Introduction to Literature
Fall 2013
Section 2617, TR 4:00
Building 86, Room 134
Instructor: Miss Gabriela Bustamante
E-Mail: gbustamante@uwf.edu
Phone: (786) 302-1025 (emergency only)
Office: 50/118
Office Hours: Tuesday, 1:00-2:30 p.m.; Thursday 1:00-2:30 p.m., and by appointment
Syllabus
Note: The instructor reserves the right to revise this syllabus at any time.
General Studies Course Description: Introduction to Literature (LIT 2100) is a Gordon Rule
Writing course, meaning you can expect to write a minimum of 6000 words. LIT 2100 is
designated as a General Studies course. The General Studies curriculum at the University of
West Florida is designed to provide a cohesive program of study that promotes the development
of a broadly educated person and provides the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in
university studies. This course has been approved as meeting your requirement in
Communication and Values/Integrity. The major General Studies learning outcomes for this
course are Writing and Diversity Skills.
Students who are earning their first baccalaureate degree are required by Florida Statutes to
satisfy the Gordon Rule Writing requirement by taking twelve semester hours of coursework in
which college-level writing must be demonstrated through multiple assignments, totaling
approximately (but not limited to) 6000 words. A grade of "C-" or higher is needed in the
courses to satisfy this requirement. Gordon Rule courses may not be taken on a pass/fail basis.
If you are interested in a major in English, Literature or Creative Writing track, you should
contact the office of the Department of English and World Languages at (850) 474-2923. If you
are undecided about you major, you should contact your academic advisor, the Career Center at
(850) 474-2254, or the English Department Advisor, Ms. Kate Baumann, at (850) 474-2927.
Course Description: In Introduction to Literature, students will develop critical-thinking,
reading, and writing skills in a semester-long study of literature. To practice and hone these skills
that are crucial for better understanding the world around us, we will explore how literary and
rhetorical devices function to achieve, or accomplish, texts’ commentaries on various historical,
social, and political issues. Short stories, a novel, poems, plays, essays, and letters are among the
texts that we will take up as objects of study in this course. We will approach the course readings
as cultural artifacts, considering what they convey, evoke, and/or imply. In our thinking about
what commentaries these texts formulate on various issues, we will engage the course material in
collaborative discussions, make original claims, support our claims with textual evidence, and
consider why our arguments matter for a critical interpretation of the text.
Student Learning Outcomes: By the end of Introduction to Literature, students should be able
to do the following:
 Have a solid understanding of a variety of genres and works of canonized literature,
including the various “periods” of literary traditions from which these works stemmed.
 Efficiently read literature aloud, resulting in increased comfort with public speaking as well
as increased knowledge of the texts being read.
 Identify the authors and subject matters of a variety of canonized literary works.
 Fulfill the Gordon Rule Writing requirement of 6,000 words and produce writing consistent
with MLA standards.
 Identify literary devices, including but not limited to metaphor, voice, visual form, symbol,
and theme, and the ways in which these devices function.
Required Materials:
 The Longman Anthology of British Literature Volume 2B—The Victorian Age (4th
edition)
 The Uncensored Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and edited by Nicholas Frankel
 Other short stories/plays/poems found on eLearning
 Supplemental readings are posted under the Content tab in the eLearning course shell.
Students must have access to eLearning. If you have difficulties accessing the eLearning
component for this course, then contact the ITS Help Desk for assistance.
 You will need about 200 WEPA printing pages for this course. I am making
supplemental readings available to you on eLearning at no cost to you. However, I
require that you bring printed copies of these readings to class on the day that we cover
them. Having no pages left will not excuse you from not having hard copies of readings
and assignments. You must have all reading material for the day in class and be
ready to discuss said reading material.
 Microsoft Word. I will not–in most cases cannot–open documents written in Works,
WordPad, or any other word-processing program. Assignments must be submitted as a
Word document (with the extension .doc.)
 All students must have an active UWF student Gmail account. I will often communicate
with the entire class through email. I will not use any alternative email addresses.
