ENG-L 202 Literary Interpretation – Spring 2015
North Miami High School
College of Arts and Sciences Education Arts and Humanities
Credits 3
CASE A&H
Instructor Becky Jackson
Office Room 97
Email bjackson@nmcs.k12.in.us
Office Hours 11:28 – 12:39
Meeting
2nd period; 9:08 – 9:58
Times
Meeting Location Room 97
Prerequisite(s) Successful completion (C-
or higher) of IU English
W131 or other successful
fulfillment of first-year
composition requirement
Enrollment Cap per Section 30
ENG-L 202: Literary Interpretation is a one-semester Indiana University course designed to
help students learn how to read, think, and write critically and cogently about literature.
Students will study four genres—poetry, short story, the novel, and drama—to understand
Course how the various elements of a work of imaginative literature cohere to impart meaning. A
Description large portion of the course will focus on how to write; students will learn how to translate
close reading skills into strong critical essays, writing three peer-reviewed major papers, as
well as short assignments (micro-themes) and quizzes. The class will be heavily discussionbased, and vigorous and insightful explorations of the poetry and fiction.
Core Transfer
Library Course
Yes, CTL Name: Literature, Appreciation of
Textbook Title Making Literature Matter – Schilb and Clifford
& Author The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien
Learning
Objectives
1. To become familiar with basic elements of literature, especially those distinctly
characteristic of poetry, short fiction, the novel, and drama;
2. To become familiar with basic elements of arguing about literature, including issues,
claims, evidence, audience, and warrants;
3. To appreciate the usefulness of comparing literary works with one another;
4. To grow aware of the multiple contexts in which a literary work may be placed.
Course Unit One: Practice in close reading, with a focus on first-person poems
Structure
Unit Two: Comparing works in the same genre – specifically, fictional texts about journeys, including
several short stories, a novel, and a film.
Unit Three: Considering other contexts in which literary works can be placed, including the author’s
revisions, career, and sources; the historical/cultural worlds of the work’s reception as well
as production; published comments on the work, and adaptations of it.
How IU Grade
will be
Calculated
Grades are based on the following:
Unit One Major Paper 100 pts.
Unit Two Major Paper 200 pts.
Unit Three Major Paper 250 pts.
Micro-themes 25 pts. each (5 total)
Final Exam 200 pts. (in class writing over two class periods)
How High
School Grade See IU Grade Calculation above and the following:
will be
Calculated NMHS requires a school-wide writing prompt once a semester. 50 pts. in addition to the above IU
assignments.
50 additional pts. added to total pts. for IU
IU Grading
Scale
A+: 97-100%
C+: 77-79.9%
A: 93-96.9%
C: 73-76.9%
A-: 90-92.9%
C-: 70-72.9%
B+: 87-89.9%
D+: 67-69.9%
B: 83-86.9%
D: 60-66.9%
B-: 80-82.9%
D-: 60-62.9%
High School IU Scale will be used.
Grading Scale
Schedule of Adaptations for a one-to-one class
Assignments
All writing assignments will require peer editing from a student who was previously enrolled in W131.
You may also find another teacher to comment on your paper but not to correct grammar, punctuation,
etc.
Because this is a one-to-one situation, the use of conferencing will be used before final drafts are turned
in. Conferencing will not involve me pre-grading the paper before it’s turned in, but instead will involve a
conversation between the two of us during the rough draft stage of the writing process
Reading assignments will occur daily.
The following titles are not set in stone. Most, if not all, will be covered in class. However, be prepared
for the likelihood for other titles to be added to the reading list.
Unit One: Close Reading of First-Person Poems (4 weeks)
Chapters 1 -3 will form the basis for Unit 1
1st person point of view poetry
Lying in a Hammock at William Duffy’s Farm in Pine Island, Minnesota – James Wright
Night Waitress – Lynda Hull
Summer Solstice, New York City – Sharon Olds
In Creve Coeur, Missouri – Rosanna Warren
What Work Is – Philip Levine
Singapore – Mary Oliver
The Mill – Edwin Arlington Robinson
So Mexicans Are Taking Jobs from Americans – Jimmy Santiago Baca
We Did Not Fear the Father – Charles Fort
Those Winter Sundays - Robert Hayden
forgiving my father – Lucille Clifton
My Papa’s Waltz – Theodore Roethke
Woodchucks – Maxine Kumin
The Fish – Elizabeth Bishop
The Colonel – Carolyn Forche
Capital Punishment – Sherman Alexie
My Last Duchess – Robert Browning
My Ex-Husband – Gabriel Spera
Assignments – Two micro-themes and a major paper
Feb. 2 – micro-theme due
Feb. 9 – micro-them due
Feb. 17 – major paper due
Unit Two: Genre - Journey (9 weeks)
Comparing works in the same genre (fictional texts about journeys, including several short stories a
novel, and a film)
Short Stories
The Rich Brother – Tobias Wolfe
Hunters in the Snow – Tobias Wolfe
The Love of My Life – T. Coraghessan Boyle
The Story of an Hour – Kate Chopin
Desiree’s Baby – Kate Chopin
The Storm – Kate Chopin
St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves – Karen Russell
Young Goodman Brown – Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Man in the Black Suit – Stephen King
The Lesson – Toni Cade Bambara
A Good Man is Hard to Find – Flannery O’Connor
The Life You Save May Be Your Own – Flannery O’Connor
What You Pawn I Will Redeem – Sherman Alexie
War Dances – Sherman Alexie
Novel
The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien
Film
Awakenings
Compared with song lyrics (The Wall – Pink Floyd) and a poem (Mending Wall – Robert Frost)
Assignments – Two micro-themes and a major paper
Feb. 23 – micro-theme due
Mar. 9 – micro-theme due
Apr. 3 – major paper due
Apr. 17 – micro-theme paper due
Unit Three: Considering other Contexts for Literature (5 weeks)
Considering other contexts in which literary works can be placed, including the author’s revisions,
career, and sources; the historical/cultural worlds of the work’s reception as well as production;
published comments on the work, and adaptations of it.
Novel, short stories and film (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
The Great Gatsby – novel and film
The Rich Boy and Winter Dreams – short stories
Assignments – A research-based analysis paper
May 18 – paper due
May 21 & 22 – Final Exam
All essays must be in a computer-generated, typed, hard copy format. MLA style is required. Email
Classroom
copies are not a substitute for any hard copies that are due. If your printer doesn’t work, you may print
Policies &
your assignment before school, not prior to the beginning of class. If your computer crashes, your word
Information processing program is not compatible with ours at NMHS, or your disk, CD, or thumb drive won’t work,
I’m very sorry. However, it is your responsibility not to wait until class begins to realize that you have a
problem. Your assignment is late, and your grade will result in a 10% deduction.
For those taking the class for college credit, view your six weeks grades as progress reports. You will
receive one grade at the end of the semester for IU. Colleges are not interested in six week grades.
They are only concerned with the final semester average. Thus, it is imperative that you plan to work
consistently throughout the semester. Your grade; your responsibility. Also remember, a grade of C is
required if this class is taken for college credit.
Appropriate Behavior:
All students are expected to meet the Indiana University code of ethics for appropriate behavior as well
as expectations outlined in the NMHS Student Handbook. Students are expected to arrive in class on
time and remain for the entire class.
You don’t have to agree with the texts used or with the opinions of everyone in the class. However, this
is a college course; simply be respectful. Follow all classroom and school policies.
Electronic Communication Devices:
All electronic communication devices (cell phones, PDAs, laptops, etc.) must be turned off when class is
in session. These devices are a distraction to the classroom atmosphere, especially when your fellow
students are making presentations. You will lose 10 points each time this policy is violated. According
to NMHS policy, any cell phone is to be turned into the office for your parent/guardian to retrieve.
Attendance
North Miami High School’s attendance policy and procedures will be followed.
Policy
Late Work Students will be held responsible for any work missed; missing class is no excuse for not submitting
Policy an assignment. All assignments are due at the beginning of the period. If you are unable to attend
class on a day that an assignment is due, it is your responsibility to make sure your assignment is
turned in on time. This might include turning an assignment in early or sending it with a
friend/classmate. Late homework is not accepted. Other assignments will be accepted late with a
deduction of 10% per class that the assignment is not turned in. Assignments turned in more than
one week late will not be accepted.
Make-up/ReExams may be made up with a doctor’s excuse. If you foresee a possible conflict with taking an
take Exam
exam on the assigned date, you need to contact the instructor prior to the exam.
Policy
Dual CreditHigh School
Credit Policy
Statement
The rigor of this course will be periodically reviewed by Indiana University faculty in an effort to
maintain the high quality of education that each student receives. Due to the unique format of this
course, students must decide during the IU enrollment period whether they wish to receive dual
credit (high school and IU credit) or only high school credit. Students who choose to take the course
only for high school credit and receive a passing grade may not register at a later date or repeat the
course (while in high school) for college credit.
IU Academic The Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct describes types of
Misconduct misconduct for which students may be penalized, including cheating, fabrication, plagiarism and
Statement interference with other students’ work, as well as actions which endanger the University and the
and University community and possession of firearms. The Code also indicates the procedures to be
Plagiarism followed in these cases. All students are required to adhere to the responsibilities outlined in the
Policy Code. http://www.iu.edu/~code/
Academic dishonesty can result in a grade of F for the class (an F for academic dishonesty cannot
be removed from the transcript). Significant violations of the Code can result in expulsion from the
University.
Plagiarism is using another person's words, ideas, artistic creations, or other intellectual property
without giving proper credit. According to the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and
Conduct, a student must give credit to the work of another person when he does any of the
following:

