Spanish 370 / 3 Credits
Hispanic Literature in English
U.S. Latino/a Writing and Culture
Spring 2003 / MWF 10:00-10:50
SYLLABUS AND COURSE POLICY
Dr. Eugenio Matibag
ematibag@iastate.edu
Office: 300G Pearson
Office Hours: MWF 11:00-12:00
Telephones: 294-7867 - Leave Messages Anytime
Mailbox: 300 Pearson, Foreign Languages and Literatures
I.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Julia Alvarez, How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, 1993 (1992)
Harold Augenbraum and Ilan Stavans, eds., Growing Up Latino: Memoirs and Stories,
1993
Ana Castillo, So Far From God, 1994 (1993)
Cristina García, Dreaming in Cuban, 1992
Himilce Novas, Everything You Need to Know About Latino History, 1998 (1994)
Esmeralda Santiago, When I Was Puerto Rican 1998 (1993)
II.
GRADING. The course grade for the semester will be based on the following
percentage-values.
Classwork: attendance, preparation, participation
Homework: reading journal and other writing activities
Analytical essay
Three exams
10%
30%
15%
45%
Exam, composition, homework and final course grades will be calculated according to the
following scale:
A = 94-100%
A- = 90-93
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
III.
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C = 73-76
C- = 70-72
D+ = 67-69
D = 63-66
D- = 60-62
F = 0-59
COURSE DESCRIPTION
An introductory reading course focused on modern U.S. Hispanic literature, whose
2
authors represent the fastest growing minority group in America. Vibrant, unique, and
wildly imaginative, this body of writing is produced by American authors of Mexican,
Cuban, Dominican, Puerto Rican, South and Central American ancestry. A brief history
of the U.S. Latino/a experience will provide background for understanding the literary
texts. Readings, discussion, and written work are in English.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1.
2.
3.
4.
IV.
To improve comprehension, speed, and analytical skill in reading.
To study representative works of U.S. Latino/a literature in relation to their
historical and cultural contexts.
To learn concepts fundamental to understanding U.S. Latino/a social reality.
To develop proficiency and effectiveness in writing literary analyses in English.
REQUIREMENTS
1.
PARTICIPATION: Attendance and participation in class activities are required.
Prepare by reading and writing assignments before coming to class. Be ready
to participate verbally in class. Absences, non-participation in discussion, and
excessive tardiness will lower your participation grade. Students who miss more
than nine class-meetings will not pass the course.
2.
IN CLASS we will discuss readings, work in groups, see videos, give
presentations, hear presentations, and write. Bring the assigned reading texts
to class and do the written assignments beforehand.
3.
ENTRIES in your READING JOURNAL are required for each and every reading
assignment. Two sets of written responses will be due on the days indicated on
the course calendar. Other kinds of writing may be assigned as the instructor
deems appropriate. Late submission of any written assignments is not
recommended and late assignments will receive lowered grades.
READING JOURNAL WRITING INSTRUCTIONS: Prior to each class meeting,
you are to write an entry of a minimum of 125 words (in handwriting or
word-processed, with about half a double-spaced typewritten page in 12-point
font) in response to the assigned reading(s). I want these entries to consist of
personal, original observations that refer specifically to aspects and details of
the assigned text. Each entry should demonstrate your comprehension of the
text, help to prepare you for exams and discussion, and provide creative-critical
writing practice. Non-original, non-specific entries will receive reduced credit or
no credit. An expandable binder is good for keeping these writings together;
loose-leaf writing paper or single-sheeted printer paper works out the best for
submissions. Hand in your reading journal with up-to-date installments on
February 14 and March 14--days of Exams 1 and 2--and on April 28, the Monday
of Dead Week.
4.
An ANALYTICAL ESSAY is due April 21. This essay will present a reasoned
interpretation of a selected aspect of a text of a course author, with references to
some secondary sources. It must be word-processed and written in good
3
grammatical and rhetorical form. Begin this assignment early, with pre-writing
assignments due on the indicated dates. You will receive more instructions on
this term assignment. In the meantime, be looking for an interesting course
author you would like to study and interpret in greater depth.
V.
5.
THREE EXAMS will be given. The first one takes place on February 14, the
second on March 14, and the third on the day indicated during Finals Week.
