ELIT 11: Introduction to Poetry
(4 Units)
Winter Quarter, 2015, Mon-Thur, 11:30-12:20, Sem 2
Instructor: Jill Quigley
Phone: (408) 864-5564
Office: F61-J
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2-3 and by appointment
E-mail: jkquigley@yahoo.com and quigleyjill@fhda.edu
Website: http://faculty.deanza.fhda.edu/quigleyjill
Course Description:
ELIT 11 is 4 unit literature course focused on the intensive study of poetry—mostly by
poets from the 20th century—from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Poetry is the “clear expression of mixed feelings” as W.H. Auden claims, so the way in
which poetry expresses universal human truths is distinct, wildly individual, and often
illusive. In this course, you will learn about poetic devices, literary history, and critical
theory to provide analytical context for your personal responses to the poems. Jose Garcia
Villa claims that poetry is “an angel with a gun in its hand” and that captures the exciting
way in which we’ll examine the amazement of language this quarter. Poetry has the
ability to create revolution and inspire love—sometimes at the same time. Emily
Dickinson famously claimed that the experience of reading poetry is as though the top of
your head was physically taken off. Poetry blows minds. And I know no better way of
describing it.
Suggested Prerequisite:
Eligibility is recommended through successful completion of EWRT 1A.
Course Objectives:
1. Learn how to “read” poetry—literally, figuratively, and critically.
2. Interpret a variety of poems from different historical and literary periods.
3. Examine poems by poets diverse in background and style.
4. Understand and appreciate the distinctive qualities of voice, tone, persona, irony,
diction, allegory, metaphor, imagery, sound, and a variety of poetic structural
forms.
5. Analyze, evaluate, and employ current approaches in literary criticism as they
relate to poetry.
6. Learn the poetic voice, politics, and philosophy of a variety of literary movements
including: Modernism, Post-Modernism, Confessional Poetry, the Beat
Movement, Imagism, the New York School, Personism, Black Mountain College,
New Critics, San Francisco Renaissance, and Mythopoetic Men’s Movement.
7. Develop literary and social historical awareness—a recognition of the way in
which the past has shaped the present.
8. Relate various literary and social movements to yourself and your surroundings,
and explore the contribution of texts to the human experience: culture and
consciousness.
9. Acknowledge and account for alternate textual interpretations.
The Writing and Reading Center (ATC 309) http://www.deanza.edu/studentsuccess/wrc/
The WRC offers a variety of support services to help improve your writing such as
weekly individual tutoring and drop-in tutoring designed to support you at any point
during your writing process.
Also the WRC offers weekly Academic Skills Workshops, the CAS program
(Customized Academic Support), and Smarthinking an online 24 hour writing tutor
service. http://deanza.edu/studentsuccess/onlinetutoring/index.html
All services are FREE!
Required Texts:
1. An Introduction to Poetry, 13th ed, Kennedy and Gioia
2. The Essential Neruda: Selected Poems edited by Mark Eisner
3. A Year with Rumi edited by Colman Barks
Assignments and Evaluation:
Scale: 97-100%=A+, 93-96%=A, 90-92%=A-, 87-89%=B+, 83-86%=B, 80-82%=B-, 7779%=C+, 70-76%=C, 67-69%=D+, 63-66%=D, 60-62%=D-, 59% and below=F
Your grade for the course will be based on the following points. (800 possible points)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Analytical Response: Rumi, 100 pts
Mid-Term Exam, 200 pts
Research Paper, 200 pts
Final Exam, 100 pts
Participation (attendance, small group work, class discussion, presence,
engagement, and including reading poems aloud and oral presentation): 200
points
Participation:
Introduction to Poetry is a discussion-based course. Your class “presence” will be public
and you will be asked to express your ideas about the texts regularly. Students are
expected to do the assigned readings before each session and to come prepared to discuss
the readings in both small groups and class discussions. If you remain passive, you will
do poorly. You must be prepared, engaged, and involved in the classroom community
order to succeed. In ELIT 11 participation includes reading poems aloud (which will will
do every class from multiple students) and an oral presentation. Participation is ¼ of your
final grade for the course.
