The Art of Fiction
Fall 2015
Section: ENGL 273G-05
Tu/Th 12:30 – 1:45 pm
Wheatley W01-0052
Professor Erik Scott
Email: erik.scott001@umb.edu
Office: Wheatley 06-044
Office Hours:
Tu/Th 10:30-11:30 am,
or by appt.
Course Description: How do we define fiction? How can defining fiction help us understand why we
read it? How does fiction represent ourselves and our experiences? These are the types of questions we
hope to explore (and answer) in this course. We will begin by close examine different structural elements
of fiction (i.e. plot, setting, character, etc.) as well as examining the relationship between form and
content of the different fictional works. Next, we will engage into the scholarly conversation surrounding
fiction by introducing literary and criticism into our conversation. We will conclude the class by
exploring the power of more non-traditional fiction through the lens of the graphic novel. Throughout the
course I hope to encourage your own personal exploration and discovery of the new (and maybe familiar)
worlds fiction can provide for us, and how the reading of fiction can reflect and be reflected in our daily
lives.
Course Goals: By the end of this course, students will be:
 Well-versed in the language and elements of literary studies and fiction
 Experienced in performing more sophisticated close readings of texts
 Gain experience in engaging in literary criticism and basic theoretical texts
Required Texts:
The Seagull Reader, ed. Joseph Kelly (ISBN-13: 978-0393938210)
Grace, Cousins (ISBN-10: 0824820746)
Steinbeck, Cannery Row (ISBN-10: 014200068X)
Ba and Moon, Daytripper (ISBN-10: 1401229697)
Course Grade Breakdown:
Paper 1: 10%
Paper 2: 20%
Paper 3: 30%
Final Project: 15%
Informal Writing Assignments: 15%
Class Participation: 10%
THE INTERMEDIATE SEMINAR PROGRAM_________________________________
About: The Intermediate Seminars offer students with 30 or more credits the opportunity to work on
essential university capabilities in small-sized courses that are often thematic or problem-oriented and
interdisciplinary in nature. Designed in part to help students prepare for the Writing Proficiency
Requirement, Intermediate Seminars put special emphasis on critical reading, thinking, and writing. They
focus on other essential capabilities as appropriate to the course and might therefore include attention to
library research and information technology, collaborative learning, oral presentation, and academic selfassessment. Students who practiced reading, writing, and critical thinking in a First Year Seminar at
UMass Boston will practice them at a more advanced level in the Intermediate Seminar.
Only ONE Intermediate Seminar may be taken for credit. If you have taken another G200-level
course in any department at UMB, you cannot receive credit for this one.
Prerequisites: English 101, English 102, First Year Seminar (or waiver), and 30 credits. The First Year
Seminar is automatically waived for students who enter UMB with 30 or more transfer credits. Because
these are intensive reading and writing courses, some students may find it helpful to enroll in CRW 221 to
further develop their skills with college-level writing before taking an Intermediate Seminar. Discuss
your situation with the instructor if you have any questions about these prerequisites or your readiness for
the work in this course.
The Writing Proficiency Requirement: Except for students in the College of Management, all UMass
Boston undergraduates complete the University’s Writing Proficiency Requirement through the Writing
Proficiency Evaluation (WPE). The Writing Proficiency Requirement is not the same as the writing
placement test you may have taken when you entered UMass Boston. The WPE can be met through either
an examination or a take-home essay submitted along with a portfolio of papers written for UMB courses.
See the WPR website (http://www.umb.edu/academics/vpass/undergraduate_studies/writing_proficiency/)
for more details about the exam and portfolio options and dates. Students who have not already satisfied
the WPR should arrange to take the exam or submit a portfolio shortly after completing this course.
Support Services for Intermediate Seminar Students: The Academic Support Office offers both
individual tutoring and drop-in workshops for students who need help with the critical reading, thinking
and writing skills necessary for success in General Education courses such as this one. More information
is available online (http://www.umb.edu/academics/vpass/academic_support/tutoring/rwssc/) or at their
Campus Center office (CC1-1300). The Ross Center for Disability Services (CCUL-0211) provides
accommodations and educational resources for students with demonstrated needs, as outlined on their
website (http://www.umb.edu/academics/vpass/disability/ ). Should you be eligible for these services,
you should contact the Ross Center right away so that their staff can help you identify appropriate
accommodations in this and other courses. Finally, if it appears that you might not pass this Intermediate
Seminar and if the instructor cannot figure out how to support your success in the course, the instructor
might inform one of the University advisers working with the Student Referral Program. This strictly
confidential program is part of an early warning system designed to help students address personal and
academic difficulties that may interfere with their progress in the University.
