English 2353 Course Syllabus
Women in Literature, CRN 61702
Southwest College, Spring 2011
The Learning Hub, Rm. 222
TTh 9:30-11:00 am
Instructor:
Professor Marie Dybala
marie.dybala@hccs.edu
Voicemail: 713-718-2223. Ext 35171
The Learning Web: http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/marie.dybala
Texts:
Required:
Chopin, Kate. The Awakening: A Norton Critical Edition. 2nd ed. New
York: Norton, 1994.
Escandon, Maria Amparo. Gonzalez & Daughter Trucking Co. New York:
Three Rivers Press, 2005.
Gilbert, Sandra M. and Susan Gubar. The Norton Anthology of Literature
by Women: The Traditions in English. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. New York:
Norton, 2007.
Recommended (Optional):
Fowler, H. Ramsey. The Little, Brown Handbook 11th ed. Boston:
Pearson, 2010. ISBN 13:978-0-558-32480-3
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Ed. Joseph Gibaldi.
New York. (7th edition)
Supplies:
A folder with pockets for class handouts and a section for class notes.
College Dictionary
Grade Percentages:
quizzes, homework, discussion leadership
Research Essay 1 (750 word draft) due 2/17
Revised final research essay and marked-up draft (1000 words)
Due 2/24
Essay 2 (750 words) due 3/29
Essay 3 (750 words) due 4/26
Collaborative presentation on essay 3 (4/28 or 5/3)
Final Exam (500 words) (5/5)
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20%
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10%
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Attendance:
HCCS policy states that a student who is absent more than 12.5% (6
hours) of class may be administratively dropped from the course. This
policy will be enforced. Coming in late or leaving early will constitute a
tardy. All tardies will be counted toward your allotted absences. Your
participation is required. Students who intend to withdraw from the
course must do so by the official last day to drop 4/14/11 before 4:30pm.
Students who prefer to receive an F rather than a W will need to attend
classes throughout the semester and take the final exam or discuss the
situation with the professor before they stop attending the class.
Withdrawal Policy:
The State of Texas has begun to impose penalties on students who drop
courses excessively. For example, if you repeat the same course more
than twice, you have to pay extra tuition. Beginning in the Fall of 2007,
the Texas Legislature passed a law limiting first time entering students
to no more than six total course withdrawals throughout their academic
career in obtaining a certificate or baccalaureate degree. There may be
future penalties imposed.
English 2353 Course Syllabus
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If you do not withdraw before the deadline, you will receive the grade that
you are making as the final grade. This grade will probably be an “F.”
The last day to withdraw from the spring 2011(16 week) semester is
4/14.
You should visit with your professor, an HCC counselor, or HCC Online
Student Services to learn what, if any, HCC interventions might be
offered to assist you to stay in class and improve your performance.
Such interventions could include tutoring, child care, financial aid, and
job placement.
International Students: Receiving a “W” in a course may affect the status of your student visa.
Once a “W” is given for the course, it will not be changed to an “F”
because of the visa consideration. Please contact the International
Student Office at 713-718-8520 if you have any questions about your
visa status and any other transfer issues.
Course Reinstatement: Students have a responsibility to arrange payment for their classes when
they register, either through cash, credit card, financial aid, or the
installment plan. Students who are dropped from their courses for nonpayment of tuition and fees who request reinstatement after the official
date of record can be reinstated by making payment in full and paying an
additional $75.00 per course reinstatement fee. The academic dean may
waive the reinstatement fee upon determining that the student was
dropped because of a college error.
Recording Devices:
Use of recording devices, including camera phones and tape recorders,
is prohibited in classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, and other
locations where instruction, tutoring, or testing occurs. These devices are
not allowed to be used in campus restrooms. Students with
disabilities who need to use a recording device as a reasonable
accommodation should contact the Office for Students with Disabilities
for information regarding reasonable accommodations (See Special
Conditions below).
Scholastic Dishonesty: Plagiarism results in a grade of zero on that project. Cheating or
collusion results in a grade of zero on that project. Plagiarism or
collusion on a second major assignment results in a zero in the course.
1] “Plagiarism”--the appropriation of another person’s work and the
unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own written work for
credit.
2] “Collusion”--the unauthorized collaboration with another person in
preparing written work for credit.
