ENG 2013.901, 902
UTSA DT
BV 3.316 (Office hours: TT 2:30-3:30)
Instructor: Cordy Barrera
Campus Office: BV 4.3.64
e-mail: cordelia.barrera@utsa.edu
ENG 2013 is an introductory study of great works of literature with an emphasis on novels, plays, and poetry
by British and American authors. It is designed for nonmajors. Prerequisite: Completion of Core Curriculum
requirement in rhetoric.
Required Texts:
Booth, Alison, J. Paul Hunter, and Kelly J. Mays. The Norton Introduction to Literature. Shorter 9E. New York,
Norton, 2006.
Carpenter, Scott. Reading Lessons An Introduction to Theory. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2000.
***Students are also required to purchase a ONE-subject spiral notebook, 8 ½ x 11 (for journals)
Course Description and Objectives:
ENG 2013 introduces non-English majors to the discipline of literary study. The readings for this
course will include fiction selected from diverse cultures and historical periods, primarily American and British.
The course is designed to provide students with the fundamental skills required for understanding literary
concepts and trends in interpretation—including Structuralism, Psychoanalytic, Feminist, New Historicism,
Reader-Response, and Film (auteur theory) critical strategies—as a way of comprehending the metaphoric
potential of human language. Such skills include the ability to identify literary elements such as setting, plot,
characterization and point of view in prose fiction, and rhythm, sound, and imagery in poetry.
Literature helps us to better understand not only our own experiences and culture, but also the lives and
cultures of people quite different from ourselves—people we might meet on whatever path we take after we
have finished our degree requirements. At a more practical, career-oriented level, the problem-solving skills
learned through analyzing literature are also those one will need in fields as varied as teaching and engineering,
business, and medicine.
Scholastic Honesty and Special Needs:
UTSA expects every student to maintain a high standard of individual honesty and honor in all
scholastic work. Scholastic dishonesty is a serious offense which includes, but is not limited to, class work,
plagiarism, and collusion. If you are uncertain as to what comprises scholastic dishonesty, please see me so that
we can talk about it.
If you have special needs, please see me.
Attendance in this class is mandatory. This means coming to class ON TIME and staying for the entire class.
Three or more absences will result in points being deducted from your final grade. A student with 2 absences
generally will not receive an ‘A’ in the course. More than 6 total absences will result in a failing grade. I realize
that things, often terrible things, happen: people die, cars crash, cats go rabid, but most excuses are simply
that…excuses. If you need to be absent from class, the best thing to do is to let me know beforehand by e-mail.
Although I will likely not excuse your absence, at least I know you care enough to apprise me of the situation.
Generally, we will follow the syllabus, but often, we may be forced to change assignments or requirements
during class. If you are absent, please talk to another student to make sure you are still on track. Any. Class
Participation is key to success in this class. Being in class and making an effort to be engaged while in class
and during discussions can make the difference between an ‘A’ and a ‘B’ or ‘C’ etc. absolutely no cell phones,
i-pods, etc. are acceptable in class—turn them OFF! If you have a laptop, use it wisely and courteously.
Journals: Students are asked to purchase a One-Subject spiral notebook for the purpose of keeping a journal in
which they will NEATLY hand-write entries. Journals will only be accepted on due dates. If you plan to make
an ‘A’ or a ‘B’ in this class, journals must be neat and contain clearly titled entries. Journals will be turned in
at the beginning of class, no exceptions. All Journal entries MUST be completed in your spiral notebook
to receive full credit. Journal entries must be 1-2 pages long in order to receive full credit. Journals are
always due on Tuesdays. Late Journals or journals that are too short (or too long) will be credited at
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50%. NEAT Journals that are turned in on time, and that correctly address the prompt or question
posed will receive 100%. (Journal prompts are found at the end of this syllabus)
Grades will be calculated as follows:
Attendance
Quizzes/Assignments
Mid Term
Final
Journals
10%
20%
20%
30%
20%
Course Outline: (Readings are all in Norton text unless otherwise indicated)
Week ONE
Tu. 1/13: Intro to Syllabus, Critical Reading and Writing
Th. 1/15: Intro to Figurative Language, Types of Literary Criticism
Week TWO (Fiction)
Tu. 1/20: Poe, “Cask of Amontillado” p. 23; Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper” p. 513, Danticat “A Wall of
Fire” p. 252
Th. 1/22: Hawthorne, “Young Goodman Brown” p. 232; Erdrich, “Love Medicine” p. 327
Week THREE
Tu. 1/27: Faulkner, “A Rose for Emily” Fiction Casebook p. 465-503. Journal 1 Due.
Th. 1/29: Leguin, “She Unnames Them” p. 462. Also: From Reading Lessons, p. 1-36 (Structuralism &
“Monkeys”)
Week FOUR
Tu. 2/3: Author’s Work: Flannery O’Connor p. 362-416. Journal 2 Due.
Th. 2/5: From Reading Lessons, p. 65-88 (Psychoanalysis)
Week FIVE
Tu. 2/10: Melville, “Bartleby, the Scrivener” p. 153, Welty “Why I Live…” p. 145. Journal 3 Due.
