Literature 120 SMSU Course Description and Objectives January 24, 2017 The Literature course is a semester course designed for college-bound seniors and involves the close reading and critical analysis of poetry, short stories, dramas, and novels from American, British, and other classic authors. Study and application of various literary theories will help students see these literary works in a new light. Writing assignments will utilize in-class discussion with peers and help from the instructor, with time provided to work on revisions. Instruction of grammar, sound sentence structure, development of transitional phrases, etc., will be given as needed. Major Concepts/Content Literature is designed to be a college/university level course. This course will provide students with the intellectual challenges and workload consistent with a typical undergraduate university English Literature course. Course Goals 1. To carefully read and critically analyze imaginative literature. 2. To understand the way writers use language to provide meaning and pleasure. 3. To consider a work s structure, style, and themes as well as such smaller scale elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, tone, etc. 4. To study representative works from various genres and periods (from the sixteenth to the twentieth century) and to know a few works extremely well. 5. To understand a work s complexity, to absorb richness of meaning, and to analyze how meaning is embodied in literary form. 6. To consider the social and historical values a work reflects and embodies. 7. To become aware of the many elements of language, including: connotation, metaphor, irony, syntax, and tone. Course Syllabus Writing Expectations Students will be expected to use every assignment that involves writing and rewriting to practice their best composition skills. Composition assignments will include: statements, paragraphs, essay tests, and formal essays (personal, expository, and argumentative). No matter the kind of writing assigned, best composition skills should be practiced. When an assignment calls for a paragraph, students must check their work against the paragraph criteria below: 1. Many times students will be asked for their opinion or idea about an aspect of a work of literature. Students must use complete sentences with clear support for their ideas, and be ready to share and discuss in class. 1
2. All assignments for formal papers will include a specific grading rubric. Students will be expected to consult each rubric carefully before submitting their work. Students will be expected to rewrite larger papers and literary analyses after receiving feedback. 3. Essay tests will need to be typed and uploaded directly into the student Moodle accounts, emailed, or printed and handed in per instructor s direction. Students will be expected to rewrite larger papers and literary analyses after receiving feedback. 4. Grammar and usage: Students should have a good command of Standard Written English. There will be mini-lessons throughout the course dealing with complex grammar and usage issues, sentence constructions, and diction. Occasionally students may need some additional help with this, and lessons will be incorporated as necessary. 5. Students will focus all compositions in clear, competent paragraphs using topic sentences, support sentences, transitions, lines and quotes from works they have read, and language appropriate for a college-level course. There are many good online guides to grammar. The link below is one such guide. http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/index.htm Students may consult this guide or a writing handbook for grammar problems. Course Content Introduction to the course: Thinking about literature. What makes an effective reader? How do we approach literature? Experience, Analysis and Extension The Foundation Elements of Style: Diction, Figurative Language, Imagery, Syntax, Rhyme, Meter, Form, Tone and Mood. Explanation will be given of the nature of writing assignments in Literature 120, as well as how to use annotation in close reading, and developing a thesis statement. Timed in-class writing: critical analysis of poem and short story (reader-response theory) Poetry: In this unit students will demonstrate the ability to: -Read a poem critically, with attention to the poem s theme and the poet s techniques, -Analyze the dramatic situation, structure, line, diction, connotation, sound devices, syntax, mood, purpose, persona, tone and theme of a poem, -Identify different forms of the sonnet, -Identify figurative language and syntactical patterns, -Discuss the theme and technique used in a poem, -Use the language of the criticism of poetry, and -Write at least one well-supported analytical essay of a poem using at least three specific poetic devices, along with support and examples of each. Selections: Introduction to Poetry (Collins), Learning to Read (Wright), Out, Out (Frost), How to write the great American Indian novel (Alexie), Death Be Not Proud (Donne), Do not go gentle into that good night (Thomas), Because I could not stop for death (Dickinson), Tell all the truth but tell it slant (Dickinson), The Sacred (Dunn), To an Athlete Dying Young (Housman), Vegetarian Physics (Clewell), The Cold Within (Kinney), Scorn not the sonnet (Wordsworth) When my love swears that she is made of truth ( 138), Shall I compare thee to a summer s day ( 18), and other selections as time allows. 2
Drama: TBD () Students will demonstrate ability to: -Read a play critically, with attention to plot, genre, tone, conflict, historical significance, foil, metaphor, allusion, etc. 2017 Novels: Students will select one novel from a British author: D Urbervilles (Hardy), Pride and Prejudice (Austen), 1984 (Orwell), or Lord of the Flies (Golding) Students will write an essay in which they use critical analysis to write an original and complete evaluation of the story s artistry, quality, and social and cultural values of the time in which each their novel of choice was written. (Novels are subject to change) Students will also select one novel from an American author: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Twain) The Awakening (Chopin), or The Scarlet Letter (Hawthorne). Students will write an essay in which they use critical analysis to write an original and complete evaluation of the story s artistry, quality, and social and cultural values of the time in which their novel of choice was written. (Novels are subject to change) Short Stories: The Story of an Hour (Chopin), An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (Bierce), A Logic Named Joe (Jenkins), etc. Miscellaneous works: current event articles (as they pertain to selected readings) for further analysis Methodology During this course lecture, class discussion, small group