Intro to Lit 1
Introduction to Literature ENG 1063
School of Arts and Humanities
Instructor: Anderson M. Rearick III, PhD.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Fall, 2013. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
Credit: 3 Hours / CHPL 202 (Chapel)
Sec. 2: Time: 2:10 am - 3:10 pm:
Contact Info:
Dr. Rearick's Office: RH 138 - I (Within School of Arts and Humanities Suit in Regents Hall 138)
Office Hours: Everyday: 1:50p-2:10p and from 3:10 to 4:10; Tues – Thurs also 2:10-3:10 or earlier in the
day by appointment1
Office (740) 392-6868 [740-397-9000] Ext. 3508
Home (740) 392-3738-- Please no calls after 9:00
Email: anderson.rearick@mvnu.edu
Course Description:
The purpose of ENG1063, Introduction to Literature, as described by the Online Catalogue: is to be a
"study of literary genres through representative readings. Prerequisite: ENG1053G." This class will meet
three times a week for three weeks to discuss the nature of literature using as raw material the readings
listed as well as a series of handouts to be dispersed during the semester. Discussions will center on some
of the common themes that have haunted the human mind and heart throughout western history.
Class Procedure: ENG1063 Introduction to Literature: This class will meet three times a week for
fourteen weeks to discuss the nature of literature using the below reading list as raw
material drawn from textbooks as well as a series of handouts purchased in the
bookstore. Also this class will have a strong amount of activities on the Moodle
platform. Various links connected with our readings (including some of the actual texts)
will be found there as well as all the online discussion posts. Visit Moodle often.
Rather than divided by literary types or chronological order, class discussions will center on some of the
common themes that have haunted the human mind and heart throughout western history. The material
will be grouped thematically: isolation through self centeredness, isolation by gender difference, isolation
by “cultureral” forces, isolation by death, and isolation by war. In each case authors have depicted
responses that include forgiveness, love, community reconciliation and peace.
The following reading list is not exclusive and, in fact, many important works (probably including many of
your favorites) have been excluded. This class can only function as an introduction, not an exhaustive
study. I encourage you to think of the texts for this class not as a single resource but a series of
inexhaustible treasure chests, capable of refreshment and inspiration time and time again.
Students will be evaluated by a series of twelve quizzes, class participation, and a final. Also the option for
extra credit will be made available for those who are willing to do extra work.
The purpose of this course is. . .
1.
2.
3.
4.
1
to expose the student to a wide range of literary genres: poetry, drama, novel and short story
to introduce the student to a wide ranger of authors of different cultures, genders and ages.
to encourage the student to consider what makes a work of literature worthy--how should the
cannon be formed?
to introduce some of the important common issues which authors--in spite of their different
backgrounds, cultures, and mediums--often examine.
Be aware that appointments will become tighter towards the end of the semester during personal reviews with Research.
Intro to Lit 2
Actual Reading Texts: The purpose of this course is to broaden the student's understanding of the human
condition, to widen his or her understanding of how people think, and develop his or her own sense of what
is worthwhile and beautiful. Thus these texts have value long after the student completes this class and
should be looked upon as the beginning of what may become a treasure trove of future reading. Also,
contrary to what you may have experienced in the past, our time together will not be series of plot
summaries. These works open to larger discussion issues. Thus, while I will warn you what works will be
included on the series of quizzes, you are responsible to be “up to speed” on the readings and not depend
only on only class discussion for plot specifics. This especially applies to the required novel Great
Expectations. One final note, readings listed on a day in a syllabus are expected to be completed by that
day.
Criticism
Autobiography
An Experiment in Criticism by C.S. Lewis
Cambridge University Press; Rep edition
(January 31, 1992)
ISBN: 0521422817
List Price: $16.99
Free Online
The Novel
Great Expectations (Dover Thrift Editions)
(Paperback) Free Online
by Charles Dickens
Dover Publications (August 1, 2001)
ISBN: 0486415864
List Price: $3.00
Required
The Anthology:
Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense
Tenth (10th) Edition
Edited by Thomas Arp and Greg Johnson.
List Price: $85.95
Harcourt College Pub (Thomson)
ISBN: 141300654X
Required
A Grief Obscured by C.S. Lewis Free Online
HarperSanFrancisco (this text is online)
ISBN: 0060652381
List Price: $9.95
Required
Plays: All will be viewed either in class or in
special evening sessions.
Othello by William Shakespeare
Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
Henry V by William Shakespeare
Please note that except for Othello which is in
The Perrine's Anthology all the others are on
web sites.
Hand outs:
The Internet Literary Vocabulary Page accessed
from Dr. Rearick's Reading Corner and Moodle.
Unless specified by Dr. Rearick, such hand-outs
should be considered required reading like any of
the assigned texts.
Supplemental Readings for ENG1063 (Online) Hard copies can be made available. In our readings texts
from this are indicated as “handouts.”
Grading Scale:
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100 - 93 = A Exceptional! A cut above--unusually good.
92 - 90 = A - Very, Very Well Done! -- above expectations.
89 - 87 = B + Well Done! A fine Job!
89 - 83 = B Really Good
82 - 80 = B - Pretty Good
79 - 77 = C + Solidly in there
76 - 73 = C Clearly a concrete understanding of the subject
72 - 70 = C - Understanding of subject is workable
69 - 60 = D Passing but weak
59 and below is an "F" Fell short of required understanding of material
Intro to Lit 3
Grading:
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Eleven (11) out of twelve (12) Quizzes: 40%
Class Participation: 20%
Paper 5% (Due Friday Nov. 15)
Midterm: 15% (Oct. 18)
Final Exam: 20% (Dec. 12 at 1:10pm)
Attendance: Since we are functioning on an intensive schedule, it is vital that you be in class throughout
the semester--even on days when a play is being shown in class. Therefore attendance will factor into your
class participation grade. Three absences will be allowed and then five points will be taken from the
student's "participation" score starting at 85 (90 - 5) and continuing. Students who are involved in a
recognized activity for the school (Mandate weekends, traveling musical groups, athletes) need to see the
instructor ahead of time so arrangements can be made.
More About Class Participation: Lecture will only play a part in this class's activities. Literature is meant
to be talked about. Students are encouraged to express their opinions and share their unique insights. Each
of us brings something special to a text that is ours alone. Thus, your comments are very important. Your
online class home on Moodle will have ongoing discussion questions. Students should interact online at
least once every two weeks (a total of at least seven entries by the end of the semester). This amount of
activity earns a 90% towards your class participation grade; more interaction raises the grade. More
means extra credit. Also this exercise is intended to encourage interaction. Therefore you should plan to
make three of your entries responses to what other peers have posted. Here is an example of what a post
looks like:
Threaded Discussion Example:
.
Prompt: What is the Nature of Literature?
When adding this class to your schedule last, you probably had in your mind some definition of what
literature is. Mark Twain said a classic was "a book which everyone says one should read but nobody ever
does." Besides being BORING BOOKS, what did you think you were going to study? And why do you
think, the study of this material is included in the stuff you MUST take before leaving MVNU?
Student Response: I Recognized Most of the Works
Upon seeing the syllabus, I recognized most of the works and knew that my high school teachers
prepared me well for this class. I thought I was in for another episode of high school. In my mind,
literature and boredom are synonymous. The outlook was grim.
Looking back, I couldn’t have been more wrong. I can honestly say that my feelings have changed
100%. This class has been such an enjoyment to me. I am always under the assumption that when
I study a piece of literature once I become a master of it. Again, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Revisiting different works has challenged me as much as studying them for the first time. I am
continually pushing myself to see new points of view or meaning. The class discussion was great
and made me face the reality that even on a Christian campus there will be differing opinions.
I don’t usually count, but if you are looking at an approximate number the above entry is about 150 words.
The Paper: Due Friday Nov. 15. You response paper should be only about three pages long. The subject
is your choice except that it must fall within the works covered in class. You may consider some of the
online discussion points and even incorporating a peer’s response and the text come to some conclusion
about your thesis. You are writing about a work, not explaining what happens in the text. This paper
should be double-spaced and done in MLA format. It will be submitted and graded in the class’ Moodle
Turnitin©
Intro to Lit 4
Quizzes: There will be a quiz every week online. They should take no more than a half an hour. However
they will be accessible from Friday to Monday. Unless indicated by the professor readings assigned for
that Friday will very likely appear on the quiz. These quizzes will be composed of multiple-choice, true or
false and matching questions, about twelve in total. There will be make-ups only for medical emergencies
or such like (if you are sick for more than three days there’s a real problem). Students, who know they will
be missing an exam ahead of time, should contact the professor. One quiz will be dropped at the end of the
year. These quizzes will be taken online and usually will be available for a 48 hour time span while the
actual quiz once opened will be so for one hour.
Midterm: Friday Oct. 18. The midterm exam, which is schedule for the Friday before midterm break, will
