English 104.03 MWF: Approaches to Literature Instructor: Ms. Christine Adams Office: Curry 335E, Mailbox in MHRA 3114 Office Hours: Tuesday 12 pm- 3pm Email: cgadams2@uncg.edu Classroom: MHRA 2210 Class Time: MWF 11:00 am –11:50 am Course Description “Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.” ― Kurt Vonnegut The common theme among our texts is the pursuit of knowledge, the desire to transcend the status quo through scientific and mathematical study and/or the creation of “utopias”. Some questions we will consider throughout the course are: Why do authors write about Science? What does it mean to be human? How do we define knowledge, and what do we give up in our quest for it? Is perfection attainable, and at what cost? How do we write when our view of the world is violated by death and destruction? Will the future ever be better than the now? In our class we will consider these questions through the study of short stories, novels, plays, short/long/ collections of poems, and creative nonfiction. Through our own discussion, writing, and research, we will develop our knowledge of how to more deeply read and discuss literature. Required Texts Sparks, Summar C.,ed. Lenses: Perspectives on Literature. ISBN:9780738051055 Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. ISBN:9780393927931 Auburn, David. Proof. ISBN: 9780571199976 Marlowe, Christopher. Doctor Faustus. ISBN:9780393977547 Vonnegut, Kurt. Cat’s Cradle. ISBN: 9780385333481 Smith, Tracy K. Life on Mars. ISBN:9781555975845 Blackboard Readings- These can be found on Blackboard Under Course Documents. All electronic course documents must be printed and brought to class for use during our discussion and in- class exercises. If you do not have the required text you will be asked to leave class. Budget time and resources appropriately. Technology Requirements Active I-Spartan Email Address (You should check this account daily.) Blackboard Account Printing Access. Please make sure you budget enough money to print documents. “My card ran out of money/ my printer ran out of ink/etc is not an excuse for not having the required texts. Course Objectives Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for the GLT marker: At the completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate the reading skill required for the student of literary texts. (LG3) 2. Identify and/or describe some of the varied characteristics of literary texts. (LG3) 3. Demonstrate orally, in writing, or by some other means, a fundamental ability to use some of the techniques and/or methods of literary analysis. (LG 1 and LG 3) 4. Identify and/or describe some of the various social, historical, cultural, and/or theoretical contexts in which literary texts have been written and interpreted. (LG 3) Those SLOs labeled LG3 relate to UNCG’s Learning Goal #3 for General Education, which says students will “Describe, interpret, and evaluate the ideas, events, and expressive traditions that have shaped collective and individual human experience through inquiry and analysis in the diverse disciplines of the humanities, religions, languages, histories, and the arts.” ((http://web.uncg.edu/reg/Bulletin/Current/UnivReq/GECProgram.aspx) Those SLOs labeled (LG1) relate to UNCG’s Learning Goal #1 for General Education. Course Policies Academic Integrity: “Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for examples, cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated” (from UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic integrity, review the guidelines and list of violations at http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu. I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. Incidents of cheating and plagiarism are reported to the Dean of Students and sanctions are aligned with the policies at http://sa.uncg.edu/dean/academic-integrity/violation/plagarism. Moral of the story: I’m interested in your work, not someone else’s. If you represent someone else’s work as your own you will fail that assignment. If you violate this policy a second time, you will fail the course. Attendance: The success of our class, as it is discussion based, depends on your participation in the conversations we bring up in class. Therefore, any absences are strongly discouraged. For literature classes meeting thrice as week: Students are allowed a maximum of four absences without grade penalty. For every absence beyond those allowed, 10 percentage points will be deducted from you final grade. (i.e. A total of six missed classes will result in a 20 percentage point penalty from the final grade. Yikes.) Students who miss eight classes on a three-day schedule will fail the course. Should a crisis arise, come talk to me or email me before you miss too many classes. Students are, by state law, allowed two excused absences due to religious holidays. These absences do not count toward the total maximums allowed above. If you plan to miss class due to a religious holiday, you must notify me via email at cgadams2@uncg.edu at least 48 hours prior to your absence. I do not differentiate between excused and unexcused absences. If you miss class you are responsible for making up any work you may have missed. This includes checking Blackboard, and contacting another member of the class for notes, changes to the course schedule, and other pertinent information. It is easy to email your classmates using the email tool in Blackboard. Tardiness: I take attendance at the start of class, so being late may result in you being marked absent in addition to affecting your participation grade. If you arrive after I have finished taking attendance you are tardy. If you leave class early you are