Copying information from a website without appropriate citations is
plagiarism and also results in a 0. You may be asked to submit your
paper via the internet to turnitin.com a plagiarism detection program.
Special Conditions:
English 2353 Course Syllabus
If you have any special conditions, extenuating circumstances, or needs
that may affect your progress in this course, please notify me. Please
inform me of any special accommodations that you have documented
through the Disability Support Services Counselors so that we may
better meet your needs. Any student with a documented disability (e.g.
physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to
arrange reasonable accommodations must contact Dr. Becky Hauri,
Disability Support Services, Southwest College at 713 780-7909. Faculty
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are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the
Disability Support Services Office.
English Tutoring:
The Southwest College offers free tutoring at our tutoring centers
where you will receive individual attention with any of your writing
concerns. Check with me for location, dates, and times of tutoring.
HCC also provides an online tutoring program. Visit this website at
http://hccs.askonline.net.
Important Dates:
January 18:
January 19:
January 19:
January 31:
February 21:
March 8:
March 14-20:
April 14:
April 22-24 (Fri-Sun):
May 8:
May 9-15
May 15:
May 20:
Course Purpose:
Classes Begin, Drop/Add/Swap Fee Begins
Registration Ends
Last Day for Drop/Add/Swap
Official Date of Record
Presidents’ Day Holiday – No Classes
Helen Orman Reading Series
Spring Break Holiday
Last Day for Administrative /Student
Withdrawals – 4:30pm
Easter Holiday
Instruction Ends
Final Exams (Our final will be on May 5)
Semester Ends
Grades Available to Students
Women in Literature introduces students to the female literary tradition
and explores a variety of historical periods and genres through selected
readings. Students will consider the impact of gender, race, and culture
on the themes and imagery of women authors. Concepts essential to
the analysis of literature are studied and applied in lectures, class
discussions, presentations, and writing assignments considering
representative writers of the late 19th-21st century. This course fulfills the
core curriculum humanities requirement (3 semester hours) as well as
the multicultural requirement (3 semester hours).
Writing Requirements: Research Essay: an analysis of the author’s purpose in The Awakening,
with a minimum of 4 (1000-1200 words) typed pages and references to
two or more secondary sources in our Norton critical edition. A synopsis
will be presented to the class.
Essay 2: An analytical, feminist response of 3 (750 words) typed pages
to the author’s purpose in Gonzalez & Daughter Trucking Co.
Mid-term essay exam: The students will identify terms related to the
literature read thus far in class and will write a 500 word essay analyzing
the literature.
Essay 3: A feminist or gender based interpretation of a particular theme
traced through significant passages of the work that you select.
The daily grade will consist of unannounced and announced quizzes, inclass reading responses, and a discussion leadership grade. Each
student will be required to lead the discussion on two specified dates.
This class is discussion based, so students should keep up with the
English 2353 Course Syllabus
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reading and be prepared to share ideas on their chosen quotes on all
discussion days.
The Final Exam will require students to write an in-class essay analyzing
the feminist issues and literary themes in the second half of the course.
Late Paper Policy:
No late papers will be accepted.
Please keep a copy of your papers for your own file; should a paper be
lost, it is your responsibility to give me another. The English department
regards a two week turnaround for the return of major essays an
appropriate timeframe.
Make-up Policy:
Students will be allowed to take make-up exams if they have medical or
unforeseen emergencies. Students will be responsible for contacting the
instructor and providing documentation of the emergency situation.
Students are strongly encouraged to avoid taking this measure and the
make-up exam will be an entirely different format from the original exam
administered in class on the scheduled date.
Conferences:
Students are encouraged to arrange a conference with the professor to
discuss their progress in the course at any time. All students are
welcome to arrange a conference with their instructor concerning their
research paper progress prior to turning in the first draft. Collaborative
groups are advised to consult with the instructor several weeks before
presentations are due. Students are urged to discuss with their
instructor any conditions or circumstances that may affect their progress
in the course. Immediately after the 4th absence, students are
required to schedule a conference with the professor.