Assessment of Intermediate Seminars: In addition to course evaluation forms that are routinely
administered at the end of each course at UMass Boston, Intermediate Seminar students are asked to
complete a self-assessment questionnaire addressing their progress as critical thinkers and writers.
Additionally, each term an assessment committee will look at randomly chosen student writing from a
small sample of Intermediate Seminars. Please save all your writing in this course so that, if you are
chosen, you will have your work available. The purpose of this evaluation is to improve the program and
to improve particular courses as necessary, not to evaluate individual students. You may remove your
name from your papers if you prefer to submit them anonymously.
CLASS POLICIES_________________________________________________________________
Attendance and tardiness: Attendance in this course will be essential to your success in it. This is a
discussion-based class and the best way you can contribute to that discussion is to be present. Therefore,
you are only allowed three (3) absences (there are no “excused” or “unexcused”—you just get three).
After the third absence your grade will drop one half of a letter grade (e.g., from a B+ to a B) for each
additional absence up to two. Once you reach six (6) absences you will fail the course.
Please note that Incompletes are rarely offered, as they are reserved for students who are unable to
complete a small portion of the course at the end of the term due to an extreme circumstance such as
illness. Incompletes are not allowed to replace a significant amount of coursework or absences.
Class Participation: Participation is not only expected, but required. Participation includes actively
listening in class, asking questions, offering answers to questions; most anything that will add to your
experience in class and also the experience of your peers. If you have questions or concerns about
participation, please see me during office hours.
Phones and Electronic Devices: In order to succeed in this course, you must actively engage with your
classmates and me. If you are using your cell phone or electronic devices in class, our open discussion
atmosphere will be interrupted. Please keep ALL electronics stowed away during class time. If you are
spoken to more than once in a class period about electronics use, you will be deemed “absent” for the
class period.
Withdrawal: If you are falling too far behind or have missed too much in-class work (due to tardiness or
absence), I will advise you to withdraw from the course.
Class preparation: You must bring the assigned readings to class; the course will frequently ask you to
refer to the text to find specific quotations. You must attend class prepared to participate in class
conversation by reading all of the assigned material due for that class and completing any and all assigned
homework.
Discussion: During class you will engage in open-ended discussion—this will be your opportunity to
express your opinions on the class readings, clarify and debate the ideas presented in class, and learn from
your peers. There will be many discussion-starting exercises employed in and out of class, including
informal writing responses. Your active participation is essential. This course is designed to be a space
where you can explore new ideas and concepts in literature. I welcome all of you to bring your ideas to
class as well as expecting you to respect your peers’ ideas.
Formal Writing Assignments: You will be expected to complete three (3) formal writing assignments as
follows:
1.) A close reading (1-2 pages) on Jennifer De Leon’s short story “Home Movie,” (worth 10% of your
final grade)
2.) An essay (3-5 pages) that juxtaposes Patricia Grace’s Cousins with one of the short stories we have
read this semester (worth 20% of your final grade)
3.) An essay (5-6 pages) that engages with scholarly criticism and John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row (worth
30% of your final grade)
Informal writing assignments: In addition to the three formal papers you will assigned, you will be
assigned a variety of informal writing assignments inside and outside of class. While these assignments
may not require the time or energy required of you with the formal papers, I strongly suggest you them
seriously, as they not only account for 15% of your final grade, but will also greatly help you in preparing
your formal papers.
Final Project: Your final project for this class will involve a presentation component to be presented
during the last week of classes. More information on this project will be provided as we get towards the
end of the semester.
Plagiarism: Students are required to adhere to university policies on academic honesty and student
conduct. It is the expressed policy of the University that every aspect of academic life—not only formal
coursework situations, but all relationships and interactions connected to the educational process— shall
be conducted in an absolutely honest manner. The University presupposes that any submission of work
for academic credit indicates that the work is the student’s own and is in compliance with University
policies. In cases where academic dishonesty is discovered after completion of a course or degree
program, sanctions may be imposed retroactively, up to and including revocation of the degree. Any
student who reasonably believes another student has committed an act of academic dishonesty should
inform the course instructor of the alleged violation. The current Code of Student Conduct, including
information about academic dishonesty, is available at:
http://www.umb.edu/life_on_campus/policies/code/
Plagiarism is a serious offense and is strictly prohibited. Plagiarism is defined by UMass Boston’s Code
of Student Conduct. An act of academic dishonesty, plagiarism can include actions such as presenting
another writer’s work as your own work; copying passages from print or internet sources without proper
citation; taking ideas off the internet, modifying them, and presenting them as your own; or submitting
the same work for more than one course. If you plagiarize, you can expect to fail the course.