tardy. Three tardies equal an absence. I say this, simply, because it is vital to our collaborative learning environment that you, your voice, and your work are present if we are to have an engaging and successful course. Accessibility for Special Needs: Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to meet with me about accommodations as soon as possible. If you believe you could benefit from such accommodations, you must first register with the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the second floor of the Elliott University Center in Suite 215. The office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. You can reach them by telephone at 336-334-5440, or email at oars@uncg.edu. Respect Policy: Most things worth writing about have the ability to cut to the depths of our beings. These things include death, violence, grief, religion, relationships, and our human nature. Sometimes we will disagree with each other in class. Impassioned conversation is great, but disrespectful tones, personal attacks, and violent verbiage are unacceptable. Also, because I do not allow laptops, cell phones, and tables in class, the buzzing or ringing of these devices is a violation of this policy. I reserve the right to interpret inappropriate behaviors as I see fit and address them accordingly. Remaining in my class is a tacit acknowledgement of this right. Submission of Work: All papers are to be double-spaced in 12 point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins (note: not the default setting of the current version of Microsoft Word) and stapled. Please include your name, our course number, the date the assignment is due, as well as an original title. I expect you to responsibly cite all materiel you use in your work. Both in-text citations and references must be in MLA format. Purdue University’s OWL is an excellent resource for learning how to properly cite sources, as is our own library, library databases, and The University Writing Center. Papers are due by email (.doc format) to me by the start of class AND in hard copy at the start of class. If you are absent I still must have an electronic copy of your paper by the start of class. You are responsible for submitting an identical hard copy at our next class meeting. I do not accept late work, I do accept early work. (When naming a file, begin with your last name Ex: “Smith_ CC Assignment B .doc”) Technology Policy: Computers and other electronic devices are not to be used during class time. Silence all devices that make noise. Devices shall be stowed “down and away” until the end of class. Students may use laptops in class only if they have a special need for purposes of note taking or other classroom activities. Students with such need should make specific arrangements with me as soon as possible. The first violation of this policy will result in a warning (for example a cell phone ringing). The second will result in you being marked absent for the day. Email Policy: Email is the best way to reach me. I will make every effort to respond to your email within 48 hours. If I have not replied to your message after 48 hours, then please re-send the message. Additional Resources: The University Writing Center: This is a free service that exists solely to help you become a better writer. Take papers at any stage of completion to the center for a one-on-one consultation. The center is located in MHRA 3211. No appointment needed, though you should arrange to go to the center at least 48 hours prior to when your assignment is due. Other Helpful Information: Counseling and Testing Center: 336-334-5874 Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies: 336-334-5099 Student Services Center (Tutoring): 336-334-3125 Graded Components FINAL GRADE BREAKDOWN Participation: 20% (see rubric below for guidance) Literary Analysis: 25% Conversations & Contexts Assignment: 20% Midterm: 15% Final: 20% I utilize the full range of grades from A to F (including plusses and minuses) in keeping with University grading policies. Your course grade will be based on the following components that make up your course work for the semester. UNCG defines an A as excellent; a B as good; a C as average; a D as the lowing passing grade; and an F as failure. Please understand that a C means that you simply met all the requirements of the course, not that you did poorly, which would be indicated by a D or an F. Likewise, an A or B indicates you met and exceeded course requirements. Your writing assignments will be graded based on their originality, ambition, willingness to take risks, relevance to the subject matter, analysis of particular passages and more general themes, and finally on their mechanics and formatting. (See Writing Assignment Rubric on Blackboard.) Participation (SLOs 1,2,3,4): 20% To succeed in this class, you must do the readings beforehand in a manner that prepares you to engage in substantial, sophisticated discussion, both verbally and written. You also must bring the text(s) that we will be discussing to class. For every class I expect you to come prepared with two discussion questions and two points in the text that interested you. On the days we do not have discussants I may ask you to jump-start our discussion for the day with one of your questions. Your participation grade rests on your contributions to class discussions, required and optional meetings with me about the course matter, your work, and demonstrated knowledge of readings (as shown through in-class writing exercises and quizzes). I believe that there are some kinds of learning that cannot be measured with papers or exams. Remaining in this class indicates that you understand that participation