ENGLISH 2328 COURSE SYLLABUS
Part I: Course Information
Spring 2016
When the student is ready, the teacher appears. (ancient proverb)
Art lives upon discussion, upon experiment, upon curiosity, upon variety of attempt, upon
exchange of views and the comparison of standpoints. . . .
(American author Henry James, “The Art of Fiction”)
Instructor
Name: Mr. Jeff Lindemann
Office location: Office C-218, West Loop Campus
Office hours (depending on faculty/committee meetings):
Monday - Thursday: 2:00 – 3:30 and by appointment
Office phone: 713-718-8853
E-mail: Jeff.Lindemann@hccs.edu
Learning Web: http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/jeff.lindemann
English 2328 Course Description
English 2328 is a critical study of major American writers from 1865 to the present. This
course requires substantial reading and research. Students who enroll in this course are
strongly advised to have passed English 1302 with a grade of “C” or better. Prerequisite
is English 1302. Three credit hours (three lecture).
Textbooks
The Norton Anthology of American Literature, eighth edition, volumes C, D,
and E. (optional)
Or . . .
If you use my Learning Web instead of the textbooks, you will need to purchase
copies of Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night and Tennessee
Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire.
Other Materials



Three ring notebook for course calendar and any handouts that you wish to
print
Jump drive to save (1) drafts of essays and (2) research documents (for
Essay #4)
A vivid imagination, curiosity, personal responsibility, self-discipline,
persistence, and a desire to learn, succeed, and move on with your life!
English 2328, Jeff Lindemann, Houston Community College, Spring 2016
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Grade Percentages
Essay #1: (20%) Realism and naturalism (out-of-class essay/1,000 words)
Essay #2: (20%) Early modern literature (out-of-class essay/1,000 words)
Essay #3: (20%) Modern fiction (out-of-class essay/1,000 words)
Mid-term Exam: (10%) Long Day’s Journey into Night (in-class)
Final Exam #5: (10%) A Streetcar Named Desire (in-class)
Other grades:
Daily quiz grades: (20%)
Grading Scale
A = Excellent (90-100): A+ = 100, A = 95, A- = 93
B = Good (80-89): B+ = 88, B = 85, B- = 83
C = Adequate (70-79): C+ = 78, C = 75, C- = 73
D = Needs work (60-69): D+ = 68, D = 65, D- = 63
F = Unacceptable (0-59): F+ = 58, F = anywhere between 0 – 57
Other Abbreviations
L = Late (minus 10 points or a letter grade)
R = Revise (for a grade no higher than 75)
P = Plagiarized (F/0 on the assignment with no opportunity to resubmit)
Grading Components on My Grading Rubric
1. Content (most points earned)
2. Organization
3. Sentences
4. Diction
5. Punctuation, capitalization, and manuscript mechanics
Note on Major Sentence/Grammar Errors
Major grammar errors include fragment, comma splice, run-on, awkward/garbled
sentence, and subject-verb agreement errors. These errors will cause you to lose
valuable points on your essay. By the time you are a sophomore, you should
possess the editing skills to correct your writing. We have on-site tutors and
AskOnLine, our 24/7 on-line tutoring service to help you with your out-of-classessays before you submit them.
Grading Rubric
I have designed a “Baseline B/85” grading rubric for my literature courses. I use
this rubric to determine your grade for each of the three essays. When you submit
an essay, I like to assume that it is a B/85 essay. As I grade, I add or subtract
points from the baseline. The rubric has five components, each weighed
differently. You earn your most points for meaningful content. Here are the five
components with their weights: Content (27%); Organization (23%); Sentences
(20%); Diction (17%), and Other: Punctuation, capitalization, and manuscript
mechanics (13%).
English 2328, Jeff Lindemann, Houston Community College, Spring 2016
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ENGLISH 2327 AND 2328: AMERICAN LITERATURE I AND II
GRADING RUBRIC SUMMARY PAGE FOR LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
NAME: ______________________________ GRADE: ____ / ___
OR Revise for 75.
