INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE
AND VISUAL CULTURE
BTAN22002BA, Kalmár György, 2015.
Seminar, 2hrs, graded
Thu. 14.00-15.40, room 106.
Email: gykalmar@yahoo.com
Office hours:
Monday: 11.00-12.00 (116/4)
Tuesday: 11.00-12.00 (116/4)
Course Description
This seminar is intended as an introductory seminar to literary and cultural studies. The course will help students
become familiar with basic literary terms and approaches, and it will also assist them in acquiring the terms and
skills needed for the analysis of literary works as well as cultural phenomena. First, we are going to read concise and
accessible summaries of the most current theoretical approaches (like cultural studies, gender studies, film studies)
and basic literary terms (narration, narrator, character, etc.) and then analyse cultural materials (short stories,
advertisements, films) which will help students understand the main principles and the critical use of these theories.
The aim of the course is to help students acquire a critical and academic approach to culture and literature that is
academically valid, productive and joyful.
Course requirements
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Reading the assigned material for the classes
Taking part in classroom discussions
Attending classes (grade cannot be given after 3 missed classes)
Passing vocabulary tests
End-term test
In-class essay
Grading
The final grade for the course will consist in the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
End-term test: 40%
In-class essay 40 %
Participation: 10%
Vocabulary tests: 10%
Students have to reach 50% in order to get a grade for the course.
The endterm test is not strictly speaking a test: it will consist in short essay questions that students will have to
answer in 5-6 sentences. These questions will be based on the readings, advertisements, film, etc. discussed in class.
Vocabulary tests are short tests that students will write randomly. These tests will be based on the required readings
assigned for the classes; if there are several short stories assigned, students will have to learn the vocabulary of only
one of these (see below). It will take approximately 5 minutes to write these tests; late comers will not be allowed to
write them, nor those who are absent from the class. It is required to pass 60 % of vocabulary tests in order to get a
grade for the course! In case of failure, there will be one more chance to pass them on week 14, 8th December,
together with the end-term test. This test will consist in words based on every single reading that was assigned for
vocabulary test during the semester. Also, vocabulary tests count 10 % of the final grade.
The in-class essay is a 300-400 words long essay written in class on a topic provided by the instructor. Students will
be able to choose from three different topics (obviously, they will only have to write on one.
Assessment of in-class essays:
The essays must have a clear statement of thesis, and all the further statements must be related to this central topic or
question. The text (arguments, agreements and disagreements) must be organised coherently so that the point you
make and your flow of thoughts must be clear for the reader. The essays must, naturally, be finished with a well
articulated conclusion which is supposed to be the culmination of your proposed arguments.
The essays will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:
 the articulateness of the thesis
 the clarity of the position you take;
 the quality of the arguments;
 the coherence of the structure;
 the level of your language.
The essays will not be evaluated on the basis of what your tutor’s position is in a certain issue, so feel free to
elaborate your own ideas—but do it in a sophisticated way.
Neither in-class essays, nor endterm tests can be rewritten. If the essay is two short, or too badly written, and
receives a very low percentage, the student will have to write a very good endterm test in order to get a grade for the
course. Unlike exams, both the essay and the endterm assess how students have been studying during the entire
semester. If the mark for the essay and the endterm does not add up to 50 %, the final grade for the course will be 1.
Only vocabulary tests can be rewritten, as it is described above.
Absences: no more than three absences are allowed. In the case of a longer absence (either due to illness, or official
leave), the tutor and the student will come to an agreement of how to solve the problem.
Grading Policy (N.B. NO GRADE CAN BE OBTAINED UNLESS ALL THE COURSE
COMPONENTS ARE FULFILLED)
Course components
classroom work
vocabulary tests
End-term test
in-class essay
Total
Percentage
10%
10%
40%
40%
100%
In-class essay evaluation
Statement of thesis
Quality of argument
Coherence of structure
Level of language
Total
Overall
percentage
87-100%
75-86%
63-74%
51-62%
0-50 %
8
12
12
8
40
Grades
5
4
3
2
1
TEXTS:
Kennedy, Fiction (on loan in the Institute Library)
Handouts, scanned, and photocopied short stories and articles distributed by the instructor.
Week
1
3
4
Date
17
Sept.
24
Sept.
1 Oct.
8 Oct.
5
15 Oct.
6
22 Oct.
7
8
29 Oct.
5 Nov.
9
12 Nov.
10
11
19 Nov.
26 Nov.
12
13
14
3 Dec.
10 Dec.
17 Dec.
2
Topic
Introduction to literary and cultural studies. Basic issues and course methodology.
Terms and definitions: what is Literature? What is Culture? Reading: Jordan and
Weedon, “Literature into culture: Cultural Studies after Leavis.” (vocabulary test)
Introduction to gender studies (1): Reading: Fiona Tolan, “Feminisms.” (vocabulary test)
Introduction to visual studies. Reading: Jeremy Hawthorn, “Theories of the Gaze.”
(vocabulary test).
Introduction to literature and gender studies (2): Reading: Charlotte Perkins Gilman:
“The
yellow
wallpaper.”
[http://www.online-literature.com/charlotte-perkinsgilman/2086/] (vocabulary test)
Introduction to media studies: advertising. Reading: Gloria Steinem. “Sex, Lies and
Advertising.” (vocabulary test) (During the seminar the advertising strategies of three
different magazines are compared.)
Consultation Week (No class)
Introduction to literature (2): Narrative voice, point of view: Reading: E. A. Poe: “The
Purloined Letter.” (vocabulary test)
Introduction to literature (3): Figures of speech Reading: Alice Munro: “Wild Swans,”
(vocabulary test)
In-class essay
Introduction to film studies. Reading: Karen Gocsik, “Writing about film.” (During the
seminar three types of film language are compared.)
Film and visual culture: film analysis in practice. Viewing: Matrix (Wachowski bros.)
End-term test
Evaluation
The assigned readings for the classes will be available either in the “Kennedy book” (Part: Fiction), or distributed in
electronic format. (These critical essays are from Patricia Waugh (ed.) Literary Theory and Criticism. Oxford UP,
2006) and Dines and Humez (ed.), Gender, Race and Class in Media. Sage, 2003. Both books are available at the
institute library.)