Intro to Lit 1
Introduction to Literature ENG 1063
School of Arts and Humanities
Instructor: Anderson M. Rearick III, PhD.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Spring, 2013. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
Credit: 3 Hours / CAMP 243
Sec. 1: Time: 8:00 am - 9:00 pm:
Contact Info:
Dr. Rearick's Office: RH 138 - I (Within School of Arts and Humanities Suit in Regents Hall 138)
Office Hours: M-W-F: 3:20-4:50, T-Th: 9:10 -10:10 and 12:50 pm to 3:15 pm1
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 more tight towards the end of the semester during personal reviews with Research
Students (Please note that in foul weather Prof. Rearick must catch the 4:00 MOTA bus)
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. 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
A Grief Obscured by C.S. Lewis Free Online
HarperSanFrancisco
ISBN: 0060652381
List Price: $9.95
Required
The Novel
Plays:
Great Expectations (Dover Thrift Editions)
(Paperback) Free Online
by Charles Dickens
Dover Publications (August 1, 2001)
ISBN: 0486415864
List Price: $3.00
Required
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.
The Anthology:
Hand outs:
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
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:










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:





Eleven (11) out of twelve (12) Quizzes: 40%
Class Participation: 20%
Midterm: 15% (March. 8)
Paper 10% (Due Friday April. 19)
Final Exam: 15% (May. 10)
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 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. Here is an example:
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 no body 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 count, but if you are looking at an approximate number the above entry is about 150 words.
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.
Intro to Lit 4
The Paper: Due Friday April. 19. You response paper should be only about three to four pages with a
works cited beyond that. You can tale an online discussion point and incorporate the primary text with a
secondary resource to come to some conclusion about the issue. This paper should be double-spaced and
done in MLA format. A PowerPoint and discussion will be done in class.
Midterm: Friday March 8 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 Wednesday May, 10 from 8:00 to 9:40. 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.
Extra Credit: Although there will be no papers required for this class, a student can add extra credit to his
or her grade by writing a paper or papers using MLA format on outside reading concerning any of the
works or authors covered in class. 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 the class just
at the end of the third week, Friday Jan. 20th. Remember this is optional, but an “A” student takes
advantage of options.
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.
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.
Intro to Lit 5
2013 Spring Class Schedule
Important Dates:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Spring classes begins Monday, January 28, 2013 at 7:50 A.M.
Spring break begins Friday, March 8, 2013 at 5:35 P.M.
Spring break ends and classes resume at 7:50 A.M. on Monday, March 18, 2013. No classes on March
11, 12, 13, 14, & 15.
Easter break begins Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 5:35 P.M. No classes on March 29 (Good Friday)
and April 1 up to 5:35 P.M. that day.
Easter break ends and classes resume on Monday, April 1, 2013 at 5:35 PM.
Faculty Forum – Thursday, April 4, 2013 from 7:50-11:30 AM.
Blue-Green Day is Thursday, April 25th so classes are dismissed between 12:30-4:30 P.M. that day.
Last Day of Class Monday May 6
Final Exam is on Friday (Not my choice) at 8:00 May 10
Spring 2013 Class Schedule
Week One: Jan. 28-Feb. 1
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. . .




allegory
genre
sub-genre
short story vs. novella



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.
Mon Jan. 28 First Day of Class


Introduction: The Natures of Literature: “Welcome to the Wide World of Books!”
Lecture on Pleasure: the Cornerstone of Literature—defining what we study. .
Readings:
"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 over the weekend
Possible Discussion Topics:




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?
Othello's isolation is complex. Considering the different forces working against him, which do you think is the most
profound?
Intro to Lit 6
Wed. Jan. 30

A Lecture on Shakespeare’s Theater – Communicating to the masses.
Readings:
"Literature; What Do You Suppose. . .?" [Handout]
Othello by William Shakespeare 1273-1293 (Act One and Two)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 1-2
Possible Discussion Topics:



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?
Why do you think Pip cries at the very beginning of Great Expectations (before the convict scares him)?
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.
Fri. Feb. 1

Lecture on the Changing Canon: How Literature Speaks to Different Ages
Readings
Othello by William Shakespeare (1301-1323) (Act Three)
An Experiment in Criticism. Chap. One: "The Literary Reader" (online)
"Young Goodman Brown" by Nathanial Hawthorne (309-320)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 3-5
Possible Discussion Topics:


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?
Quiz # 1 online
Week Two: Feb. 4- 8
Mon. Feb. 4

Lecture on Isolation: Literature’s natural antithesis—why isolated people write
Readings
Othello by William Shakespeare (1334-1351) (Act Four)
"Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by S.T. Coleridge [Handout]
"The Daffodils" or "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" by William Wordsworth (1015)
"The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell (67-86)
Possible Discussion Topics:





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?
Intro to Lit 7
Wed. Feb. 6

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.

