Approaches to Literature                                                          

 

English 104-03        MWF 11:00

Instructor: Brandon Rauch

Office: 134 McIver (try this office first, M-F, 8-5) and 136F McIver (by appointment)

Mailbox: 133 McIver

Email: abrauch@uncg.edu

Phone: 334-5459

 

 

Overview

 

Course Description:

In this introductory course, we will study a variety of literary genres, including short stories, poetry, plays, and a novel. We will approach these works paying attention to structure as well as theme. 

 

Student Learning Goals:

At the end of this course you should be able to: Identify and understand various characteristics of fiction poetry and drama, apply techniques of literary analysis to texts, use literary study to develop skills in careful reading and clear writing, and demonstrate understanding of the diverse historical and social contexts in which literary texts have been written and interpreted. English 104 will be broad and foundational in nature; it will not assume extensive previous knowledge of literature.

 

Required Texts:

The Bedford Introduction to Literature, Michael Meyer

Wolf Whistle, Lewis Nordan, available a little later in the semester

 

Attendance:

Attendance is required. You will be ‘forgiven’ two absences. After that, each absence lowers your final grade one letter, even if your reasons for missing the class are legitimate. Missing five classes will make it almost impossible to pass the course. If you are absent, you are responsible for obtaining any materials and completing any assignments prior to the next class meeting. You are responsible for information covered in your absence.

 

Requirements:

You are required to come to class having read the material, ready to participate in class discussion. I expect you to read actively (annotating text, reading prose carefully, reading poems at least two times, . . . ) so that you know the text before we delve further into it. Have comments, responses, and questions ready. Always bring the appropriate book and/or handouts with you.

 

There will be frequent quizzes, two tests (fiction and poetry), a paper, and a final exam (including drama).

 

Grading:

Participation (quizzes and contributions to class discussion) = 15%

Test on short fiction = 25%

Test on poetry = 25%

Paper = 15%

Final Exam = 20%

 

Late Work: You must make prior arrangements to hand in an assignment a day late, and you will lose a letter grade. After that, I will not accept the work.

Written work: All written work must be typed or computer generated and handed in on paper. Use 1” margins all around, double space, and use a 12pt. ‘Times’ font.

 

 

 

Mon Aug 19 –      Intro to ENG 104

Wed Aug 21 –      What is Literature? What is Fiction?

Fri Aug 23 –          Read “The Story of an Hour” p12-15 & “A Rose for Emily” p75-81

 

 

Mon Aug 26 –      Read “How to Tell a True War Story” p548-557 & “Barn Burning” 492-505 & 505-513

Wed Aug 28 –      Last Day to Drop for Refund, Read “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky” p251-258 & “The Flowers” p73-74

Fri Aug 30 –          Read “Enough” p144 & “Hills Like White Elephants” Bb

 

 

Mon Sep 2 –          No Class

Wed Sep 4 –         “Bartleby the Scrivener” p116-140 & p141-143

Fri Sep 6 –             “Soldier’s Home” p152-157 & “etcetera” p158 & “Nebraska” p160-164 & p164 (essay)       

 

 

Mon Sep 9 –         “The Night Nurse” p655-665

Wed Sep 11 –       “Good Country People” p395-409

Fri Sep 13 –           “A Good Man is Hard to Find” p384-395

 

 

Mon Sep 16 –       “Revelation” p410-424 & “Everything That Rises Must Converge” Bb

Wed Sep 18 –       “The Lady with the Pet Dog” p 187-200 (Chekhov’s version)

Fri Sep 20 –            “The Lady with the Pet Dog” p201-213 & 214-215

 

 

Mon Sep 23 –       “The Blind Man” Bb

Wed Sep 25 –       “Cathedral” Bb & Carver/Lawrence article Bb

Fri Sep 27 –           “Videotape” p558-563 & “The Cask of Amantillado” p597-602

 

 

Mon Sep 30 –       “Lust” p304-311 & “Carnal Knowledge” p290-303       

Wed Oct 2 –          “Battle Royal” p231-242

Fri Oct 4 –            TBA

 

 

Mon Oct 7 –          Read “Bleeder” & “Bowler’s Anonymous” & “TBA” Dobyns, Bb

Tue Oct 8 –           Stephen Dobyns Reading

Wed Oct 9 –          Classes Resume, “The Things They Carried” Bb & “The Hand” p228-230

Fri Oct 11 –          Fall Break Begins, Last Day to Drop Classes, Reading TBA

 

 

Mon Oct 14 –       Fall Break, No Classes

Wed Oct 16 –        “Young Goodman Brown” p327-341 & “Hawthorne on his Short Stories” p373

Fri Oct 18 –            “The Birthmark” p359-370 & “ A Feminist Reading of ‘The Birthmark’” p375 &  “A

Pychological Reading of ‘The Birthmark’” p377

 

 

Mon Oct 21 –        “The Minister’s Black Veil” p341-349 & “Popular Mechanics” p286-288 & “Girl” p583-585

Wed Oct 23 –        “The Story of the Good Little Boy” p603 & “The Nicest Kid in the Universe” Bb

Fri Oct 25 –            “The Swimmer” Bb & “Summer” 315-321

 

 

Mon Oct 28 –        Fiction Test           

 

Wed Oct 30 – TBA   

 

Fri Nov 1 -- TBA

 

 

Mon Nov 4 – TBA

 

Wed Nov 6 – TBA

 

Fri Nov 8 – TBA

 

 

 

 

Mon Nov 11 – TBA

 

Wed Nov 13 – TBA

 

Fri Nov 15 – TBA

 

 

 

 

Mon Nov 18 – TBA

 

Wed Nov 20 – TBA

 

Fri Nov 22 – TBA

 

 

 

 

Mon Nov 25 – Eyes on the Prize: Emmett Till, in-class viewing

 

Wed Nov 27 – Thanksgiving Break

 

Fri Nov 29 – Still Turkey Time

 

 

 

 

Mon Dec 2 – Classes Resume. Wolf Whistle

 

Wed Dec 4 – Wolf Whistle

 

Fri Dec 6 – Wolf Whistle

 

 

 

 

Mon Dec 9 – Last Day of Classes, Exam Review

 

Mon Dec 16 – Final Exam from 8:00 to 11:00 A.M.