Revised 11-07-16
ENGLISH 209: Introduction to Literary Analysis (Section 01)
Professor: Derek Taylor
Fall 2016
Office: Grainger 306
Office Hours: MWF 3:00-4:00; W 10:00-11:00 (and by appointment)
Phone: 395-2748
e-mail: taylored@longwood.edu
website: www.ederektaylor.weebly.com
Course Description: Sustained study of reading and writing skills necessary to the student of literature, including close reading, the ability to conduct research, and an overview of major critical approaches. Emphasis on a variety of poetic, dramatic, and fictional forms from a range of cultures and historical eras. Co-requisite or prerequisite: Completion of General Education Goal 3 or permission of instructor. 3 credits.
Objectives: This course has a variety of objectives, some immediate and practical (e.g., to prepare you to succeed in your 300 and 400-level literature courses), some less immediate but still practical (e.g., to prepare you to begin thinking about how to translate your skills as an English major into a profession), some far ranging and wonderfully impractical (e.g., to prepare you to recognize the difference between a sonnet and a villanelle).
Texts:
--Mays, Kelly J., ed. The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable 11th Edition. New York: Norton, 2014.
--O’Brien, Tim. In the Lake of the Woods. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1994; reprint Mariner, 2006.
Grading (ten-point scale):
--Pop Quizzes: 20%
--Three short close-reading essays: (30% total)
* Fiction (Monday, 9-26): 10%
* Drama (Monday, 10-21): 10%
* Poetry (Monday, 11-7): 10%
--Research Essay (Friday, 12-2): 20%
--Final Examination (Friday, 12-9): 30 %
--Participation: + or -
Attendance, Tardiness, Late Papers:
Students are expected to attend classes regularly and to arrive in a timely manner. Consistently tardy students will be remembered as such when class participation grades are calculated. Furthermore, quizzes will be given at the beginning of class and may not be made up for any reason. ONLY illness, official college business, and emergencies permit the make-up of any other work missed, and all such absences must be documented. Unexcused absences totaling 10% or more of class meetings will result in a one-letter-grade penalty; absences totaling 25% or more, excused or otherwise, will result in an F for the course.
Essays are due at the beginning of the class period, but as I see it a late essay is its own punishment. Quizzes may not be made up for any reason.
Classroom Decorum:
All students are expected to behave civilly both to each other and to the instructor and to conduct themselves in a manner that encourages learning in the classroom. Email and voice mail will be considered as part of the participation grade, so students should think carefully about the tone and content of such messages.
Honor Code:
All work is governed by the Longwood College Honor Code. Written work must contain the pledge in writing and be signed. Students should read closely the section on plagiarism in the Longwood Style Manual.
Class Schedule:
NB—I reserve the right to change the following schedule by giving oral notification in class. Unless otherwise notified, all reading and writing assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day indicated by this schedule. Absence from one class is never an excuse for being unprepared for any subsequent class.
Week 1
M. 8-22. Introduction to course
W. 8-24. Plot (57-66), Guy De Maupassant, “The Jewelry” (66-73) and Raymond Carver, “Cathedral” (34-46)
F. 8-26. Narration and Point of View (101-107), Edgar Allen Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado” (107-111), and Kate Chopin, “The Story of an Hour” (277-280)
Week 2
M. 8-29. Character (122-131), David Foster Wallace, “Good People” (149-158), and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” (353-359).
W. 8-31. Setting (157-164) and Anton Chekhov, “The Lady with the Dog” (164-179)
F. 9-2. Symbol and Figurative Language (205-211), Edwidge Danticat, “A Wall of Fire Rising” (226-240), and Franz Kafka, “The Hunger Artist” (327-335).
