Literature, Journalism, and Modern
Languages
Point Loma Nazarene University
Course Syllabus, Spring 2014
Professor (Profesor): Dr. Scott M. Bennett
Telephone (Teléfono): (619) 849-2947 (x2947)
Email: ScottBennett@pointloma.edu
Office (Oficina): Bond Academic Center, Room 120
Office Hours (Horas de consulta): Posted
Class Meeting Days and Time (Días y horas de clase): MWF, 1:30pm-2:25pm, C 101.
Course (Curso): SPA 320 (Mexican American Literature and Culture) (3 units)
Final Exam: Friday, May 9, 1:30pm-4:00pm.
Course Description (Descripción del curso):
A survey of major twentieth century Mexican American writers and their cultural heritage in the
United States. Genres for consideration include short story, essay, poetry, novel, and drama.
Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 302 and 303 or consent of instructor. All
coursework will be done in Spanish.
Required Texts (Textos requeridos):
1. José Antonio Burciaga, Drink Cultura: Chicanismo (1877741078) 1st Ed., 1993, Joshua Odell
Editions.
2. Gary Soto, Gary Soto: New and Selected Poems (0811807584) 1995, Chronicle Books.
3. Ilan Stavans, Ed., The Norton Anthology of Latino Literature (978-0-393-97532-1) 1st Ed.,
2011, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
4. Luis Alberto Urrea, The Devil´s Highway: A True Story (0-316-01080-4) Paperback, 2005,
Back Bay Books.
5. Helena María Viramontes, Under the Feet of Jesus (0-452-27387-0) 1st Plume Edition,
Paperback, 1996, Plume/Penguin.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs):
By the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Identify key authors, movements, ideas, and values of the Mexican American experience in
literature, film, art, and other cultural forms.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the historical perspective, social structures and social
conflicts of the Mexican American experience.
3. Demonstrate a reasonable ability to analyze literature, film and other artistic modes.
4. Recognize basic lexical variations and linguistic phenomena present in Southwest Spanish.
5. Show continued improvement of language skills as evidenced in written and oral
assignments.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) for the students of language:
Students who complete the program will be able to:
1. Write essays without significant errors of grammar, spelling, or vocabulary usage that would
impede comprehension by a native speaker.
2. Comprehend the main idea and most details of connected oral discourse by a native speaker on
a variety of topics.
3. Converse in a participatory fashion with a native speaker using a variety of language strategies
to convey meaning.
4. Interpret target language texts according to their cultural, literary, and/or linguistic content.
5. Display knowledge of the nature and structure of language.
6. Discuss the influence of their own perspective on cultural interconnections through
engagement with local, national, or international communities.
Recommended Texts (Textos recomendados): A good Spanish/English dictionary. (Un buen
diccionario español/inglés, tal como Larousse, Oxford, University of Chicago o Harper Collins).
Grading (Calificación): The final grade is based on the following point scale. (La nota final se
basa en la siguiente escala de puntos):
Quizzes (Pruebas) (2) (50 pts. each)...................................................................................100
Midterm Exam (Examen de medio semestre)….…………………………………………100
Final Exam (Examen final)………………………….........................................................200
Film Critiques (Reportajes de película) (2) (25 pts. each).………………………………...50
Community-based Service Learning, Cultural Engagement Activities…………………...100
Short Essays (Ensayos cortos) (5) (20 pts. each).............................……………………....100
Personal Vision Response Using an Art Form…………………………………..………..100
Participation (Participación)................................................................................................150
Attendance (Asistencia)…………………………………………………………………...100
Grading Scale (Escala de calificaciones):
930-1000
900-929
880-899
830-879
800-829
A
AB+
B
B-
780-799
730-779
700-729
680-699
630-679
C+
C
CD+
D
600-629
0-599
DF
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Course Policies:
Student Responsibilities (Responsabilidades del/ de la estudiante):
1. Class participation and attendance (La asistencia y la participación en clase): Regular and
punctual attendance in all classes for which a student is registered is considered essential to
optimum academic achievement. Therefore, regular attendance and participation in each class of
the course are two of the course requirements to be met. There are no allowed or excused
absences except when absences are necessitated by certain university sponsored activities and
approved in writing by the Provost. Any day a student is absent he/she loses 10 points on the
class attendance grade. After 4 absences, the professor reserves the right to drop the student from
the class with a grade of “fail.” Also, coming late twice equals one absence. Students are
expected to come to class prepared, and be active participants in their own learning for the
duration of the class period. If you are not participating or doing the readings and coursework,
your participation grade will suffer, even on a daily basis. Our classroom environment will be one
of “mutual respect” and a “community of learning.” A requirement for participation will be
maintaining a notebook with the new words that you learn or are learning in Spanish. I will
check this regularly to see how your list of words is progressing. It is essential to do the readings,
engage in class discussion, and continue working on the list of new words you encounter.
