class meetings: office: phone/e-mail:
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ENG 198: First Year Scholars Seminar
Sheila Hassell Hughes
Fall 2003
T-Th 10:30-11:45 (P1) OR 3:00-4:15 (P2), AL 122
HM 279 / office hours MW 1-3; TTh 4:30-5:30 & by appointment
229-3421; sheila.hughes@notes.udayton.edu http://quickplace.udayton.edu/eng198
This seminar is designed to enhance your facility with literature and composition, as well as to foster your presentation and discussion skills. My larger goal, however, is that, together, we develop a more deeply engaged literacy in general: that we become more conscious of, responsive to, and productively critical towards ourselves and each other as readers and writers in a local (and extended) community of learners and meaning-makers. The seminar format is especially conducive to the collaborative process, and everyone will be expected to contribute and to receive both productive and critical commentary--for our mutual benefit.
As one of the foundational courses in the Humanities Base curriculum, this seminar will be guided by several themes related to the question, “What does it mean to be human?” These include: individual and community; human beings and nature; faith and reason, and autonomy and responsibility. We will also be narrowing our thematic focus at points to consider, specifically, how youth and age shape what it means to be human and to consider issues of vocation, or
“calling,”—in both sacred and secular senses.
Although much of our reading will be literary, we will also venture into other sorts of “texts”—including non-fiction prose and film. We will work to discover and critique the “arguments” presented in or underlying these various expressions, and students will have the opportunity to develop various kinds of arguments in response.
Henry James, What Maisie Knew
Matthew Pearl, The Dante Club
Louise Erdrich, Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse
James Joyce, Dubliners
James Joyce’s Dubliners: Notes and Critical Essays [NCE]
Little Brown Handbook a selection of poems, essays and other short readings (handouts or available on Quick Place [QP])
Essay #1 (5%) Reflective or Defining Essay on Childhood (sources may include: personal experience, collected data, and/or poetry and memoir as sources)
Essay #2 (20%) Literary Analysis Argument (using primary textual evidence from What Maisie Knew)
Essay #3 (10%) Book or Film Review emphasizing audience & purpose (using The Dante Club or assigned film)
Essay #
4
(15%) Humanities Base Theme Argument (using Dubliners and secondary critical sources)
Essay #5 (30%) Researched Argument (=20%) with Annotated Bibliography (=10%):
-literary analysis option—Last Report
-social or religious issue option—topic raised by course readings or discussion (to be approved)
Each essay will be submitted as part of a portfolio, and will be accompanied by certain required supplementary materials. The portfolio work will be included in the progress and participation portion of your grade (20%).

Schedule (subject to revision):
T 8-26
Th 8-28
Introductions; in-class writing on adulthood
YOUTH…………………………………………………………………………………………….
T 9-02
Th 9-05
T
Th
T
9-09
9-11
T 9-16
Th 9-18
9-23
Poems by Walt Whitman and Gwendolyn Brooks; informal interview/survey & report assignment
Readings on childhood from Annie Dillard, Langston Hughes, and Richard Rodriguez [QP]
Essay #1 due (no portfolio required)
Oral Reports on informal interviews & surveys; discussion of possibilities for future collaborating, defining, & drafting
Henry James, What Maisie Knew: intro, author’s preface, and ch. 1–16 (to p. 127);
What Maisie Knew
What Maisie Knew: ch. 17-end
What Maisie Knew
Th 9-25
James Joyce, “The Sisters,” “An Encounter,” and “Araby” cont.;
***7:30pm: Richard Rodriguez speaks in KU Ballroom
ADULTHOOD & MIDDLE AGE…………………………………………………………………………………….
M
T
09-29
09-30
James Joyce, “The Sisters,” “An Encounter,” and “Araby” (Dubliners 1-29); Werner’s “Paralysis and Epiphany” (NCE 45-64)
Draft of Essay # 2 due to QP workshop room by noon (P1) or 5pm (P2)
Revision Workshop on Essay #2;
Th
T
Th
M
T
Th
T
10-02
10-07
10-09
10-13
10-14
10-16
10-21
***8:00pm: Honors Author, Matthew Pearl, speaks in KU Ballroom
Matthew Pearl, The Dante Club
Essay #2, with Portfolio, due in class;
The Dante Club
The Dante Club
Andre Dubus’ “The Killings” or another short reading, TBA
***6pm: film screening [attendance required unless other arrangements made in advance]
Film Discussion
James Joyce, “Eveline” (29-34), “The Boarding House” (56-54), and “A Mother” (134-48)
Th 10-23
T 10-28
Th 10-30
James Joyce, “A Little Cloud” (65-81), “Counterparts” (82-94), and “Grace” (149-74)
Draft of Essay #3 due
*mid-term grades due
Revision Workshop on Essay #3
Dubliners & the Humanities Base
Joyce, “The Dead” (175-225)
Essay #3, with Portfolio, due in class
The Humanities Base and “Vocation”
Louise Erdrich, Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse: Prologue & Part One

T
OLD AGE…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
T 11-04
Th 11-06
Last Report: Part Two
Last Report
11-11 Introduction to Library Research: meet in Roesch Library rm. 401
* bring printed copies of your completed on-line library tutorials for Selecting &
Searching (click on “Tutorial” on the Roesch Library homepage)
Draft of Essay #4 due (to QP workshop room by noon (P1) or 5pm (P2)
Revision Workshop on Essay #4 Th 11-13
T
Th 11-20
T
11-18
11-25
Last Report: Part Three
Essay #4, with Portfolio, due in class
Last Report: Part Four
Draft of Annotated Bibliography due: bring copies for in-class biblio. workshop
Last Report no class: Thanksgiving break Th 11-27
T 12-02
Th 12-04
Last Report
Drafts of essay # 5 due for on-line or out-of-class peer workshopping
Barbara Myerhoff, dir. Number Our Days (in-class video) last class: wrap-up T 12-09
Fri 12-12 Final Portfolios (including Essay #5) due in my office (HM-279) by 12 noon