Studies in Fiction: Magical Realism English Fall 2012 Dr. Christopher Schedler

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1 Studies in Fiction: Magical Realism English Fall 2012 Dr. Christopher Schedler Time: TTh 1:00-2:40 Office Hours: TTh 11:00-NOON (L&L 416E) Location: Science 142 Phone: Course Website: Course Description This course traces the genre of magical realism as it developed in the novel, beginning with the Latin American literary boom of the 1960s-70s and extending into US multicultural literatures of the late 20 th to early 21 st Century. We will explore novels of Chile and the Dominican Republic, as well as texts by Chicano, American Indian, and African American writers. While the characteristic features of the genre are adapted by different writers to fit the specific historical and cultural contexts of their novels, we will see how magical realism is used to represent the world view of those marginalized by colonization and globalization. We will also examine how literary criticism of the magical realist novel has developed by collaboratively constructing a class reader of critical articles on the novels in the course. Learning Outcomes After successfully completing the course, you will be able to: Identify the formal elements and generic conventions of fiction and explain how formal choices contribute to meaning. Compare and contrast works of fiction based on theme, subgenre, and/or historical context. Analyze and discuss the development of a genre in relation to specific historical, material, and/or cultural conditions. Discuss and analyze the thematic concerns of fictional works. Write formal and informal responses to fictional works that demonstrate engagement, reflective thought about the writer's own assumptions, effective inquiry, and responsible interpretation. Apply theoretical and critical approaches to the analysis of fictional texts. Engage in literary research and employ library resources to find literary criticism. Summarize and evaluate the arguments underlying critical writings about literature. Required Texts Isabel Allende. The House of the Spirits Rudolfo Anaya. Bless Me, Ultima Junot Díaz. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Louise Erdrich. Tracks Toni Morrison. Beloved Additional course readings and critical articles in Blackboard (Bb) Course Requirements 1. Attendance and Participation: Your class participation is determined by your contributions to discussions and activities, in-class and online, and peer-editing responses. You should contribute not just when called upon, but also by volunteering your ideas and questions to the discussion. It is essential that you attend class (arriving on time and remaining until dismissed) and come prepared (with the reading completed and with questions and responses to what you have read). As part of your participation, each class period you should prepare a written response to some aspect of the reading for that class. Your response should open up discussion by posing a provocative argument, issue, or question. You must post your reading response in the online discussion board BY NOON

2 before each class meeting. You should also bring your response to class in case you are called on to discuss it. By Friday of each week (our online activity day), you must post a response to the Discussion Opener questions for that week (see Discussion Opener assignment below) in the online discussion board. You should also post at least one follow-up response to another student and respond to any questions directed to you by the student moderators in the online discussion board. 2. Reading Quizzes: Complete 5 reading quizzes on the assigned books. These quizzes will focus on your knowledge of the content of the books to make sure that you are keeping up with the reading. These quizzes will be taken online. 3. Discussion Opener: In pairs, you will present a 10-minute discussion opener on a critical reading of your choice for a particular novel. The presentation will involve finding a critical article or book excerpt (10-15 pages) devoted to your chosen novel and providing a copy (PDF or link to online database preferred) of your chosen critical reading to me at least one week in advance of your presentation so that I can post it in our class website ahead of time. On your assigned class day, you and your partner will make a brief oral presentation to the class (both partners must speak) summarizing the main points and important issues addressed by the critical reading and then open our in-class discussion with 2-3 questions about the novel based on the critical reading (we will discuss one question in class and the others online). This opener can be presented formally or informally in class (for example, using a PowerPoint presentation or handout). You must post your opener questions as a message in the online Discussion Board prior to your scheduled presentation and moderate the online discussion that develops afterwards. Your PowerPoint presentation or handout must also be posted as an attachment to your discussion opener message in the online Discussion Board and submitted in the Drop Box. 4. Critical Essays: Write 2 critical essays (6-8 pages each). You will be asked to choose a specific and focused topic, construct a strong thesis that argues for a particular position, use evidence from the text, and refer to secondary sources that provide the critical context to support your argument. English Teaching Option: English Teaching majors may choose to replace one of the critical essays with a unit plan (including context description, objectives and rationale, assessments and writing assignments, and sequence of 3 lesson plans with EALRs addressed, teacher activities, student activities, materials used, assessment strategies, and time frames for each segment) to teach one of the books to students in their own classes. Grades You must complete all the assignments in order to receive a passing grade for the course: Requirement % of Grade Total Grade % Grade Range Participation 20% % A Reading Quizzes 15% 80-89% B Discussion Opener 15% 70-79% C Critical Essay 1 25% 60-69% D Critical Essay 2 25% Below 60% F