be similar to the quizzes given as far as the type of questions. There are usually 100 questions.
Final Exam: The final exam will be given on Thursday, Dec 12, from 1:10 through 3:00. It will be based
strongly on the tests given during the second half of the semester. However, do not be surprised if some
material is drawn from the first half. Also I cannot change this date which was assigned to me.
Extra Credit: A student can add extra credit to his or her grade by writing a second paper using MLA
format on outside reading concerning any of the works or authors covered in class. In other words, look up
a critical article from a journal (or an anthology of essays) and write a report on it. Furthermore, another
option for extra credit is to view or listen to and then writes a review about tapes or video films on reserve
in the library. Credit will vary according to the project. Extra points will be added directly to the final
score for work handed in before or on Monday’s class, Dec. 2, 2013. (Just after Thanksgiving Break)
Remember this is optional, but an “A” student takes advantage of such options.
Classroom Etiquette: Normal day-to-day social relations break down quickly without common courtesy.
Common courtesy is an extremely important trait in all human interaction including the world of
academics. Of course it is also a minimum requirement for getting and keeping most jobs. Thus, using
common courtesy in college is good practice for the real world.
The most basic idea is to not disrupt your classmates, or your instructor, during class. So, please avoid
behavior like: habitually coming to class late; passing around photos that document what you did on the
weekend; maintaining steady conversation with neighbors during lecture or other class activities; taking (or
making!) calls on your cell phone.
My concern for common courtesy during class is a practical one. If you are (for example) talking out loud
while I am trying to run a class, I will not be able to hear myself think. I'll be hearing you talk. That is
disruptive for me, and it makes my job harder. Disruptive behavior can and has poisoned the entire
environment of classes. Therefore I will seek to change the behavior of people who make my job harder. I
claim the right to impose a seating chart on the class, or on a subset of the class, in order to promote
common courtesy.
About Laptops: Laptop computers are a great tool, but like all technology
there is also a potential for abuse. Many of my peers have banned laptops
from the classroom entirely to avoid the back-row, Facebook, email cybersurfers. I would prefer not to do this. Therefore laptops will be allowed but
only in the front row and users of laptops must be willing to respond to a
clap-checks periodically. (I will demonstrate) Those who cannot stay on task
will have to leave these remarkable tools in their rooms. Bring extension
cords if you need them.
Disability Needs: Students who qualify for and desire accommodations in
this course due to a disability, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, must follow the
Disability Service Policies and Procedures as put forth by the office of Academic Support. The guidelines
can be accessed in electronic form at the web address
http://www.mvnu.edu/academics/services/dservices.html (see Moodle for link) and in a hard copy at the
Academic Support office. Call extension 4540 for further information.
Intro to Lit 5
On a personal note, I am disabled because of eyesight, my son is disabled by breathing complications and
mild Asperger’s. Both my daughter and my wife (who is just finishing up her PhD from BU) struggle with
ADHD. Thus, I am especially sensitive to the needs and challenges faced by otherwise qualified students. I
"toughed" it out when I was at ENC, but the world has changed for the better and there are many resources
available to you I wish I had, resources I in fact presently use in my office such as a close circuit TV
attached to the screen of my computer as well as speaking programs which allow text to be read to me.
Pursue these things and see me if you have any such needs.
Literature on the Web: As we make our way through the readings you may wish to visit my web page, Dr.
Rearick's Reading Corner, located at:
http://nzr.mvnu.edu/faculty/trearick/english/rearick/readings/re_intro.htm
This address is reachable both on and off campus. Those of you who are local and do not have a computer
should remember that the Knox Public Library offers web access for a limited time, and--of course--the
labs of the campus library and computer labs are available to you.
Other web pages relating to works of literature that might be of interest to the student can be accessed from
this index page by title, author, genre, sub-genre, time period, or nationality. I have tried to place some
ideas and even sometimes some test questions connected with our class readings within these files. Also in
several cases there are links to study guides, e texts, and even connections to relevant web pages on the net.
Furthermore you will find similar links within your Moodle class home.
2013 Fall Class Schedule
Important Dates:
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Wed., Sept. 4, (Fall classes begin)
Friday, Oct. 18, (Midterm Exam)
Mon. & Tues. Oct. 21-22 (Midterm Break)
Wed. Fri. Nov. 27-29 (Thanksgiving Break)
Monday, Dec. 9, 2012 (Last Day of Class).
Thursday, Dec 12, from 1:10 through 3:00 Final Exam.
Week One: Wed., Sept. 5- Fri., Sept. 7 THEME I: The Nature of Literature and its depiction of
Isolation: The readings within our first week will define literature and examine its concern with humanity’s
basic state of isolation in general.
Terms: Here are some terms which you should know by the end of this section.
Look up the literary meaning for. . .
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allegory
genre
sub-genre
short story vs. novella
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verisimilitude
canon
willing suspension of disbelief
Note: looking up these words is not an option; it is expected: Remember to look at the Glossary available
at Dr. Rearick's Reading Corner under the heading: "Resources." A link is also available in Moodle.
Wed., Sept. 4 First Day of Class
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Introduction: The Natures of Literature: “Welcome to the Wide World of Books!”
Intro to Lit 6
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Lecture on Pleasure: the Cornerstone of Literature—defining what we study. .
Readings: (Note—Readings are expected on the day for which they are assigned. These are clearly the
exception and will appear within the opening lecture.)
"There is No Frigate Like a Book" by Emily Dickinson 758
"This is My Letter to the World" by Emily Dickinson (Handout)
"Literature; Now What the Heck. . .?" (Handout)
Trial Quiz is online: should be completed before Friday—just want to be sure you are comfortable with
the system.
Possible Discussion Topics:
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Emily Dickinson's two poem emphasize two important qualities in literature, escape and communication. Do you see
one as more important than the other? Why?
What should be the requirements that guide a professor to include a work in an Introduction to Literature Class?
Does Dr. Rearick's definition of literature change your original concept of the material to be covered?
Fri., Sept. 6
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A Lecture on Shakespeare’s Theater – Communicating to the masses.
Readings:
"Literature; What Do You Suppose. . .?" [Handout or online]
Othello by William Shakespeare 1273-1293 (Act One) within Perrine’s Literature
Great Expectations: Chapters: 1-2
Possible Discussion Topics:
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Pip from Great Expectations is depicted as trying to construct a sense of himself—why do you think Dickens
portrays this as important and why does it end (before he is scared out of his wits) with him crying?
Does the fact that these events occur near Christmas time add any special significance to how you, the reader,
interpret them? Remember Charles Dickens' feelings about Christmas were intense.
Othello marries Desdemona secretly. This seems romantic, but do you think there would be problems? How would
your parents feel if you got married without making them aware of your plans?
Week Two: Sept. 9-13
Monday: Sept. 9
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Lecture on the Changing Canon: How Literature Speaks to Different Ages
Readings
"Young Goodman Brown" [e-text] by Nathanial Hawthorne (299-311)
Othello [online text] by William Shakespeare (1293-1312) (Act Two)
An Experiment in Criticism. Chap. One: "The Literary Reader" (online)
Possible Discussion Topics:
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If Goodman Brown resisted temptation why do you think Hawthorne depicts his end in such a tragic manner?
Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" is written in the pattern of the famous allegory "Pilgrim's Progress." This could
have been called a "Pilgrim's Descent." What do you think he is saying about Christians?
Othello's isolation is complex. Considering the different forces working against him, which do you think is the most
profound?
Lewis says in “The Literary Reader” that such people are rare, but he also insists that they should not be considered
morally superior to others. Why do you think he made a point of saying basically “If you are literary you are one of the
few but don’t go about feeling self-righteously proud about that.”
Wednesday: Sept. 11
 Lecture on Isolation: Literature’s natural antithesis—why isolated people write
Intro to Lit 7
Readings
"Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by S.T. Coleridge [Handout]
"The Daffodils" or "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" by William Wordsworth (1019)
"The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell (67-86)
Othello [online text] by William Shakespeare (1312-1334) (Act Three)
Friday: Sept. 12
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A Lecture on The Romantics and Two Young Men Who Turned the World of Poetry Upside
down! What they thought of poetry and how it worked against the forces of isolation.
Readings
“Paul's Case by Willa Cather (234-251)
"Tinturn Abbey" by William Wordsworth [Handout]
Othello [online text] by William Shakespeare (1334-1351) (Act Four)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 3-5
Possible Discussion Topics:
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Few of us have had a dead albatross hung about our neck. What aspect of the Mariner's experience from "Rime" is true to