Student Organizations: One organization of interest to students taking English classes is
Southwest Writers, a group of students who write and read their works
(in a public forum as well as on the Internet) and receive peer support
and constructive criticism. Students in this group create a supportive
network to create poetry, fiction, drama, and non-fiction prose. Contact
advisor Chris Dunn at christopher.dunn@hccs.edu . Another
organization of interest for English students is the Women’s Studies Club
Contact Marie Dybala at marie.dybala@hccs.edu and/or Ileana Loubser
at: ileana.loubser@hccs.edu if you are interested in joining this HCC
student organization. In addition, Phi Theta Kappa is the honor society of
two-year colleges. Students must earn a 3.5 grade point average and
accumulate 9 credit hours to join this group. HCCS has a very active
chapter: Omega Sigma.
Paper Format: ·
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Other Policies: *
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English 2353 Course Syllabus
White notebook paper only - no frayed edges
Handwritten work should be written on one side only
Do not use white out/liquid paper on in class essays
Hand in annotated drafts with final manuscripts for all out-of-class typed
papers
Typed papers must adhere to 7th ed. MLA style format
All major assignments need to be printed in “hard copy” format {paper}
All work completed outside of class needs to be created utilizing
Microsoft Word.
Please turn off cell phones and beepers prior to entering the classroom .
Please be prepared to take notes during class -- no tape recording
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*
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*
*
*
devices allowed (see above).
Please do not bring children, boy/girl friends, family members, etc. to
class with you -- only students registered in the class may
attend.
Please do not chat with class colleagues during discussion.
Please do not pack up books and belongings prior to being dismissed -- I
will announce when class has been completed and it is time for
you to leave.
If you should miss class for any reason, it is your responsibility to make
up the work you missed and to contact me for any special
instructions on work you missed. Quizzes cannot be made up
and homework is not accepted late. It is also strongly
recommended that you obtain the phone number of a classmate
to aid you in this situation.
Attendance will be checked daily. Please note: tardies will have an effect
on the grade you receive for the course (i.e. points for the work
you miss such as quizzes, in class writing assignments, etc. will
be deducted from your final grade average). Please make an
effort to be on time to avoid losing points and disrupting the
class.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Explain and illustrate stylistic characteristics of representative works by
writers of the female literary tradition in English from the Middle
Ages to the present.
Connect representative works of these writers to human and individual
values in historical and social contexts.
Demonstrate knowledge of the works of writers from the female literary
tradition in English.
Analyze critical texts relating to the works of writers from the female
literary tradition in English.
Critique and interpret representative works of writers from the female
literary tradition in English.
Course Calendar: Schedule of Assignments
Week 1
1/18/11
Introduction to course syllabus-- write in-class essay.
Assignment:
Buy the course textbooks. (Read Gonzalez & Daughter Trucking Co.
outside of class by week 7, March 1.
Read The Awakening Chapters 1-27 (1-80)
http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/kchopin/bl-kchop-awake-1.htm
Be prepared to discuss the quotes and plot developments that intrigue
you the most in the first 27 chapters. What feminist/gender issues do you
find most significant? Include the chapter and page number of each
passage you choose to discuss next Tuesday.
1/20/11
Student Introductions
Instructor lecture on historical terms.
Assignment:
Continue reading chapter 1-27 and prepare to participate in class
discussion.
Week 2
English 2353 Course Syllabus
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1/25/11
Instructor lecture on intro to the 19th and 20th Century (LBW: 1-29)
Discuss feminist issues and plot development in chapters 1-12 (3-34).
Assignment:
Prepare to discuss chapters 13-27 (34-80) with your selected quotes.
Respond to Edna Pontellier’s character by tracing 3 or more quotes by
the character, quotes about the character, or actions of the character.
What feminist or gender issues do you find most significant? Which of
these chapters did you find most notable? Why?
1/27/11
Discuss student responses to chapters 13-27.
Assignment:
Read Chopin chapters 28-39 (80-109) and prepare to discuss your
selected quotes.
Week 3
2/1/11
2/3/11
Reading Quiz 1—Chapters 1-27
Discuss chapters 29-39.
Assignment:
Review the Biographical and Historical Contexts section of The
Awakening 113-156 with special attention to Toth (113-122) and Gilman
(151-154).
Respond to the conclusion of the novel in light of the contextual
documents in a unique genre—letter, journal entry, dialogue, newspaper
article, poem (one typed page)
Discuss Toth and Gilman. Share excerpts from your creative response
homework assignment.
Assignment:
Begin reading for your research paper which will include references to 3
selections from this collection including Gilbert 271-281 and Showalter
311-320). Prepare to discuss Gilbert and Showalter next week.
