La Salle University
English 370:
Nobel Literary Laureates
Dr. Lehr
Fall, 2005
DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
As of last year, there have been 100 recipients of the Nobel Prize for Literature, ten of whom
have been women. These women come from four different continents and nine different
countries and have been awarded this prestigious award for their depictions of people in their
times. But what do they have in common? Why have they been chosen? And does their work
reflect the themes and concerns in the literature of their times and countries? This course will
attempt to answer these and other questions by focusing on these women—particularly on five
of them: three who wrote in English: Pearl Buck (U.S.A.,1938), Nadine Gordimer (South
Africa, 1991), and Toni Morrison, (U.S.A.,1993) as well as two who wrote in other languages
but whose poetry has been translated: Gabriela Mistral (Chile, 1945), and Wislawa Szymborska
(Poland, 1996). The other five writers [Selma Lagerlöf (Sweden, 1909), Grazia Deledda (Italy,
1926), Sigrid Undset (Norway, 1928), Nelly Sachs (Germany 1966), and Elfriede Jelinek
(Austria, 2004)] will be studied to a lesser extent. As a group, the class will study the five
principal authors. Then individual students will each research one of the others and share his or
her findings with the class. Throughout the course, the objective will be to evaluate the works
of these authors as literature and to examine any commonalities that made it possible for them
to receive the Nobel Prize.
TEXTS
Pearl Buck, The Good Earth. 1931 Pocket Books Edition. New York:
Simon & Schuster, 2005.
Nadine Gordimer, Jump and Other Stories. NY: Penguin, 1992.
Gabriela Mistral, Prose and Long Prose Poems. Ed and Trans. by Stephen Tapscott.
Austin: University of Texas, 2004.
Toni Morrison, Beloved 1987. Vintage International Edition. NY: Random House, 2004.
Wislawa Szymborska, Poems New and Collected 1957-1997. Trans. by
Stanislaw Baranczak and Clare Cavanaugh. NY: Harcourt, 1998.
Selection of one of the following*:
Selma Lagerlöf, The Wonderful Adventures of Nils
Grazia Deledda, After the Divorce
Sigrid Undset, Kristin Lavransdatter (Vol. 1, 2, or 3 of the trilogy)
Nelly Sachs O the Chimneys: Selected Poems including the play Eli
Elfriede Jelinek, The Piano Teacher
*Another work by the author can be substituted.
CLASSES
Classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 to 12:15. If you are unable to attend a class,
please try to notify me in advance.
During the class time we will discuss the assigned readings as well as the authors; thus,
participation is essential. Therefore, come prepared to each class with your anthology or novel,
having read the complete assignment.
OFFICE AND CONFERENCES
Conferences to review drafts are required. However, you are welcome to see me in my office
to discuss a paper or any topic related to our course. To make an appointment, please sign your
name beside a 15-minute time slot on the sheets taped on my office door (Olney, 156).
Office Hours: Monday: 8:30-12:30; Tuesday and Thursday, 3:15-4:15, and by appointment
ATTENDANCE
Attendance is mandatory. To participate fully, you need to attend all classes. More than four
absences may significantly lower your participations grade, and more than six may result in a
failure. If for some reason, you must miss a class, please get the assignment for the next class
from another student; and, if possible, notify me in advance.
TELEPHONE, E-MAIL, FAX, AND MAILBOX
Telephone:
951-5002 (office); 951-1145 (English Dept.)
E-Mail:
lehr@alpha.lasalle.edu
Fax:
951-1488
Mailbox:
English Dept., (Olney 141) or Box 187 in the university’s mailroom
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADES
Quizzes—20%
Five quizzes
Exams—40%
Mid-term—20%
Final—20%
Papers and Oral Report—30%
Summary and Response paper (3-5 pages) on one work by a Woman Nobel Laureate not
studied in class ([Selma Lagerlöf, Grazia Deledda, Sigrid Undset, Nelly Sachs, and Elfriede
Jelinek)—10%
Critical paper (5-8 pages) with secondary sources on a work or works by one of the five
authors studied in class (Buck, Mistral, Gordimer, Morrison, or Szymborska)—15%
Oral report (6-8 minutes) on one of the five writers not studied in class—5%
Participation—10%
All papers must be typed and submitted on time; late papers, with few exceptions, will receive a
lower grade. Only because of exceptional circumstances can exams be made up.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
All work submitted must be your own. In preparing papers, please acknowledge all secondary
sources consulted whether you actually quoted or just reviewed them. If you fail to abide by
these rules, you will be guilty of plagiarism, which will result in a failure (F) for the assignment
and, if consciously done, a failure in the course. Additionally, students may be referred to the
University for further disciplinary action (see the Student Handbook). To avoid this problem,
please submit papers to turnitin.com, or send me the files to submit them.
