Lake Superior State University
English 180 / Fall 2007
Professor: Dr. Mary Been
Office: Library 320
Office Phone: 635- 2116
Office Hours: Monday: 11:00-12:00; Tuesday: 9:00-10:00 p.m. (please notice: Tuesday is p.m.!);
Wednesday: 11:00-12:00; 2:00-3:00; Friday: 2:00-3:00
E-mail: mbeen@lssu.edu
Texts
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Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Eighth edition.
Been. Assorted readings.
de la Beaumont, Madame Prince. Beauty and the Beast.
Edson, Margaret. Wit.
Euripides. Medea.
Morrison, Toni. Beloved.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein.
Additional readings will occasionally be handed out in class, put on reserve, or be made available via the web.
These readings will be announced in class.
Course Description
Catalog Description:
This course introduces students to the theory and methodology of literary study, focusing on three questions: What
is a literary text? How do we read a literary text? How do we write about a literary text? Addressing these
questions requires students to examine the social and cultural contexts of literature and its aesthetic, rhetorical, and
ideological aspects. These considerations will help students judge literary value and examine their own literary
assumptions. Requires one research project and critical essays using MLA style. Prerequisite: ENGL 111.
Course Objectives
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Develop strength in doing close, textually-based reading
Develop a working vocabulary of literary terminology
Recognize and assess literary conventions when they appear in your reading
Become familiar with the conventions of a range of literary genres
Become familiar with a range of classic and non-classic works of literature
Strengthen critical analysis skills in writing
Develop skills as a literary critic in your reading, viewing, and writing
Gain new pleasure in reading and analyzing a range of literary texts
Attendance
Since much of the material in our quizzes and exams grow out of what is done in class, it is crucial that you be
here for all classes. In addition, we will be developing assigned papers in stages as a class. Your grade will not be
as strong if you are not here to see what material is stressed and to participate in all stages of building each
project. If you have more than four unexcused absences during the term, I reserve the option of deducting points
(generally five points per absence) from your total class points for each additional absence. If you must be absent,
you are responsible for following the syllabus in order to keep up. You should also find out from a classmate
what happened and the details of the homework. Although I am always available to you during office hours or by
e-mail for assistance with your writing or other projects, I do not answer questions such as, "What happened in
class today?" or "What is the homework?" You may find out the answers to these questions by consulting the
syllabus and/or a classmate. I am here to teach the class at the assigned time; I expect you to be here at that time
too. I do not do one-on-one reviews of missed material except under extraordinary circumstances.
Instructor Availability
I encourage you to stop by or call during office hours if you have questions, problems, or even just want to chat for
a couple of minutes. If you want to talk with me but my posted office hours conflict with your class or work
schedule, let me know and we will work out an alternative meeting time. I am also available to you on e-mail
(mbeen@lssu.edu). Please see restrictions on e-mail questions under "attendance."
E-mail: The subject lines of all messages to me should say ENGL180 along with a brief description of your
message's subject (for example: ENGL180/Paper Two question). Please always remember to give your full name
and e-mail address at the end of your message. Keep in mind that you will receive formal notification of college
and class business ONLY at your lssu.edu e-mail address.
Class Protocol on Electronic Devices
Cell phones need to be turned off during class. If you have an emergency that requires you to have your cell
phone on, please see me. Computers may be used for taking class notes, but not for other uses unless that use is
part of a class project. Ipods, blackberries, etc., all need to be put away during class.
Grading
Project
Points
Paper One: Summary
100
Paper Two: Critical Analysis
150
Quizzes (Twelve at 10 points apiece*)
100
Oral Report
50
Final Exam
100
Total:
500
* Re quizzes. Yep, I noticed that 10 points times 12 does not equal 100. I give 12 quizzes so that—if
you have a bad day or if you miss a quiz—you will have two more opportunities to try for a better grade.
If you ace the first ten, you may skip the last two quizzes. I take your ten best quiz grades at the end of
the semester to figure your quiz grade. No makeups.
Distribution of Grading Points
98-100%
A+
490-500
93-97%
A
465-489
90-92%
A-
450-464
88-89%
B+
440-449
83-87%
B
415-439
80-82%
B-
400-414
78-79%
C+
390-399
73-77%
C
365-389
70-72%
C-
350-364
68-69%
D+
340-349
63-67%
D
315-339
60-62%
D-
300-314
Note: ALL writing projects must be completed in order to receive a passing grade in the course.