The three exams will each have multiple choice questions on the readings
covered during the previous third of the semester and brief writing assignments.
A study guide will be provided for each exam.
6.
FEEL FREE to contact the instructor by phone, mail, email, or in person during
office hours when you have questions or doubts about assignments and
requirements.
THE "WRITE" WAY
See rules and procedures concerning academic dishonesty in the Iowa State Student
Academic Life Handbook, pp. 40-3.
4
Spanish 370: Day/Date/Reading [ENKLH = Everything You Need to Know About Latino History; GUL = Growing Up Latino]
M1/Jan 13/Introduction to U.S.
Latino/a America
W2/Jan 15/ ENKLH, “Latino: Sí y No”;
“Roots” (xi-44)
F3/Jan 17/Mexican Americans,
ENKLH (45-73)
W17/Feb 19/Puerto Ricans, GUL Ed Vega, Piri Thomas
F18/Feb 21/Puerto Ricans, GUL Jesús Colón, Edward Rivera
M19/Feb 24/Puerto Ricans, GUL J. L. Torres; Esmeralda Santiago,
When I Was Puerto Rican (1-45)
W20/Feb 26/ Esmeralda Santiago
(46-90)
F21/Feb 28/Esmeralda Santiago
(91-135)
M22/Mar 3/Esmeralda Santiago
(136-80)
W23/Mar 5/Esmeralda Santiago
(181-225)
F33/Mar 28/Cristina García, Dreaming
in Cuban (83-123)
M34/Mar 31/Cristina García (124-64)
F24/Mar 7/Esmeralda Santiago
(226-70)
M25/Mar 10/Cuban Americans,
ENLH (165-90)
W26/Mar 12/Cuban Americans,
ENLH (191-214)
M40/Apr 14/Julia Alvarez (75-111)
M43/Apr 21/Julia Alvarez (186-222)
Turn in Analytical Essay, Final Draft
F12/Feb 7/Ana Castillo (101-50)
F27/Mar 14/Examen 2
Turn in Reading Journal, Second
Set of Entries
M28/Mar 17/ vacaciones
M13/Feb 10/Ana Castillo (151-200)
W29/Mar 19/vacaciones
F45/Apr 25/Julia Alvarez (260-90)
W14/Feb 12/Ana Castillo (201-52)
F30/Mar 21/vacaciones
F15/Feb 14/Examen 1
Turn in Reading Journal, First Set of
Entries
M16/Feb 17/Puerto Ricans, ENKLH
(130-64)
M31/Mar 24/Cuban Americans,
GUL - Oscar Hijuelos; Cristina
García (1-41)
W32/Mar 26/Cristina García (42-82)
Turn in Thesis Statement, Outline
and Bibliography for Analytical
Essay
M46/Apr 28/ENKLH, Americans of
Central and South American Descent
Turn in Reading Journal, Third Set of
Entries
W47/Apr 30/ENKLH, La Política
M4/Jan 20/Día feriado/Martin Luther
King, Jr.
W5/Jan 22/Mexican Americans,
ENKLH (74-101)
F6/Jan 24/Mexican Americans,
ENKLH (102-29)
M7/Jan 27/Mexican Americans, GUL
- “Introduction” (xi-xxix); Helena María
Viramontes
W8/Jan 29/Mexican Americans, GUL
- Nash Candelaria, Nicolasa Mohr
F9/Jan 31/Mexican Americans, GUL Tomás Rivera, Américo Paredes
M10/Feb 3/Ana Castillo, So Far From
God (9-50)
W11/Feb 5/Ana Castillo (51-100)
W35/Apr 2/Cristina García (165-205)
F36/Apr 4/Cristina García (206-46)
M37/Apr 7/Dominican Americans,
ENKLH (215-28)
W38/Apr 9/Julia Alvarez, How the
García Girls Lost Their Accents (1-37)
F39/Apr 11/Julia Alvarez (38-74)
W41/Apr 16/Julia Alvarez (112-48)
F42/Apr 18/Julia Alvarez (149-85)
W44/Apr 23/Julia Alvarez (223-59)
F48/May 2/Repaso
Semana de exámenes finales/Examen
3