WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
School of Languages and Literature
Wayland Baptist University Mission Statement: Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an
academically challenging, learning-focused, and distinctively Christian environment for professional success,
lifelong learning, and service to God and humankind.
Course Name: ENGL 2302.VC 02 American Literature
Term and Year: Spring 2011
Full Name of Instructor: Jay Jay Wiseman
Phone and Email: (214) 282-0000 jayjay.wiseman@wayland.wbu.edu
(Please correspond by e-mail prior to calling.)
Office Hours, Building, and Location: Virtual Campus
Class Meeting Time and Location: Virtual Campus
Catalog Description: Selected studies in important works in American literature beginning with Jonathan Edwards
Prerequisite: ENGL 1302
Required Textbook and Resources: Concise Anthology of American Literature (Seventh Edition)
Optional Materials: NA
Course Outcome Competencies: Upon the conclusion of this course, students actively engaged in learning will be
able to:
1. Discuss the origins of American literature.
2. Analyze basic American literary trends as related to historical and cultural contexts.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of major literary movements, correlated with significant American writers and
their works.
4. Demonstrate the ability to read critically and communicate persuasively about select canonical works of
American literature.
5. Conduct research on a topic related to American literature, articulate and support a thesis, and follow
through with appropriate documentation.
The more the student puts into the course, the higher his or her outcome competencies will be.
Attendance Requirements: In Virtual Campus, attendance equals participation. Students enrolled in the
University’s Virtual Campus should make every effort to participate fully in the class. All work that is not
completed on time must be explained to the instructor who will then determine whether the omitted work may be
made up. For work to be considered on time, it must be received by Midnight (12:00 a.m.) on the due date or final
day of the week. If student shows a lack of participation considered by the instructor to be excessive, the instructor
will so advise the student and file an unsatisfactory progress report with the campus executive director. Any student
who misses 25 percent or more of the class assignments will receive a grade of F in the course. Additional
attendance policies for each course, as defined by the instructor in the course syllabus, are considered a part of the
University’s attendance policy.
Disability Statement: It is University policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity
in the University. Students should inform the instructor of existing disabilities at the first class meeting.
(Documentation of disability may be required.)
Course Requirements and Grading Criteria: Final grades for the class will be a combination of reading quizzes,
exams, discussion board postings, and a research paper.
Reading Quizzes: 20%
Each student is responsible for reading the assigned material. Brief quizzes are given weekly to insure that reading is
consistent. Quizzes may be any combination of true/false, multiple choice, short answer, fill-in-the- blank or short
essay. Quizzes may be timed.
Discussion Board: 10%
One discussion board question will be required weekly. An original post and a response (to another student’s post)
are required for each week. All posts should be thorough and provide specific input. “Good post” or “I agree” is
not acceptable for credit.
Mid-Term Exam: 20%
Final Exam: 20%
The mid-term exam will consist of all reading material cover through mid-term. The final exam will consist of all
reading material covered since mid-term. Exams may consist of matching, true/false, multiple choice, passage
identification and short essay.
Research Paper: 30%
A five-to-seven page paper will be researched, written and submitted; the primary literary source for this paper will
be one of the works listed in the course outline. In addition to this primary source (like Hawthorne’s “The Birth
Mark”), the student will need to find and use three secondary sources (books or journal articles that analyze “The
Birth Mark”). All secondary sources must be of an academic/ scholarly nature—summaries and Wikipedia, Cliff’s
Notes, Spark Notes, etc. are NOT acceptable secondary sources. At least one secondary source must be a
scholarly/peer-reviewed journal article. This paper should be double-spaced in 12 point, Times New Roman font
with one-inch margins. MLA style should be followed as closely as possible. It is highly suggested that the
student present his or her thesis statement to the instructor for approval prior to beginning research.
Tentative Schedule: February 21-May 14.
Week 1: The Literature of Early America
February 21-27—Introduction to syllabus, course, etc. Read Columbus’s Letter Describing His First Voyage pp.
