University of Nevada, Reno
SPAN 357: Masterworks of Chicana/o and U.S. Latina/o Literature
Professor: Daniel Enrique Pérez, Ph.D.
E-mail: dperez@unr.edu
Office: EJCH 241-Y
Phone: (775) 682-8905
Course Description
This is a survey course on Chicana/o and U.S. Latina/o literature. Students will read some of the most important
literary works that center on the Chicana/o and Latina/o experience in the United States; they describe the
unique experience of a historically marginalized people and explore the following topics: bilingualism,
biculturalism, feminism, border issues, poverty, violence, discrimination, and queerness. The course also
explores various areas of identity and social constructions of difference: otherness, race, ethnicity, gender, class,
citizenship, and sexuality. The course in conducted in Spanish with occasional uses of English and Spanglish.
The reading, writing, and online assignments are extensive; students should be prepared to dedicate
approximately 10 hours per week completing assignments outside of class. The course is designed as a hybrid
course, with a variety of writing assignments and discussions taking place in the classroom and online
(WebCampus). (Prerequisite: SPAN 350)
Core Objectives
This course satisfies Core Objective 10 of the Silver Core Curriculum:
CO10: Diversity and Equity
Students will demonstrate an understanding of diversity through courses that focus on topics such as race,
ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, physical ability, language, and/or social class with an emphasis on the
analysis of equity. Students will apply and evaluate approaches or modes of inquiry used to analyze diversity
and equity and the social barriers to these goals.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
Identify key literary figures and movements relevant to the course content.
Identify the complex elements that are significant to the Chicana/o and Latina/o experience in the United
States: history, values, politics, social class, customs, and practices.
Describe the perceptions, viewpoints, and life experiences of Chicana/o and Latina/o people in the United
States by examining narratives that center on the experiences of members of this population.
Articulate an awareness of some of the diversity issues relevant to the course content: race, ethnicity, gender,
social class, religion, sexual identity, national origin, and others.
Demonstrate knowledge of the history, customs, worldviews, and other cultural markers of Chicana/o and
Latina/o people in the United States.
Critically analyze—verbally and in written forms—the texts explored in the course.
Required Texts
Castillo, Ana. So Far From God/Tan lejos de Dios (Plume).
Pérez SPAN 357 Syllabus
2
Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street/La casa en Mango Street (Vintage).
Díaz, Junot. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao/La breve y maravillosa vida de Oscar Wao (Vintage).
González, Rigoberto. Butterfly Boy: Memories of a Chicano Mariposa (U of Wisconsin Press)
Nava, Michael. Rag and Bone (Berkley Prime Crime).
Rivera, Tomás. …y no se lo tragó la tierra/…and the Earth Did Not Devour Him (Arte Público Press).
(Note: Any edition of the above novels will suffice. Students have the option of reading the novels in English or
Spanish when translations are available. González and Nava are the only two writers who do not have Spanish
translations.)
Evaluation Criteria
The final grade will be based on the following criteria:
Participation (Classroom)……..…......…..……………………..…30%
Homework (WebCampus)..……..……………………………..….30%
Critical Essays…..…………………………………………….…...30%
Oral Presentation………....…………….…….....…………….…...10%
Total possible:
100%
The instructor of this course uses a +/- system as part of the grading scale, which is as follows:
100-93
A
90-92
A-
86-89
B+
83-85
B
80-82
B-
76-79
C+
73-75
C
70-72
C-
66-69
D+
63-65
D
60-62
D-
0-59
F
Assessment and Explanation of Evaluation Criteria
Participation in the Classroom (25 points per class session, 30% of overall grade)
Students are expected to attend all class meetings on Tuesdays and to come to every session having completed
all assignments before the class begins. Students should always be prepared to discuss assignments and share
critical thoughts and analyses with the class. Students will receive participation credit based on their
preparedness for class (completion of all assignments) and participation in classroom activities (discussions,
group activities, etc.).
Homework on WebCampus (25 points per assignment, 30% of overall grade)
Thursdays will be virtual classrooms; we will not meet in the classroom on these days. Instead, students will
complete a variety of online activities on WebCampus: read and respond to interviews with the authors and
other forms of multimedia related to the texts; answer questions related to the texts; and participate in virtual
classroom discussions. Assignment instructions will be posted on WebCampus and discussed in class on
Tuesdays.
Critical Essays (50 points per critical essay, 30% of overall grade)
Students will write critical responses to the novels read during the semester. Guidelines for completing and
submitting critical analyses will be posted on WebCampus and discussed in class.
Oral Presentation (10%)
At the end of the semester, students will do a 4-6 minute presentation in Spanish on an additional author and
book related to the course. Guidelines for presentations will be discussed in class and made available on
WebCampus.
University Policies and Special Needs
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Plagiarism and Student Academic Dishonesty
Plagiarism is the use of materials created by someone else that you present as your own. It includes putting your
name on material prepared by another individual, material that has been published, or material found online.
Plagiarism also includes failing to properly cite sources. If a student is caught plagiarizing, the instructor may
assign a failing grade for a portion of the course or the entire course on account of academic dishonesty.