Note: Please do not submit your papers electronically. I need papers turned in as hard copy, in a folder
marked with your name.
Calculating your own grade
You may figure out what your overall progress grade is at any given point in the term. Take the number of
POSSIBLE points for the quizzes, exams, and papers finished thus far and divide that number into the ACTUAL
points you've received on those projects. So, let's say you're at week six, and you've taken four quizzes and
handed in project one. The total possible points for four quizzes and project one is 90. If you have received 79
points thus far, you divide 79 into 90 and get .877. This puts you at 87/88, which is right on the border of a B/B+.
Remember that within the 90 percentile range is an A, 80 percentile a B, etc. (When figuring your grade, don’t
add in your extra-credit points until the end of the term, or it will skew your average.)
Late Papers
All papers (early and final drafts) and assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day they are listed as
due in the syllabus. Unless you have made special arrangements with me before the work is due, any late work
will lose five points for each day it is late, including weekends. After two weeks, late work will not receive any
points, though it must still be handed in to pass the course.
One note of grace: Because you all have responsibilities outside of class, and because life happens, each of you is
allowed ONE freebie on a final draft late paper, as long as it is handed in within 72 hours (three calendar days) of
the time it is due. Any late paper on which you are asking for your freebie MUST be clearly marked as such.
Academic Honesty
Academic dishonesty, or plagiarism, is not just copying; it can also be a reference--without attribution--to another
person's ideas, even if that reference is entirely in your own words. The penalties for plagiarism are severe, from
failure in a course to expulsion from the college. We will be reviewing academic standards of appropriate use of
other people’s work. Make sure you are in class on those days. You are responsible for understanding and
applying the guidelines of appropriate use of sources in all of your written work, in this class and in other classes.
Protect yourself! In addition to being in class on the days we review these guidelines, you may review the
guidelines given to you in the handbook (Hacker, Rules for Writers) you had for EN110/111. These guidelines are
on pages 344-347; 418-421.
Student Accommodation and Support Services
In compliance with Lake Superior State University policies and equal access laws, disability related
accommodations or services are available to students with documented disabilities.
If you are a student with a disability and you think you may require accommodations you must register with
Disability Services (DS), which is located in the KJS Library, Room147, (906)635-2355 or x2355 on campus. DS
will provide you with a letter of confirmation of your verified Disability and authorize recommended
accommodations. This authorization must be presented to your instructor before any accommodations can be
made.
Students who desire such services should meet with instructors in a timely manner, preferably during the first
week of class, to discuss individual disability-related needs. Any student who feels that an accommodation is
needed–based on the impact of a disability–should meet with instructors privately to discuss specific needs.
IPASS/ Student First
If at midterm your grades reflect that you are at risk for failing some or all of your classes, you will be contacted
by a representative of IPASS/Student First. The IPASS/Student First programs are designed to help you gain
control over your learning through proactive communication and goal setting, the development of intentional
learning skills and study habits, and personal accountability.
If you have questions about the IPASS/Student First programs, please contact Carolyn Rajewski (ext.2294) or
Jillena Rose (ext.2228). They will be happy to answer your questions.
COURSE CALENDAR
This syllabus is subject to modification; the needs of the class will determine additions, deletions, or changes. Any
changes in scheduling or assignment requirements will be announced in class.
Writing Due/
Quizzes
Topic
Week
One
W. 9/5
Overview
Intro to the course
Review of syllabus
.
Reading Due
.
Extra-credit possibility
Spoken Word Artist Shihan:
8:00-9:00 PM. Cisler
.
Center. Student Activities
635-2236
“Beauty and the Beast”
F. 9/7
“Beauty and the Beast”
Folk Tales and
Week
Two
M. 9/10
.
.
Fairy Tales
Vladimir Propp and folktale
morphology
Gustave Doré
W. 9/12
Film: Jean Cocteau’s “La Belle
et la Bête” (1946)
F. 9/14
Film: Jean Cocteau’s “La Belle
et la Bête” (1946)
Week
Three
The Short Story
9/17
Abrams: Folklore and folktale 104106
Narrative and the short story
Optional extra-credit writing Jerry Everard’s Introduction to
from Spoken Word
Vladimir Propp…
performance
http://lostbiro.com/blog/?page_id=522
NOTE: LAST DAY to drop and add
classes at 100% refund
.
