UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BELIZE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Semester 1: August – December 2008
Course:
Lecturer:
Schedule:
Room:
Office Hours:
Telephone:
E-mail:
ENGL 150: Introduction to Literature
Ethnelda Paulino
Section 1: M/W/F - - 8:00 – 8:50 -- SMD1
Section 2: M/W/F-- 5:30 – 6:45 -- SMD1
Scarlet Macaw – D1
(1) Monday: 11:00 -12:00 or by appointment
(2) Monday: 4:00 – 5:00 or by appointment
601 – 80 81/ 822-3680 ext 354
ethneldabz@yahoo.com
Course Description:
This course serves to introduce the students to the world of literature and literary criticisms through an
understanding of the conventions and characteristics of four literary genres: poetry, drama, the short story
and the novel. The importance of structure, language, diction, style and literary devises in developing the
themes of literary works is illustrated. Students are given opportunities to write short stories and poems, to
act out plays and to critique an example of each genre.
Course Objectives:
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
Identify and illustrate the chief elements of the novel, the short story, a poem, and a drama.
Define and use literary terms and concepts
Recognize the importance of language and diction in writing
Interpret and compare themes in selected literary works
Engage in literary critiques through knowledge of approaches to analysis, interpretation and
evaluation
(6) Communicate effectively an understanding of the literature in both class discussions and written
assignments
(7) Evaluate the quality of a piece of writing by applying an understanding of its purpose, theme and
technique to support opinion
(8) Compose a well-organized and detailed critical essay
Required Texts:
Barnet, S. [et al.]. (1997) An Introduction to Literature. New York: Longman.
References:
1. Barnet, S. [et al.]. (1997). Literature for Composition. United States: Scott, Foreman and Company.
2. Roberts, E. (1999). Writing About Literature. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Assignments:
In-class work, out-class tasks, research, and readings will constitute assignments.
1
Methodology:
The course will be presented seminar style with students engaged in group discussions, presentations,
esearch, and written assignments.
Course Work
Précis/summary
Essay: synthesis
Essay: Argument
Research Paper
Critical analysis Essay
2 in – class timed tests
Response Journals/Reflections:
on the following:
Documentary or movie
Short Story
Play
Poems
Drama
Novel
05
07
08
15
15
10
Final Exam
30
10




Setting
Character
Tone, Mood, Atmosphere
Narrator—Participant/NonParticipant
UB’s Grading System
95 - 100 .................... A
90 – 94 …………… A85 - 89 ...................... B+
80 - 84 ...................... B
75 - 79 ...................... C+
70 - 74 ...................... C
65 – 69 ...................... D+
60 – 64 ...................... D
00 - 59 …...............… F
Course Outline:
Unit 1
Introduction to Literature
Overview:
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHis
tories.asp?historyid=aa08
Ancient World
Middle Ages
Renaissance
Enlightenment
Nineteenth Century:
Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism,
The New Poetry
Twetieth Century: Modernism
Contemporary Explorations
 Literary Devices
 Imagery: Figurative Language
 Writing a Summary
 Analysis
 Interpretation
 Discussion
 Evaluation
 Conclusion
Unit 2
The Short Story
 Author, Title, Theme, Style
 Plot structure
Readings:
Readings:
Reading and Responding to Literature: Part 1
Girl: Jamaica Kincaid
2
The Story of An Hour – pg 19
Everyday Use – pg 87
The Night Watchman’s occurrence Book: pg. 131
Writing about Literature Ch. 2
Assorted Short Stories by Belizean and
Caribbean Authors
Test 1
Unit 3
Drama
Types of Plays
 Stage Direction
 Gestures
 Character: Characterization and
Motivation
 Author, Title, Theme, Style
 Plot structure
 Setting
 Tone, Mood, Atmosphere
 Narrator—Participant/NonParticipant
 Language—Dialogue, Punctuation,
Diction, Formality,
Sentence Structure
 Literary Devices
 Imagery: Figurative Language
 Writing a Summary
 Analysis
 Interpretation
 Discussion
 Evaluation
 Conclusion
Readings:
The Man in a Case, pg 980…/ or selection from
text by class members
Assorted Plays by Belizean and
Caribbean Authors



Speaker of the Poem: Speaker, Voice,
Narrator, Persona
Audience
Language: Diction and Tone












Dialogue, Punctuation, Formality,
Line/Sentence Structure
Literary Devices
Imagery: Figurative Language
Rhythm
Rhyme Scheme
Rhymes – half, masculine,
feminine, eye, end-line
Form: Stanza – stanzaic patterns
Sound Effects: Metrics, Meter,
Metrical Feet, Metrical Lines
End stop
Enjambment – run-on lines
Ballad: Plot structure
 Setting
 Character
 Tone, Mood,
Atmosphere
 Narrator—
Participant/NonParticipant

 Writing an Explication: line by line
analysis of a poem
 Summary
 Analysis
 Interpretation
 Discussion
 Evaluation
 Conclusion
Unit 4
Poetry




Author, Title, Theme, Style, Structure
Types of Poems:
 Haiku, Ballad, Sonnet, Free
Verse, Blank Verse
The Demon Lover – pg 646
Sonnet 116 – pg 116
Love is not all – pg 597
General Review of the Sex Situation pg 527
3
Suggested list of Poems/ selections from text by
class members
The Unknown Citizen -- 687
The Road Not Taken – 750
Poet to Bigot 769
Kate Chopin
Unit 6
The screen play: Similarities and differences
between the novel and the screen play
Assorted Poems by Belizean and
Caribbean Authors
Poetry Presentations
Unit 5
The Novel pg. 561 – Kate Chopin’s The
Awakening
Observations on the Novel
Reading Kate Chopin’s, The Awakening
Venue: Princess Hotel and Casino
Final Examination
Classroom Policies:
Cell phones and beepers should be turned off or placed in vibrate or silent mode. Phones should only be
answered in cases of emergency.
Please remove hats and shades once class sessions begin
No smoking in or around the classroom.
There will be no make-up quizzes, class work, tests or assignments except where adequate evidence (e.g.
death, a doctor’s note dated and stamped) is provided for the absence. (Lecturer decides if evidence is
adequate.)
No late assignments will be accepted.
Plagiarism will not be excused. Plagiarized work will receive an F with no opportunity for make-up.
Student Responsibilities:
You are expected to:






adhere to UB's policy on attendance,
meet all deadlines for assignments (including assigned readings)
invest thought, effort and time in each assignment to ensure quality of work
participate in all class discussions and activities
bring pens, pencils, whiteout, ruler, eraser, sharpener, lined paper and other necessary writing
paraphernalia to class
to have required texts and handouts (downloaded and printed from e-mail account)
4

have a working e-mail account
*This course outline is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor in consultation with the
students.
Student’s Name_________________________________
Date: August 2008
Tests
10
Researched Critique
15 November ________, 2008
Presentations
15
Response Journals
August: (1) September (1) October (1)
Documentary or movie
Short Story
Poem
Play
Novel
5
5
5
5
10
September, October, November
September___________, 2008
October __________, 2008
October __________, 2008
November __________, 2008
October __________, 2008
Test 1
September
_________, 2008
Test 2
October
_________, 2008
Test 3
November
_________, 2008
Field Trip:
November ____________, 2008
Run-through and Reading Assignments: Weekly: August to November___, 2008
Revision:
November 29, 2008
5