SCHEDULE
Following is a tentative schedule of the topics, readings, and assignments along with their due
dates. Specific detailed directions for each will be given in class.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Week
Aug. 30
Topics/Assignments
Introduction to Course; overview of the
Nobel Prize for Literature
Sept. 1
Pearl Buck, The Good Earth: Chaps. One –
Four: 1-46
Sept. 6
The Good Earth: Chaps. Five –Eleven:
47-111
Sept. 8
The Good Earth: Chaps. TwelveSeventeen: 112-176
Sept. 13
The Good Earth: Chaps. EighteenTwenty-Three: 177-252
Sept. 15
The Good Earth: Chaps. Twenty-FourTwenty-Nine: 253-328
Sept. 20
The Good Earth: Chaps. ThirtyThirty-Four: 329-385; Selma Lagerlöf
Report
Sept. 22
Gabriela Mistral: “Second Praise. . . Sand”:
29, “The Teacher’s Prayers”: 34, “Poems
of the Mothers” 37, “The Four-Petaled
Flower”: 67, Poems of Ecstasy”: 69, &
“Decalogue of the Artist”: 79
Sept. 27
Gabriela Mistral, “Thoughts on
Teaching”: 154, “Chile”:
161, “A Message about Pablo Neruda”:
200, “How I Write”: 206, “The
Forbidden Word”: 225, & “My Social
Beliefs”: 230
Sept. 29
Mistral, poems from Tenura, Tala, &
Poema de Chile (Handout); Grazia
Deledda Report
VI.
VII.
Oct. 4
Mistral (Handout : Quiz #2
Oct. 6
Mistral (Handout); Sigrid Undset
Report
Oct. 11
Gordimer, Jump and Other Stories: “Jump,”
“Once Upon a Time” & “The Ultimate
Safari”: 3-48
Oct. 13
Gordimer, “A Find”: 49- 54, “Some Are
Born to Sweet Delight”: 69-88, &
“Comrades”: 91-96
VIII. Oct. 18
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
MID-TERM EXAMINATION
Oct. 20
Gordimer, “The Moment Before the
Gun Went Off”: 111-117, “Home”:
121-140,” & “Safe Houses”: 183-209
Oct. 25
MID-SEMESTER HOLIDAY
Oct. 27
Gordimer, “Keeping Fit”: 229-243 &
“Amnesty”: 247-257; SUMMARYRESPONSE PAPER
Nov. 1
Morrison, Beloved: 1-67: Quiz #3
Nov. 3
Beloved: 68-133
Nov. 8
Beloved: 134-195; Nelly Sachs Report
Nov. 10
Beloved: 134-195
Nov. 15
Beloved: 199-256
Nov. 17
Beloved 257-324; Quiz #4
XIII. Nov. 22
XIV.
XV.
Szymborska, Poems: “Still”: 16, “Nothing
Twice”: 20, “Museum”: 30, “Starvation
Camp Near Jaslo”: 42, “Rubens’
Women”: 47, “Poetry Reading”: 51,
“Beheading”: 87, & “Vietnam”: 90;
Elfriede Jelinek Report
Nov. 24
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Nov. 29
Szymborska, Poems:
“The Poet and the World” (Nobel
Lecture: xi, “Could Have”: 111,
“Advertisement”: 120, “In Praise of
Dreams”: 138, “True Love”: 140, “A
Large Number”: 145, & “Thank-You
Note”: 146
Dec. 1
Szymborska, Poems: “The Terrorist, He’s
Watching”: 154, “The Onion”: 166,
“View with a Grain of Sand”: 185,
“Clothes”: 187, “The Century’s Decline”:
198, “Children of Our Age”: 200,
“Possibilities”: 214, & “Miracle Fair”:
216; CRITICAL PAPER
Dec. 6
Szymborska, Poems: “Some People Like
Poetry”: 225, “The End and the
Beginning”: 228, “Hatred”: 230, “Parting
with a View”: 240, “Some People”: 262,
& “A Contribution to Statistics”: 263;
Evaluation: Quiz #5
Dec. 8
Szymborska, Poems (cont.) &
Review
[Dec. 12-16
FINAL EXAMINATION]