Dr. John Paolo Sapienza
English Department, City College of San Francisco
Office: Batmale Hall 514
Phone: (415) 239-3574
Email: jsapienz@ccsf.edu
Website: http://fog.ccsf.edu/~jsapienz/
page 1
Syllabus: English 1B Reading and Composition Fall 2009
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
+Erdrich, Louise. Tracks.
+Gardner, Janet E., et. al. Literature: A Portable Anthology. 2nd Edition. (LIT).
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course aims to provide an interested student with the tools to
read, write and discuss poetry, drama, and fiction of both short story and novel length. The
reading assignments, while numerous, are for the most part shorter rather than longer. They are,
however, required and must be completed in a timely fashion. A vocabulary for discussing these
readings will be provided, and used in each and every class. Participation in this discussion will
be strongly encouraged.
In English 1B the interrelationship between writing and reading will be stressed, with the
aims of developing the students' competence with larger expository and argumentative units and
of having them incorporate research results into argumentation. Students will write essays in
expository or argumentative prose to a total of 8,000 words in not fewer than six essays, at least
one of which will be at least 2000 words in length. In documenting these papers, students will
employ the current MLA style of in-text citation and bibliography. Frequent quizzes and short
in-class writing assignments will also be given. There will be both a mid-term and a final exam.
These exams will primarily consist of several short essay questions to be answered in an allotted
period of time.
COURSE GUIDELINES:
1) Attendance and participation are extremely important. After four absences I will drop
you from the class; exceptions may possibly occur if due to documented serious
injury or illness. If you cannot--for any reason!--make this class regularly, and you
know this now, do not make the mistake of enrolling. To pass this course you must
do the work and part of doing the work is being present and active in the class.
2) Timeliness is just as crucial. Class will begin promptly and being tardy three times
will be equivalent to one absence.
2
3) All reading assignments are to be completed on time.
4) Writing assignments are to be completed on time. I accept one late essay during the
semester (no more than one week late)—no questions asked. There is still a penalty
of sorts: I do not comment on a late essay. No other late papers will be accepted and
no late homework at all. Any paper turned in more than 5 minutes after class starts
will be considered late. You cannot pass the course unless you complete all the essay
assignments.
5) Turn off all beepers, pagers, cell phones before entering the classroom or you will be
excused and counted absent for the day.
6) You are responsible for any material presented in class. If you are absent be sure to
find out what you have missed. Be in touch with a classmate or contact me.
7) Work sent by email will NOT be accepted unless you make an arrangement with me
before hand.
ESSAY GUIDELINES: There will be two due dates for each essay assignment. The first will be
for a draft, the second for a completed essay. If your draft turned in on the due date is not
finished (meaning it does not fulfill the length minimum) or you have no draft at all, you will be
counted absent for the day, you will not be eligible for any out-of-class help from me on that
paper (i.e. no meetings or conferences), and your final grade for that essay will be lowered one
letter (i.e. an “A” will become a “B”). Outlines, free writing, and other notes do not count as a
rough draft. Think of the draft as a finished essay, but one that you will work on further in
response to peer feedback. The draft will be peer evaluated in class and your completed revision
will be due as indicated on the syllabus.
How the semester grade is determined:
quizzes, peer evaluations, reading reports1
midterm exam
final exam
research paper #1
research paper #2
short story paper
poetry paper
novel paper
2 grades
1 grade
1 grade
1 grade
2 grades
1 grade
1 grade
1 grade____
Total: 10 grades
The final grade is determined by adding up the 10 grades (A=40, B=30, C=20, D=10, F=0) and
dividing by 100. Ex: if you get two A's, four B's and four C's, you get 280 points. Dividing 280
by 100 gives you 2.8, which converts to a B-.
1
Reading Reports must be written on 8 of the poems or short stories you are assigned. You choose which eight. The
reports should have four parts and total at least 300 words. First: brief summary and identification of the main idea,
theme or issue of the reading (in your own words). Second: discussion of how this reading connects with what we
have been discussing already in the course. Third: evaluation of the reading’s effectiveness (strengths and
weaknesses). Fourth: questions about the reading. Reading Reports must be typed and may only be turned in on the
day we cover the reading. Be wise and pace yourself so that you spread the reports out over the course of the
semester….
3
Weekly Syllabus - English 1B
Theme this semester: Identity in Society
Week One: Aug 18, 20
TU: Discuss course aims and regulations; Course Intro: Literature? Why not a movie
instead?
TH: Terminology and Vocabulary: “The Story of an Hour” LIT 66-68; also read LIT
1178-1191
Short Story Essay Assigned
Week Two: Aug 25, 27
TU: Setting: “Araby” LIT 101-105; also “Writing about Stories” LIT 1231-1237
TH: Plot: “The Necklace” LIT 59-65; also “The Writing Process” LIT 1192-1204,
1207-1210
Week Three: Sept 1, 3
TU: Point of View and Truth of Representation: “Granny Weatherall” LIT 158-165 and
“Hills Like White Elephants” LIT 200-204
TH: Point of View and Truth of Representation: “A&P” LIT 300-315 and “The Lesson”
LIT 347-353
Week Four: Sept 8. 10
TU: Theme: “Sonny’s Blues” LIT 250-276
TH: Theme and Indeterminacy: “Cathedral” LIT 305-317 and “The House on Mango
Street” (414-415)
Week Five: Sept 15, 17
TU: Poetry and Form; “Writing about Poems” LIT 1238-1247
TH: Poetry and Form: Shakespearean sonnets
Week Six: Sept 22, 24
TU: In-Class Peer Evaluation; read LIT 1204-1207
Short Story Essay Draft Due
TH: Poetry and Figurative Language
Short Story Essay Due; Poetry Essay assigned
Week Seven: Sept 29, Oct 1
TU: Poetry and Imagery
TH: Poetry and Pattern
Week Eight: Oct 6, 8
TU: Haiku and Tanka
TH: In-Class Peer Evaluation
Poetry Essay Draft Due
Week Nine: Oct 13, 15
TU: Interpreting Details: “The Things They Carried” LIT 375-390 and “Two Kinds” LIT
405-414
Poetry Essay Due
TH: Metaphor and Associative Meaning; begin Tracks
Novel Essay Assigned
Week Ten: Oct 20, 22
4
TU: Read Tracks; Characterization and Narrative Voice—Nanapush and Pauline
TH: Read Tracks; Point of View and Truth of Representation
Week Eleven: Oct 27, 29
TU: Read Tracks; Realism, Reality and the Realistic
TH: Finish Tracks; Metaphor, Perception, and Culture; quiz
Week Twelve: Nov 3, 5
TU: midterm exam (in-class essay)
TH: In-Class Peer Evaluation
Novel Essay Draft Due
Week Thirteen: Nov 10, 12
TU: Madness and Tragedy, Drama: Oedipus the King
Also read “Writing about Plays” LIT 1248-1253 and “Writing a Literary Research
Paper” LIT 1254-1265
Novel Essay Due and Research Papers Assigned
TH: Finish Oedipus
Week Fourteen: Nov 17, 19
TU: Begin Hamlet; research techniques, methods and forms
TH: Read Hamlet; Shakespearean Tragedy
Week Fifteen: Nov 20, Thanksgiving
TU: Read Hamlet; the bonds of custom
TH: Thanksgiving Holiday
Week Sixteen: Dec 1, 3
TU: Read Hamlet; the bonds of self and family
TH: Read Hamlet; Is Hamlet mad?; quiz
Week Seventeen: Dec 8, 10
TU: Hamlet; The rejection of Ophelia
TH: Hamlet; three soliloquies
Research Paper #1 Due