Although most of our readings are in English, class discussion and all assignments will be done in
Spanish. If you don't know the meaning of a word in English, it can be assumed that this would
be the same for the Spanish as well. So, please add to your vocabulary list on an active basis. If
necessary, it would be good to have a space for examples of usage, or your own practice
sentences with the words.
2. Quizzes and Exams (Pruebas y exámenes): There will be two quizzes given during the
semester, one before the midterm, and one after. Quizzes will be on literary readings, class
discussions, films and key concepts. There will be one midterm during the course, and also a final
exam. No exams or quizzes can be taken early, and there are no make-ups on exams and quizzes,
unless authorized by the professor, or in the case of an emergency. Please contact the professor if
you have any conflicts concerning quizzes, exams, or due dates. It is expected that all work will
be completed on time.
3. Film Critiques (Análisis de películas): Each student will need to write a short critical
analysis of at least two films during the semester. More instructions will be given, and each
critique needs to be from one and a half to two pages in length. A note of caution: some of the
films may contain offensive and/or difficult parts in their content. The point of viewing films and
doing a film critique is to broaden cultural perspectives, not to offend or upset the student. If
viewing R rated films is a problem for you, please choose from the PG or PG-13 films that are
available. Any films rated R may not be viewed in a public dorm lounge, but may be seen in a
private dorm room without penalty from the institution.
4. Short Essays (Ensayos cortos): Each student will write five short (two page) essays
concerning readings and other topics from the class. The professor will provide information about
this requirement, and will also provide the prompts to follow and topics to analyze.
5. Personal Vision Response Using an Art Form: Students will complete a project in response
to a field trip experience and/or reflections concerning a personal vision of what the Mexican
American experience means to them. As an added element, students will use an art form as a
means to present their response. For example, write a poem, create a drawing or painting, take
photographs etc. (Professor will explain more about this assignment).
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6. Community-based Service Learning (Aprendizaje/servicio basado en la comunidad):
Students will participate in a community-based service learning project during the semester in
order to practice Spanish and connect with the Mexican/Mexican American community. The
professor will provide more information concerning this aspect of the class, as we hope to do a
one day field trip experience concerning the readings and Mexican American reality. Moreover, if
you are in town, please plan on attending Chicano Park Day on Saturday, April 19, 2014. The day
starts at 10:00am and ends at 5:00pm. There will be music, dancing, street vendors, low riders,
food, people, and many aspects of Chicano culture.
Academic Accommodations/Tutorials
While all students are expected to meet the minimum standards for completion of this course as
established by the instructor, students with disabilities may require academic accommodations. At
Point Loma Nazarene University, these students are requested to file documentation during the
first two weeks of the semester with the Academic Support Center (ASC), located in the Bond
Academic Center. This policy assists the University in its commitment to full compliance with
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Section 504 (a)
prohibits discrimination against students with special needs and guarantees all qualified students
equal access to and benefits of PLNU programs and activities. Once the student files
documentation, the ASC will contact the student’s instructors and provide written
recommendations for reasonable and appropriate accommodations to meet the individual learning
needs of the student.
Academic Honesty Policy
The Department of Literature, Journalism, and Modern Languages deems intellectual and
academic integrity to be critical to academic success and personal development; therefore, any
unethical practice will be detrimental to the student’s academic record and moral character.
Students who present the work of others, which includes but is not limited to borrowing another
student’s work, buying a paper, or using the thoughts or ideas of others as if their own (using
information in a paper without citation), commit plagiarism. Students will be held accountable for
plagiarized material whether the material was plagiarized intentionally or unintentionally.