15-18; The Examination of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson At the Court At Newton pp. 25-28; The Journal of John
Winthrop pp. 67-77; Anne Bradstreet’s “The Flesh and Spirit” pp. 87-90, “Before the Birth” pp.90-91, “To My
Dear…” pp. 91, “In Memory…” pp. 92-93, “On Deliverance…” pg. 93-94, “Upon the Burning…” pg. 94-95, “As
Weary Pilgrim” pp. 96.
Week 2: The Literature of the18th Century
February 28-March 6—Read The Diary of Samuel Sewall pp. 115-124; Edwards’s “Sinners in the Hands…” pp.
155-167; Correspondence…pp. 179-191; “Ben Franklin’s Epitaph” and “The Witches of Mount Holly” pp. 248-249.
Week 3: The Literature of the Early to Mid- 19th Century
March 7-13—Read Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” pp. 403-416, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” pp. 416-437.
SPRING BREAK (March 14-20)
Week 4: The Literature of the Early to Mid-19th Century (continued)
March 21-27—Read Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” pp. 499-512, “The Purloined Letter” pp. 519532,”Lenore” pp. 494, “”The Raven” pp. 495-497, “Annabel Lee” pp. 498-499; Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark” pp.
630-641.
Week 5: The Literature of the Late 19th Century
March 28-April 3—Read Bierce’s “An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge” pp. 1461-1468; Gilman’s “The Yellow
Wall-Paper” pp. 1470-1481; Dickinson’s “#49” pp. 1136, “#67” pp. 1136, “#185” pp. 1137, “#712” pp. 1149,
“#1052” pp. 1151, “#1732”pp. 1154, “#1755” pp. 1154-1155.
MID TERM EXAM
Week 6: The Literature of the Late 19th Century (continued)
April 4-10—Read James’s Daisy Miller pp. 1399-1438.
Week 7: The Literature of the Early to Mid-20th Century (continued)
April 11-17—Read Robinson’s “Richard Cory,” “Cliff Klingenhagen,” and “Miniver Cheevy” pp. 1594-1595;
Cather’s “Paul’s Case,” pp. 1621-1634; Millay’s “Spring,” “First Fig,” “I Shall Forget You…,” “Euclid Alone…”
pp. 1765-1767; Frost’s “After Apple Picking” pp. 1604-1605, “The Road Not Taken” pp. 1605-1606, “Birches” pp.
1606-1608, “Fire and Ice” pp. 1609, “Stopping By The Woods” pp. 1609-1610.
Week 8: The Literature of the Early to Mid-20th Century (continued)
April 18-24—Read Hemingway’s “In Another Country” pp. 1847-1850; Hughes’s “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”
pp. 1865, “Aunt Sue’s Stories” pp. 1865, “I Too” pp. 1866, “Harlem” pp. 1868; Porter’s “Maria Concepcion” pp.
1877.
Week 9: The Literature of the Late 20th Century and Beyond
April 25-May 1—Read Mason’s “Shiloh” pp. 2127-2136; McPherson’s “The Faithful” pp. 2093-2102; Sexton’s
“And One For My Dame,” “The Addict,” “Us,” “Rowing” pp. 1950-1955.
Week 10: The Literature of the Late 20th Century and Beyond (continued)
May 2-May 8—Read Tan’s “Half and Half” pp. 2116-2125; O’Brien’s “On the Rainy River pp. 2103-2115;
Erdrich’s “The Red Convertible,” pp. 2168-2174.
RESEARCH PAPER DUE
May 9-14—FINAL EXAM
Academic Dishonesty: No form of cheating will be tolerated. Plagiarism—copying someone else’s words or ideas
and presenting them as your own—is not only a form of cheating, but also a serious academic offense. At the very
least plagiarism or related forms of cheating will result in an F on the work in question. An official report will be
filed with the Vice President of Academic Services. See the Wayland catalog for further information on the
penalties of plagiarism.