all readers? How is it true to yours?
Othello's isolation is complex. Considering the different forces working against him, which do you think is the most
profound?
In "The Most Dangerous Game" Connell seems to be working in two different worlds one in which there is morality and
one in which it is a matter of the surviving of the fittest. Which do you see as being depicted as the true one?
Do you the reader find Wordsworth's claim that nature gives bounty to those who take time to look at her (which is
especially useful when facing isolation or the faults of human society) makes sense or do you think he is projecting
something into nature which is not there?
According to Lewis' definition of readers are you a part of the majority (of nonliterary readers) or part of few (literary
readers)? What do you think about his categories?
Quiz # 1 online
Week Three: Sept. 16-20
Monday: Sept. 16
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A Lecture on What is Going On in Kubla Khan? Are Visionaries, Poets and Prophets Doomed to
Isolation?
Readings
Paul's Case by Willa Cather (244-261)
"Kubla Khan" [e-text] by Samuel T. Coleridge (951)
Othello by William Shakespeare (1352-1366) (Act Five)
Possible Discussion Topics:
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Do you think Othello has a "tragic flaw?" Illustrate your point from the play.
Do you the reader find Wordsworth's claim that nature gives bounty to those who take time to look at her (which is
especially useful when facing isolation r the faults of human society) makes sense or do you think he is projecting
something into nature which is not there?
What is going on in Paul's Case? He is clearly isolated from all those around him. Why does he hate his surroundings?
Why is suicide an option? Does he in any way tie in to some of the events happening in schools today, like Colimbine?
Wednesday: Sept. 18
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The Lady of Shallot Isolation by Aesthetic Vision or by Gender Difference?
Readings
"I'm Nobody" by Emily Dickinson [Handout]
"The Lady of Shallot" by [online text] Tennyson [Handout]
Great Expectations: Chapters: 8-10
Intro to Lit 8
Possible Discussion Topics:
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If you were a judge before whom Othello was brought, what punishment, if any would you place upon him?
Have you ever felt isolated because of a talent God has given you? Your the only one who thinks the choir could sound
better. Few in the congregation understand the poem you wrote for the missionary society. What have you done about it
Should Christian artists accept isolation as just the price to pay for being aesthetically developed?
Did the Lady of Shallot make the right choice? Is it better to love and lose than to never love at all?
Friday, Sept. 20
THEME II. Gender Difference as Isolating Factors
Learn the literary meaning for. . .
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themes
motifs
symbols
patriarchy
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negative capability
marginalized
antifeminist literature
misogynist
Remember that there is a Glossary available at Dr. Rearick's Reading Room under the heading:
"Resources" on Moodle.
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Lecture How Does Literature Portray the Isolating Nature of Gender Differences?
Readings
"If" by Rudyard Kipling [Handout]
"The Wife" by Emily Dickinson [Handout]
"A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner (526-534)
The Wife of Bath’s "Prologue" [online text] by Geoffrey Chaucer [Handout]
Great Expectations: Chapters: 6-7
An Experiment in Criticism Chap. Three: "How the Few and the Many use Pictures and Music" by C.S. Lewis
A helpful Study Guide on the Taming of the Shrew is available on Moodle
Possible Discussion Questions:
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What do you think of the qualities Kipling gives for "being a man." In your opinion are these male qualities or moral ones/
What does it say about Kipling's time period that he should given them gender emphasis?
At this stage of the play, if you are a man, who would you rather marry, Katrina or Bianca? If you are a woman which do
you think would fit your personality, which bride would you probably be, Katrina or Bianca?
The Wife of Bath is one of the most beloved characters in literature—yet she is also considered an anti-feminist figure and
many in Chaucer’s day would have found her the most dreadful of women. After reading her autobiographical narrative
how does she come across to you?
Lewis speaks against art as being used for something else. Can you think of examples in your own life in which art is used
for another purpose rather than one of esthetic enjoyment?
Online Quiz # 3
Week Four: Sept. 23-27
Monday: Sept. 23
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Shakespeare's Bad/Good Woman & Good/Bad Woman: How the Bard Rebelled Against the His
Age’s Isolating View of Gender Relations
Readings
“The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer [Handout]
"A Jury by Her Peers" by Susan Gadspell (534-553)
"Roman Fever" by Edith Wharton (373-384)
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Possible Discussion Topics:
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In "A Trial by Her Peers" the title plays with the basic American right that justice one is best given by those who
understand what the accused has experienced. In spite of this idea in American Justice white men made up most juries for a
long time. Why difference does gender make in this story? Is it important for people of a defendant's group be a part of the
jury that is going to decide? Does race matter?
Intro to Lit 9
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“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is a medieval romance and follows a lot of the expectations for that kind of narrative. However
many scholars feel that Chaucer also includes uniquely female conerns in the story. Do you agree and what do you think
they are?
In looking at the relationship between the two main characters in "Roman Fever" do men have relationships with friends
who are in part enemies or is this for the most part a female experience?
Wednesday: Sept. 25
THEME III. Love and Marriage—Forces Against Isolation, Their Success and Failure.
Terms you should learn about Lit and Love:
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Poetry
Lyrical Poetry
Metaphor
Dramatic Monologue
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Carpe Diem
Courtly Love
Remember that there is a Glossary available at Dr. Rearick's Reading Room under the heading:
"Resources."
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Lecture on Literature and Love: Where Does the Power Come From to Overcome the Isolation
cased by Gender Differences?
Readings:
"To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell (721-723)
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
"The Gilded Six-Bits" by Zora Neale Hurston (553-563)
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 1-9 (online)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 11-15
Friday Sept. 27
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The Nature of Poetry What Compels Poets to Speak?
Readings:
Pygmalion, [online text] by George Bernard Shaw
"Sonnet to a Friend" by Samuel Coleridge [Handout]
"We Outgrow Love" by Emily Dickenson [Handout]
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 10-17
Online Quiz # 4
Week Five: Sept. 30 - Oct. 4.
Monday: Sept. 30
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A Lecture About (Gasp!) Dickens In Love
Readings:
Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw
"My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning (768-780)
“The River Merchant's Wife" translated by Ezra Pound [Handout]
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 18-28
Great Expectations: Chapters: 16-17
Wednesday: Oct. 2
THEME IV. The Power of Familial and Personal Love Against The Isolating Force of Culture:
Intro to Lit 10
Terms you should learn about Lit and Culture:
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Bildungsonroman
Romance
Marginalized
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Culture
Drama
Remember that there is a Glossary available at Dr. Rearick's Reading Room under the heading:
"Resources."
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A Lecture about How Charles Dickens Revolutionaries the Novel and Made a Pretty Penny for
Himself at the Same Time, Overcoming the Obstacles of Culture, Money, and Class
Readings
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
"Meeting at Night" by Robert Browning (690)
"Parting at Morning" by Robert Browning (691)
"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker (166-174)
"The World is Too Much with Us: Later and Soon" by William Wordsworth [Handout]
An Experiment in Criticism by C.S. Lewis: Chap. Four: "The Reading of the Unliterary"
Possible Discussion Topics:
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In "Everyday Use" Alice Walker dedicates the short story to "grandmama." What sense do you get from such a dedication?
Is it important that she uses informal title? What is Walker saying about the generation before her own parents?
We in America are, in general, against arranged marriages. My Last Duchess gives a sense of why. But what do you do
with "The River Merchant's Wife"?
Lewis talks about reading for the purpose of gaining status. Considering how few today read, do you think this still
happens or do you think that other accomplishments now fulfill the same purpose which Lewis describes.
Friday Oct. 4
 Lecture: Cultureral Expectations as Isolating Forces
Readings
Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw
"The White Man's Burden" Rudyard Kipling [Handout]
"Cross" by Langston Hughes (682)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 18-20
Possible Discussion Topics:
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How does our society treat other societies? What comes to mind when one thinks of Latin America or the Middle East?
Very likely you found "The White Man's Burden" problematic. However, included in that mind set was the great
missionary works of the time (like David Livingston). Since Christendom (countries where Christianity was strongest) was
populated by mostly white people, did it suggest a burden? Has the missionary movement changed since then?
Various works within this section examine the family and the relationships between parents and children. What do you see
as being of special concern among our authors?
Online Quiz # 5
Week Six: Oct 7-11
Monday: Oct. 7