A detailed explanation of the following categories is on the Long Form located on my Learning Web.
ESSAY EVALUATION CRITERIA CATEGORIES
1. Content (focused, correct & relevant content; depth of thought; critical thinking/literary
connections; focused thesis & related topic sentences; paragraph development & unity; selection of &
integration of quotations from both primary sources (& and when required, credible secondary
sources) plus correct MLA in-text documentation) (27% of grade)
Excellent (A)
27 26 25 24
Good (B)
23 22 21
Adequate (C)
20 19
Needs Work (D)
18 17
Unacceptable (F)
16 15 14 13 12
11
2. Organization (title, framed introduction & conclusion, logical ordering of topic sentence
paragraphs, transition, coherence, overall essay & paragraph structure, smooth flow of ideas) (23%
of grade)
Excellent (A)
23 22 21
Good (B)
20 19 18
Adequate (C)
17 16
Needs Work (D)
15 14
Unacceptable (F)
13 12 11 10 9 8 7
3. Sentences (correctness, clear & effective expression, variety of structure/style) (20% of grade)
Note: Major sentence errors are fragment (frag), run-on (ro), comma splice (cs) and awkward
sentence (awk). In this category, one major sentence error = C, two to three major errors = D, four
or more major errors = F. Other sentence errors include faulty parallelism (//), faulty modification
(mod), & faulty subordination of ideas (sub).
Excellent (A)
20 19 18
Good (B)
17 16
Adequate (C)
15 14
Needs Work (D)
13 12
Unacceptable (F)
11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
4. Diction (correct usage & spelling, word form/case/agreement, historical present tense; effective
word choice, precise & concise diction) & tone. Note: A subject-verb agreement error = major error.
(17% of grade)
Excellent (A)
17 16 15
Good (B)
14
Adequate (C)
13 12
Needs Work (D)
11 10
Unacceptable (F)
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
5. Other (Punctuation, capitalization, italics, quotation marks, MLA works cited entries, MLA
formatting for long quotes, manuscript mechanics, indentations, margins, spacing, course
information, & headers) (13% of grade)
Excellent (A)
13 12
Good (B)
11 10
Adequate (C)
9
Needs Work (D)
8 7
Unacceptable (F)
6 5 4 3 2 1
____ TOTAL POINTS EARNED IN ABOVE CATEGORIES
____ This essay was submitted late (-10 points/one letter grade).
____ This essay is missing the required MLA works cited page (-20 points/two letter grades).
____ This essay is missing hard copies of secondary sources (if required)
____ +2 for using AskOnline and/or visiting tutor in the HCC Writing Centers (proof required)
____ = FINAL NUMERIC GRADE ON ESSAY ____ = FINAL LETTER GRADE ON ESSAY
OTHER
____ This essay does not meet the minimum standards for acceptance due to major problems with
organization and/or content. See the tutor or me and revise this essay until it earns a grade of 75.
____ This essay does not meet the minimum standards for acceptance due to major problems with grammar
and/or sentences. See the tutor or me and revise this essay until it earns a grade of 75.
____ This essay contains plagiarized material and receives a grade of 0/F with no opportunity to revise.
____ This essay needs to be totally rewritten because it does not fulfill the assignment. No grade higher
than 75.
____ This essay contains numerous major problems with MLA in-text documentation &works cited entries.
Revise and re-submit until the essay receives a grade of 75.
English 2328, Jeff Lindemann, Houston Community College, Spring 2016
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GRADING STANDARDS FOR GRADE OF “A” IN COMPONENTS
1. Content
Highest Standard (A): Superior understanding of writing assignment. Strong
sense of purpose and audience (our class and me). Insightful, well-written thesis
supported with substantial, thorough, significant, and meaningful content.
