English 2132
American Literature II
Fall 2014
TR 12:30-1:45, CRN 351, Section A1
114 Academic Building
Dr. LaRonda Sanders-Senu
Office: 103G Academic Building
Office Hours: MW 8:30-9:30,1:15-2:00, TR 8:00-10:45, and F 12:00-1:00
Phone: 678-359-5444
Email: lsanders-senu@gordonstate.edu
Website: http://www.gordonstate.edu/Faculty/lsanders-senu/
Course Objectives:
This course will provide a survey of American Literature from 1865 to the present. You will leave this course with an understanding
of how American history and American literature intersect. Though there are many important authors and texts that we are unable to
include in this course, this course will provide you with a focused knowledge of a handful of authors and texts, upon which you can
further build your foundation of American literary knowledge.
In this class you can expect to:
- read a great deal of material
-read thoroughly and write critically about texts
- engage complex and shifting ideas about American identity, the role of art, femininity, masculinity, and authenticity
-participate in lively and thoughtful class discussions
In this class I will expect you to:
-come to class prepared to discuss the texts, with readings in hand
-ask questions
-have an open mind
-be respectful to me and your classmates
-contribute to class discussions
-approach assignments and text as academics
Required Texts:
The Norton Anthology of American Literature Volumes C,D,E (Norton, 2012); The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Riverhead
Books, 2007)
Other readings for the class are on Blackboard. You are required to print the documents out and bring them to class. If you come to
class without your readings, you will be counted absent for that day.
Assignments and Grading
Midterm Exam
Final Exam: Due
Critical Analysis Paper (Due November 4, 2014)
Quizzes
Presentations
Participation
Grading
General Scale
A = 100—90
B =89.9— 80 C = 79.9—70
Paper Scale
A = 95 A- = 92 B+ = 88
F = 58 and so on.
B = 85
15%
20%
20%
20%
10%
15%
D= 69.9—60
B- = 82
C+ = 78
F = 59 and below*
C = 75
C- = 72 D+ = 68 D= 65
D- = 62
Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, I will only discuss grade information with students in person. Grades are
calculated on a percentage basis. Therefore, it would be inaccurate for me to speculate about a student’s overall grade until the end of
the semester. There is a worksheet on the website designed to help students to estimate their own grades. Also, I will not discuss
specific absence information over email. I will not communicate with anyone aside from the student about his or her grade.
Papers
You will be required to write one paper during the semester. This paper will respond to a writing prompt and it will be a critical
analysis about one or more of the texts that we will study. This paper will not be a research essay. Please remember that this paper
should not be a plot summary or string of quotations. More information about this paper will follow. Make sure that you follow all of
the requirements that are outlined in the assignment sheet. I do not accept papers or any other assignments via email. I will deduct six
points for every calendar day that a paper is late. A Paper that is not submitted at the start of the class period in which it is due will be
counted one calendar day late.
Quizzes
You will have a minimum of ten quizzes on the assigned readings. Quizzes will usually take place at the start of class. If you are
absent or late, you will not be allowed to make up quizzes. I will drop your two lowest quiz grades.
Presentations
You and a partner will be required to give one 8-10 minute presentation that introduces your classmates to one of the authors that we
will study. The presentation should be accompanied by a handout that includes citation information. You will select your author
during the first few weeks of class. If for any reason your partner fails to participate in the presentation, you are still responsible for
introducing your author to the class. More information about presentations will be forthcoming.
Exams
You will have two exams in this course. The final exam will be cumulative. These exams will contain a variety of questions; they
may include passage identification, matching, short answer, and/or essay questions. You should know the historical context, authors,
and titles of the works. Taking notes, even in what seems like informal discussions, will be very helpful in your preparation for these
exams. You are responsible for all material that is disseminated through verbal communication, my website, D2L, written
assignments, and handouts. Students will not be allowed to keep exams. We will review the material in class. Students are welcome
to visit during my office hours if they would like to take an extra look at the exam.
Participation
In order to earn an average participation grade (in the C range), you must fulfill four basic requirements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Arrive on time
Be ready to discuss readings when called on
Be prepared with the book or readings in class
Complete class work and have homework completed
Listen respectfully
To earn a B, you must consistently fulfill requirements 1-5, and:
1.
2.
Volunteer questions or points of interest from readings to generate discussion
Willingly offer ideas in class; make sure your contributions are topical and thoughtful
To earn an A, you must consistently fulfill the above criteria and:
1.
2.