Living on the Edge of Society--Does Anyone Know I'm Out Here?
Readings
"The Ransom of "Red Chief" by O. Henry [Handout]
"The Whipping" by Robert Hayden (642)
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Great Expectations: Chapters: 21-22
Possible Discussion Topics:
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The two criminals in O. Henry's "The Ransom of Red Chief" while very funny are also depictions of people who are on the
fringe of society, homeless criminals. What does the author do to make them accessible to readers?
Intro to Lit 11
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In "The Whipping" the poet describes witnessing a boy getting punished. What insight does he share from the child's
perspective, his own, and the punishing parent?
What do you think of Herbert as revealed to be “the pale young gentleman?” And what do you think of Pip’s observation
that he instinctively knows that Herbert will never be rich. What does that say about Herbert and about Pip?
Wednesday: Oct. 9

Beyond Race and Economics: Culture's Isolating Pressure on Age Groups
Readings
Pygmalion, [online text] by George Bernard Shaw
"My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold" or "The Rainbow" by William Wordsworth [Handout]
"In the Inner City" by Lucille Clifton (768)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 23-25
Possible Discussion Topics:
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Wordsworth's phrase "the son is the father of the man" shows what insight into the consequences of how society treats its
children how?
Does Dickens' insights about the consequences of how children are treated in Great Expectations still have relevance
today?
Friday: Oct. 11