Intelligently handled focused topic and depth of development that reveals critical
thinking/literary connections. This essay is distinctive because of originality and
perceptiveness. Because of powerful content due to critical thinking, this essay
produces strong reader interest. Excellent use of primary sources (and secondary
sources if required). Sources introduced and documented with MLA in-text
citation.
2. Organization
Highest Standard (A): Excellent organizational plan related to thesis. Excellent
use of appropriate developmental strategies (examples, definition, and/or
comparison/contrast). Excellent use of topic sentence paragraphs with topic
sentence, development, unity, and coherence. Excellent “framing” with related
introductory and concluding paragraphs. Organization might also include
excellent use of transition paragraph(s) to create essay coherence. Excellent title
that engages reader interest.
3. Sentences
Highest Standard (A): Sentences are artistically constructed. Excellent sentence
variety achieved adding a richness and sophistication to the essay. No major
sentence errors of fragment, comma splice, run-on, and/or awkward sentence.
Correct and effective modification, parallelism, and subordination. No awkward
of confusing sentences. Effective use of intentional fragment (if used) for stylistic
effect. Forceful sentence style: graceful yet energetic. Polished, finished prose.
4. Diction (word choice and usage) and tone
Highest Standard (A): Excellent use of diction and tone. Diction for the essay is
distinctive and exhibits word form mastery. No clichés. Artistic use of figurative
language: metaphor, simile, personification, allusion, symbol, hyperbole,
understatement. Vivid imagery. Strong verbs. No errors in idiomatic language.
Concrete and specific language. No errors in subject-verb agreement, pronounantecedent agreement, pronoun case, or pronoun reference. Tone is appropriate
and complements the subject matter. Any switch
in tone is done carefully.
Mature vocabulary. No misspelled words.
5. Other: Punctuation, capitalization, italics, quotation marks, MLA works
cited entries, MLA formatting for long quotes, course information, headers,
margins, and manuscript mechanics
Highest Standard (A): Correct MLA work cited entries. Clarity and expression
are promoted by effective and consistent use of standard punctuation and
capitalization. Attractive and correct manuscript mechanics (margins, course
information, placement of title, and headers).
English 2328, Jeff Lindemann, Houston Community College, Spring 2016
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Attendance Policy
Regular attendance is required at Houston Community College. HCCS class
policy states that a student who is absent more than 12.5% (6 hours) of class may
be administratively dropped. Students who intend to withdraw from a course must
do so themselves by the official last day to drop. After the official drop date, I am
unable to assign you a grade of “W.” I have no other option but to assign you a
grade of “FX” (an F due to excessive absences).
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.
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.”
You should visit with your instructor, 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.
Student Course Reinstatement Policy
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 non-payment 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.
Please note: If you are dropped for non-payment, you run the risk of not being
able to renter the course you selected because it filled to seat capacity before you
were ready to pay.
HCC Student Email Accounts
All students who have registered and paid for courses at HCC automatically have
an HCC email account generated for them. Once you log on to your account,
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send a new email message to your personal email account; then check the
message you receive so you can write down your HCC email address as it
appears in the message. The standard email setup is the following:
firstname.lastname@student.hccs.edu – however, in the case of name duplication
or misspelled names in the system, you may find a slight alteration in the
standard setup such as a number after your name. You must use your HCC email
account when you want to contact the on-line tutors.
Daily Quiz Grades
Daily grades are worth twenty percent of your grade. They are usually ten
multiple-choice questions on the homework readings. I give no make-ups on
daily quizzes. On some days, I give two daily quizzes. I do not give early daily
quizzes before class or late quizzes after class. You may drop two quiz grades.
Special Conditions
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 Southwest College at the beginning of
each semester. Faculty members are authorized to provide only the
accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office. You may
contact Dr. Becky Hauri, counselor for the Southwest College Office of
Disabilities at becky.hauri@hccs.edu .