Th. 2/12: Topic: MLA exercise p. 1727 – 1738 (Norton)
Week SIX
Tu. 2/17: From Reading Lessons, p. 37-64 (Poe’s “Purloined Letter” & Poststructuralism) Journal 4 Due.
Th. 2/19: Film and Literature: From Reading Lessons, p. 115-134 (New Historicism & Cultural Studies)
Week SEVEN (Poetry)
Tu. 2/24: Mora, “Elena” p. 635 & “Sonrisas” p. 763; Ortiz, “My Father’s…” p. 637; Gilbert, “Sonnet” p. 816
Th. 2/26: Angelou, “Africa” p. 901; Erdrich, ‘Jacklight” p. 904; “African American/Ethnic Literary Criticism”
p. 1769 & “Postcolonial & World Lit Studies” p. 1773
Week EIGHT
Tu. 3/3: Journal 5 Due. Dickinson, “After Great Pain” p. 690, “I Dwell in Possibility” p. 694, “The Wind
Begun to Knead” p. 768, “Because I Could Not Stop” p. 980. (read ALL Dickinson poems from 980982)
Th. 3/5: Frost, “Stopping by Woods” p. 989, “Design” p. 810; Thomas, “Do not go Gentle” p. 791, Read all
Whitman p. 1014- 1017.
Week NINE
Tu. 3/10: Spring Break
Th. 3/12: Spring Break
Week TEN
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Tu. 3/17: Poe, “The Raven” p. 742, Also Read p. 1757 “Biographical Criticism” through p. 1764 “Reader
Response”
Th. 3/19: Mid Term Exam (Fiction & Poetry)
Week ELEVEN
Tu. 3/24: Auteur Theory, Film Criticism, Movie screening (TBD) Journal 6 Due.
Th. 3/26: Continue Film Criticism
Week TWELVE (Drama)
Tu. 3/31: Journal 7 Due. Intro to Greek Drama & Tragedy. Go to JSTOR, and print out and read:
Title: “The Downfall of the Tragic Hero”
Author: William G. McCollom
Source: College English, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Nov., 1957), pp. 51-56
Publisher: National Council of Teachers of English
***Bring this Essay to class.
Th. 4/2: Oedipus the King p. 1470 - 1488
Week THIRTEEN
Tu. 4/7: Oedipus the King p. 1488-1508. Journal 8 Due.
Th. 4/9: Antigone p. 1420 - 1441
Week FOURTEEN
Tu. 4/14: Antigone p. 1441 – 1454. Journal 9 Due.
Th. 4/16: Antigone p. 1454 – 1469.
Week FIFTEEN
Tu. 4/21: Conclude: Tragedy. Journal 10 Due.
Th. 4/23: Topic: Writing about Lit, Part II: Scholarly sources, databases etc.
Week SIXTEEN
Tu. 4/28: Review for Final
Study Days: April 30 – May 1, No classes.
Final Exam:
Section 901: Friday, May 8, 10:30 am-1:00 pm
Section 902: Tuesday, May 5, 5:00 pm-7:30 pm
Journals
Title your Journals “Journal 1: Vocabulary Part 1”, “Journal 2: Vocab Part II ” etc. and date each entry. Begin
each entry on a new page.
Journal 1: Vocabulary Part I. Define, as the words appear in the Norton Glossary (p. A1, back of book):
allegory, alliteration, allusion, amphitheatre, antagonist, antihero, archetype, assonance, ballad, blank verse,
canon, central consciousness, character, chorus, classical unities, climax, conclusion, conflict, cosmic irony,
culture, denotation, diction, dramatic irony, dramatic monologue, dramatis personae, echo, epic, exposition,
extended metaphor, falling action, figurative, figures of speech, first person narrator, flashback, flat character,
free verse, genre, hero/heroine.
Journal 2: Vocabulary Part II. Define: iamb, iambic pentameter, imagery, in medias res, irony, limited point
of view, literary criticism, metaphor, motif, myth, omniscient point of view, onomatopoeia, persona,
personification, plot, point of view, protagonist, psychological realism, realism, red herring, rhyme scheme,
rising action, rite of passage, round character, satire, setting, simile, situational irony, soliloquy, stanza,
stereotype, stock character, structure, subplot, symbol, syntax, theme, third-person narrator, tone, tragedy, unity
of time, unlimited (omniscient) point of view, unreliable narrator, verbal irony.
Journal 3: O’Connor, Question # 1, p. 415
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Journal 4: What is Poststructuralism and how does it differ from Deconstruction? (Use either of your texts
to write your answer, and properly cite your sources using MLA)
Journal 5: What is Poetry and how do we read and respond to it? (See pages 594-609 in Norton to help you
with this question. Cite any sources using MLA)
Journal 6: What is Auteur Theory? (No “general sources,” only “scholarly “ sources. Go to UTSA databases.
Cite your sources using MLA)
Journal 7: Summary of “The Downfall of the Tragic Hero” (see 3/31 for download info, cite source—
Essay—using MLA)
Journal 8: Describe Sophocles’ use of Dramatic Irony in Oedipus the King. (2 scholarly sources, cite using
MLA)
Journal 9: What is the central conflict in Antigone?
Journal 10: Why Study Literature? What is the Point? (Answer thoughtfully )
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