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)
"Tinturn Abbey" by William Wordsworth [Handout]
"Kubla Khan" [e-text] by Samuel T. Coleridge (951)
Othello by William Shakespeare (1323 -1341) (Act Four)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 6-7
Possible Discussion Topics:



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?
Fri. Feb. 8

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]
Othello by William Shakespeare (1341-1357) (Act Five)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 8-10
Possible Discussion Topics:




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 Shalott make the right choice? Is it better to love and lose than to never love at all??
Quiz # 2 online
Week Three: Feb. 11-15
Mon. Feb. 11
THEME II. Gender Difference as Isolating Factors
Learn the literary meaning for. . .




themes
motifs
symbols
patriarchy




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.
Intro to Lit 8

Lecture How Does Literature Portray the Isolating Affect 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]
An Experiment in Criticism Chap. Three: "How the Few and the Many use Pictures and Music" by C.S. Lewis
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Possible Discussion Questions:



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 thin would fit your personality, which bride would you probably be, Katrina or Bianca?
Wed. Feb. 13

Shakespeare's Bad/Good Woman & Good/Bad Woman: How the Bard Rebelled Against the His
Age’s Isolating View of Gender Relations (A helpful Study Guide on the Taming of the Shrew is
available on Moodle)
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
Great Expectations: Chapters: 11-12
Possible Discussion Topics:


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?
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?
Fri.: Feb. 15
THEME III. Love and Marriage—Forces Against Isolation, Their Success and Failure.
Terms you should learn about Lit and Love:




Poetry
Lyrical Poetry
Metaphor
Dramatic Monologue


Carpe Diem
Courtly Love
Remember that there is a Glossary available at Dr. Rearick's Reading Room under the heading:
"Resources."

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: 13-15
Online Quiz # 3
Intro to Lit 9
Week Four: Feb. 18-22
Mon Feb. 18

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
Wed. Feb. 20

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
Fri. Feb. 22
THEME IV. The Power of Familial and Personal Love Against The Isolating Force of Culture:
Terms you should learn about Lit and Culture:



Bildungsonroman
Romance
Marginalized


Culture
Drama
Remember that there is a Glossary available at Dr. Rearick's Reading Room under the heading:
"Resources."

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]
Great Expectations: Chapters: 18-20
Possible Discussion Topics:


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"?
Online Quiz # 4
Week Five: Feb. 25-March 1
Mon. Feb. 25
 Lecture: Cultureral Expectations as Isolating Forces
Intro to Lit 10
Readings
Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw
"The White Man's Burden" Rudyard Kipling [Handout]
"Cross" by Langston Hughes (682)
An Experiment in Criticism by C.S. Lewis: Chap. Four: "The Reading of the Unliterary"
Possible Discussion Topics:



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?
Wed. Feb. 28

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:


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?
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?
Fri. March 1

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:


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?
Online Quiz # 5
Week Six: March 4 - 8
Mon. March 4
 Can the Formulaic Still Be Great?
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:
Intro to Lit 11




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?
Wed. March 6
 What About the Family?
Readings



Poems
"Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden (690)
"Resolution and Independence" by William Wordsworth [Handout]
"Frost at Midnight" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge [Handout]
Short Story
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson (261-269)
Long Works
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 40-59
Great Expectations: Chapters: 28-33
Possible Discussion Topics”


What effect does “The Lottery” have by having people who seem so familiar do such an alien act as a harvest sacrifice?
There is a tone of regret in “Thos Winter Sundays.” Do you think these feelings are common when people think of their
parents?
Fri. March 8- Midterm Exam Taken in Class
Midterm Break Actually Begins on Friday, March. 8th at 5:33pm
(Online Midterm but done in class)
Week Seven: March 11-15 Spring Break
Monday:
Wednesday:
Friday:
March 11 Midterm Break
March 13 Midterm Break
March 15 Midterm Break
Week Eight: March 18- 22
Monday: March 18
 A Warning to Fathers
Readings
 Poems
"We Are Seven" by William Wordsworth [Handout]
"Anecdote for Fathers" by William Wordsworth [Handout]
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 59-67
Great Expectations: Chapters: 34-35
Wednesday: March 20
THEME V. Isolation through Death and Hope Through Consolation
Learn the literary meaning for. . .