Can the Formulaic Literature Still Be Great Literature?
Readings
"The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" Stephen Crane (Online in Moodle)
"My Son, My Executioner" Donald Hall (Online in Moodle)
"The Drunkard" by Frank O'Conner (339-348) (339-347)
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 28-39
Great Expectations: Chapters: 26-27
Possible Discussion Topics:
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Do you agree with the narrator's mother at the end of "The Drunkard" that he had been his father's "guardian angel"?
Being publicly drunk is not funny, but this story, "The Drunkard" is. Do you see it as moral even while portraying cultural
problems?
What does Donald Hall achieve when while loving his child he knows that his boy is a constant reminder of his own
mortality?
In "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" what is the significance of the sheriff getting married? What kind of society will be
replaced in Yellow Sky? Do you think the author thinks this is good, bad, or just a simple fact?
Do you think that there is any significance about the detail in Great Expectations that Pip is made uncomfortable by the
convict sitting behind him breathing on him.
Online Quiz # 6
Week Seven: Oct. 14-18
Monday: Oct. 14

What About the Family?
Readings
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson (261-269)
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 40-50
"Resolution and Independence" by William Wordsworth [Handout]
Great Expectations: Chapters: 28-30
Possible Discussion Topics”
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What effect does “The Lottery” have by having people who seem so familiar do such an alien act as a harvest sacrifice?
In “Resolution and Independence” what do you think of the comfort the narrator draws from finding an old man who can
still make his living off of nature?
Intro to Lit 12
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Pip’s family background is part of what shapes him. What are the positives and what are the negatives in Great
Expectations.
Wednesday: Oct 16