Review the Essays in Criticism (179-311) section of the The Awakening
to begin research notes. Select another (besides Showalter and
Gilbert’s) article(s) that you will summarize for the class. (sign up
Tuesday)
1. Wolff “Thanatos and Eros” 231-241, 2. Walker “”Feminist or
Naturalist?” 252-256 and Fox-Genovese “Progression and Regression in
Edna Pontellier” 257-263, 3. Treichler “Language and Ambiguity” 263271, 4. Yaeger “Language and Female Emancipaion” 285-291, 5.
Edwards “Sexuality, Maternity, and Selfhood” 282-285 and Elfenbein
“American Racial and Sexual Mythology” 292-299, 6. Taylor “Gender,
Race, and Region” 299-311
Begin creating note cards in preparation for writing the research paper
with 3 or more sources including Gilbert and Showalter.
Week 4
2/8/11
2/10/11
English 2353 Course Syllabus
Reading Quiz 2.
Discuss Showalter’s article “Chopin and American Women Writers” 311320.
Sign up for criticism summary assignment: Identify thesis, define key
terms, cite two supporting arguments, defend or refute conclusion.
Assignment:
Begin writing the first draft of the research paper with 3 or more sources
including Gilbert and Showalter.
A Feminist Interpretation of The Awakening presented by Marie Dybala
Assignment:
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Prepare to lead discussion on your assigned reading.
Week 5
2/15/11
2/17/11
Week 6
2/22/11
2/24/11
Week 7
3/1/11
3/3/11
Week 8
3/8/11
3/10/11
Discuss other critical interpretations of The Awakening. Each student
group will discuss a criticism summary for the class.
Assignment:
Complete first draft (3 typed pages) of essay 1 using 3 or more articles
from The Awakening NCE following MLA style documentation.
Research Paper first draft due. Student conferences.
Assignment:
Mark-up draft of essay one.
Begin reading Gonzalez & Daughter Trucking Co.: A Road Novel with
Literary License (G&DTC)
Essay One Writing Workshop
Assignment:
Complete revision of essay one package including marked up first draft
and final manuscript with works cited page following MLA style.
Essay One due.
Discuss G&DTC pages 1-100. Focus on quotes related to identifying
major characters, setting, and conflicts. What women’s issues are
revealed? What feminist images or symbols emerge?
Assignment:
Read G&DTC pages 101-201: select passages that develop the feminist
plot to discuss with class.
Discuss selected passages from G&DTC 101-201
Assignment:
Complete G&DTC 202-285. Continue discussion of selected passages.
Complete discussion of G&DTC and discuss essay two assignment
sheet.
Assignment:
Arrange to attend the Helen Orman Reading Series featuring Maria
Amparo Escandon at the West Loop Center Auditorium (5601 West
Loop South) on March 8th, International Women’s Day. See link for map:
http://southwest.hccs.edu/southwest/campus-locations/west-loop-center
Attend the Maria Amparo Escandon Reading at the West Loop Campus
from 11:00-12:30 (if possible). Include quotes from the reading and Q&A
to develop essay two. If you are unable to attend, read from the links
and information on her website to enhance your essay.
Assignment: Complete mark-up of first draft of essay two and final essay
Discuss the reading and website. Continue discussion of chap 1-15 of
novel and thought questions.
Assignment:
Write first draft of essay two (3-4 typed pages).
Review the readings for the second half of course to sign up for essay
three collaborative group project and essay three topic.
Spring Break Holiday: March 14-20
Week 9
3/22/11
English 2353 Course Syllabus
Complete discussion of Gonzalez and Daughter thought questions
Essay three sign-up.
Group One: Modern Feminists: Woolf, Loy, and Hurston
Group Two: African American poets, essayists, and fiction writers
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3/24/11
Week 10
3/29/11
3/31/11
Week 11
4/5/11
4/7/11
Week 12
4/12/11
Group Three: Latina and Native American writers: Cisneros, Viramontes,
Erdrich
Group Four: Asian American writers: Kingston, Jen, and Lahiri
Assignment:
Complete draft of essay two.
Essay Two Conferences/Workshop
Assignment:
Complete Essay Two revision/marked up draft and final essay.
Essay Two Due
Introduce 20th Century Literature
Discuss Collaborative Groups. Meet with groups in person and online to
discuss project and discussion points on date reading is due.