discussions, student presentations and audio/video materials will be used. Homework is assigned daily, especially in reading. Tests and quizzes on literary works along with required terminology are to be expected, with or without prior notice. Students are required to have all necessary materials in class daily. Assignments are expected to be completed and handed in on time. Having the required reading finished before class will allow for deeper class discussion. Students are to take notes as they read, keep a reading and vocabulary journal, and take notes on lectures and class discussions. As per SMSU Rubric: This course will deepen students' understanding and appreciation of literature as an art form as well as to strengthen students' ability to read short stories, poems, novels and drama for meaning. Students will understand the importance of plot as the preliminary starting point for literary analysis. Students will understand the drawbacks of plot-centered literature and adventure literature compared to enduring, classic literature. Students will understand the social and historical aspects that influence literature. setting Students will understand the moral or meaning of literature. They will learn to move beyond a plot-discussion to a deeper analysis of meaning. theme Students will understand the central importance of character development in enduring literature. characterization 3
Students will learn that how a work is organized helps to create meaning. Techniques such as flashback and fore-shadowing, parallel characters and parallel situations will be discussed and analyzed. structure Students will learn the literary and stylistic devices and tropes often used in enduring literature. language Students will learn the difference between first- and third-person narration and what are the relative strengths and weaknesses of each method. narration Grading At this point in their educational career, students will understand that unfinished or late assignments are unacceptable and will cause a grade reduction for those assignments. Students will also understand that being in class daily is necessary for a full understanding of the material discussed. Extra credit work is not an option. The District Grading For Learning Policy does not apply to this course student grades will stand for each assignment. There will be no retakes on quizzes or tests; essays may be re-written for a better score ONLY if the student starts over with a different topic and writes another paper. Edits made to corrected papers do not qualify for a higher score. Efforts need to be focused on daily class work and long range assignments required for this course. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students caught plagiarizing will receive a zero. They will be encouraged to submit an alternate, related assignment which must meet all requirements of the previous essay in order to qualify for a passing score. Students who do not comply fail the assignment. Repeated plagiarism will result in loss of credit for the course. The following assignments will be utilized in grading: Daily work Note Checks and Quizzes Unit Tests and Projects Essays Date (week of) Reading assignment Objective Assessment Jan 24 (3 days) Ch. I Thinking About Literature from Literature and Composition text Log into SMSU and register for College Now Course Jan 30 (4days) Ch. 2 Close Reading: Analyzing Poetry and Passages of Fiction Because I Could Not Stop for Death Dickenson; Death Be 4 Discuss class expectations Hand out syllabus (on Moodle) SMSU guidelines Understanding how to read and analyze poetry -critical reading of poems Historical significance Author biographies Why study literature? key elements of poetry listed and discussed of 3 poems, notes in class, samples of annotations
Feb 6 (3 ½ days) Feb 13 (3 ½ days) Not Proud Donne; Do Not go Gentle Into that Good Night Thomas Poetry Packet: An Author to Her Book Bradstreet; How to write the perfect American Indian novel Alexie; If Kipling Poem: TBD Class assignment: research biographies of assigned author(s); not significant life events that may have affected the author s work Identifying elements of poetry Understanding how to annotate readings Using a graphic organizer (pp 38, 39) Taking notes for CC essay (p 50) Using sample CC notes and essays introduce reader response samples and CC samples t model effective writing Continue with close reading and analysis of poetry Students will understand why using historical significance will help them to understand poetry (bio on William Ernest Henley) Analyze poem and create a visual representation to present in class; include all relevant elements of poetry, reader response, author biography, etc. Presentations will be a minimum of 10 minutes Class quiz identify the author student will use class notes/discussion to identify one work from each author studied this week Write a reader response to Invictus William Ernest Henley due Monday Quiz to assess student understanding of poems and poetic elements The Cold Within Kinney Groups will present their assigned poems on Thursday and Friday Grading rubric will address whether students have correctly identified elements of poetry, historical significance, societal Canterbury Tales Introduction significance, etc. Feb 21 (3 days) Canterbury Tales Understanding Chaucer Prologue The Pardoner s Tale, Historical significance The Wife of Bath s Setting up the tales Tale, Gender roles The Clerk s Tale Societal values/norms Feb 27 (3 days) Chaucer - continued Presentations Mar 6 (4 days) Introduce Thomas Reading classic Hardy literature -historical significance -gender roles the First -Hardy s purpose in writing Tess Mar 13 (4 days) Ch 3 The Big Picture: Analyzing Fiction and Drama in Lit text the Second Elements of Fiction: Plot, character, setting, point of view, symbol, theme, etc. Identifying elements of fiction Students will perform one of the assigned tales; groups will be randomly selected -group grade; individual grade; overall effectiveness in story re-tell 5
Characterization: static vs. dynamic Short quizzes to assess understanding of plot Identifying gender roles in Hardy s time the Third Recognizing Tess as a victim Mar 20 (3 days) the Fourth Mar 28 (3 days) the Fifth Short quizzes to assess understanding of plot Apr 3 (4 days) the Sixth Exam - D Urbervilles Apr 10 (3 days) the Seventh Short Stories - The Yellow Wallpaper Gilman The Story of an Hour Chopin Applying the elements of plot Applying the elements of plot An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Bierce Presentation expectations, rubric A Summer s Reading Malamud Presentation expectations, rubric Apr 18 (3 days) Presentations Presentations Presentations Apr 24 (4 days) May 1 (3 days) May 8 (4 days) May 15 (4 days) May 22 (3 days) May 30 (2 days) Final Exam 6