Week 3
M. 9-5. Theme (241-245), Jamaica Kincaid, “Girl” (119), and William Faulkner, “A Rose for Emily” (298-307).
W. 9-7. Herman Melville, “Bartleby, the Scrivener” (372-top of 385).
F. 9-9. Melville, “Bartleby, the Scrivener” (385-404).
Week 4
M. 9-12. Writing about Literature (1228-1242) and Sample Student Writing (199-204).
W. 9-14. The Writing Process (1243-1257), Rules You Must Follow (1276-1290), and Sample Student Writing (53-56).
F. 9-16. Class Canceled for Mandatory Conferences
Week 5
M. 9-19. Draft of Essay 1 Due. Visit from Career Services
W. 9-21. Reading Drama (740-743) and Sophocles, Antigone (1191-bottom of p. 1204)
F. 9-23. Sophocles, Antigone (1204-1227)
Week 6
M. 9-26. Essay 1 Due. Critical Approaches and Emphasis on the Text (1303-1312)
W. 9-28. Susan Glaspell, Trifles (743-760)
F. 9-30. Class Canceled for Fall Break
Week 7
M. 10-3. Class Canceled for Fall Break
T. 10-4. Vice Presidential Debate at LU!
W. 10-5. Class Canceled for Fall Break
F. 10-7. Writing about Drama (764-766) and Sample Student Writing (768-772).
Week 8
M. 10-10. Emphasis on the Source and Emphasis on the Receiver (1312-1320)
W. 10-12. Speaker: Whose Voice do we Hear? (483-500)
F. 10-14. Situation and Setting: What Happens? Where? When? (501-519)
Week 9
M. 10-17. Class Canceled
W. 10-19. The Sounds of Poetry (586-609)
F. 10-21. Essay 2 Due. Symbol (573-584) and External Form (632-643)
Week 10
M. 10-24. Theme and Tone (527-542) and Sample Student Writing (544-547).
W. 10-26. (Dr. Taylor read the wrong thing!)
F. 10-28. Language: Word Choice and Order (548-559) and Sample Student Writing (657-661);Visual Imagery and Figures of Speech (560-568); The Sonnet: An Album (645-655); Sample Student Writing (657-662).
Week 11
M. 10-31. Historical and Ideological Criticism (1321-1332)
W. 11-2. What is a “Novel?”
F. 11-4. A Visit to the Library (Read “The Research Essay” 1258-1275 in preparation)
Week 12
M. 11-7. O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods (1-46 )
W. 11-9. Essay 3 Due. Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods (47-93)
F. 11-11. Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods ( 94-146)
Week 13
M. 11-14. Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods (147-199)
W. 11-16. Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods (200-249)
F. 11-18. Second Visit from Career Services
Week 14
M. 11-21. Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods (250-303)
W. 11-23. Class Canceled for Thanksgiving Break
F. 11-25. Class Canceled for Thanksgiving Break
Week 15
M. 11-28. Class Canceled for Mandatory Conferences
W. 11-30. Class Canceled for Mandatory Conferences
F. 12-2. Research Paper Due; Preparations for Final Examination
Week 16
F. 12-9. Final Exam (11:30-2:00)
ENGLISH 209: Introduction to Literary Analysis (Section 01)
Professor: Derek Taylor
Fall 2016
Office: Grainger 306
Office Hours: MWF 3:00-4:00; W 10:00-11:00 (and by appointment)
Phone: 395-2748
e-mail: taylored@longwood.edu
website: www.ederektaylor.weebly.com
Course Description: Sustained study of reading and writing skills necessary to the student of literature, including close reading, the ability to conduct research, and an overview of major critical approaches. Emphasis on a variety of poetic, dramatic, and fictional forms from a range of cultures and historical eras. Co-requisite or prerequisite: Completion of General Education Goal 3 or permission of instructor. 3 credits.
Objectives: This course has a variety of objectives, some immediate and practical (e.g., to prepare you to succeed in your 300 and 400-level literature courses), some less immediate but still practical (e.g., to prepare you to begin thinking about how to translate your skills as an English major into a profession), some far ranging and wonderfully impractical (e.g., to prepare you to recognize the difference between a sonnet and a villanelle).
Texts:
--Mays, Kelly J., ed. The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable 11th Edition. New York: Norton, 2014.
--O’Brien, Tim. In the Lake of the Woods. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1994; reprint Mariner, 2006.
Grading (ten-point scale):
--Pop Quizzes: 20%
--Three short close-reading essays: (30% total)
* Fiction (Monday, 9-26): 10%
* Drama (Monday, 10-21): 10%
* Poetry (Monday, 11-7): 10%
--Research Essay (Friday, 12-2): 20%
--Final Examination (Friday, 12-9): 30 %
--Participation: + or -
Attendance, Tardiness, Late Papers:
Students are expected to attend classes regularly and to arrive in a timely manner. Consistently tardy students will be remembered as such when class participation grades are calculated. Furthermore, quizzes will be given at the beginning of class and may not be made up for any reason. ONLY illness, official college business, and emergencies permit the make-up of any other work missed, and all such absences must be documented. Unexcused absences totaling 10% or more of class meetings will result in a one-letter-grade penalty; absences totaling 25% or more, excused or otherwise, will result in an F for the course.
Essays are due at the beginning of the class period, but as I see it a late essay is its own punishment. Quizzes may not be made up for any reason.
