Dr. Gavin Schulz
English 2342, HCC--Southwest
Fall 2012
Introduction to Fiction (Gothic Horror)
PURPOSE OF THE COURSE
The purpose of the “Introduction to Fiction” course is to introduce students to Western World
literary forms, philosophical attitudes, and political trends--from a specifically fictional vantage. We will
be focusing in depth on the distinction between the Neoclassical and Romantic traditions, psychological
concerns of character development, and the argumentative process. On the one hand, the course should
demonstrate that to read is to learn; on the other hand, it will hopefully show that even literary texts can
be interesting (and that the more popular forms of fiction can be literary).
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail address: gavin.schulz@hccs.edu (I cannot check email at home)
Office Hours: I am available immediately after class and by appointment.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS
The Dark Descent. Ed. David G. Hartwell. New York: TOR, 1987. ISBN-10: 0312862172
ISBN-13: 978-0312862176
Jackson, Shirley. The Haunting of Hill House. New York: Penguin, 1987. ISBN-10:
0143039989 ISBN-13: 978-0143039983
The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories. Ed. Alan Ryan. New York: Penguin, 1987. ISBN-10:
0140124454 ISBN-13: 978-0140124453
GRADING SCHEDULE
1] Exams #1 & 2
2] Mid-Term Essay
3] Daily Quizzes
4] Oral Participation
5] Final Exam
15% each
20%
20%
15%
15%
GRADING SCALE
1] Point Equivalents: Grades will be assigned on a +/- scale (point equivalents are 88/85/82 for a
B+/B/B-, etc.). Note, however, that final grades are on an A/B/C scale. For the final grade calculation,
an average of 90-100 will result in an A for the course; 80-89 will result in a B; 70-79 will receive a C;
60-69 will receive a D; and 59 or below will have earned an F.
PAPERS
1] Essay Due Date: No late papers will be accepted after the paper due date—unless arranged in
advance. The paper must be submitted to me, in class, on the day that it is due. Papers that are not in my
hands by the time I have left class will not be accepted. (Essays turned in to my box after class will not
be accepted.) *I will accept an emailed version as being on time if sent before the class period is over,
and if you turn in an identical hard copy during the next class period.
2] Exams: In-class exams must be completed on the dates assigned--no exceptions unless
arranged in advance.
3] 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.
4] Lost Work: Please keep a copy of your work for your own file; should a paper be lost (or
disappear from my box), it is your responsibility to give me another.
5] Rough Draft of Essay: I am willing to read complete or partial drafts of essays at any time
before the due date. You must hand me a typed, double-spaced copy in such situations (no online
versions).
6] Electronic Copy of Essay: No essay will be accepted without an accompanying electronic
copy. You must give me both the hard copy you want me to grade and an electronic copy.
EXTRA CREDIT
There is none. Your grade in this class will be determined by how well you do on the
assignments themselves.
ATTENDANCE AND WITHDRAWAL POLICY
Absences: Attendance is now electronically recorded, and attendance is required by the State of
Texas and HCCS at all class meetings. HCC will now automatically drop all students who miss the first
two days of class. **In addition, should you miss more than 6 hours of class in a semester, the State of
Texas now requires that you be given an “FX”—a failure for reasons of attendance.
Tardiness: Note, however, that showing up twenty minutes late to class each day does not mean
that you have perfect attendance; it means that you have missed one-fifth of the semester (about 7 hours
of class). Therefore, tardiness of more than 20 minutes will be recorded as an absence.
Withdrawal: It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw; so, should you decide to drop the class,
do not merely stop coming. Note that we no longer have the option to assign "W's” at the end of the
semester, so all students still on my roll at the end of the semester will receive grades.
Missed Schoolwork: You are, in any event, responsible for any material assigned or collected on
those days that you are absent or tardy. Be sure to get the notes from somebody who was in class. If a
paper is due on a day that you are going to be absent, it is your responsibility to find a way to turn it in
(email it). Missed exercises/quizzes may not be made up.
* TEXAS WITHDRAWAL RULE *
Students who repeat a course three or more times, or who accumulate 6 or more “W”’s during
their college career, face significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and
universities. If you are considering course withdrawal, confer with your instructor/counselor as early as
possible about your study habits, reading and writing homework, attendance, course participation, and
opportunities for tutoring that might be available.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Receiving a “W” or an “FX” in a course may affect the status of your student visa. Once a “W” or an
“FX” is given for the course, it will not be changed to an “F” because of 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.
BOOKSTORE
Please note that the bookstore is not run by HCC. It is a Barnes and Noble facility. We,
therefore, have no say in how it is run, what books they stock, how many copies of each book they stock,
or what they claim you will need for any specific class.
