ENG 360 Syllabus (F14) 1 ENGLISH 360 – AMERICAN POETIC TRADITIONS (72854)
Cal Poly Pomona – Fall 2014
D. Berton Emerson, PhD
Email: dbemerson@csupomona.edu
Phone: 909.869.3807
Office: 24-241
Office Hours: MW – 1:00-1:45pm; 4:00-5:15pm
CLASS MEETINGS
MWF: 11:45am – 12:50pm
Room: 9-207
Websites: dbemerson.com & Blackboard
COURSE DESCRIPTION
We will read and discuss a selection of great American poems, representing the religious, cultural,
and regional diversity of the American tradition. One theme of our discussions will be the political
and social roles played by poets and poetry, with special attention given to the ways poets
established their identity and authority as public commentators. As the term unfolds you will
develop your ability to:
• Interpret, orally and in writing, varying genres of poetry such as lyrics, narratives, occasional
verse, epics, meditative and devotional verse, and satires
• Recognize and analyze prosodic elements of open and closed poetic forms
• Identify and distinguish religious, historical, and intellectual influences upon American writing
• Identify and evaluate the influences exerted by the literary traditions of Puritanism, NeoClassicism, and Romanticism
• Recognize and evaluate the effects of various venues of publication upon the writing and
reception of poetry, including manuscripts, magazines, broadsides, and books
• Use textual evidence and research to support written and oral interpretations of poetry
As in any literature class, your ability to carefully read and understand these diverse and complex
attempts to grapple with fundamental human issues and aspirations is an index of your intellectual,
psychological, and emotional maturity. Class discussions and various writing activities will aid you in
this task.
Prerequisite(s): ENG 207, ENG 208, ENG 211, ENG 212, ENG 213, ENG 217, or ENG 217
ENG 360 Syllabus (F14) 2 REQUIRED TEXTS
Axelrod, Steven, ed. The New Anthology of American Poetry, Volume One: Traditions and Revolutions,
Beginnings to 1900. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers UP, 2003.
Pinsky, Robert. The Sounds of Poetry: A Brief Guide. New York: Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux, 1999.
Additional materials available online and on Blackboard
DEPARTMENTAL LEARNING OUTCOMES
The guiding principles of the English Literature and Language
and Education programs are to equip you with a set of skills and
knowledge. They are identified below. Knowing these outcomes
can help you prioritize your learning, give you a goal to work
toward, and help you contextualize this individual class within
the larger education you receive in the department. Keep these
outcomes in mind when you find yourself zoning out in class:
they will help you regain your focus.
ENGLISH LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE OPTION
1. Literary Traditions: Demonstrate familiarity with the
concept of the traditional canon, major works
representing this canon, and the forces behind its
expansion; recognize connections between literary periods and texts evident in the influence
of one author upon another; demonstrate ability to situate texts in their original historical,
cultural, and literary contexts.
2. Critical Reading Skills: Demonstrate ability to read and interpret literary and non-fiction
texts. Demonstrate facility with deep reading of the text in itself, including recognizing
symbolism, figurative language, prosody, style, and literary devices; be able to apply theory
judiciously and productively in interpreting literary texts.
3. Writing Ability: Demonstrate fluent writing and researching ability including an awareness
of audience, purpose, form, and other rhetorical concepts, a high degree of knowledge and
control of Standard Written English, familiarity with library resources such as online
databases and catalogs, the ability to gather and synthesize information coherently, the ability
to properly quote, paraphrase, and summarize other texts with critical engagement, and
familiarity with basic documentation formats.
4. Oral Communication: Demonstrate an ability to present the ideas of others in a clear,
organized fashion, including organizing material and responding to questions about the
material presented; demonstrate the ability to present original ideas and discuss them with
peers in articulate, professional manner.
5. Understanding Linguistic Features of English and Foreign language: Demonstrate
basic understanding of the linguistic features of the English language, and low intermediate
ability in one language other than English.
ENGLISH EDUCATION OPTION
6. Effective Teaching: Demonstrate knowledge of the elements of effective teaching,
including pedagogy and the uses of technology in teaching, and demonstrate potential as a
classroom teacher during student teaching assignments.