Assignment:
Read Woolf’s “Shakespeare’s Sister” and “Professions for Women” (212216, 237-247) and Mina Loy’s “Feminist Manifesto” (250, 255-257) Who
is Judith Shakespeare? How does Loy’s “Manifesto” relate to Woolf’s
concept of the angel in the house?
Discuss Woolf and Loy. Which quotes create most vivid images of
women? Discuss the feminist message of each author.
Assignment:
Read Zora Neale Hurston (347-349) “How It Feels to be Colored Me”
(357-360)
Discuss Hurston and view documentary
Assignment:
Read Twentieth Century African American authors (see 4/7). How do
these authors compare or contrast with Hurston? Which images of
women are most powerful?
African American poets, essayists, and fiction writers): Margaret Walker
(717) “Lineage” 718, “for Malcolm X” 721; Gwendolyn Brooks (780)
“Malcolm X” 790; June Jordan (1093) “Poem about Police Violence”
1095; Lucille Clifton (1119) “my dream about being white” 1121, “Poem
to My Uterus” 1122; Alice Walker’s “In Search of our Mother’s
Gardens”1295-1303, Maya Angelou “The Peckerwood Dentist and
Momma’s Incredible Powers” 926-931
Assignment:
Latina and Latin American Writers
Read Helena Maria Viramontes “The Moths” (1414-1417)
Read Sandra Cisneros “Woman Hollering Creek” 1399-1407
Read Louise Erdrich “The Shawl” (1408-1413)
How do these authors compare/contrast with Escandon? Select quotes
to discuss the image of women and the feminist message of each work.
Demonstrate your close reading of Erdrich’s story by tracing the family
lineage. Who would you argue is the protagonist? Which character
impresses you the most?
Discuss Viramontes, Cisneros, and Erdrich
Assignment:
Asian American Authors: Kingston, Jen, and Lahiri
Read Maxine Hong Kingston (1228-1237) “No Name Woman”
and Gish Jen (1436-1444) “Who’s Irish?”
Discuss Kingston and Jen and the cross generational and multicultural
English 2353 Course Syllabus
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issues. What is the resolution of each story? What feminist themes are
considered?
4/14/11
Week 13
4/19/11
4/21/11
Week 14
4/26/11
4/28/11
Week 15
5/3/11
5/5/11
English 2353 Course Syllabus
Discuss Jen and Kingston
Assignment:
Read Jhumpa Lahiri (1498-1510) “A Temporary Matter”
What is the central conflict that Shoba and Shukumar have not resolved?
What other conflicts have developed? Are either of these characters
feminist? In what ways?
Develop ideas for essay three thesis. Include at least one research
article and one creative, feminist response to the work
Continue work with collaborative groups. Meet online to share ideas
about presentation
Discuss Lahiri
Discuss drafts of essay three. Read sample thesis sentences.
Assignment:
Write draft of essay 3 (2 typed pages)
Meet in collaborative groups/essay 3 conferences on drafts
Assignment:
Complete Essay Three (3 typed pages) and prepare for class
presentations.
Work with collaborative groups to prepare for presentations.
Essay 3 Due! (Include annotated draft, final manuscript with works cited
page, Xerox copy of research source page.)
Read section of paper to class.
Assignment:
Prepare for collaboration presentation: Include a multimedia component.
Be creative, analytical, and interactive!
Collaborative Presentation 1 and 2! (Turn in the script for your
group with each member’s part noted)
Complete evaluation of each presentation.
Assignment:
Prepare for presentation and final exam.
Collaborative Presentations 3 and 4! (Turn in the script for your
group with each member’s part noted)
(Turn in the script for your group with each member’s part noted)
Assignment:
Prepare for final exam essay and 10 Identification terms
The next class is the last class meeting.
Final Exam Session: (One hour and twenty minutes)
The final exam essay question will require you to
respond to some of the readings presented by the collaborative groups
other than your own. You will critique their effectiveness and discuss the
feminist components of the works (whether you agree or disagree with
the group presentations.) You will need to refer to the works and
incorporate quotes from each of them to defend your thesis. Bring your
Norton Anthology of Literature by Women and a bluebook or notebook
paper.
Enjoy your break! Read and relax! You have earned it, and you are a
richer person for all of your scholarly and creative efforts!
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English 2353 Course Syllabus
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