Plagiarized work will result in a failing grade for the assignment and possibly for the course. In
either event, a written report will be filed with the department chair and area dean. The dean will
review the report and submit it to the provost and the vice president for student development. It
will then be placed in the student’s academic file.
NOTE: It is the student’s responsibility to maintain his/her class schedule. Should the need arise
to drop this course (personal emergencies, poor performance, etc.), the student has the
responsibility to follow through (provided the drop date meets the stated calendar deadline
established by the university), not the instructor. Simply ceasing to attend this course or failing to
follow through to arrange for a change of registration (drop/add) may easily result in a grade of F
on the official transcript.
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Course Schedule (Calendario)
January 14-17
Week 1
Before class on Tuesday, please read over this syllabus and bring any questions to class, and
also watch the following videos (to start our discussion, and also "meet" the editor of our
anthology and one of the main authors that we will read during the semester).
Ilan Stavans on "The Sounds of Spanglish":
http://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/great_minds_lectures/18/
Dean Nelson's interview with Luis Alberto Urrea for the PLNU Writer's Symposium by the Sea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejxw-oRHjQQ
Tuesday 14 Course introduction. Reading in class: a poem by Gina Valdés: “Where You From?”
Be ready to discuss what Stavans proposes in his talk, and also share your perspectives
about the interview with Luis Alberto Urrea (one of the authors on our reading list).
W15 Reading for today: “Introduction: The Search for Wholeness” pp. lxiii-lxxi from The Norton
Anthology of Latino Literature (from now on, NALL). Please be ready to discuss the relevant
points of the introduction to the NALL anthology, and also bring a few possible questions
concerning the essay or specific quotes that you found interesting.
F17 Reading for today: Drink Cultura: Chicanismo (selected essays will be assigned students will
present short summaries and interpretations). Prepare for today in groups of 2-3. Class discussion
will focus on historical perspectives and background, humor, and the nuances of Chicano reality.
Please read all of the essays assigned for today and be ready to comment on them.
January 20-24
Week 2
M20 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: (No classes)
W22 Group discussion with students / Mexican American perspectives
F24 Reading for today: Drink Cultura: Chicanismo (Students will present short summaries and
interpretations on assigned essays, as we did on Friday, January 17. We will finish up any essays
that we have not covered.) Class discussion will focus on historical perspectives and background,
humor, and the nuances of Chicano reality. Please read all of the essays assigned for today and be
ready to comment on them.
January 27-31
Week 3
M27 Reading for today: Under the Feet of Jesus (Chapters 1, 2) Please be prepared to discuss
relevant themes, characters, interpretations, plot, symbolism, literary techniques etc. Please read
the bio for Viramontes on p. 2062 NALL.
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W29 Reading for today: Under the Feet of Jesus (Chapters 3, 4) Please be prepared to discuss
relevant themes, characters, interpretations, plot, symbolism, literary techniques etc.
F31 Reading: Under the Feet of Jesus (Chapter 5) Please be prepared to discuss relevant themes,
characters, interpretations, plot, symbolism, literary techniques etc. As we finish up Under the
Feet of Jesus, it will be necessary to dive right into The Devil's Highway: A True Story by Urrea.
Since it is longer, you will need to get a jump on this one to be able to participate and be actively
involved in the discussion on Monday, February 10.
February 3-7
Week 4
M3 Reading: “Yo soy Joaquín,” Rodolfo Corky González p. 788 NALL. Please read the bio on
González on p. 787 NALL. Video clip: “Yo soy Joaquín” (We will watch this in class).
W5 Reading: “Yo soy Joaquín,” Rodolfo Corky González p. 788 NALL. We will finish the
discussion about this epic poem of Mexican American reality.
We will review and discuss the themes and topics covered up to this point.
F7 Quiz #1
February 10-14
Week 5
M10 Reading: The Devil´s Highway: A True Story (Part 1) Please read the bio on Luis Alberto
Urrea on p. 2162 NALL. Please be prepared to discuss relevant themes, characters,
interpretations, plot, symbolism, literary techniques etc.