7. Understanding of Learning Literacy: Demonstrate understanding of how students
acquire and learn literacy.
ENG 360 Syllabus (F14) 3 ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to attend all class sessions throughout the term. Some circumstances might
cause absences; however, students are responsible for all assignments that are due and material
covered in any missed classes. If a student misses a class, check the website and ask a classmate for
details. And if a student misses a class, the professor would appreciate an email as expediently as
possible, preferably before class.
CELL PHONES, TABLETS, & LAPTOPS
Students should refrain from using cell phones, tablets, and laptops unless otherwise instructed. My
reasons are these: (1) studies show that multitasking (e.g. participating in discussion and glancing at
social media updates) hinders the type of cognitive work asked of students; (2) the attraction to these
devices draws powerfully on emotions in ways that the intellect struggles to overcome (i.e. the
elephant/rider theory); and (3) devices are unfairly distracting to nearby peers (i.e. akin to secondhand smoke). For some background on these studies, see: https://medium.com/@cshirky/why-ijust-asked-my-students-to-put-their-laptops-away-7f5f7c50f368.
BEHAVIOR
As we will be discussing potentially controversial topics, it is important that everyone remain
respectful and considerate of the opinions of others. Additionally, I believe learning often takes
place in a trial-and-error. Accordingly, you should act civilly and constructively in all phases of this
class, both in person and online.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is the act of presenting as your own work another individual’s ideas, words, data, or
research material. All ideas and quotations that you borrow from any source must be appropriately
cited. Additionally, it is illegal to resubmit work you have composed for another class. Penalties for
plagiarism are severe, and you are responsible for reading and understanding the University policy
on cheating and plagiarism. (See http://www.csupomona.edu/~judicialaffairs/student-conductcode.shtml). If you have questions or concerns about this policy, ask.
STUDENT ACCESS
“Cal Poly Pomona, as a learning-centered university, is committed to student success. Students with
disabilities are encouraged to contact me privately or the Disability Resource Center (909-869-3333;
building 9, room 103) to coordinate course accommodations.” The following website lists places to
assist all students in the classroom: http://www.csupomona.edu/~academic/support.
ASSESSMENT
Students will be expected to demonstrate their grasp of learning outcomes in three primary areas:
•
•
•
Developing deeper understandings of the
formal workings of literary texts appearing
in variety of genres
Developing deeper understandings of
literary texts amidst respective historical
moments
Developing deeper understandings of our
own means of production and media of
exchange as we demonstrate our learning.
ENG 360 Syllabus (F14) 4 Students will demonstrate this learning in four types of assignments:
1. DISCUSSION/PARTICIPATION (10%): This class is a learning community, and the quality
of each class will in large part depend on your investment in it, as well as your preparation for it. I
will provide some lecture in this course, but I will expect you, individually and as a class, to take
responsibility in large part for classroom dynamics and discussion. The class is large, but that does
not mean we cannot have a dynamic learning environment. I expect you to treat one another's ideas
with seriousness and respect. My evaluation here will focus on: (1) evidence of preparation (i.e.
agenda items, online postings, etc.); (2) contribution to the class through discussion, engagement,
and willingness to take risks. Correspondingly, my evaluation can also be negatively influenced by (1)
lack of class preparation (i.e. not reading the material and/or bringing your materials to class); (2)
behavioral issues (e.g. abuse of technology, disrupting class, disrespect). Word to the wise: if you
aren't present, you aren't doing well in this part of the class.
2. THINK-PIECES – DISCUSSION BOARD POSTINGS (40%)
The class will be divided into three groups: Team Red, Team White, and Team Blue. At least four
different times, students from each group will write a one-page think-piece that addresses any
particular issue from the poems under consideration. (By one page, I mean typed and doublespaced, so roughly 250-300 words, and then copied and pasted onto the Discussion Board.)
Students should use each think-piece to demonstrate their intellectual engagement with primary
material. Write on any topic you deem appropriate for upper-level work. Avoid making random,
loosely connected comments; rather, compose a coherent, in-depth observation that combines the
elements necessary for the “showing and telling” of close reading. This exercise not only helps you
develop your own responses to the texts under consideration, but should also serve as opportunities
to invent relevant ideas and to develop your voice as an academic writer. We will frequently use
these think-pieces to jumpstart our discussion, so be prepared
to share, and contributions in class will figure into each grade.