Show leadership in class discussions (break uncomfortable silences; respond to open-ended questions; challenge received opinions; ask
difficult questions)
Respond to other students’ ideas (not just mine) by asking questions or building on their points
You will receive a failing participation grade if you are excessively and/or frequently: (1) tardy; (2) unprepared for class; (3)
disruptive during class; or (4) occupied with activities other than those related to English. Please remember to turn off all cell phones
and to be respectful of other students and the instructor during discussions or lectures. Participation is important to the success of this
course. Your participation grade will be a composite of my perception of your contribution to the class.
Attendance
Students may have up to four absences without penalty. All absences are considered the same, whether the absence is due to a
legitimate illness, a family emergency, or a desire to have an early weekend. No excuse is necessary for absences one through four.
Each subsequent absence (after four) will result in a five-point deduction from the student’s final grade. NO EXCEPTIONS. Use
your absences wisely. You are responsible for all material missed. If you are absent, you are welcome to visit me during my next
scheduled office hours. I am happy to discuss material, but I will not re-teach all of the material that was covered during your
absence.
Please Do NOT come late to class. I understand that sometimes late arrival is unavoidable; however, chronic tardiness will adversely
impact your grade. Attendance will be called at the beginning of each class. Students who arrive after I have called roll must sign in
after class. If chronic tardiness occurs, I will begin to close the classroom door after I take roll. Students who are not inside the
classroom when I close the door should not enter the classroom. He or she will be marked absent for that class period. Three tardies
will result in one absence. Students who miss fifteen or more minutes of class will be counted absent for that class period.
Academic Integrity
The 2014-2015 Gordon College Academic Catalog states that
Plagiarism is prohibited. It is assumed that the written work submitted for evaluation and credit is the student's own unless
appropriately acknowledged. Such acknowledgment should occur whenever one directly quotes another person's actual
words, appropriates another's ideas, opinions, or theories even when they are paraphrased, and whenever one borrows facts,
statistics, or other illustrative materials unless the information is common knowledge. (321)
Be mindful of this in your academic work. Academic integrity is a serious matter.
Types of Plagiarism:
Lack of Citation- Quotations that do not have proper citation or quotations that do not have accurate citation information.
Inadequate Paraphrase- A paraphrase that shares the same sentence structure and word choice with the original text
(Quotation), a paraphrase that changes the meaning of the original text, or a paraphrase that is not properly cited.
Patchwork Plagiarism- A text that is comprised, either entirely or in part, of improperly cited material from multiple
sources.
Wholesale Plagiarism- A text that is submitted by a student that is comprised of work that was written by someone other
than the student. This includes papers or sections of papers that are taken from the internet, purchased, retrieved from
reference books ,or written by an acquaintance, friend, or family member.
Self-Plagiarism-A text, either in its entirety or in part, that was written by the student and submitted for another course (or
the same course).
Collusion- A text with which a student receives so much help from others that the assignment can no longer be considered a
valid representation of the student’s work. This includes excessive help from friends, family members, tutors, or other
classmates. All work should be an indication of the student’s ability. I reserve the right to refuse to accept an assignment
that reflects collusion between a student and any other person.
At my discretion, the penalty for plagiarism of any type may range from a lower grade, to a zero on the assignment, to a failure of the
course. I will inform the Vice President of Student Affairs of cases of plagiarism. Egregious instances of plagiarism or repeated
instances of plagiarism will result in referral to the Academic Judicial Committee. Please review the Student Code of Conduct.
ADA Services
To qualify for ADA Services, you must see Counseling Services. Please contact Counseling Services at 678-359-5585 if you have
any questions.
Friendly Notes
Please ask if there is ever anything that you do not understand. Please come during my office hours or make an appointment with me. I am here to
help, and I want to help! I would also encourage you to utilize the Students Success Center, which is located in room 235 of the Student Center. The
tutoring staff there can help you in most of your courses. ( http://www.gdn.edu/successcenter/ )
Students are responsible for all written and verbal material that I introduce in class, post on the website, send through email, and place on
Desire2Learn. Make sure that you check your Gordon email frequently. I will use your gordonstate.edu address to communicate frequently.
Students are expected to always follow the schedule without being prompted by the professor, unless notified of specific changes.
I do not respond to emails after 5:00 pm or on weekends. If I do respond via email during those times, you should consider it a courtesy. I will try to
respond to all emails in a timely manner.
I will return paper grades within two weeks of submission. Please do not ask when papers will be returned prior to this two week period.
Students are required to wait at least twenty-four hours to ask questions about their paper grades. During that twenty-four hour period, students
should review both my comments and their paper to make sure that they fully understand their grade. Those questions should be asked during my
office hours.
