892-3, 903), “Mother to Son” (HUGHES

                        975-6), “Dream Variations” (HUGHES 976), “I, Too” (HUGHES 976-7), “Ballad of the

                        Landlord” (HUGHES 978-9), “The Voices in Langston Hughes” (986-7), “Black Identity in

                        Langston Hughes” (988), “I Hear America Singing” (WHITMAN 1096), and “The Powwow at

                        the End of the World” (ALEXIE 895-6).  Work on Paper #3.

TUES Nov 9       In class: Discuss themes of oppression and resistance; discuss the assigned readings.                    

                        Assignment: Read “Allusion” (680), “The Second Coming” (YEATS 874-5), “September 1,

                        1939” (AUDEN 942-5), and “The world is too much with us” (WORDSWORTH 868).  Work

                        on Paper #3.

THURS Nov 11   Paper #3 is due.

                        In class: Discuss historical context, social critique, and the assigned readings.

                        Assignment: Read “The Hollow Men” (ELIOT—a handout), “London” (BLAKE 700-1), and

                        “Composed upon Westminster Bridge” (WORDSWORTH 1099).

TUES Nov 16     In class: Discuss the assigned readings.

                        Assignment: Read Chapters 1-4 of In the Time of the Butterflies (ALVAREZ).

THURS Nov 18   In class: Discuss Chapters 1-4.                    

                        Assignment: Read Chapters 5-7.

Thursday, November 18 is the last day to withdraw from the class.

TUES Nov 23     In class: Discuss Chapters 5-7.  Paper #4 is assigned.

                        Assignment: Read Chapters 8-11.

THURS Nov 25   THANKSGIVING DAY.  No class. 

TUES Nov 30     In class: Discuss Chapters 8-11.

                        Assignment: Read Chapter 12 and the Epilogue.

THURS Dec 2     In class: Discuss Chapter 12 and the Epilogue.

                        Assignment: Work on Paper #4.

TUES Dec 7       In class: View the film Romero.

                        Assignment: Work on Paper #4.

THURS Dec 9     Paper #4 is due.

                        In class: Finish and discuss Romero.

Course Objectives

• To provide a working knowledge of the characteristics of each literary genre;
• To develop analytical skills and critical thinking through reading, discussion, and written assignments; 
• To broaden students’ intercultural reading experience;
• To deepen students’ awareness of the universal human concerns that are the basis for literary works;
• To stimulate a greater appreciation of language as an artistic medium and of the aesthetic principles that shape literary works;
• To understand literature as an expression of human values within an historical and social context.