HCC Writing Centers: English Tutoring
The HCC system-wide Writing Centers provide a student-centered environment
where professional tutors support student success for all HCC students. The
primary goal of the Writing Centers is to offer convenient, personalized assistance
to help students improve their writing at any stage of the writing process required
in any courses at HCC. Tutors will also assist students with their job application
letters, resumes, and scholarship/ transfer essays. In one-on-one consultations
lasting about thirty minutes, tutors collaborate with students in understanding a
writing assignment, developing ideas, shaping content, writing a thesis, drafting,
revising, self-editing, and learning to proofread. Tutors will also assist students
with learning about research and using sources. Furthermore, the Writing Centers
offer access to computers and interactive websites for improving grammar skills.
At the HCC Writing Centers, each tutoring session becomes a learning
experience.
HCC AskOnline 24/7 Online Tutoring
AskOnline online tutoring strives to foster educational autonomy through
asynchronous guidance in the writing process. It provides one-on-one feedback
from faculty tutors on student writing in grammar, structure, content,
organization, and critical thinking in all subject areas, not just English. Students
can submit papers and questions 24/7/365 and can reasonably expect responses
within 18 - 24 hours. All current HCC students can register at hccs.askonline.net.
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We strongly suggest that all students view the 8-minute video on the log-in page
before sending their first submission.
Open Computer Lab
You have free access to the Internet and word processing in the open computer
lab. Check on the door of the open computer lab for hours of operation.
Library
The Library homepage is http://library.hccs.edu. You will need to use the barcode
on the back of your student ID card to access the library’s databases from home.
Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the honor society of two-year colleges. Students must earn a
3.5 grade point average and accumulate 12 credit hours at HCCS. HCCS has a
very active chapter called the Omega Sigma Chapter. For contact information
visit www.omegasigma.org or contact the Southwest College faculty advisor Ms.
Eunice Kallarackal at Eunice.Kallarackal@hccs.edu.
Inclement Weather
During inclement weather conditions, monitor major local channels for updates
on school closings. Make sure you know which colleges and which campuses are
closed. One HCC college might be closed, but another HCC college might be
open.
Due Dates and Make-Up Exams
All essays have due dates. Out-of-class essays turned in late are docked a letter
grade (ten points).
Grade of “I”
An “I” is assigned for a missed final due to an emergency, not for unfinished
coursework such as a research paper. All work must be submitted by the end of
the semester, even if it is not finished. A student has 60 days to complete the
missed final. After 60 days a grade of “I” incomplete becomes an “F.” I am
unable to give a final after 60 days.
My Course Policies (Reasonable Behavioral Guidelines)
1. Please come to class on time. Time missed before class is subtracted from the
12.5% attendance policy. Leaving class early or arriving late also results in time
subtracted from the 12.5% attendance policy.
2. Sorry! No sleeping or heads on desks permitted. If you fall asleep, I’ll wake
you up by tapping on your desk.
3. If you must leave early, please tell me before class starts.
4. No food allowed in class. Water and beverages are fine. Please throw away
trash at end of the class session.
5. I dismiss class ten-fifteen minutes early so you can take a break before another
class; therefore, do not pack books before I dismiss class.
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6. Please do not chat with class colleagues during discussion. Let us listen to what
our class members have to contribute.
7. Do not bring small children and/or animals to class.
8. An 89.4 average at the end of the semester is a B. A 79.4 average at the end of
the semester is a C.
9. The time to discuss an essay grade is after it is returned, not at the end of the
semester.
10. The out-of-class essays must be typed in Times New Roman (point twelve).
11. If for some reason, I am more than fifteen minutes late, class is dismissed.
Follow your course calendar and complete any assignments for the next session.
12. When you email me, please use correct English. Proofread your message. Use
correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
13. Save an electronic copy of your three out-of-class essays.
14. The HCC Southwest English Department believes that a turn-around time in
grading a set of essays should be no more than two weeks.
15. If you decide to use my Learning Web instead of purchasing the textbook, it is
your responsibility to print or download the readings for use in class. It is also
your responsibility to purchase copies of Eugene O’Neill’s A Long Day’s Journey
into Night and Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire.