Attendance:
Attendance every day is required and all class time counts. Writing, reading, and critical
thinking are skills that improve through constant practice. Students who attend class
regularly are much more likely to succeed. A strict attendance policy will be followed:
attendance points are given everyday, partial points for leaving early, no points for
excused or unexcused absences. Students who are absent are responsible for all
announcements made, assignments given, and material covered. Students are also
responsible for turning in all assignments on time. If you are not in class the day an
assignment is due, you must email to me the assignment that day in order for it to receive
full credit, and bring a hard copy the following class. Assignments turned in late will lose
1 full letter grade for each class day missed. Make-up exams are allowed for excused
absences. Email me or talk to me if you have any questions about the attendance policy.
Academic Honesty:
I am interested in your ideas as well as how clearly you can discuss the ideas of others.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. In most cases, plagiarism occurs because students A)
don’t understand what plagiarism is or how to cite references properly; and B) out of
desperation, so don’t wait until the night before an important assignment to ask for help.
Plagiarism is when you use someone else’s ideas without giving them credit, if you use
someone else’s words without putting quotation marks around them and giving them
credit, or if you introduce information you learned from a specific source without giving
it credit. If you didn’t make it up from your own mind, you need to provide an in-text
citation. Taking text or information or ideas from the internet, or from other sources,
without giving credit to the person or persons who came up with those ideas and those
words is stealing. If you are caught plagiarizing, you will receive a zero for the
assignment, with no opportunity to redo it. In addition, the De Anza Student Handbook
specifies that students can be subject to College discipline (including suspension and
expulsion) for plagiarism and cheating. Having someone else completely correct your
grammar is also a form of plagiarism. If you are uncertain about the rules for using a
source, come to see me before you turn in the assignment.
Disruptive Behavior:
Disruptive behavior takes away from everyone’s learning. The college will enforce all
policies and procedures set forth in the Standards of Student Conduct (see catalog). Any
student disrupting the class may be asked to leave class. Administrative follow-up may
result. Cell phones are considered disruptive. If you are the caregiver of a family
member, please discuss this policy with me for clarification. I believe in a climate of
respect with regard to cell phones and classroom integrity in order to maintain a
productive and effective academic working environment for everyone. A pattern of
consistent tardiness or leaving early is also considered disruptive behavior.
Important Dates:
 Last day to add quarter length classes: Sat. 1/17
 Last day to drop for a refund: Sun. 1/18
 Last day to drop a class with no record of grade: Mon. 1/19
 Last day to request a class be changed to Pass/No Pass: Fri. 1/30
 Last day to drop with a “W”: Fri. 2/27
 College closed: Mon. 1/19, MLK and Mon. 2/26 Presidents Day
 Last day of classes: Mon 3/23
Campus Support Services:
Take advantage of these free support services available for all De Anza Students
 Writing and Reading Center, ATC 309
 General Subjects Tutoring, ATC 304
 Academic Skills Center, ATC 302
 Listening and Speaking Center, ATC 313
 Math, Sciences and Technology Resource Center in S43
 Disability Support Services in SCS 141
Additional Notes:
1. This is an adult level course; therefore, the subject matter of readings, film clips, and
discussions will contain adult material and will not be censored.
2. If you have any special circumstances which you feel will influence your performance
in this class (a diagnosed learning disability, a physical disability, or anything at all that
might interfere with your learning), please come speak to me as soon as possible—I will
create a learning environment that works for you.
3. I believe that education is a human right, regardless of immigration status. If you need
information about how your immigration status can affect your access to education,
please feel free to talk to me. I may be able to help.
4. You can always inquire about your grade and how to improve in the class during the
quarter; I give you a lot of written feedback because I believe in your process and
success; if high grades are important to you please review the expectations, evaluations,
and assignments thoughtfully and work hard. Read a lot, become inspired and curious
about language, process write, ask questions of the texts, me, other students, and
yourself—and ultimately engage in the material and community of the classroom. The
grade will follow. I believe everyone can succeed.
5. We are a classroom community committed to mutual respect, inspiration, debate, and
fun.
6. Please let me know if you have any questions about our work. JQ