3. LITERATURE REVIEW (20%):
This two-part assignment involves the review of a scholarly
article on American poetic traditions that requires you to
encounter current critical conversations and demonstrate your
ability both to comprehend and build upon this conversation.
The first part, “The Paper,” will involve a summary and
evaluation of the selected article. The second portion, “The
Multimodal Museum and Presentation,” will involve you
teaching the class about the material covered in the selected
article through a multimodal document posted online and a
formal presentation in class.
4. THEMATIC EXPLICATION PAPER (30%):
This paper is an exploration of a single theme as it is developed in poems by three or more poets
included in our class anthology. The essay should be a unified exploration of a theme you select that
uses explications of a poem or poems from three or more poets as components in the discussion of
the theme. You may wish to choose poems that are similar or different in their engagement with the
theme, or which employ different techniques to convey a similar meaning. Only ONE of the poems
may be one that has been discussed in class.
ENG 360 Syllabus (F14) 5 UNIT I – FOUNDATIONAL VOICES, CANONICAL & OTHERWISE
Pre-National Poetry
Week 0
9/26 – Introductions, course overview
Week 1
9/29 – Bradstreet (New, p. 42-66)
10/1 – Taylor (New, p. 75-92)
10/3 – Wigglesworth, Day of Doom (pdf, 1-119)
Week 2
10/6 – Wigglesworth, Day of Doom (pdf, 120-224)
10/8 – Native American selections (New, p. 4-31)
10/10 – African American Slave Songs (New, p. 141-147)
INTERLUDE – SOME SOUNDS OF POETRY
Pinsky
Week 3
10/13 – Pinsky, Sounds of Poetry (p. 3-50)
10/15 – Pinsky, Sounds of Poetry (p. 51-77)
10/17 – Pinsky, Sounds of Poetry (p. 79-129)
UNIT II – REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS & EARLY NATIONAL SCORES
1780s to 1850s
Week 4
10/20 – Wheatley (New, p. 104-115) & Horton (New, p. 173-174)
10/22 – Freneau (New, p. 95-103) & songs of the American Revolution (New p. 121-135)
10/24 – Emerson, “The Poet” (New, p. 201-218) & Poe’s “Philosophy of Composition” (New, p.
320-329)
Week 5
10/27 – Bryant (New, p. 162-172) & Emerson (New, p. 182-201)
10/29 – Whittier (New, p. 259-293) & Lowell (New, p. 376-379)
10/31 – Poe (New, p. 294-329) & Longfellow (New, p. 221-258)
Week 6
11/3 – Holmes (New, p. 329-340); Osgood (New, p. 350-354); Howe (New, p. 364);
11/5 – A. Cary (New, p. 469-470); P. Cary (New, p. 477-480); Harper (New, p. 481-496); Cooke (New,
p. 504-515)
11/7 – NO CLASS (ASA) – ONLINE DISCUSSION OF ANTEBELLUM POETRY
ENG 360 Syllabus (F14) 6 UNIT III – ROUNDING TOWARD MODERNITY
1850s-1890s
Week 7
11/10 – Whitman, 1855 Leaves of Grass
11/12 – Whitman, 1855 Leaves of Grass
11/14 – Whitman, 1855 Leaves of Grass
Week 8
11/17 – Dickinson (New, p. 548-580)
11/19 – Dickinson (New, p. 548-580)
11/21 – MULTIMODAL PRESENTATIONS, DAY ONE
*ALL LITERATURE REVIEWS DUE
Week 9
11/24 – MULTIMODAL PRESENTATIONS, DAY TWO
11/26 – Jackson (New, p. 545-547) & Piatt (New, p. 595-604)
11/28 – NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Week 10
12/1 – Lazarus (New, p. 621-630) & Moody (New, p. 685-692)
12/3 – Robinson (New, p. 693-705)
12/5 – Crane (New, p. 706-711) & Dunbar (New, p. 715-728)
FINAL PAPER DUE – FRIDAY, 12 DECEMBER: 12:00 NOON