16. You must be making an “A” or “B” in order for me to write you a letter of
recommendation during the semester. You must have made an “A” or “B” in the
course in order for me to write you a letter of recommendation after the semester
ends. I do not write “last minute” letters of recommendation. I need two weeks
notice to write you a thoughtful letter and place it on HCC stationary for you.
17. If I catch you plagiarizing on an essay you submit to me, you will receive an F
on the assignment with no opportunity to revise and resubmit.
18. Once the mid-term and final exams begin, you may not leave the room. Take
care of all personal business before class starts.
19. Good learning attitude, cooperative demeanor, and courteous behavior all go a
long way with me!
Personal Electronics Policies
1. Please turn off cell phones when class starts unless you are using them to
access course materials. (The sounds of cell phones ringing during class are
disruptive to me and other students.)
2 Students should not leave the class to make a call or answer one (or worse—
answer a call in class). Walking out of class to answer a phone call irritates
me. Surely you can wait until after class to respond to a phone call!
3. No ear buds in ears allowed during class.
4. If you have an impending emergency and need to keep an electronics device
turned on, I would like to know as soon as class starts.
Use of Cameras and 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 also not allowed to be
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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.
Scholastic Dishonesty
According to the Student Handbook for the Houston Community College
System
“Students are responsible for conducting themselves with honor and integrity in
fulfilling course requirements. Penalties and/or disciplinary proceedings may be
initiated by College System officials against a student accused of scholastic
dishonesty. ‘Scholastic dishonesty’ includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a
test, plagiarism, and collusion.”
Cheating on a test includes:
Copying from another student’s test paper;
Using materials during a test that are not authorized by the person giving the test;
Collaborating with another student during a test without authority;
Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or
part the contents of an unadministered test; and/or
Bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered.
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the unacknowledged
incorporation of that work in one’s own written work offered for credit.
Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing
written work offered for credit” (34-35).
Please note the possible consequences of such dishonesty, as stated in the Student
Handbook: Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade of
“0” or “F” for the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or
recommendation for probation or dismissal from the College System (35).
EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning 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.
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The following information is provided by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board and is applicable to English 2328:
CORE OBJECTIVES
Given the rapid evolution of necessary knowledge and skills and the need to take into account
global, national, state, and local cultures, the core curriculum must ensure that students will
develop the essential knowledge and skills they need to be successful in college, in a career,
in their communities, and in life. Through the Texas Core Curriculum, students will gain a
foundation of knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world, develop
principles of personal and social responsibility for living in a diverse world, and advance
intellectual and practical skills that are essential for all learning.
Students enrolled in this core curriculum course will complete a research project or case study
designed to cultivate the following core objectives:
Critical Thinking Skills*—to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis,
evaluation and synthesis of information
Communication Skills—to include effective development, interpretation and expression
of ideas through written, oral and visual communication
Personal Responsibility—to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences
to ethical decision-making
Social Responsibility--to include intercultural competency, knowledge of civic responsibility,
and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities
NOTE: Student proficiency in Communication Skills will be assessed as a formal written out-of-class
essay, which is at least three pages long and which includes an oral presentation component as well as a
visual component. Student proficiency in Critical Thinking will be assessed by a formal out-of-class
essay assignment. Personal Responsibility and Social Responsibility will be assessed as part of long
unit or major essay assignments, which will include assigned reading responses, pre-writing activities,
multiple drafts, and group activities.
*Critical Thinking: Critical thinking embraces methods for applying both qualitative
and quantitative skills analytically and creatively to subject matter in order to construct
alternative strategies. Problem solving is one of the applications of critical thinking used
to address an identified task.
Critical thinking as applied to the study of literature involves
1. connecting patterns and motifs in works of literature,
2. looking for relevant information that supports your assertions,
3. interpreting literature,
4. solving literary problems,
5. drawing conclusions, and
6. tolerating ambiguity and complexity in literature.