A Warning to Fathers (and mothers)
Readings
"We Are Seven" by William Wordsworth [Handout]
"Anecdote for Fathers" by William Wordsworth [Handout]
"Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden (690)
"Frost at Midnight" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge [Handout]
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 50-59
Great Expectations: Chapters: 31-33
Possible Discussion Topics”
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In “We Are Seven” the speaker within the poem seems confident that his story proves that children have no concept of the
nature of death—but Romantics believe the children have profound insight. With that in mind is the speaker Wordsworth?
There is a tone of regret in “Those Winter Sundays.” Do you think these feelings are common when people think of their
parents?
In Great Expectations chapter 31 Pip and Herbert go to see Pip’s old friend Wopsel perform as Hamlet. What connection
does Pip’s awareness that Wopsel’s great triumph is actually a dismal failure have with his own hopes and ambitions?
Friday: Oct. 18
Midterm Exam
Week Eight: Oct. 21-25
Monday: Oct. 21 No Class Midterm Term Break
Wednesday: Oct. 24
THEME V. Isolation through Death and Hope through Consolation
Learn the literary meaning for. . .
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Eulogy or Elegy
Biography
Autobiography
Be sure to look up definitions for these terms in the Glossary provided by Prof. Rearick and linked and
from his Readers' Corner

