English 104, Section 06
Approach to Literature
MWF 12:00-12:50, MHRA 1215
Claudia McQuistion, Instructor
Office: Curry 335E
Office Hours: W 10-12, 2-3, or by appointment
E-mail: c_mcquis@uncg.edu
Course Description
ENG 104 is designed to help you become a more fluent reader of fiction, poetry, and drama.
We’ll study a variety of literary techniques and approaches as we consult work from
different time periods and cultural backgrounds, paying close attention to European and
American traditions. In addition to examining the conventions and craft of these diverse
forms, we’ll also explore how they seek to answer or raise questions about the ways in
which we live, and how they attempt to make our world richer. This course will give you
the tools and vocabulary you may need in order to appreciate the revelations and insight
that literature offers.
English 104-110 Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):
1. Demonstrate the reading skill required for the student of literary texts. (LG3)
2. Identify and/or describe some of the varied characteristics of literary texts. (LG3)
3. Demonstrate orally, in writing, or by some other means, a fundamental ability to
use some of the techniques and/or methods of literary analysis. (LG 1 and LG 3)
4. Identify and/or describe some of the various social, historical, cultural, and/or
theoretical contexts in which literary texts have been written and interpreted. (LG3)
The SLOs labeled (LG3) relate to UNCG’s Learning Goal #3 for General Education, which
says students will “Describe, interpret, and evaluate the ideas, events, and expressive
traditions that have shaped collective and individual human experience through inquiry and
analysis in the diverse disciplines of the humanities, religions, languages, histories, and the
arts.” (http://web.uncg.edu/reg/Bulletin/Current/UnivReq/GECProgram.aspx)
Those SLOs labeled (LG1) relate to UNCG’s Learning Goal #1 for General Education,
outlined in the guidelines for English 101.
Required Texts
Course Documents (http://blackboard.uncg.edu/). Required readings that don’t appear in
the textbooks will appear under Course Documents on our course’s Blackboard site. When
assigned, you are required to print these out and bring them to class. Please budget about
ten dollars for this expense.
Booth, Alison and Kelly Mays, eds. The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Tenth
Edition. New York: W.W. Norton, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-393-91164-0
Guare, John. Six Degrees of Separation. New York: Vintage, 1990. ISBN: 978-0-679-73481-3
Sparks, Summar, Tammy Lancaster, and Scott Thomas Gibson, eds. Lenses: Perspectives on
Literature. Plymouth, MI: Hayden-McNeil, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-7380-5105-5
Course Requirements & Policies
1. Attendance: It is essential that you arrive for every class meeting and that you arrive on
time. You may have four absences with no penalty to your grade. More than this will only
be tolerated if there are extreme circumstances (e.g., death in the family, emergency, illness).
In these cases, I will need proof or documentation (e.g., a doctor’s note). If documentation
is not applicable to your situation, set up a brief conference with me within one week of the
absence. I take attendance at the beginning of class, so please notify me at the end of class to
make sure you are not marked absent if you were late.
You are, by state law, allowed two excused absences due to religious holidays, which
do not count toward your total allowed three absences. If you plan to miss class because
of your faith, you must notify me in advance of your absence. For each unexcused absence
after your fourth absence, you will lose one third of your final letter grade (e.g, a B+ would
turn into a B). If you miss eight class classes, I am required to give you a failing grade for the
course. Please keep in mind that notifying me by email of your absence does not excuse it.
2. Participation: Your participation grade will result from in-class reflections and exercises,
discussion questions, and meaningful contributions to group work and class discussion.
Please be prepared to lead and take part in our conversations. If you find that it’s difficult to
chime in to our discussions, please let me know. All readings and assignments must be
completed the days they are due. This may seem obvious, but it needs to be said: I expect
you to treat your classmates with respect.
It is also expected that you bring the appropriate text(s) to class on the day(s) that we discuss
them, as well as writing materials (pen, notebook, etc.) Cell phones should be out of sight
and turned off during class. Laptops may be used in class only by students who have a
special need for purposes of note-taking or other classroom activities. No student may use a
laptop in class without a prior arrangement with me.
You will need regular access to your UNCG email. Email will be the primary avenue by
which I will communicate with you outside of class. Please be sure to check it routinely.
3. Assignments: This class is primarily focused on developing your skills as a reader of
literature, so all of the reading and writing assignments will be tailored to this task. Over the
course of the semester, you’ll complete one paper and two exams. You will also take
approximately one short quiz on Blackboard each week, which you will be notified about
via e-mail. All Blackboard quizzes are open book and must be completed before class on the
day the reading is due. There may be additional pop quizzes if I find that discussion is
lagging. Your lowest quiz grade will be dropped at the end of the semester. Be aware that
once a Blackboard quiz is closed, you will not be able to make it up. I do not accept late
quizzes. Please see me if you miss a quiz due to an illness or emergency.