Special Technology:
 You must know how to use the university’s online learning program, variously called
eLearning, D2L, or Desire2Learn. You must also have an active UWF student Gmail
account. When I email you, I will use only your UWF student Gmail account. For some
reading assignments, you will need to know how to access the eLearning system, the
Internet, and the library’s Electronic Reserve services.
Gordon Rule: LIT 2100 is a Gordon Rule course. Students must therefore write at least 6,000
words for this 3-hour course to satisfy the department requirement.
Student Code of Conduct: The Student Code of Conduct sets forth the rules,
regulations, and expected behavior of students enrolled at the University of West Florida.
Violations of any rules, regulations, or behavioral expectations may result in a charge of
violating the Student Code of Conduct. It is the student’s responsibility to read the
Student Code of Conduct and comply with these expectations. The Academic
Misconduct Policy (2011) defines various forms of academic misconduct and describes
the procedures an instructor should follow when he or she suspects that a student has
violated the Academic Misconduct Policy. Here is a link to the Academic Misconduct
Policy: http://uwf.edu/academic/policies/misconduct/misconduct.cfm.
Plagiarism: I do not tolerate plagiarism. You are responsible for knowing the university’s policy
on plagiarism and abiding by that policy. The UWF policy on plagiarism can be found at the
following URL: http://uwf.edu/cas/aasr/Plagiarism.doc.
The UWF Student Handbook defines plagiarism as “the act of representing the ideas, words,
creations, or work of another as one’s own.” Students who plagiarize are guilty of the crime of
stealing someone else’s intellectual property. This crime combines theft with fraud, and the
penalty is correspondingly severe: failure for the assignment and, in some cases, for the entire
course. An instructor may also recommend that the student be suspended from the university.
I use plagiarism detection software to help me enforce this policy. For further information
regarding academic misconduct, refer to the Student Handbook.
Attendance Policy: The knowledge we create together in the classroom cannot be replicated in
course materials or in any other venue. Therefore, attendance will inevitably affect your
performance in this class. You should not miss class except for circumstances outlined in the
University catalog. These excused absences must be documented. Even if absences are excused,
however, you are not excused from completing all the work of the course. In the case of
unexcused absences, I have adopted the following policies:
 Students are allowed two absences without consequence.
 A student’s final grade will be reduced by one letter grade for each unexcused absence
beyond the two allowed.
 Six unexcused absences will result in automatic failure of the course.
Furthermore, though we meet twice a week, our actual time together (75 minutes per class) is
short. Therefore, I will not tolerate tardiness. Be present, and be on time. If you accrue two
tardies, I will count one absence against you.
Assistance for Students with Special Needs: The Student Disability Resource Center SDRC at
the University of West Florida supports an inclusive learning environment for all students. If
there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that hinder your full participation,
such as time-limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos and
podcasts, please notify the instructor or the SDRC as soon as possible. You may contact the
SDRC office by e-mail at sdrc@uwf.edu or by phone at (850) 474-2387. Appropriate academic
accommodations will be determined based on the documented needs of the individual.
Technological Disruption Policy: Using pagers, cell phones, or computers in class is not
tolerated, and if one vibrates or rings in class, the student will lose two (2) points from his or her
final grade at the end of the semester for each offense. If you have an emergency and need to
step out to take a call, please let me know before class begins. If I see you using these or other
technological devices in class, I will not call you out; I will simply begin to mark off points.
Having Your Materials: You cannot participate in class discussion if you do not have your
materials with you in class. Therefore, I require that you bring a copy of your materials to class. I
will periodically take attendance based on whether or not students have their materials.
Projects and Requirements:
Assignment
(See class schedule for order of assignments and due dates)
Reading Quizzes & In-Class Writings: At the beginning of most class sessions, I
will give you a reading quiz and/or a writing prompt that assesses your
comprehension of the assigned reading and your ability to synthesize the course
readings with our class discussions. I will give no warnings for most reading
quizzes and in-class writings, so it is in your best interest to come to class prepared.