Lecture: A Comparison of Shadowlands and A Grief Observed
Readings
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 59-67
Great Expectations: Chapters: 34-35
Friday Oct. 26
 C S Lewis and Alfred Lord Tennyson’s shared approach to Grief
Readings
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 68-71
In Memorium [handout] by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Great Expectations: Chapters: 36-38
Possible Discussion Topics:
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Tennyson says in In Memoriaum that in spite of the pain of loss; life is better if one has loved. What do you think?
Pip’s big day is a bit of a letdown in Great Expectations. Why?
Intro to Lit 13
Online Quiz # 7
Halloween Party at the Rearicks’
Week Nine: Oct. 28- Nov. 1
Monday: Oct 28
 “Weeping Privately and Publicly: How Poets Have Portrayed the Ultimate Separation”
Readings
"On My First Son" by Ben Jonson [Handout]
"The Lost Baby Poem" by Lucille Clifton (online)
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
Wednesday: Oct. 30 (Tomorrow is Halloween—Laughing at Death?)
 Is it really better to have loved and lost?
Readings
"Oh Captain! My Captain! " by Walt Whitman [Handout]
"Thanatopsis" by William Cullen Bryant [Handout]
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
Possible Discussion Topics:
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Do you think CS Lewis is correct to allow such personal doubts to become public?
Is Bryant’s solution for dark thought of the shoud satisfying?
Friday: Nov. 1

Lecture—Dickens and Death in Great Expectations
Readings
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 71-80
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
Great Expectations: Chapters: 39-40
Possible Discussion Topics:
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What is the importance of Lewis’ observation that “no one ever told me that grief is like being afraid.”
Would you make fun of Death as Donne seems to in “Death Be Not Proud”?
Think back to Pip’s narrative starting in the graveyard, followed by the convict making his way to the giblet as if her were
a dead pirate while the inhabitants of the graveyard reach out to drag him down. Think of Mrs Joe’s passing. What role
does death play in shaping the mind of Pip?
Online Quiz # 8
Week Ten: Nov 4- 8
Monday: Nov. 4