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.
Intro to Lit 12

Lecture “Weeping Privately and Publicly: How Poets Have Portrayed the Ultimate Separation”
Readings
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 68-71
In Memorium [introduction] by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Great Expectations: Chapters: 36-38
Possible Discussion Topics:


What is the difference between Tennyson’s and Thomas’ view of the Approach of Death?
Do you find truth in William Cullen Bryant’s "Thanatopsis"? Does it comfort you?
Friday: March 22
Readings
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 71-80
Shadowlands by William Nicholson (viewed in class)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 39-40
Possible Discussion Topics:


What is the importance of Lewis’ observation that “noone ever told me that grief is like being afraid.”
Would you make fun of Death as Donne seems to in “Death Be Not Proud”?
Quiz # 6 online
Week Nine: March 25- 29
Mon. March 25

Grief and Faith
Readings
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis pp. 80-89
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
Great Expectations: Chapters: 41-43
Wed. March 27


The Death of the Mighty and the Humble
How Poets Deal with Their Own Inevitable appointment with Death
Readings
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
"On My First Son" by Ben Jonson [Handout]
"The Lost Baby Poem" by Lucille Clifton (online)
"Oh Captain! My Captain! " by Walt Whitman [Handout]
"Thanatopsis” by William Cullen Bryant [Handout]
"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:


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”?
Fri. March 29 Good Friday No Class
Great Expectations: Chapters: 44-45
Online Quiz 7
Intro to Lit 13
Possible Discussion Topics:


What is the difference between Tennyson’s and Thomas’ view of the Approach of Death?
Do you find truth in William Cullen Bryant’s "Thanatopsis"? Does it comfort you?
Week Ten: April 1-5
Mon. April 1 – No Class Easter Break Traveling Day
Wed. April 3
Readings
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
"Dover Beach " by Matthew Arnold (813)
"Death be Not Proud" by John Donne (890)
“Death Shall Have No Dominion” Dylan Thomas (audio file)
"Because I Would Not Stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson (742)
Fri. April 5
Readings
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
"Crossing the Bar " by Alfred Lord Tennyson (807)
"Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night" by Dylan Thomas (887)
"I felt a Funeral in my Brain" by Emily Dickenson (695)
Great Expectations: Chapters: 46-48
Possible Discussion Topics:


What does Emily Dickinson see as the nature of Death?
Dylan Thomas’s powerful words hold some truth. But what does a Christian do when the truth is incomplete?
Online Quiz # 8
Week Eleven: April 8-12
Mon. April 8
Readings
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
"Hope" by Emily Dickinson (online)
"There's Been a Death in the Opposite House" Emily Dickenson (665)
"I Never Saw A Moor" by Emily Dickenson (791)
"Bereft" by Robert Frost (706)
"Is My Team Plowing?" by A.E. Housman (662)
Wed. April 10
 Lives there More Faith in Honest Doubt?
Readings
Shadowlands by William Nicholson
In Memorium [Online Text] by Alfred Tennyson
Great Expectations: Chapters: 49-50
Fri. April 12
THEME VI. The Brotherhood of Chivalry and the Isolation of War
Learn the literary meaning for. . .


Romance (review)
Heroic


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.
Intro to Lit 14

Lecture on War and Chivalry
Readings
Great Expectations: Chapters: 51-53
Online Quiz # 9
Week Twelve April 15-19
Mon. April 15

From Where Does Isolation Arise in Combat?
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare [e-text Online]
Great Expectations: Chapters: 54-55
Wed. April 17
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare [e-text Online]
"Drum Taps" from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman [Handout]
Drum Taps
"The Dresser"
"Reconciliation
Great Expectations: Chapters: 56-58
Fri. April 19
Submit Lit Analysis Paper through Turnitin on Moodle
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare [e-text Online]
"The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy (657)
Online Quiz # 10
Week Thirteen April 22 – April 26
Monday: April 22

War Viewed From a Distance vs., War Viewed Face to Face
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare [e-text Online]
Great Expectations: Chapters: 59
"The Battlefield" by Emily Dickinson [online]
Wednesday: May 24

Is Chivalry the “Old Lie?”
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare [e-text Online]
"The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred Lord Tennyson [Handout Online]
"Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Own (637)
Intro to Lit 15
Friday: April 26
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare
"Boots" by Rudyard Kipling [Handout]
"Anthem for Doomed Youth" Wilfred Owen (873)
Online Quiz # 11
Week Fourteen: April 29 - May 3
Mon. April 29

Is Chivalry the “Old Lie?”
Readings
Henry V by William Shakespeare [e-text Online]
"Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Own (651)
"Anthem for Doomed Youth" Wilfred Owen (875)
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane (Excerpt online)
Wed. May 1

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 online)
“The War Prayer” by Mark Twain (handout and online)
“The Campaign That Failed” by Mark Twain
Friday: May 3
Readings:
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane (Excerpt online)
Online Quiz # 12
Week 16 May 6 -10
Mon. May 6
 Catch-up and Review
FINAL is scheduled for
 Friday May, 10 from 8:00 to 9:40
Have a Great Summer!