is heavily weighted in this course, and that you are committed to being a contributing member of our classroom community. Discussant Days: You will be a discussant for one text, for one day of the semester. You will have done your Conversations & Contexts Project (which will be due the night before, so that the rest of the class can reap the fruits of your labor) that will inform our discussion for the day. Being a good discussant does not mean you need to lead the class, only ask questions and make comments that help facilitate our discussion of the text. Please keep in mind that participation grades are based on respect for others in discussion, and on the quality (not quantity) of your comments. Criteria for Oral Communication A Superior communicative skills; excellent preparation for class discussion; always volunteers; listens and responds thoughtfully and courteously to others’ comments; student exemplifies mastery, rigor, and intellectual curiosity regarding course readings and concepts while also introducing relevant independent insights to the discussion; student demonstrates enthusiasm and takes initiative, particularly during group activities. B Good communicative skills; solid preparation for class discussion; consistently volunteers and makes meaningful contributions in group activities; student exemplifies interest and engagement regarding course readings and concept; student demonstrates a positive attitude C Adequate communicative skills; fair preparation for class discussion; occasionally volunteers; exemplifies competence regarding course readings and concepts; student demonstrates an inoffensive, but noncommittal attitude; sporadic contributions during group activities D Limited communicative skills; uneven preparation for class; rarely volunteers; demonstrates indifference or irritation when prompted; inattentive during class; rare contributions during group activities. [Performance may be marked by other flaws: consistent tardiness, disruptive behavior, etc.] F Weak communicative skills; little to no preparation for class; little evidence of reading assignments (this can include not buying course texts or not making up missed material); never volunteers, or doesn’t respond when prompted; demonstrates potential hostility to discussion; irrelevant, distracting, or no contribution to group activities Remember, you do not need to be an “expert” to participate; asking a good question is as, or sometimes more, valuable than offering a completed thought. Literary Analysis Essay (SLOs 1,2,3): 25% For this assignment you write a minimum of five pages in which you will develop and refine your close reading skills by performing a literary analysis of one of our texts. You will develop a thesis about how the language is working and to what end, and providing analysis/ explanation/ explication of that specific language. You will have the option of revising your Literary Analysis and re-submitting it to me at the end of the course. If you choose this option, your final grade for this assignment will be an average of your two grades. Conversations & Contexts Projects (SLOs 1-4): 20% This assignment will not only prepare you to be a unique authority on the text for your discussant day, but will also allow you to practice valuable researching skills. You will pick one of the following three prompts to guide your research. You will need to come by my office hours (or make an appointment with me) at least a week before your project is due so we can discuss your chosen topic (come to this meeting prepared with research and ideas). Feel free to email me before our meeting for ideas. A. Biographical Anecdote. This is not a chronology or life summary. It asks you do some reading in a biography (on reserve at Jackson Library), identify an important event or story in the author or poet’s life, relate it accurately and briefly, and reflect on its interest or importance. B. Critical Article. This asks you to read a primary piece of criticism on the author or poet, retrieved from a library database, then summarize it accurately and fully, indicating the author’s primary thesis or argument, major points of development, theoretical frame (e.g., feminist) if possible. Your post should also assess what insights from the article are especially helpful to our class and what questions we might ask of it or because of it. Choose wisely—this should be a piece of literary criticism appropriate to our studies. C. Cultural Context Report. This asks you to do research on an aspect of the wider sociopolitical, historical, or cultural context in which an author or poet writes. The Discussion Board post will present an overview of your information with some framework indicating its importance to the author or poet. For example, if you have selected Cat’s Cradle, a history of the atom bomb or Cold War politics may be helpful. If you have selected “The Waste Land”, an examination of pre and post World War I Europe, especially London, may help us, or an examination of the Dada art movement. The Blackboard Discussion Board will host the 750 word responses to this assignment. You should view your post as a cohesive piece of writing. Don’t simply list information; there needs to be a natural flow of your ideas with transitions. You will also be a discussant for the text that you select. Your assignment is due by 5 pm the night before the class for which you are a discussant. Label your post as follows: “[Name’s] CC Assignment [A, B, or C].” For each, you will have to do research in the books on reserve at Jackson Library or in digital database sources (minimize use of web materials). Each assignment must include a bibliographic entry for