English 2328, Jeff Lindemann, Houston Community College, Spring 2016
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American Literature Student Learning Outcomes
1. Explain and illustrate stylistic characteristics of representative works
2. Connect representative works to human and individual values in historical and
social contexts
3. Demonstrate knowledge of American literature from 1865 to the present
4. Analyze literary texts from American literature from 1865 to the present
5. Critique and Interpret representative literary works
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MY GRADE ROSTER
You can keep a running record of your grades in this course. At any given moment
during the semester, you should have a very good idea what your gfrade is in this course.
Your Exam Grades:
_____ Exam #1 (20%) Realism and naturalism (out of class)
_____ Exam #2 (20%) Early modern literature (out of class)
_____ Exam #3 (10%) Long Day’s Journey into Night (multiple choice in class)
_____ Exam #4 (20%) Modern fiction (in class)
_____ Exam #5 (10%) A Streetcar Named Desire (multiple choice final exam)
_____ Daily Quiz Grades (20%)
Daily Quiz Grades:
_____ Quiz #1
_____ Quiz #11
_____ Quiz 21
_____ Quiz #2
_____ Quiz #12
_____ Quiz 22
_____ Quiz #3
_____ Quiz #13
_____ Quiz 23
_____ Quiz #4
_____ Quiz #14
_____ Quiz 24
_____ Quiz #5
_____ Quiz #15
_____ Quiz 25
_____ Quiz #6
_____ Quiz #16
_____ Quiz #7
_____ Quiz #17
_____ Quiz #8
_____ Quiz #18
_____ Quiz #9
_____ Quiz #19
_____ Quiz #10
_____ Quiz #20
Reminder: No make-ups on daily quizzes. I will drop the two lowest daily grades at the
end of the semester. I have some extra credits that count as points added to your daily
quiz average.
English 2328, Jeff Lindemann, Houston Community College, Spring 2016
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ENGLISH 2328 COURSE SYLLABUS
Part II: STUDENT CALENDAR
28 CLASS SESSIONS plus FINAL EXAM SESSION
Monday/Wednesday
Spring 2016
WEEK ONE
SESSION #1: (Wednesday, January 20th)
 Introduction to English 2328
 Course information, texts, objectives, grades, class policies
 Overview of English 2328
Assignment for Session #2: Read brief introduction to Mark Twain. Read “How to Tell a
Story.” Read “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” To prepare for next
Wednesday, you may want to start reading Henry James’ novel Daily Miller: A Study.
WEEK TWO
SESSION #2: (Monday, January 25th)
 Realism: Frontier humor
 Critical approaches: Biographical and historical criticism
 Mark Twain
 “How to Tell a Story” (essay)
 “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”
Assignment for Session #3: Read brief introduction to Henry James. Read Daisy Miller:
A Study. Note: Daisy Miller: A Study is a short novel or novella. Schedule time for
reading (one-and-a half to two hours).
SESSION #3: (Wednesday, January 27th)
 Henry James
 Realism: Psychological realism
 Critical approach: Elements of fiction/formal criticism
 Daisy Miller: A Study
Assignment for Session #4: Read brief introduction to Mary Wilkins Freeman. Read
“The Revolt of Mother.” Read brief introduction to Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Read “The
Yellow Wallpaper.” Read “Why I Wrote ‘The Yellow Wallpaper.’
WEEK THREE
Session #4 (Monday, February 1st)
 Critical approach: Realism: Psychological realism, continued
 Charlotte Perkins Gilman
 “The Yellow Wallpaper”
 “Why I Wrote ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’” (essay)
 Realism: Regionalism
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 Feminist critique/gender studies
 Mary Wilkins Freeman
 “The Revolt of Mother”
Assignment for Session #5: Read brief biography of Stephen Crane. Read Crane’s “The
Open Boat.” Read the brief biography of Kate Chopin. Read “The Storm.”