Note that none of these assignments may be made up unless you have an excused,
documented absence.
Critical Response Paragraphs + Online Peer Discussions: On five days
throughout the semester (see schedule), you will submit a response paragraph in the
discussion section of our eLearning course that is at least 250 words in length. Your
paragraph should be a critical analysis that responds to one of the assigned readings
that we have covered in the previous week. I will give you ideas in our class
discussions, so it is important that you take rigorous notes in class. After posting
your paragraph, you will read two other students’ papers and offer your own
personal take on their topic. It is important that you submit your paragraphs early;
otherwise, a proper discussion cannot take place. We will further discuss this
assignment in class, and a rubric will be posted on eLearning.
Midterm Rough Draft + Peer Review: Using the texts we have covered thus far
in class, you will write a 1050-word paper critically analyzing the text(s) of your
choice. In other words, you will compose your own critical argument about one of
the assigned readings we have covered in this course. If your draft does not meet
the minimum word count, then you will receive a zero for this assignment. In
addition to writing your rough draft, you will write a formal peer review (one full
page) of a fellow student’s rough draft. We will further discuss this assignment in
class, and a rubric will be posted on eLearning.
Midterm Paper: This assignment is the polished, revised version of your rough
draft. Your paper must be 1050 words in length. In your paper, you will compose
your own critical argument about one of the assigned readings for this course. We
will further discuss this assignment in class, and a rubric will be posted on
eLearning.
Final Paper: At the end of the semester, you will turn in a 2100-word paper. If
your draft does not meet the minimum word count, then you will receive a zero for
this assignment. In this paper, you will compose your own critical argument about
the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. We will further discuss this assignment in
class, and a rubric will be posted on eLearning.
Participation: In any humanities classroom, participation is a must. You are
expected to come to class having already read the material for that day’s class. I
strive to make my classroom a safe place for interactive discussions and exchange
of ideas. If you feel uncomfortable at any point, please let me know. I value and
look forward to hearing everyone’s opinions, and you should respect your
classmates and their opinions as well. I expect every student to participate in class
discussions; if you are shy and reserved, then this class is your opportunity to
overcome your shyness.
Percentage
15%
20%
10%
20%
20%
15%
=100%
Extra Credit:
You will have two opportunities for extra credit. These opportunities consist of taking your
midterm paper and/or final paper to the Writing Lab and getting a final-draft paper reading. Ten
points will be awarded to each paper you take to the Lab. Please note, I will award extra credit
only to those students who have submitted all assignments. Therefore, all extra credit will be
calculated into your grade at the end of the semester. If you miss an assignment, not including
quizzes/in-class writing, you will not be eligible for extra credit. You will find information
regarding the Writing Lab, its hours, and its rules regarding paper readings in the Content section
of our eLearning course.
Grading:
Grading will be explained in class, and a grading rubric for each assignment will be posted on
eLearning.
Grading Scale: 100-point scale
A (100-93)
A- (92-90)
B+ (89-88)
B (87-83)
B- (82-80)
C+
C
CD+
D
(79-78)
(77-73)
(72-70)
(69-68)
(67-60)
Due Dates for Assignments: You must turn in a hard copy of your paper and submit an
electronic copy of your paper via eLearning. E-Learning drop boxes will be created for each
major assignment. These drop boxes will be open only until the hour before your class begins. In
other words, if your class begins at 4 p.m., the drop box for your class will close at 3 p.m. the
day the assignment is due. Your papers should be formatted as Microsoft Word documents (.doc
or .docx). If each one of your major written assignments is not submitted in BOTH
hardcopy and to the eLearning Dropbox on the due date by the start of class, it will not
earn any points. Do not email me your paper; you must submit the paper on eLearning.
Late Paper Policy: Every student is responsible for submitting all assignments on time—at the
beginning of the class period on the due date. I do not accept late papers or other work unless
you have a documented, excused absence.