Classroom Decorum:
All students are expected to behave civilly both to each other and to the instructor and to conduct themselves in a manner that encourages learning in the classroom. Email and voice mail will be considered as part of the participation grade, so students should think carefully about the tone and content of such messages.
Honor Code:
All work is governed by the Longwood College Honor Code. Written work must contain the pledge in writing and be signed. Students should read closely the section on plagiarism in the Longwood Style Manual.
Class Schedule:
NB—I reserve the right to change the following schedule by giving oral notification in class. Unless otherwise notified, all reading and writing assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day indicated by this schedule. Absence from one class is never an excuse for being unprepared for any subsequent class.
Week 1
M. 8-22. Introduction to course
W. 8-24. Plot (57-66), Guy De Maupassant, “The Jewelry” (66-73) and Raymond Carver, “Cathedral” (34-46)
F. 8-26. Narration and Point of View (101-107), Edgar Allen Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado” (107-111), and Kate Chopin, “The Story of an Hour” (277-280)
Week 2
M. 8-29. Character (122-131), David Foster Wallace, “Good People” (149-158), and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” (353-359).
W. 8-31. Setting (157-164) and Anton Chekhov, “The Lady with the Dog” (164-179)
F. 9-2. Symbol and Figurative Language (205-211), Edwidge Danticat, “A Wall of Fire Rising” (226-240), and Franz Kafka, “The Hunger Artist” (327-335).
Week 3
M. 9-5. Theme (241-245), Jamaica Kincaid, “Girl” (119), and William Faulkner, “A Rose for Emily” (298-307).
W. 9-7. Herman Melville, “Bartleby, the Scrivener” (372-top of 385).
F. 9-9. Melville, “Bartleby, the Scrivener” (385-404).
Week 4
M. 9-12. Writing about Literature (1228-1242) and Sample Student Writing (199-204).
W. 9-14. The Writing Process (1243-1257), Rules You Must Follow (1276-1290), and Sample Student Writing (53-56).
F. 9-16. Class Canceled for Mandatory Conferences
Week 5
M. 9-19. Draft of Essay 1 Due. Visit from Career Services
W. 9-21. Reading Drama (740-743) and Sophocles, Antigone (1191-bottom of p. 1204)
F. 9-23. Sophocles, Antigone (1204-1227)
Week 6
M. 9-26. Essay 1 Due. Critical Approaches and Emphasis on the Text (1303-1312)
W. 9-28. Susan Glaspell, Trifles (743-760)
F. 9-30. Class Canceled for Fall Break
Week 7
M. 10-3. Class Canceled for Fall Break
T. 10-4. Vice Presidential Debate at LU!
W. 10-5. Class Canceled for Fall Break
F. 10-7. Writing about Drama (764-766) and Sample Student Writing (768-772).
Week 8
M. 10-10. Emphasis on the Source and Emphasis on the Receiver (1312-1320)
W. 10-12. Speaker: Whose Voice do we Hear? (483-500)
F. 10-14. Situation and Setting: What Happens? Where? When? (501-519)
Week 9
M. 10-17. Class Canceled
W. 10-19. The Sounds of Poetry (586-609)
F. 10-21. Essay 2 Due. Symbol (573-584) and External Form (632-643)
Week 10
M. 10-24. Theme and Tone (527-542) and Sample Student Writing (544-547).
W. 10-26. (Dr. Taylor read the wrong thing!)
F. 10-28. Language: Word Choice and Order (548-559) and Sample Student Writing (657-661);Visual Imagery and Figures of Speech (560-568); The Sonnet: An Album (645-655); Sample Student Writing (657-662).
Week 11
M. 10-31. Historical and Ideological Criticism (1321-1332)
W. 11-2. What is a “Novel?”
F. 11-4. A Visit to the Library (Read “The Research Essay” 1258-1275 in preparation)
Week 12
M. 11-7. O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods (1-46 )
W. 11-9. Essay 3 Due. Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods (47-93)
F. 11-11. Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods ( 94-146)
Week 13
M. 11-14. Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods (147-199)
W. 11-16. Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods (200-249)
F. 11-18. Second Visit from Career Services
Week 14
M. 11-21. Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods (250-303)
W. 11-23. Class Canceled for Thanksgiving Break
F. 11-25. Class Canceled for Thanksgiving Break
Week 15
M. 11-28. Class Canceled for Mandatory Conferences
W. 11-30. Class Canceled for Mandatory Conferences
F. 12-2. Research Paper Due; Preparations for Final Examination
Week 16
F. 12-9. Final Exam (11:30-2:00)