the work(s) you consult. Midterm Exam (SLOs 1-4) 15% The midterm will consist of quotation identification, explanation of why the chosen quote is important to the overall themes of the individual text and our course, and a short essay section. Final Exam (SLOs 1-4) 20% The final will consist of quotation identification, explanation of why the chosen quote is important to the overall themes of the individual text and our course, and a short essay section. Unlike the midterm, the final will address all of our course materiel. Provisional Course Schedule NOTE: This schedule is "provisional" to allow for some flexibility through the semester if the need arises. This also means that the schedule may not include all minor assignments. The readings and assignments should be completed before class on the day they are listed. You may notice that I do not indicate page numbers for our larger texts, this is because I expect you to have read the entire text for our first day of discussion. Lenses: Lenses: Perspectives on Literature Bb: Blackboard All other texts noted by their full title CC: Conversations & Contexts Assignment Unit 1:Why/ how do authors and poets write about science? WEEK ONE M August 19 Bb: Syllabus Introduction to course, CC & Discussant sign-up W August 21 Bb: “The Allegory of the Cave”, Plato Lenses: “To Write is to Read”, Browning and Scudder (1-6) How to Annotate a Literary Work (in-class exercise) F August 23 Bb: “I Heard the Learned Astronomer”, Whitman Bb: from “Canto CXV”, Pound Lenses: “Symbolic Relationships and Figurative Language”, Boissonneau and Buck (39-48) *Last Day to add/drop classes without special permission. WEEK TWO M August 26 Bb: “Rappaccini’s Daughter”, Hawthorne Lenses: “Narrators and Speakers: The Voices of Literature”, Hall and Puzzo (107-114) Lenses: “Time, Setting, and Pace: The locations of Literature”, Gibson (81-90) W August 28 Research Day! (Classroom location TBA) F August 30 Bb: “Escape from Spiderhead”, Saunders Lenses: “Reading through Genre”, Leuschen, Romanelli, and Shook (25-37) Unit 2: What does is mean to be human? Is perfection attainable, and at what cost? WEEK THREE M September 2 Labor Day: No Class W September 4 Frankenstein, Shelley Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): F September 6 Frankenstein, Shelley Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): WEEK FOUR M September 9 Frankenstein, Shelley Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): W September 11 Frankenstein, Shelley Close Reading (in-class exercise) F September 13 Proof, Auburn Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): Unit 3: How do we write about our world when it has been destroyed by violence? A look at dystopian landscapes WEEK FIVE M September 16 Proof, Auburn Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): W September 18 Proof, Auburn Close Reading (in-class exercise) F September 20 WEEK SIX M September 23 W September 25 Bb: “The Waste Land”, Eliot Lenses: “The Sounds and Structures of Poetry”, Marsh (69-77) Bb: “The Waste Land”, Eliot Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): Bb: “The Waste Land”, Eliot Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): F September 27 Bb: “The Waste Land”, Eliot Close Reading (in-class exercise) WEEK SEVEN M September 30 Bb: Selections from About a Mountain, D’agata Bb: Selection from The Truth of the Matter: Art and Craft in Creative Nonfiction, Moore W October 2 Bb: Selections from About a Mountain, D’agata Midterm Review F October 4 MIDTERM Unit 4: How do we define knowledge, and what do we give up in our quest for it? WEEK EIGHT M October 7 Doctor Faustus, Marlowe Lenses: “Writing about Literature”, Adams Wooten and Babb (9-22) Literary Analysis Assigned Thesis Statement Review W October 9 Doctor Faustus, Marlowe Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): F October 11 Doctor Faustus, Marlowe Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): *Last day to drop course(s) without academic penalty WEEK NINE M October 14 Fall Break: Breathe W October 16 Cat’s Cradle, Vonnegut Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): F October 18 Cat’s Cradle, Vonnegut Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): WEEK TEN M October 21 W October 23 Cat’s Cradle, Vonnegut Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): Cat’s Cradle, Vonnegut Close Reading (in-class exercise) F October 25 Literary Analysis Workshop: Bring the first paragraph of your paper to class. You may also bring your laptops on this day. Unit 5: Will the future be better? WEEK ELEVEN M October 28 Literary Analysis Due Life on Mars, Smith W October 30 Life on Mars, Smith Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): F November 1 Life on Mars, Smith Bb: Read CC Assignment Discussant(s): WEEK TWELVE M November 4 Life on Mars, Smith Close Reading (in-class Exercise) W November 6 Bb: Selections from Halls of Fame, D’Agata F November 8 Bb: Selections from Halls of Fame, D’Agata WEEK THIRTEEN M November 11 Bb: Selections from Halls of Fame, D’Agata W November 13 Bb: Revisiting “The Allegory of the Cave”, Plato Bb: “The Lottery”, Jackson F November 15 Bb: “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”, Le Guin WEEK FOURTEEN M November 18 Bb: “Little Fish”, Gabel W November 20 Bb: “Shirley Temple Three”, Pierce F November 22 Bb: “Astronomy Lesson”, Shapiro WEEK FIFTEEN M November 25 W November 27 F November 29 Bb: “Shitty First Drafts”, Lamott Revision workshop Thanksgiving Break: No Class Thanksgiving Break: No Class WEEK SIXTEEN M December 2 Revised Literary Analysis Due Final Exam Review FINAL EXAM: Monday, December 9th from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.