Request for Designation as a Problem Solving (IA) Course in Explorations
Name___Jane Archer _________________________________________________
Course number and title____EH 210 Introduction________________________
Departmental endorsement_________yes___________________________________
Has this course been submitted for any other Explorations designation? __No________
If so, which one? ______________
Please list which of your course assignments or activities addresses each of the guidelines, state
briefly how this is accomplished, and attach a syllabus or a preliminary redesign plan for the
course.
Criteria for problem solving courses include the use of a formal method of interpretation/
analysis
Every literature course makes use of the “formalist” method of literary analysis. The most basic
and utilitarian function of this methodology is to provide a “close reading” of a literary text to
reveal how its constituent parts are put together to create a unified text and generate meaning.
Most literature classes will also employ other methods of analysis including, but not limited to,
feminist, deconstructive, psychoanalytic, and new historical criticism.

that can be applied to discrete problems/goals and
In this course, students learn to be active readers, learning and applying the techniques of
close reading to interpret and analyze short stories and novels. In their daily reading
assignments of literary fiction, they are required to address discrete problems when they
examine and analyze a short passage of a story or novel, finding and interpreting specific
literary elements in passages they analyze. In addition, students learn some of the cultural
and historical context of the texts they are studying and apply this knowledge to their
understanding of the readings.

that require students to apply that method in specific ways.
Students are required to read a broad variety of short fiction and at least one novel. They
are also required to use what they learn in their readings in active class discussions; in
addition, they write two papers, minimum 5 pages each, that apply their close-reading skills
and the cultural and historical background of the stories. Finally, students are required to
take two exams, each of which tests both the application of close reading skills and the
understanding of cultural and historical context.
Return this form as one electronic file with a syllabus appended to shagen@bsc.edu by 30 May 2011.
INTRODUCTION TO FICTION
English 210A
Dr. Jane Archer
M, W 12:30-1:50
Office: Humanities 324
Humanities 315
Hours: M, Tu,W, Th 11:00-12:20
M, W 2:00-3:00 and by appointment
Phone: 226-7838
Texts:
The Story and Its Writer, Ann Charters
Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison
Goals:
This course will introduce you to the skills needed to read and discuss fiction and
will sharpen your analytical writing skills. EH 210 fulfills your Disciplinary
Foundations requirement in Literature. It may also fulfill your additional
Foundations requirement in Humanities Its ultimate goal, of course, is to enable
you to more fully enjoy reading fiction.
Policies:
CLASS DISCUSSION is essential to this course, so attendance is extremely
important. You are responsible for material covered in class whether you are there
or not. Interpretations of the stories discussed in class will be covered on the
exams.
READINGS appear on the syllabus; additional readings may be assigned in class.
They must be completed by the discussion date specified on the syllabus or in
class. Be prepared to discuss the readings; BE AN ACTIVE READER. Take
notes, underline passages, circle recurring words or motifs. If you read a word
you don’t recognize or understand, LOOK IT UP IN THE DICTIONARY!!
If you don't understand an assigned work, articulate at least one question
before you come to class. Confusion is a legitimate response to a first reading of
many works, but it is a useless response if you don't subject it to analysis. If you
don't like something we read, try to analyze why. Come to class prepared to
respond in some way to the readings. I may occasionally give brief reading
quizzes.
There will be TWO PAPERS, a MIDTERM EXAM, and a FINAL. Papers must
be typed. As well as handing in a hard copy of your paper, please attach it as
a Microsoft Word document to an e-mail to me at jarcher@bsc.edu. This
will insure that I have a copy of your paper. Exams must be legible!
Grading:
Your final grade will be based on your class participation, group report, exams,
and papers. Papers must be typed. You are on the Honor Code. The Honor
Code pledge applies to all work in this class. Please use proper documentation in
your final paper when you use ideas from any source.
20%
paper 1
20%
paper 2
20%
midterm exam
20%
final exam
20% daily grade (attendance, class participation, quizzes, in-class writings)
Attendance: CLASS PARTICIPATION IS ESSENTIAL. I will allow three (3) absences.
Subsequent absences will affect your grade. If you must be absent, you are
responsible for keeping up with assigned readings, reading responses, and
material covered in class.
The following schedule is flexible. I will announce adjustments in class. Please make a note of them.
W Feb 2
Introduction; "The Story of an Hour"
M Feb 7
Faulkner, "A Rose for Emily"; Gilman, "The Yellow Wallpaper"
W Feb 9
Irving, “Rip Van Winkle"; Hawthorne, “Young Goodman Brown”
M Feb 14
Poe, “The Tell-Tale Heart”; “The Cask of Amontillado”
W Feb 16
LeGuin, “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”; Jackson, “The
Lottery”
M Feb 21
writing papers about literature; Cheever, “The Swimmer”; Garcia Marquez, “A
Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”
W Feb 23
Kafka, “The Metamorphosis”
M Feb 28
Oates, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”
W Mar 2
Bambara, “The Lesson”; short paper due, 4-5 pages
M Mar 7
Joyce, “Araby”’; Updike, “A&P”; midterm review
W Mar 9
midterm exam
M Mar 14
SPRING
W Mar 16
BREAK
M Mar 21
Song of Solomon
W Mar 23
Song of Solomon
M Mar 28
Song of Solomon
W Mar 30
Song of Solomon
M Apr 4
Song of Solomon
W Apr 6
Song of Solomon
M Apr 11
Song of Solomon
W Apr 13
O’Connor, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”; “Good Country People”
M Apr 18
O’Connor, “Everything That Rises Must Converge”
W Apr 20
Welty, “A Worn Path”; “Why I Live at the P. O.”
M Apr 25
Allen, “The Kugelmass Episode”
W Apr 27
Hemingway, “Hills Like White Elephants”; Banks, “Black Man and White
Woman in Dark Green Rowboat”
M May 2
Carver, “Cathedral”; “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”
W May 4
Atwood, “Happy Endings”; paper due, 4-5 pages ; review for final
exam; last day of class
FINAL EXAM: MONDAY, MAY 9, 9:00.