Session #5 (Wednesday, February 3rd)
 Realism: Naturalism
 Stephen Crane
 “The Open Boat”
 Kate Chopin
 “The Storm”
Assignment for Session #6: Read brief biography of Sarah Orne Jewett. Read Jewett’s
“A White Heron.” Read brief biography of Charles W. Chesnutt. Read Chesnutt’s “The
Wife of His Youth.”
WEEK FOUR
Session #6 (Monday, February 8th)
 Sarah Orne Jewett
 “A White Heron”
 Charles W. Chesnutt
 “The Wife of His Youth”
Assignment for Session #7: Read brief biography of Hamlin Garland. Read “Under the
Lion’s Paw.” Read brief biography of Sui Sin Far. Read “In the Land of the Free.”
Session #7 (Wednesday, February 10th)
 Hamlin Garland
 “Under the Lion’s Paw”
 Sui Sin Far’s
 “In the Land of the Free”
Assignment for Session #8: Select your topic from list of topics for Essay #1. Begin
writing Essay #1. Bring your rough draft to the next class session.
WEEK FIVE
Holiday (Monday, February 15th): No class. Celebrate President’s Day!
Session #8 (Wednesday, February 18th)
 Writing an essay on literature
 Analysis of a sample critical thinking essay on literature
Assignment for Session #9: Complete Essay #1 on American realism and naturalism and
have it ready to submit at the beginning of Session #9.
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WEEK SIX
Session #9 (Monday, February 22nd)
 Essay #1 is due at the beginning of class!
 Introduction to early modern poetry
Assignment for Session #10: Read the brief biography of Robert Frost in our text or on
our Learning Web. Read poems by Robert Frost: “The Pasture,” “The Death of the Hired
Man,” “The Road Not Taken,” “Fire and Ice,” “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy
Evening,” “Desert Places,” “Once by the Pacific,” and “Design.”
Session #10 (Wednesday, February 24th)
 Robert Frost
 Poetry by Robert Frost (See assigned poems in assignment above.)
Assignment for Session #11: Read the brief biography of Langston Hughes in our text or
on our Learning Web. Read poems by Langston Hughes: “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,”
“Mother to Son,” “I, Too,” “The Weary Blues,” “Song for a Dark Girl,” “Genius Child,”
and “Theme for English B.”
WEEK SEVEN
Session #11 (Monday, February 29th)
 Robert Frost, continued
 The Harlem Renaissance
 Langston Hughes
 Poetry by Langston Hughes (See assigned poems in assignment above.)
Assignment for Session #12: Read Brief introduction to Willa Cather in your text or on
our Learning Web. Read “Neighbor Rosicky” from a link on our Learning Web. Read
brief introduction to Arna Bontemps on a website posted on our Learning Web. Read “A
Summer Tragedy.”
Session #12 (Wednesday, March 2nd)
 Langston Hughes, continued
 Willa Cather
 “Neighbor Rosicky”
 Arna Bontemps
 “A Summer Tragedy”
Assignment for Session #13: Read brief biography of Zora Neal Hurston. Read “The
Gilded Six Bits.” Read brief biography of Katherine Anne Porter. Read “The Jilting of
Granny Weatherall.”
WEEK EIGHT
Session #13 (Monday, March 7th)
 Zora Neal Hurston
 “The Gilded Six Bits”
 Katherine Anne Porter
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 “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall”
Assignment for Session #14: Write Essay #2 and have it ready to submit on Session #14.
Session #14 (Wednesday, March 9th)
 Essay # 2 is due at the beginning of class!
 Early modern American poetry
 Ezra Pound’s “In a Station of the Metro”
 Amy Lowell’s “Wind and Silver””
 William Carlos Williams’ “The Red Wheelbarrow”
 Hilda Doolittle’s “Oread”
 Carl Sandburg’s “Chicago”
 Wallace Stevens’ “The Emperor of Ice Cream”
 Marianne Moore’s “Poetry”
 Archibald Macleish’s “Ars Poetica”
Assignment for Session #15: Read the brief biography of Eugene O’Neill. Read Act I of
Long Day’s Journey into Night.