Disability Resources
Any student with a disability who requires accommodations to ensure successful completion of the course is
encouraged to speak with the instructor as soon as possible to discuss such accommodations. The UNR
Disability Resource Center is located on the main campus: Thompson Bldg., Ste. 101. Phone: (775) 784-6000.
Inclusion Statement
Your instructor is committed to teaching equitably and inclusively. He is dedicated to creating an environment
that makes every student feel welcome in the classroom and in his office irrespective of age, gender, race,
ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, national origin, religious (or non-religious) orientation, political affiliation,
language experience, or disability.
Tutoring and Academic Success Services
Your student fees cover usage of the Tutoring Center (784-6801 or www.unr.edu/tutoring) and the University
Writing Center (784-6030 or www.unr.edu/writing-center). Students are encouraged to take advantage of these
services to support their classroom learning and success. Additionally, the Dept. of Foreign Languages and
Literatures provides a list of tutors who are available for a fee (www.unr.edu/cla/fll/resources/).
Audio and Video Recording
Surreptitious or covert video-taping or unauthorized audio recording of class is prohibited by law and by Board
of Regents policy. This class may be videotaped or audio recorded only with the written permission of the
instructor, which may occur in order to accommodate students with disabilities. Therefore, students should
understand that their comments during class may be recorded.
Pérez SPAN 357 Syllabus
SPAN 357: Masterworks of Chicana/o and U.S. Latina/o Literature
Calendario del curso (Primavera 2014)
Mes
Enero
Día
21
Martes
23
Jueves
28
Martes
30
Jueves
Febrero
4
Martes
6
Jueves
11
Martes
13
Jueves
18
Martes
20
Jueves
25
Martes
27
Jueves
Marzo
4
Martes
6
Jueves
11
Martes
13
Jueves
18
Martes
Tareas
Introducción al curso
Leer: El programa del curso (WebCampus)
Clase regular
Leer: Estela Portillo Trambley, “The Paris Gown” (WebCampus)
Hacer: Conseguir los textos del cursos
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: ...y no se lo tragó la tierra, “El año perdido” - “La mano en la bolsa”
Clase virtual (25 puntos)
Leer: ...y no se lo tragó la tierra, “Faltaba una hora” - “La noche que se
apagaron las luces”
Hacer: Actividades en WebCampus
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: …y no se lo tragó la tierra, “Poquito antes de las seis” - “Debajo de la
casa”
Clase virtual (25 puntos)
Leer: The House on Mango Street, “The House on…” - “Those Who Don’t”
Hacer: Actividades en WebCampus
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: The House on Mango Street, “There Was an Old Woman…” – “Sire”
Clase virtual (50 puntos)
Leer: The House on Mango Street, “Four Skinny Trees” – “Mango Says…”
Entregar: Ensayo Crítico No. 1
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: So Far from God, Chapters 1 - 2
Clase virtual (25 puntos)
Leer: So Far from God, Chapters 3 - 4
Hacer: Actividades en WebCampus
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: So Far from God, Chapters 5 – 8
Clase virtual (25 puntos)
Leer: So Far from God, Chapters 9 - 12
Hacer: Actividades en WebCampus
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: So Far from God, Chapters 13 – 16
Clase virtual (50 puntos)
Entregar: Ensayo Crítico No. 2
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: Rag and Bone, Chapters 1 – 3
Clase virtual (25 puntos)
Leer: Rag and Bone, Chapters 4 - 8
Hacer: Actividades en WebCampus
SPRING BREAK
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Pérez SPAN 357 Syllabus
Marzo
Abril
20
Jueves
25
Martes
27
Jueves
1
Martes
3
Jueves
8
Martes
10
Jueves
15
Martes
17
Jueves
22
Martes
24
Jueves
Mayo
29
Martes
1
Jueves
6
Martes
TBA
SPRING BREAK
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: Rag and Bone, Chapters 9 – 12
Clase virtual (25 puntos)
Leer: Rag and Bone, Chapters 13 – 16
Hacer: Actividades en WebCampus
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: Rag and Bone, Chapter 17 - 20
Clase virtual (50 puntos)
Entregar: Ensayo Crítico No. 3
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: Butterfly Boy, Part 1
Clase virtual (25 puntos)
Leer: Butterfly Boy, Part 2
Hacer: Actividades en WebCampus
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: Butterfly Boy, Part 3
Clase virtual (50 puntos)
Leer: Butterfly Boy, Parts 4 and 5
Entregar: Ensayo Crítico No. 4
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Chapters 1 - 2
Clase virtual (25 puntos)
Leer: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Chapters 3 - 4
Hacer: Actividades en WebCampus
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Chapters 5 - 6
Clase virtual (50 puntos)
Leer: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Chapters 7 – 8 (y “The Final
Letter)
Entregar: Ensayo Crítico No. 5
Clase regular (25 puntos)
Leer: Un libro de las listas de libros de escritores chicanas/os y latinas/os
Última clase (50 puntos)
Presentaciones orales—reseña de un libro
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