Course Readings and Other Materials: Some of the assigned readings for this course may
present you with material that opposes your beliefs and values, and you may find some of the
material offensive. Bear in mind that I am neither advocating nor asking you to approve of,
adopt, believe, or embrace any of the points of view found in the material we will study in this
class. However, it is important, first, to understand that SOME writers use such material to make
their points and, second, to consider ways in which these choices strengthen or weaken their
points. Finally, remembering Don Corleone’s injunction to his son to “keep your friends close
and your enemies closer” (The Godfather), understand that one of the reasons you are in college
is to expand your knowledge, whether of things known and approved of or otherwise. By
remaining in this class, you consent to being exposed to the assigned materials. Alternative
readings or assignments will NOT be offered.
In order to consider the course’s texts critically and to facilitate discussion, students must keep
an open mind. We may deal with controversial topics such as immigration, homosexuality,
marriage laws, religion, race, class, gender roles, transsexuality, adoption, abortion, etc. While I
find it extremely important that students form their own opinions regarding these issues, I do
demand that students respect each other’s beliefs and opinions—even those opinions that differ
from or challenge their own. I will not tolerate disrespect or derogatory slurs regarding race,
religion, or sexual orientation. If you are uncomfortable viewing, discussing, or reading and
writing about texts that address these issues, then this particular section might not be for you.
Email Communication: I don’t like admitting this fact, but I am online all day. I am happy to
answer emails and will most likely respond within a few hours (if I am emailed at a reasonable
time). Please use your UWF email address when sending me an email. I will not use alternative
email addresses as this often results in confusion and disorganization. I expect you to check your
email regularly before you come to class and print any necessary documents for your use in
class. You should maintain a professional tone when communicating with professors both in
person and via email. Assume the tone is formal until the instructor suggests otherwise. All
emails to me should be written using proper grammar and style rules and include a relevant
subject line, salutation, and signature. A university is a professional academic setting;
therefore, your emails should be written professionally. Use this rule of thumb: compose emails
as if you’re writing to a potential employer. Furthermore, please check the syllabus, schedule,
assignment rubrics, and eLearning carefully before asking questions to make sure your question
hasn’t already been answered.
Other Disclaimers: I expect each student to show respect for diversity during discussions and in
draft workshops. There is no place in a conversation between thoughtful, responsible adults for
racism, sexism, homophobia, or religious intolerance.
And finally, talk to me. I cannot help solve problems that I don’t know about.
Class schedule begins on the next page.
Please be aware that the supplemental course readings are available under the Content tab in the
eLearning course shell for this class. When one of these readings is assigned to you for
homework, you are expected to print the reading, read it, write notes and questions in the
margins, underline important moments, and then bring it to class for our collaborative discussion.
Remember that I will typically take attendance based on whether or not you have your
materials in class. Some of these readings may be challenging; you will need to read and reread
them carefully so that you can make an admirable contribution to class discussion. If you do not
understand part or all of a particular reading, then I will expect you to at least have a pointed
question relevant to the material—you can simply ask for clarification of a claim or concept in
the reading. You are not expected to understand everything in the readings; however, you are
expected to come to class so that we can make sense of these readings together. We will often
share our ideas and written materials. Other supplemental materials such as writing resources and
assignment handouts are also available on the eLearning Content page.
Sunday
25
Week 1
Monday
26
August 2013
Wednesday
Tuesday
27 -First Day of Class
28
-Intro. + discuss syllabus
Thursday
29 -Read The Longman
Friday
Saturday
30
31
Anthology of British Lit.
(LAoBL) pages 1049-1073,
Introduction
September 2013
1
Week 2
2 Labor Day
3 -Turn in hard copy of
8
Week 3
9
15
Week 4
16
17 -Read LAoBL pages
1175-1185, 1196-1201,
1260-1262, and 12721283; Tennyson and
Darwin
18
22
Week 5
23
24 -Class meets online.
25
plagiarism quiz. You must
score a 10/10 for credit;
otherwise, I will not read or
grade your papers.