DAILY QUIZZES
There will be a brief reading quiz during the first 15 minutes of each class. They will consist of
simple questions designed to merely find out whether or not you have read the material. After fifteen
minutes all quizzes will be turned in and no make-ups will be allowed. I will, however, drop your four
lowest scores at the end of the semester.
These quizzes will be added together to get a percentage score that will be your Daily Quiz
grade. While it is possible to score 100%, it is also possible to score less than an F (55%) in this category.
READINGS
Assignments listed in the “Course Reading Schedule” are due for class on the day listed.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Use of recording devices, including camera phones and tape recorders, is prohibited in classrooms
and other locations where instruction, tutoring, or testing occurs. Inappropriate use of a recording device
will be reported to the police and may be a felony offense.
NEW STUDENT SURVEY SYSTEM
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary
to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to answer a short online
survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be
made available to your professors and division chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for
the survey as part of the Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS/CIRCUMSTANCES
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing,
etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at the
beginning of each semester.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
During inclement weather conditions, monitor major local channels for updates on school closings. You
can also check for school closing information on the HCC homepage.
POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
“Scholastic dishonest includes, but it not limited to:
1] Plagiarism--the appropriation of another’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
offered for credit.”
A student guilty of a first offense will receive a grade of 0 on the assignment involved. For a
second offense, the student will receive a grade of F for the course.
ENGLISH 2342 COURSE DESCRIPTION
Prerequisite: English 1302
Credit: 3 (3 lecture)
An introductory study of short stories, novellas, and novels with emphasis upon understanding the
vocabulary of literary analysis and applying it to fiction. Core Curriculum Course.
COURSE OBJECTIVES AND REQUIREMENTS
By the end of the semester, the student who passes with a final grade of “C” or above will have
demonstrated the ability to:
· Complete and comprehend reading assignments. (Assignments vary in length, but a typical
assignment requires 2 hours out of class for each hour in class: e.g. 2 1/2 to 3 hours reading to prepare
for a 1 1/2 hour class session).
· Attend class regularly, missing no more than 12.5% (6 hours) of instruction.
· Participate in small group and/or class discussions in which assigned literary works are analyzed and
interpreted.
· Write at least 3,500 words in completing written assignments of varying types and lengths that are
relevant to course content. At least one written assignment will include information obtained through
research that is related to one or more prominent European or American literary works of the eras
covered and is presented in current MLA form.
· Participate in at least one oral presentation of a literary work.
· Explain and illustrate stylistic characteristics of authors and literary works included in the course
syllabus.
· Express clearly and support convincingly an interpretation or analysis of a literary text.
· Explain similarities and differences among writers studied and/or among literary works studied.
· Explain the characteristics of each literary period covered, with particular attention to prominent
literary themes.
· Use a word processor (available in school labs) to fulfill written assignments and use the computer as
well as the library to research a literary topic.
· Maintain an overall average of 70 or above on written assignments and tests.
HCCS LITERATURE COURSES IN THE CORE CURRICULUM
All HCCS 2300-level literature courses satisfy the core curriculum requirement for 3 semester hours of
literature. A second 2300-level literature course may be taken to fulfill the core curriculum requirement
for 3 semester hours in Cross/Multicultural Studies. In 2300-level literature courses, the student will gain
increased capability in all six basic intellectual competencies in the HCCS Core Curriculum (reading,
writing, speaking, listening, critical thinking, and computer literacy). Student progress in the core
competencies will be measured in the activities outlined in the objectives and requirements section of this
syllabus.
PERSPECTIVES IN THE HCCS CORE CURRICULUM
2300-level literature courses help students attain the following:
· Establish broad and multiple perspectives on the individual in relationship to the larger society and
world in which he or she lives and to understand the responsibilities of living in a culturally and
ethnically diversified world;
· Stimulate a capacity to discuss and reflect upon individual, political, economic, and social aspects of
life in order to understand ways in which to be a responsible member of society;
· Develop personal values for ethical behavior;
· Develop the ability to make aesthetic judgments; and
· Integrate knowledge and understanding of the interrelationships of the scholarly disciplines.
The objective of the humanities and visual and performing arts in a core curriculum is to expand
students’ knowledge of the human condition and human cultures especially in relation to behaviors, ideas,
and values expressed in works of human imagination and thought. Through study in disciplines such as
literature and the visual and performing arts, students will engage in critical analysis, form aesthetic
judgments, and develop an appreciation of the arts and humanities as fundamental to the health and
survival of any society. Students should have experiences in both the arts and humanities.
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EXEMPLARY EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES -- SOPHOMORE LITERATURE (Literature
Segment of the Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts requirements of the HCCS Core
Curriculum):
· To demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of literary works;
· To understand those works as expressions of individual and human values within an historical and
social context;
· To respond critically to literary works;
· To articulate an informed personal reaction to literary works;
· To develop an appreciation for the aesthetic principles that guide or govern literature; and
· To demonstrate knowledge of the influence of literature on inter-cultural experiences.