SPRING BREAK: March 14th - 20th
(Over the Spring Break, you might want to read all four acts of A Long Day’s Journey
into Night.)
WEEK NINE
Session #15 (Monday, March 21st)
 Eugene O’Neill
 Long Day’s Journey into Night (Act I)
Assignment for Session #16: Read Act II of Long Day’s Journey into Night.
Session #16 (Wednesday, March 23rd)
 Long Day’s Journey into Night (Act II)
Assignment for Session #17: Read Act III of Long Day’s Journey into Night.
WEEK TEN
Session #17 (Monday, March 28th)
 Long Day’s Journey into Night (Act III)
Assignment for Session #18: Read Act IV of Long Day’s Journey into Night.
Session #18 (Wednesday, March 30th)
 Long Day’s Journey into Night (Act IV)
Assignment for Session #19: Prepare for Exam on Long Day’s Journey into Night.
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WEEK ELEVEN
Session #19 (Monday, April 4th)
 Mid-Term Exam: Long Day’s Journey into Night
Assignment for Session #20: Read the brief biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Read
“Babylon Revisited” and “Winter Dreams.”
Session #20 (Wednesday, April 6th)
 F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Jazz Age
 “Babylon Revisited”
 “Winter Dreams”
Assignment for Session #21: Read the brief biography of Ernest Hemingway. Read “The
Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place.”
WEEK TWELVE
Session #21 (Monday, April 11th)
 Ernest Hemingway
 “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”
 “A Clean Well-Lighted Place”
Assignment for Session #22: Read the brief biography of William Faulkner. Read “A
Rose for Emily.” Read brief biography of Eudora Welty. Read “A Worn Path.”
Session #22 (Wednesday, April 13th)
 William Faulkner
 “A Rose for Emily”
 Eudora Welty
 “A Worn Path”
Assignment for Session #23: Read the brief biography of Flannery O’Connor. Read
“Good Country People.” Read brief biography of Alice Walker. Read “Everyday User.”
WEEK THIRTEEN
Session #23 (Monday, April 18th)
 Flannery O’Connor
 “Good Country People”
 Alice Walker
 “Everyday Use”
Assignment for Session #24: Read Legend of La Llorona (on Learning Web). Read the
brief biography of Sandra Cisneros. Read “Woman Hollering Creek.” Read brief
biography of Amy Tan. Read Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds.”
Session #24 (Wednesday, April 20th)
 “Legend of La Llorona” (on Learning Web)
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 Sandra Cisneros
 “Woman Hollering Creek”
 Raymond Carver
 “Cathedral”
Assignment for Session #25: Finish Essay #3 and have it ready to submit on Session
#26. Read the brief biography of Tennessee Williams. Read Scenes 1 and 2 of A
Streetcar Named Desire.
WEEK FOURTEEN
Session #25 (Monday, April 25th)
 Essay #3 due at the beginning of class
 Tennessee Williams
 A Streetcar Named Desire (Scenes 1-2)
Assignment for Session #26: Read Scenes 3-5 of A Streetcar Named Desire.
Session #26 (Wednesday, April 27th)
 A Streetcar Named Desire (Scenes 3-5)
Assignment for Session #27: Read Scenes 6-8 of A Streetcar Named Desire.
WEEK FIFTEEN
Session #27 (Monday, May 2nd)
 A Streetcar Named Desire (Scenes 6-8)
Assignment for Session #30: Read Scenes 9-12 of A Streetcar Named Desire.
Session #30 (Wednesday, May 4th)
 A Streetcar Named Desire (Scenes 9-11)
Assignment for Final Exam Session: Study for final exam on A Streetcar Named Desire.
WEEK SIXTEEN

Final Exam on A Streetcar Named Desire. Final is on Monday, May 9th at 3:00.
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