-Read LAoBL pages 10741087, Carlyle
-Discuss Critical Response
Paragraphs
10 -Read LAoBL pages
1113-1129, 1138-1144, and
1155-1166; John Stuart
Mills and Elizabeth Barrett
Browning
Second Critical Response
Paragraph due by 7:00 a.m.
Response to other students
due by 11:59 p.m.
4
5 Read LAoBL pages
1088-1113,
Perspectives: The
Industrial Landscape
6
7
11
12 -Class meets online.
13
14
19 -Read LAoBL pages
1291-1305 and 13131321; Perspectives:
Religion and Science
20
21
26 -Read LAoBL pages
27
28
First Critical Response
Paragraph due by 7:00 a.m.
Response to other students
due by 11:59 p.m.
1322-1329, 1482-1492, and
1510-1519; Robert
Browning, Emily Brontë,
and Florence Nightingale
October 2013
Sunday
Monday
29
Week 6
30
6
Week 7
7
13
Week 8
14
20
Week 9
21
Tuesday
1 -Read LAoBL pages 1520-
Wednesday
2
1531, 1540-1544, 15471522, and 1556-1557;
Perspectives: Victorian
Ladies and Gentlemen
-Discuss Midterm paper
8 No class. I will be at
a conference and will
not be available in my
office this day.
15 -Midterm Rough Draft
Fourth Critical Response
Paragraph due by 7:00 a.m.
Response to other students
due by 11:59 p.m.
3 -Class meets online. Third
Friday
Saturday
4
5
11
12
18
19
25
26
Critical Response Paragraph
due by 7:00 a.m. Response
to other students due by
11:59 p.m.
9
16
paper due. Bring TWO hard
copies.
-Read LAoBL pages 15571562, 1564-1567, 15951596, 1611-1612, 16161617, and 1642-1663;
Matthew Arnold, Dante
Gabriel and Christina
Rossetti
22 -Class meets online.
Thursday
10 No class. I will be at
a conference and will
not be available in my
office this day.
17 -Midterm Rough Draft
Formal Peer Review due.
-Read LAoBL pages 17131727 and 1742-1745; Lewis
Carroll and Rudyard Kipling
23
24 -Midterm paper due
-Read LAoBL pages 17461753, 1758-1768, and 17761778; Perspectives: Travel
and Empire
November 2013
Sunday
Monday
27
Week 10
28
3
Week 11
4
10
Week 12
11 Veterans’
Day
17
Week 13
18
24
Week 14
25
1
Week 15
2
Tuesday
Wednesday
29 -Read LAoBL pages
30
1778-1798, Stevenson “The
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll
and Mr. Hyde”
5 -Read LAoBL pages 18851895 and 1903-1916,
Perspectives: Aestheticism,
Decadence, and the Fin de
Siècle
12 -Read LAoBL pages
1818-1829, 1872-1879, and
“The Happy Prince”
(eLearning).
19 -Read Dorian Gray
31 -Read LAoBL pages
Friday
Saturday
1
2
8
9
15
16
22
23
28 Happy
Thanksgiving!
29
30
5 No class! There is no final
6
7
1798-1818, Stevenson “The
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll
and Mr. Hyde”
6
13
20
pages 57-136 (Chapters 16).
26 Read “Lord Arthur
Thursday
7 -Fifth meets online. First
Critical Response Paragraph
due by 7:00 a.m. Response
to other students due by
11:59 p.m.
14 -Read Oscar Wilde, The
Uncensored Picture of
Dorian Gray pages ix-34.
-Discuss final paper
21 -Read Dorian Gray
pages 137-217 (Chapters 713).
27
Savile’s Crime,” “The
Nightingale and the Rose,”
and “The Ballad of Reading
Gaol” (eLearning)
December 2013
3 -Evaluations
-Bring one copy of your final
paper (a rough version) for
in-class peer review. If you
fail to participate in the
peer review, you will
receive a zero.
4
exam for this class. The
hard copy of your final
paper is due Thursday,
December 5, at 5 p.m. in
my office.