Quotes another person's actual words, either oral or written;

Paraphrases another person's words, either oral or written;

Uses another person's idea, opinion, or theory; or

Borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative material, unless the information is common
knowledge.
The definition and clarification related to academic misconduct is here:
http://www.indiana.edu/~code/code/responsibilities/academic/index.shtml
Examples of Plagiarism: http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.pdf
Per IU Policy:
Academic integrity is a matter that is taken very seriously at Indiana University. The
University expects students to uphold and follow the Code of Student Rights,
Responsibilities, and Conduct (Code) (Available online at: http://www.iu.edu/~code/).
Cheating, plagiarism, or other violations of the Code may result in a lower or failing grade
on the assignment on which academic misconduct occurred or a lower or failing grade in
the course. All cases of academic misconduct will be reported to the Dean of Students.
Faculty are required to investigate and then report all incidents of academic misconduct to
the Dean of Students. For information about policies and procedures, see the Code of
Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, especially Part II, Sections G, H, and I, and
Part III. Copies of the code can be obtained from the Dean of Students. The code is also
accessible at http://www.iu.edu/~code/.
(University Faculty Council, April 24, 1990; April 13, 1993; May 12, 1993; October 8,
1996; April 12, 2005; adopted by Board of Trustees, May 4, 1990; December 4, 1992;
June 5, 1993; December 13, 1996; June 24, 2005; August 1, 2009)