English 2225--Canadian Literature
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Section 1
Instructor: Debra Scott
Phone: 604.323.5366
debscott@langara.bc.ca
Langara College
Term 201030
Texts
•Moss, Laura & Cynthia Sugars, Editors. Canadian Literature in English: Texts and
Contexts. Volume II. Toronto: Pearson Longman, 2009.
•Drama/Theatre: Studio 58’s The Park (by Elliott, Lipovetsky, & Johnson) and/or
The Stanley Theatre’s Tear the Curtain (by Young and Kerr); more information &
discussion the first week of classes.
•Boyden, Joseph. Three Day Road. Toronto: Penguin, 2006.
•Davies, Robertson. Fifth Business. Markham, Ontario: Penguin, 1970.
•Mootoo, Shani. Cereus Blooms at Night. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1998
(note: first published by Press Gang Publishers in 1996).
Course Overview
English 2225 provides you with an opportunity to study a range of writings by Canadian
authors, charting the evolution of poetry and fiction while tracing recurrent themes in
Canada's literature.
For the first part of the course, we will study a selection of prose works, short fiction and
poetry, looking at the development of Canada's literary expression from its beginnings to
the present. We will focus briefly on drama in the latter part of September, and then,
over the last half of the term, study will concentrate on the novel, represented here by
three works, which, although very different from each other in certain respects, also share
some important—and at times surprising—similarities.
Selecting texts for an introductory course in a national literature is inevitably difficult and
problematic; although many voices remain unrepresented here (very regrettably), the
selection of readings for this course does reflect important motifs that will provide a
frame of reference for further study.
Through this course, you will also be able to develop your writing skills and essay style.
You must be completely familiar with the conventions for quoting and citing sources in
the accepted academic fashion. Refer to the College Style Sheet to ensure that you
follow the proper guidelines for quoting and documenting sources. Please see me with
any questions you have about your work or the course.
over
Assignments
30%
Mid-term assignment /test
20%
Major paper
•focus on Fifth Business or Cereus. . .
25%
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Secondary assignments: in-class
essay, quizzes & reader responses,
an assignment on drama
Final exam
(focus on novels)
Note: missed assignments receive a zero.
Office Hours
25%
100 total
Office A302a
Tuesday
Thursday
Phone 604.323.5366
9:30—10:20
9:30—10:20
If these times don't fit your schedule, please make an appointment to see me,
OR see me in the Writing Centre (schedule t.b.a.).
Attendance and Participation
Regular attendance and class participation are expected and will influence your
enjoyment of the course and understanding of the material. If you must miss three or
more classes in a row, notify me by phone (604.323.5366—24/7 voice mail) or e-mail
(debscott@langara.bc.ca), or by seeing me personally. If you miss more than a week of
classes and wish to continue the course, note that documentation is required.
Late Assignments: These will receive a deduction of 10% when first overdue, with
additional deductions after the due date. If you wish to avoid deductions and anxiety,
please follow my guidelines for extensions: submit to me a written request for an
extension at least one week before the deadline. Please note that I do NOT accept
assignments via e-mail.
Note: if you need to get a message to me before class, please do so by voice mail NOT
e-mail; in the busier parts of the term, I sometimes do not check my e-mail till late in the
day or till the following day.
And finally . . . see me if you have any questions or concerns.
English 2225/1:
Schedule of Readings and Major Assignments
September to mid-October

201030
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Early Voices & Lasting Influences—Colonialism and the Immigrant Experience
•page references are from Canadian Literature in English: Texts and Contexts, Vol. 11
p. 596
Jeannette Armstrong; handouts: “Glacier” & "History Lesson (poems)
handout
Paul Yee’s “Rider Chan and the Night River.”
Background on early literary efforts, notably Frances Brooke’s 18th Century novel The
History of Emily Montague and 19th Century writers: Susanna Moodie, & Catharine
Parr Traill (also Anna Jameson), as well as the Confederation Poets (handouts):
•••Isabella Valancy Crawford “The Dark Stag” •••Charles G.D. Roberts "Tantramar
Revisited”•••Archibald Lampman "Heat, ” "The City of the End of Things”•••D C Scott
"The Forsaken”•••Pauline Johnson "A Cry from an Indian Wife”
Modernist Voices—Poetry
p. 1 ff “Modernism”
p. 51 Pratt background on poet &"From Stone to Steel” & “Erosion” –handout), plus
brief selected passages from Towards the Last Spike
p. 82
F R Scott "The Canadian Authors Meet,” “W.L.M.K.” (handout)
"All the Spikes But the Last” (re: Pratt's Towards. . . ), “Laurentian Shield”
p. 94 A. J. M. Smith "The Lonely Land”, "The Wisdom of Old Jelly Roll”
p. 152 Klein "Heirloom”
p. 112 Birney “Anglosaxon Street,” “Bushed,” “i accuse us”
p. 161 Livesay "Bartok and the Geranium,” “ The Three Emily’s”
•small take-home assignment (details given in class) due on September 24 (F); length
1—2 pages (250—500 words); personal narrative & family/individual background
•In-class essay (on a poem or short story): October 5 (F)
over
The Later Twentieth Century to Present: Modern & Postmodern Works
p. 272
Purdy “Grosse Isle”
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p. 433
Atwood •poems from The Journals of Susanna Moodie:
***“Disembarking at Quebec,” "Further Arrivals.” “The Planters”(handout), “The
Wereman”(handout), "Departure from the Bush”, “Death of a Young Son by Drowning,”
(handout), “Dream 2: Brian the Still-Hunter,” "Thoughts from Underground"
see also Birney's "Bushed, ” p. 117
p. 213 Contemporary Period, 1960—1985
p. 298
p. 334
p. 517
p. 371
p. 493
p. 610
p. 694
Laurence “A Bird in the House” (short story)
Munro “Meneseteung” (short story)
Contemporary Çanada, 1985—Present
Cohen “Everybody Knows” (CD) , “Suzanne Takes You Down”
Ondaatje “Letters & Other Worlds,” The Cinnamon Peeler”
Mistry, “Squatter” (short story)
Thien “Simple Recipes” (fiction)
Note: the above list may change (at least slightly) according to the use of class time;
some of the readings will be covered in group discussions, some will be discussed in
detail, and some will be touched on only briefly.
October & November / early December
•Mid-term on Thursday, October 14
•focus: material from the Anthology readings & handouts
•details will be given in class
•Week of October 18:
study of novels starts with Davies' Fifth Business, then
Mootoo's Cereus Blooms at Night, and then, Boyden’s Three Day Road
•Major Paper due on Friday, November 19th ***
Last day of classes: Monday, December 6
Final exams: December 9—17

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Letter Grade and Percentage Scale
A+
A
A-
95% and above Excellent work in all areas—style, content
90 – 94.5%
(thesis & analysis), & use of sources/quot’ns.
85 – 89.5%
B+
B
B-
80 – 84.5 %
75 – 79.5 %
70 – 74.5 %
Strong work in most areas; good work overall,
with improvements needed in one or more key
areas.
C+
C
C-
65 – 69.5%
60 – 64.5%
55 – 59.5%
Basic competence in most areas; improvements
needed in several key areas, including focus/.
thesis, quality of analysis, & level of expression
D 50 - 54%
•Below 50 % is a failing grade•
Note: For questions regarding transfer credits and articulation for English 2225,
please go to the BC-TRANSFERGUIDE, <http://bctransferguide.ca/>.
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