Disabilities: If you have a disability and feel you will need accommodation in order to complete course
requirements, please contact the Ross Center for Disability Services at 617-287-7430. Section 504 of the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 offers guidelines for curriculum modifications and adaptations
for students with documented disabilities. If applicable, students may obtain adaptation recommendations
from the Ross Center for Disability Services, Campus Center UL211, (617-287- 7430). The student must
present these recommendations and discuss them with each professor within a reasonable period,
preferably by the end of Drop/Add period.
Final Note: Professor Cheryl Nixon is the supervisor of the Intermediate Seminar English courses. Please
expect occasional visits to our class from Professor Nixon, as well as from other Intermediate Seminar
instructors.
UNIT ONE: The SHORT STORY, the NOVEL and the ELEMENTS OF FICTION
How do you tell a story?
Week One:
Sept: 8
10
Week Two:
Sept: 15
17
Week Three:
Sept: 22
24
Week Four:
Sept: 29
Oct:
1
Week Five:
Oct:
6
8
Week Six:
Oct:
13
Syllabus Review
Micro-fiction
Short Story Introduction - Jackson, "The Lottery" (on wiki); Atwood, “Happy
Endings” (on wiki); O. Henry, “The Gift of the Magi” (195-201)
*Add/Drop ends*
PLOT – Chopin, "The Story of an Hour" (98-102); Poe, "The Cask of Amontillado"
(390-397); Porter “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” (397-407)
Paper #1 assigned - De Leon, "Home Movie" (Boston Book Festival story – on wiki)
CLOSE READING exercise - (Please bring Jackson handout to class)
CHARACTER – Melville, "Bartleby the Scrivener" (264-300)
CHARACTER - Baldwin - "Sonny's Blues" (29-61); Achebe - "Uncle Ben's Choice"
(3-8)
Paper #1 Due: Close reading
VOICE - Kincaid - "Girl" (228-230); Gilman - "The Yellow Wallpaper" (150-167);
Joyce - "Araby" (212-218)
SETTING - Hemingway, "Hills Like White Elephants" (180-186); Faulkner, "A Rose
For Emily" (133-143)
SYMBOLISM - Walker, "Everyday Use" (469-479); Kafka "A Hunger Artist" (218-228)
Cousins - Ch. 1-2
Cousins - Ch. 3-10
Paper #2 Assigned
Cousins - Ch. 10-17
Cousins - Ch. 18-30
15
Week Seven:
Oct:
20
22
Cousins - Ch. 31-40
Cousins - Ch. 41-43
Create Paper Thesis Statement/Outline and Identify Key Scenes
Paper #2 Editing Workshop: Please bring your best draft to class, printed and stapled.
Cousins wrap-up and final comments.
UNIT TWO: The NOVEL and CRITICISM
How can we debate the meaning of a story?
Week Eight:
Oct:
27
29
Week Nine:
Nov: 3
5
Cannery Row - Prologue - Ch. 10
Paper #2 due
Cannery Row - Ch. 11-13
Paper #3 assigned
Cannery Row - Ch. 14-22
Cannery Row - Ch. 23-end
Week Ten: Criticism Week
Nov: 10
Criticism Workshop
Please bring a printed copy of Gaither’s article (on the wiki) along with your copy of
Cannery Row to class
12
Criticism Workshop cont.
Please bring your second selected article (on the wiki) along with your copy of Cannery
Row to class
Week Eleven:
Nov: 17
Criticism Wrap-up
Paper #3 Peer Editing Workshop: Please bring your best draft to class, printed and
stapled.
UNIT THREE: VISUAL/GRAPHIC TEXT and CREATIVITY
How do we tell a story with images?
19
McCloud, Understanding Comics (on wiki)
Bring Daytripper to class
Week Twelve:
Nov: 24
*Course Withdrawal Deadline*
Paper #3 due
Bring Daytripper to class
26
Thanksgiving Break
Week Thirteen:
Dec: 1
Final project assigned.
Discussion on Daytripper.
3
Discussion on Daytripper.
Week Fourteen:
Dec: 8
Final Projects/Presentations TBA
10
Final Projects/Presentations TBA
Dec:
14
Last Day of Classes