3 Expectations Web-Enhanced Course: University policy states that a 5 credit course represents a total time commitment by the student of 5 hours of in-class work and 10 hours of work outside of class each week of the quarter. For this web-enhanced course, you will spend 4 hours in class and 1 hour online, plus 10 hours for reading and writing activities, each week. You should plan to login to the course website at least twice a week to get announcements, access class materials, participate in the Discussion Board, take reading quizzes, post writing assignments, and engage in peer editing. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of class. If you are late to class, it is your responsibility to make sure you are marked present. If you must miss class for personal or medical reasons, you must notify me when and why you will be (or have been) absent in order to be excused. You are allowed three unexcused absences. After the third unexcused absence your participation grade will decline by 1/3 of a letter grade for each subsequent absence. If you miss class for any reason, it is your responsibility to contact someone from class to find out what you missed before the next class meeting. Remember: you are the only person responsible for your success in this course. Personal Electronics: Please turn off and put away your cell phone during class to minimize disruptions. You are welcome to use laptops and tablets for reference to e- books you have purchased for class, for taking class notes, or for other class-related work. Use of these electronic devices for personal purposes is unacceptable during class. Peer Editing: You will have the opportunity to participate in online peer-editing groups for each of your papers. I will ask you for a writing sample to place you into peer editing groups. Responding to the drafts of your peers' papers is an essential part of your participation grade. This is your opportunity to receive feedback on your paper drafts and develop your editing skills, as well as help your peers with their written work. Failure to contribute peer-editing responses to your group will cause your grade for that paper to decline by a full grade point. Failure to submit a draft of your paper for peer editing will cause your grade for that paper to decline by 1/3 of a grade. Because you will be drafting and revising each of your critical essays before turning it in, there will be no revisions after the papers are graded. Late Papers: Papers must be submitted by midnight of the due date. Late papers will be downgraded 1/3 of a letter grade for each day late. Written work will be submitted online in digital format. I will comment on your papers in digital format and post them online for your review. Inclusiveness: In this class, diversity is welcomed and celebrated. I will not tolerate any forms of prejudice or discrimination, including those based on age, color, disability, gender, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. We are here to learn in a climate of civility and mutual respect. To find out more about diversity, go to the Diversity Education Center at Respect: I expect everyone to behave respectfully in class, listening attentively to the ideas of others and asking for clarification if necessary. You are free to disagree with any ideas that are presented in class, but you must be willing to support your own perspective, maintain a civil tone, and accept differences of opinion. The same rules of respectful communication apply to online discussions. Plagiarism: I assume that all work turned in bearing your name will be your work. Quotations and ideas taken from other sources need to be fully acknowledged; otherwise, you are liable to the charge of plagiarism, which may result in punishments ranging from a failing grade for the paper to failure in the course and a charge of academic misconduct.

4 Incompletes: In accordance with university policy, incompletes are given solely as a response to emergency situations and at the discretion of the instructor. In order to receive an incomplete, a student must be passing at the time of the request. Disability Support Services: Students with disabilities who wish to set up academic adjustments in this class should give me a copy of their Confirmation of Eligibility for Academic Adjustments from Disability Support Services as soon as possible, so we can discuss how the approved adjustments will be implemented in class. This information will be kept confidential. Students without this form should contact Disability Support Services (Bouillon 205; ). Course Schedule Week Date Topic Readings/Assignment(s) for Class Week 1 Th 9/20 Introductions Access course through Blackboard Introduce yourself in Discussion Board Week 2 T 9/25 Spirits Allende: The House of the Spirits (1-102) Writing Sample Due Online Th 9/27 Spirits Allende: The House of the Spirits ( ) F 9/28 Online Discussion Discussion Opener Responses Due Week 3 T 10/2 Spirits Allende: The House of the Spirits ( ) Th 10/4 Spirits Allende: The House of the Spirits ( ) F 10/5 Online Discussion Discussion Opener Responses Due Week 4 T 10/9 Film Viewing Film: House of the Spirits Online Discussion Th 10/11 Film Viewing Film: House of the Spirits Online Discussion Week 5 T 10/16 Curandera Anaya: Bless Me, Ultima (1-82) Th 10/18 Curandera Anaya: Bless Me, Ultima (83-176) F 10/19 Online Discussion Discussion Opener Responses Due Week 6 Sun 10/21 Paper 1 Draft Due Paper 1 Draft Due Online T 10/23 Curandera Anaya: Bless Me, Ultima ( ) Th 10/25 Fukú Díaz: Oscar Wao (1-113) Peer Edit Responses Due In Class & Online F 10/26 Online Discussion Discussion Opener Responses Due Week 7 Sun 10/28 Paper 1 Due Paper 1 Due Online T 10/30 Fukú Díaz: Oscar Wao ( ) Th 11/1 Fukú Díaz: Oscar Wao ( ) F 11/2 Online Discussion Discussion Opener Responses Due Week 8 T 11/6 Trickster Erdrich: Tracks (1-115) Th 11/8 Trickster Erdrich: Tracks ( ) F 11/9 Online Discussion Discussion Opener Responses Due Week 9 T 11/13 Ghost Morrison: Beloved (3-100)

5 Th 11/15 Ghost Morrison: Beloved ( ) F 11/16 Online Discussion Discussion Opener Responses Due Week 10 T 11/20 Ghost Morrison: Beloved ( ) Th 11/22 Thanksgiving Holiday No Class Week 11 Mon 11/26 Paper 2 Draft Due Paper 2 Draft Due Online Finals Week T 11/27 Film Viewing Film: Beloved Th 11/29 Conclusions Film: Beloved Peer Edit Responses Due In Class & Online Sun 12/2 Paper 2 Due Paper 2 Due Online Mon 12/3 Course Evaluations Due Course Evaluations Due Online by 10:00 pm