Love and Grief
Readings
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 80-89
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
Great Expectations: Chapters: 41-43
Wednesday: Nov. 6
Intro to Lit 14

The Death of the Mighty and the Humble
Readings
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray [Handout]
"On the Death of a Fair Infant Dying of a Cough" by John Milton [Handout]
"On His Deceased Wife" by John Milton [Handout]
"When Lilacs Last in the Doorway Bloom'd" by Walt Whitman [Handout]
Possible Discussion Topics:
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In “Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” there is the phrase “far from the maddening crowd.” What is gray
saying about the nature of what we consider great against what is truly noteworthy of those who go ahead of us in death?
Do you see a difference between Milton’s “On the Death of a Fair Infant” against that of his “On His Deceased Wife”?
Friday: Nov. 8

How Poets Deal with Their Own Inevitable appointment with Death
Readings
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
"Dover Beach " by Matthew Arnold (816)
"Death be Not Proud" by John Donne (892)
“Death Shall Have No Dominion” Dylan Thomas (audio file)
"Because I Would Not Stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson (752-753)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 44-45
Possible Discussion Topics:
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Examine the fact that both love and death are especially problematic in CS Lewis (as portrayed) because both are beyond
his control.
Do you find truth in William Cullen Bryant’s "Thanatopsis"? Does it comfort you?
Online Quiz # 9
Week Eleven: Nov. 11-15
Monday: Nov. 11
Readings
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
"Crossing the Bar " by Alfred Lord Tennyson (810)
"Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night" by Dylan Thomas (889)
"I felt a Funeral in my Brain" by Emily Dickenson (705)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 46-48
Possible Discussion Topics:
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What does Emily Dickinson see as the nature of Death?
Thomas and Tennyson are profoundly different in their moods while describing death—is one of them wrong or can they
both be right?
Wednesday: Nov. 13
Readings
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
"Hope" by Emily Dickinson
"I Never Saw A Moor" by Emily Dickenson (779)
"Bereft" by Robert Frost (716)
"Is My Team Plowing?" by A.E. Housman (674)
Friday: Nov. 15
 Lives there More Faith in Honest Doubt?
Readings
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
In Memorium [Online Text] by Alfred Tennyson
Great Expectations: Chapters: 49-50
Intro to Lit 15
Response Paper Due
Online Quiz #10
Week Twelve: Nov. 18-22
Monday: Nov. 18
THEME VI. The Brotherhood of Chivalry and the Isolation of War
Learn the literary meaning for. . .
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Romance (review)
Heroic
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Chivalry
Realistic
Be sure to look up definitions for these terms in the Glossary provided by Prof. Rearick and linked and
from his Readers' Corner.

Lecture on War and Chivalry
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare
Great Expectations: Chapters: 51-53
Wednesday: Nov. 20

From Where Does Isolation Arise in Combat?
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare [e-text]
Great Expectations: Chapters: 54-55
Friday: Nov. 22 No Class Thanksgiving

Is experience Necessary to Understand War?
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare
"Drum Taps" from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman [Handout ]
Drum Taps
"The Dresser"
"Reconciliation
Great Expectations: Chapters: 56-58
Online Quiz #11
Week Thirteen Nov 25-29
Monday: Nov. 25

Christians and the Use of Deadly Force
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare
"The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy (670)
 Last Day for extra credit written assignments—online discussions will be counted at the
end of the semester.
Wednesday: Nov. 27 No Class Thanksgiving
Friday: Nov. 29 No Class Thanksgiving Break
Break
Intro to Lit 16
Week Fourteen Dec. 2-5
Monday: Dec. 2

War Viewed From a Distance vs., War Viewed Face to Face
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare
Great Expectations: Chapters: 59
"The Battlefield" by Emily Dickinson
Wednesday: Dec. 4

Is Chivalry the “Old Lie?”
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare
"The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred Lord Tennyson
"Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Own (651)
Friday: Dec. 6
 What Right Does the State Have?
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare
"Boots" by Rudyard Kipling [Handout]
"Anthem for Doomed Youth" Wilfred Owen (875)
Online Quiz # 12
Week Fifteen: Dec. 9-13
Monday: Dec. 10

Whose Side is God On? Can We Be in Communion With Him and Still Wage War?
Readings
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane (Excerpt)
“The War Pray” by Mark Twain
"Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Own (651)
"Anthem for Doomed Youth" Wilfred Owen (875)
FINAL is scheduled for

Thursday, Dec 12, from 1:10 through 3:00 Final Exam
Have the Merriest of Christmases!