I expect you to read the syllabus, your assignments, and any supplemental documents that I supply thoroughly. I am happy to answer any questions
that you have, but please make sure that your questions do not reflect your failure to read the materials that I supply.
Depending on our discussions, some lectures may continue at the beginning of the next class period. However, students should keep up with the
readings as indicated on the syllabus.
English 2132
American Literature II
Fall 2014
TR 12:30-1:45, CRN 351, Section A1
114 Academic Building
****We will discuss what is listed on the day that it is listed. Have texts read, printed, and with you.
****I expect you to read all introductory and closing material that accompanies texts.
****Schedule subject to chance with notice
Thursday, Aug. 14
Introductions, Discuss Whitman and Realism HW: Read Twain’s Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn Ch 1-16 pg130-188
Tuesday, Aug. 19
Discuss Huck Finn ; HW: Read Huck Finn Ch 17-28 pgs 188-250
Thursday, Aug. 21
Discuss Huck Finn; HW: Read Huck Finn Ch 29-Finish pgs 250-309
Tuesday, Aug. 26
Discuss Huck Finn; HW Read All of Daisy Miller pgs 421-459
Thursday, Aug. 28
Watch Realism: The Artistic Form of the Truth on the Films On Demand Database,
Complete Accompanying Assignment
Tuesday, Sept. 2
Discuss Daisy Miller; HW: Read all of “Maggie” pgs. 946-989
Thursday, Sept. 4
Discuss “Maggie”; HW: Read Ch 1-19 pgs 561-607 of The Awakening
Tuesday, Sept. 9
Discuss The Awakening; HW: Read Ch 20-Finish pgs 607-652of The Awakening
Thursday, Sept. 11
Discuss The Awakening; HW: HW: Read Chesnutt’s “The Goophered Grapevine” “The
Wife of his Youth,” and “The Passing of Grandison” pgs 699-726
Tuesday, Sept. 16
Discuss Chesnutt; HW: Read My Antonia BK1Ch 1-Bk1 Ch 16 pgs 47-92
Thursday, Sept. 18
Discuss My Ántonia; HW: Read My Ántonia Bk1Ch17-Bk2Ch15 pgs 92-138
Tuesday, Sept. 23
Discuss My Ántonia; HW: Read My Ántonia Bk3-Ch1-Finish pgs 138-181
Thursday, Sept. 25
Discuss My Ántonia and Review for Exam
Tuesday, Sept. 30
Midterm Exam; HW: : Read Quicksand Ch 1-12 pgs 551-590
Thursday, Oct.2
Discuss the Harlem Renaissance and Quicksand; HW Read Quicksand Ch 13-25 pgs
591-632
Tuesday, Oct. 7
Discuss Quicksand (Withdrawal Deadline is Oct. 6th); HW: Read As I Lay Dying pgs
698-745
Thursday, Oct. 9
Discuss As I Lay Dying; HW: Read As I Lay Dying pgs 745-793
Tuesday, Oct. 14
Fall Break
Thursday, Oct. 16
Discuss As I Lay Dying; HW: “Big Boy Leaves Home” and “Long Black Song’ both on
the website
Tuesday, Oct. 21
Discuss Richard Wright; HW: Read All of A Streetcar Named Desire pgs 93-155
Thursday, Oct. 23
Discuss A Streetcar Named Desire HW: Read “The Life You Save Might Be Your
Own” and “Good Country People” pgs 437-458
Tuesday, Oct. 28
Discuss O’Connor; HW: Read and “No Name Woman” pgs 793-801 and Selected Asian
American TBA
Thursday, Oct. 30
Discuss Kingston and Asian American Poets; HW: Read The Wash on the website
Tuesday, Nov. 4
Critical Analysis Due, Discuss The Wash; HW: Read “A Drug Called Tradition” on the
website, “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona,” and Selected Native
American Poetry TBA
Thursday, Nov. 6
Discuss Alexie and Native American Poetry; HW: Read The Brief Wondrous Life of
Oscar Wao pgs 1-65
Tuesday, Nov. 11
Finish Discussion of Native American Poetry, Discuss Diaz HW: Read The Brief
Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao pgs 65-136
Thursday, Nov. 13
Discuss Diaz; HW: Read The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao pgs 136-201
Tuesday, Nov. 18
Discuss Diaz; HW: Read The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao pgs 204-270
Thursday, Nov. 20
Discuss Diaz; HW: Read The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao pgs 270-270
Tuesday, Nov. 25
Discuss Diaz; HW: Review for the Exam
Thursday, Nov. 27
Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, Dec. 2
Exam Review
Final Exam: Friday, December 5, 2014 (10:15-12:15)