4. Grading: Your final grade will be determined as follows:
Participation
Quizzes
Essay
First Exam
Second Exam
15%
20%
20%
20%
25%
Your essay must be in MLA format, in 12 point font with 1- inch margins. A header must
appear at the top right-hand corner with your name and page number. Please staple your
final draft. Finally, I expect your essay to be on time. If one is late, I will deduct a third of a
letter grade for each calendar day I do not have it.
If at any point you have questions regarding your progress or an assignment throughout the
semester please do not hesitate to contact me. Drop by during my office hours or e-mail me
to make an appointment. I will make every effort to respond to your message within 48
hours. If I haven’t replied to your message after 48 hours, then please re-send the message.
5. Academic Integrity: “Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the
following five values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include,
for example, cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification, and
facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it
must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are
incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be
tolerated.” (UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy)
To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic integrity, review the
guidelines and list of violations at <http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu>.
I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. If you intentionally violate the
Academic Integrity Policy by plagiarizing a published source or using the work of your
peers, I will likely catch you. Please talk to me if you’re having difficulties with the
assignment— that’s what I’m here for. That said, any instance of intentional plagiarism will
result in failure of the assignment and may result in failure of the course depending on the
severity of the violation of academic integrity and the overall value of the assignment to the
final grade. A second offense of any kind will result in failure of the course.
If you violate this policy unintentionally (by failing to use citations properly, for example), I
will choose a penalty on a case-by-case basis. Recommended penalties range from a zero on
the assignment to a failing grade in the course.
6. The Office of Disability Services: Students with documentation of special needs should
arrange to see me about accommodations as soon as possible. If you believe you could
benefit from such accommodations, you must first register with the Office of Disability
Services on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the
second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8 am
to 5 pm, Monday to Friday. They can be reached at 334-5440, and their e-mail address is
ods@uncg.edu.
7. The Writing Center: The purpose of the Writing Center is to enhance the confidence
and competence of student writers by providing free, individual assistance at any stage of
any writing project. Staff consultants are experienced writers and alert readers, prepared to
offer feedback and suggestions on drafts of papers, help students find answers to their
questions about writing, and provide one-on-one instruction as needed. Located in the
Moore Humanities and Research Building, room 3211.
Though this course has few writing assignments, you may wish to visit the Writing Center
to prepare for your essay and the essay portions of the exams.
8. The Learning Assistance Center: The Learning Assistance Center offers free services to
the entire UNCG undergraduate community and is located in McIver Hall, rooms 101-104,
and 150. For help with study skills, contact Erin Farrior, Academic Skills specialist.
Telephone: 334-3878; e-mail: lac@uncg.edu.
Calendar
The calendar represents the tentative schedule for our readings and writing assignments
during the semester. It is subject to some changes, depending on our pace; if these changes
need to be made, I’ll let you know. Otherwise, consult this schedule.
BB= Blackboard
Note: Please complete all readings before the class period for which they have been
assigned. Unless otherwise indicated, all short stories and poems can be found in Norton.
WEEK 1
Monday, August 20
Introduction to class; syllabus
Wednesday, August 22
Interpreting Literature: Norton, p. 1-11, 22-31; Lenses, Chapter 1
Friday, August 24
Interpreting Fiction: Norton, p. 14-20, 54-58; Carver, “Cathedral”
WEEK 2
Monday, August 27
Understanding Plot: Norton, p. 59-69; De Maupassant, “The Jewelry”
Wednesday, August 29
Narration & Point of View I: Norton, p. 102-107; Updike, “A&P”
Friday, August 31
Narration & Point of View II: Lenses p. 107-111; Hemingway, “Hills Like White
Elephants”; Kincaid, “Girl”
WEEK 3
Monday, September 3
Class canceled for Labor Day holiday
Wednesday, September 5
Exploring Character I: Norton, p. 121-129
BB: Oates, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”
Friday, September 7
Exploring Character II: Lenses, p. 83-90; O’Connor, “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
WEEK 4
Monday, September 10
Setting & the Story I: Norton, 158-165; Chekhov, “The Lady with the Dog”
Wednesday, September 12
Setting & the Story II: Lenses, 95, 99-103; Joyce, “Araby”
Friday, September 14
Examining Historical Context: Lenses, 96-98; Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper”
WEEK 5
Monday, September 17
Symbolism: Norton, p. 212-218
BB: Hawthorne “Young Goodman Brown”
Wednesday, September 19
Reading for Theme: Norton, p. 246-249; Marquez, “A Very Old Man with Enormous
Wings”
Friday, September 21
Interpreting Fairy Tales
BB: Brothers Grimm, “Snow White”; Addonizio, “Ever After”
WEEK 6
Monday, September 24
Contemporary Storytelling: Critical reading TBD;
BB: O’Brien, “The Things They Carried”
Wednesday, September 26
Review for Exam I
Friday, September 28
Exam I
WEEK 7
Monday, October 1
Introduction to Poetry: Norton, p. 438-443, 451-458, incl. Yeats “The Lake Isle of
Innisfree”
BB: “What is Poetry?”