The objective of the cross/multicultural component of the core curriculum is to introduce students to
areas of study which enlarge their knowledge and appreciation of the multicultural and multiracial world
in which they live.
EXEMPLARY EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES-- SOPHOMORE LITERATURE
(Cross/Multicultural Studies Segment of the HCCS Core Curriculum):
· To establish broad and multiple perspectives in the individual in relationship to the larger society and
world in which he or she lives and to understand the responsibilities of living in a culturally and
ethnically diversified world;
· To demonstrate knowledge of those elements and processes that create and define culture;
· To understand and analyze the origin and function of values, beliefs, and practices found in human
societies;
· To develop basic cross/multicultural understanding, empathy, and communication;
· To identify and understand underlying commonalities of diverse cultural practices; and
· To analyze the effects of cultural forces on the areas of study.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
1]Explain and illustrate stylistic characteristics of representative works of fiction (short stories,
novellas, novels).
2] Connect representative works of fiction to human and individual values in historical and social
contexts.
3]Demonstrate knowledge of various works of fiction.
4]Analyze critical texts relating to works of fiction.
5]Critique and interpret representative works of fiction.
Reading Schedule
** Short stories will be found in
(PBV): Penguin Book of Vampire Stories
(DD): Dark Descent
Week 1
Aug. 28] Course Introduction / Edgar Allan Poe “Tell-Tale Heart” (xerox)
30] The Evolution of the Vampire: Neoclassicism vs. Romanticism
John Polidori “The Vampyre” (PBV--pgs. 7-24)—Available online.
Week 2
Sep.
4] Bram Stoker “Dracula’s Guest” (PBV--pgs. 163-174)—Available online.
6] P. Schuyler Miller “Over the River” (PBV--pgs. 322-333)
Week 3
11] Suzy McKee Charnas "Unicorn Tapestry" (PBV--pgs. 505-561)
13] Carl Jacobi "Revelations in Black (PBV--pgs. 282-300)
Week 4
18] Chelsea Quinn Yarbro "Cabin 33" (PBV--pgs. )
20] Review Session for Exam #1
Week 5
25] Exam #1
27] Mary Wilkins Freeman “Luella Miller” (PBV--pgs. 175-187)
Week 6
Oct.
2] C. L. Moore “Shambleau” (PBV--pgs. 255-281)
4] Fritz Leiber “The Girl with the Hungry Eyes” (PBV--pgs. 334-348)
Week 7
Haunted Houses: The Psychology of Terror
9] Shirley Jackson The Haunting of Hill House (Chapter 1)
11] Shirley Jackson The Haunting of Hill House (Chapters 2--3)
Week 8
16] Shirley Jackson The Haunting of Hill House (Chapters 4--5)
18] Shirley Jackson The Haunting of Hill House (Chapter 6--End)
Week 9
23] Conference/Workshop Day
25] * Essay due *
Week 10
Monster, Monsters, Monsters, and Approaches to Literary Criticism
30] Edith Wharton “Afterward” (DD--pgs. 887-908)
Elizabeth Bowen "The Demon-Lover"—Available online.
Nov.
1] Fritz Leiber "Smoke Ghost" (DD--pgs. 629-640)
Charlotte Perkins Gilman "The Yellow Wallpaper" (DD--pgs. 460-471)
** Thurs. Nov. 1-- Last Day to Drop a Class with a W **
Week 11
6] Sheridan Le Fanu "Shalken the Painter" (DD--pgs. 445-459)
Ramsey Campbell “Mackintosh Willy” (DD--pgs. 591-601)
8] Edgar Allan Poe “Fall of the House of Usher” (DD--pgs. 368-381)
Nathaniel Hawthorne “Young Goodman Brown” (DD--pgs. 132-141)
Week 12
13] Review Session for Exam #2
15] * Exam #2 *
Week 13
20] M. R. James "The Ash-Tree" (DD--pgs. 40-49)
Charles Dickens “The Signal Man” (DD--pgs. 680-689)
22] THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY !!!
Week 14
27] H. P. Lovecraft “Call of Chthulhu” (DD--pgs. 85-107)
Richard Matheson “Born of Man and Woman” (DD—pgs. 513-515)
29] Steven King “Crouch End” (DD--pgs. 690-711)
Ambrose Bierce “The Damned Thing” (DD--pgs. 880-886)
Week 15
Dec.
4] Clive Barker “Dread” (DD-pgs. 339-367)
6] Review Session for In-Class Final Exam
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Final Exam Day (In-Class Essay): Thursday, December 13 @ 12:00-1:50 p.m. in our regular classroom.
(** Note: changes can and may be made at the Instructor’s discretion **)
(** Note that changes can and may be made by the Instructor **)