W12 Reading: The Devil´s Highway: A True Story (Part 2, Part 3) Please be prepared to discuss
relevant themes, characters, interpretations, plot, symbolism, literary techniques etc.
F14 Reading: The Devil´s Highway: A True Story (Part 4) Please be prepared to discuss relevant
themes, characters, interpretations, plot, symbolism, literary techniques etc.
February 17-21
Week 6
M17 Reading: “El corrido de Gregorio Cortez” p. 2464 NALL. We will discuss the ballad in
class, highliting the historical and cultural context, and the nuances of the Spanish.
Película: The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez We will watch some of the film in class.
W19 Reading: “El corrido de Gregorio Cortez” We will finish the discussion about the ballad
today.
Película: The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez We will watch some more of the film in class. Please
finish watching if we don't complete the entire film in class:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlrP2IR58es
F21 Drama (lectura) y película: Zoot Suit, Valdez pp. 1244-1264 NALL (with bio on Valdez).
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February 24-28
Week 7
M24 Drama (lectura) y película: Zoot Suit, Valdez pp. 1265-1278 (up until Act Two) NALL.
W26 Drama (lectura) y película: Zoot Suit, Valdez pp. 1278 (starting with Act Two)-1300
NALL.
Film Critique #1 Due
F28 We will review and discuss the themes and topics covered up to this point.
March 3-7
Week 8
M3 Midterm Exam
W5 Reading for today: the poems “Elena” and “Legal Alien” (I will provide poems) by Pat Mora.
Please read the bio on Pat Mora on p. 1849 NALL.
F7 Reading for today: Luis Leal: In Search of Aztlán p. 552 NALL. Please read the bio on Luis
Leal as well on p. 551 NALL.
March 10-14
Week 9
Spring Break (No classes)
March 17-21
Week 10
M17 Reading: Gary Soto: New and Selected Poems (Poems will be assigned). Please read the bio
on Gary Soto on p. 1927 NALL.
W19 Reading: Gary Soto: New and Selected Poems (Poems will be assigned)
F21 Reading: Gary Soto: New and Selected Poems (Poems will be assigned)
March 24-28
Week 11
M24 Reading for today: César Chávez: Jesus's Friendship p. 764 NALL. We will discuss
biographical information about César Chávez in class from p. 740 NALL.
W26 Reading for today: Guillermo Gómez Peña Documented/Undocumented p. 2081 NALL.
Please read the bio on Gómez Peña on p. 2081 NALL as well.
F28 Finish discussion on Guillermo Gómez Peña and possibly watch a few video clips of his
performances.
Film Critique #2 Due
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March 31- April 4
Week 12
M31 Reading for today: Gloría Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, El otro
México p. 1491 NALL. Please read the bio on Anzaldúa on p. 1490 NALL.
W2 We will review and discuss the themes and topics covered up to this point.
F4 Quiz #2
April 7-11
Week 13
M7 Reading for today: Popular Dimensions p. 2427 NALL
W9 Culture Clash (Video Clips). Please read the bio on Culture Clash p. 2440 NALL, and also
the introduction to Teatro Popular p. 2439 NALL.
F11 Mexican American Art. We will view examples of art in class and have a discussion.
April 14-18
Week 14
M14 Spanglish, code switching, including vocabulary examples. Reading for today: Ilan Stavans'
translation to Spanglish of the first chapter of Don Quixote de la Mancha.
W16 Spanglish, code switching, and more vocabulary examples. Finish discussion on Stavans'
translation. If you have not started your personal vision response/art project, now would be great!
F18 Easter Recess (No classes)
April 21-25
Week 15
M21 Easter Recess (No classes)
W23 Mexican American music/Chicano Rock p. 2481 NALL We will listen to some music
selections in class.
F25 Personal Vision Response Using an Art Form (Presentations)
April 28 - May 2 (Last Week of Classes)
Week 16
M28 Personal Vision Response Using an Art Form (Presentations)
W30 Personal Vision Response Using an Art Form (Presentations)
F2 Review for Final Exam / Discussion / Final observations and conclusions
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Final Exam: Friday, May 9, 1:30pm-4:00pm. No exceptions!
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