.
Quiz One: Beauty and the
Beast, Vladimir Propp,
Folktale/Fairytale
Abrams: Narrative and Narratology
181-182; Short Story 295-297
Abrams: Plot 233-237
9/19
Plot
In Been, Raymond Carver,
“Cathedral”
Abrams: Character 33-35; Setting
294
Character
9/21
In Been, Tim O’Brien, “The Things
They Carried”
Setting
Week
Four
Drama
.
9/24
Guidelines for oral reports
Quiz Two: Narrative and
Narratology, Plot,
Character. Setting, Carver,
O’Brien
9/26
Wit
.
.
Margaret Edson Wit
Abrams: Drama 69-70
9/28
Wit
Week
Five
“Wit”
10/1
Film: “Wit”
10/3
Film: “Wit”
10/5
Film: “Wit”
Week
Six
10/8
.
.
.
Oral Reports
Summary Paper
Guidelines
Gilman
Oral Reports
Melville
Oral Reports
10/10
Mukherjee
Oral Reports
10/12
.
Summary Paper Guidelines
Quiz Three: Margaret Edson
“Wit”
Poetry
Week
Seven
10/15
10/17
Dramatic Monologue
.
Quiz Four: Gilman,
Melville, Mukherjee
Browning
A note about the Abrams text and
reading poetry: In the assigned
reading, I have directed you to some
of Abrams’ basic overviews of the
forms we will be discussing, but be
aware that in lecture I will be pointing
you to multiple other terms that will
appear in quizzes and exams.
Abrams: Dramatic monologue 70-71
Been, Browning, pp. 3-4
Been, Eliot, pp. 20-24
T. S. Eliot
10/19
Review of Guidelines for
Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and
Quoting
Week
Eight
The Sonnet
.
Abrams: Sonnet 299-300
10/22
Shakespeare
10/24
Donne
Yeats
10/26
Writing Workshop
Quiz Five: Dramatic
Monologue and related
terms
Been: Shakespeare’s sonnets: p. 48,
p. 49 Donne, p. 15
Been: Donne, p. 15, Yeats, p. 83-84
Rough Draft of Summary
Paper
The Ode
Week
Nine
.
.
Free Verse
Abrams: Ode 206-207
10/29
Keats
Quiz Six: The Sonnet and
related terms
Been: Keats, p. 29, p.32
NOTE: October 30 is the last
day to drop classes
10/31
Shelley
Wordsworth
11/2
Free Verse
Whitman
Been: Shelley, pp. 52-54;
Wordsworth, pp. 74-80
Final Draft of Summary
Paper
Been: Whitman, pp. 58-70
Week
Ten
11/5
The Novel
.
Quiz Seven: The Ode and
related terms
Beloved
.
Abrams: Fiction and Truth 99-101;
Novel 197-204
Morrison Beloved
11/7
Beloved
Guidelines for critical analysis
paper
11/9
Guidelines for extra-credit
poetry recital
Week
Eleven
More on the novel
More on drama
11/12
Beloved
11/14
Medea
11/16
Medea
Week
Twelve
Final Draft of Summary
Paper
.
Quiz Eight: The Novel,
Beloved
Euripides Medea
Light week
11/19
Extra-credit option. Your recital
of poetry from the text that you Quiz Nine: Medea
have memorized.
11/21
NO CLASS
Happy Thanksgiving!
11/23
NO CLASS
Happy Thanksgiving!
Week
Thirteen
.
Thanksgiving recess begins at 10
pm, Tuesday Nov. 20
Oral Reports
11/26
Poetry: Shakespeare Sonnets
11/28
Poetry: Wordsworth Sonnet
11/30
Writing Workshop
Quiz Ten: Recap of Medea
and Beloved
Rough draft of critical
analysis paper
Week
Fourteen
More Drama
12/3
Film: “Medea”
12/5
Film: “Medea”
12/7
Film: “Medea”
Week
Fifteen
Final draft of critical
analysis paper
Western Mythmaking
and the Novel
12/10
Frankenstein
12/12
Frankenstein
12/14
Review for final
FINAL EXAM
PERIOD
Dec 17-21
Quiz Eleven: Shakespeare
and Wordsworth sonnet
presentations
Final Exam
Wednesday, December 19
12:30-2:30
Quiz Twelve: Lars von
Trier’s “Medea”
Mary Shelley, Frankenstein