Wednesday, October 3
Poems & Their Speakers: Norton, p. 496-511, incl. Browning, “My Last Duchess”,
Roethke “My Papa’s Waltz”, Parker, “A Certain Lady”
Friday, October 5
The Situation & Setting of the Poem: Norton, p. 512-521, 528-537, incl. Dove,
“Daystar”, Pastan, “To a Daughter Leaving Home”, Hayden, “Those Winter
Sundays”
WEEK 8
Monday, October 8
Class canceled for Fall Break
Wednesday, October 10
Theme & Tone in Poetry: Norton, p. 475-488, incl. Piercy, “Barbie Doll”, Snodgrass,
“Leaving the Motel”, Kumin, “Woodchucks” Rich, “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers”
Friday, October 12
Examining Language: Norton, p. 545-559, incl. Olds, “Sex without Love”, Hopkins,
“Pied Beauty”, Lee, “Persimmons”
*Last day to drop courses without academic penalty
WEEK 9
Monday, October 15
Exploring Image I: Norton, p. 560-574, incl. Jarrell, “The Death of the Ball Turret
Gunner”, Owen, “Dulce et Decorum Est”
BB: Laux, “What’s Broken”
Wednesday, October 17
Exploring Image II: Norton, p. 575-586, incl. Dickey, “The Leap”, Frost, “Fireflies in
the Garden”, Borson, “After a Death”
BB: Atwood, “You Fit into Me”
Friday, October 19
The Sounds of Poetry: Norton, p. 587-593, 608
BB: “Blues”, incl. Auden, “Funeral Blues”, Young, “Late Blues”, Van CliefStefanon, “Maul”
WEEK 10
Monday, October 22
The Sounds of Poetry II: Lenses, p.73-74; incl. Dickinson, “Because I could not stop
for Death— ”, Brooks, “We Real Cool”
BB: “Sound & Sound Patterns”,“Anaphora”, Hirshfield, “If the Rise of the Fish,”
Wednesday, October 24
Form & Structure: Norton, p. 632-641, incl. Thomas, “Do Not Go Gentle into That
Good Night”, Bishop, “Sestina,” Randall, “Ballad of Birmingham”
Friday, October 26
The Sonnet: Norton, p. 641-654, incl. Shakespeare, “My mistress’ eyes are nothing
like the sun”, Millay, “What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why”, Collins,
“Sonnet”
BB: Addonizio, “First Poem for You”
WEEK 11
Monday, October 29
Essay workshop: Lenses p.9-22; please bring in your first draft for peer review.
Wednesday, October 31
Modernism/Imagism: Pound, “In a Station of the Metro”, Williams, “The Red
Wheelbarrow”
BB: Lowell, “September, 1918”, Stevens, “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird”
Friday, November 2
Harlem Renaissance: Hughes, “Harlem”, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”, McKay,
“The Harlem Dancer”, Grimke, “Tenebris”;
BB: “Cultural and Historical Contexts: The Harlem Renaissance”
Essay due
WEEK 12
Monday, November 5
Introduction to Drama: Norton, p. 809-821; Lenses, p.30-35
Wednesday, November 7
How to Read Drama: Norton, p. 744-758
Friday, November 9
Origins of Drama
BB: “Tragedy and Comedy”, Excerpts from Oedipus the King
WEEK 13
Monday, November 12
Six Degrees of Separation, p. 1-34
Wednesday, November 14
Six Degrees of Separation, p. 34-63
Friday, November 16
Six Degrees of Separation, p. 63-91
WEEK 14
Monday, November 19
Finish Six Degrees of Separation
Wednesday, November 21
Classes canceled for Thanksgiving holiday
Friday, November 23
Classes canceled for Thanksgiving holiday
WEEK 15
Monday, November 26
Six Degrees of Separation (film shown in class)
Wednesday, November 28
Finish Six Degrees of Separation (in class)
Friday, November 30
Reading v. Seeing
BB: “Performance as Context”
WEEK 16
Monday, December 3
Review for Exam II
FINAL EXAM DATE
Exam II
Friday, December 7
12:00 noon- 3:00 PM