English 104-12
Approach to
Literature
Fall 2002
Class: MWF 12-12:50, Graham 204 E-mail: mcluby@uncg.edu
Instructor: Molly Luby Office: McIver 136-G
Phone: 334-5781 (for emergencies only) Office Hours: by appointment
Overview:
In this introductory course, we will study a variety of literary genres, including poetry, short fiction, a novel, and a play. We will approach the texts with attention to technique as well as theme. As we read and analyze poems, we will concern ourselves both with what the work means as well has how it means: figurative language, sound, structure, style, and more. We will examine short stories, exploring the elements of narrative. We will then shift our attention to larger works. This will be a lecture and discussion-based class. Your participation in the discussion is critical to your final success.
Student Learning Goals:
At the end of this course, you should be able to:
Identify and understand varied characteristics of poetry, fiction, and drama, apply techniques of literary analysis to texts, and use literary study to develop skills in careful reading and clear writing. This course will be broad and foundational in nature; it will not assume extensive previous knowledge of literature.
Required Texts:
The Bedford Introduction to Literature (6th edition), Michael Meyer.
The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien
Recommended Text:
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Attendance:
Attendance is required. You are 'forgiven' three absences. After that, each absence lowers your final grade one letter. No exceptions. Missing 6 or more classes will make it almost impossible to pass the course; logic will necessitate that you be dropped. 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. This is time-consuming, as I expect you to read actively (annotating your text, reading prose carefully, reading poems at least twice) so that you understand the text before we begin to uncover it further. Have comments, responses, and questions ready. You should always bring the appropriate book and/or handouts with you to class. Expect to maintain a reading journal. There will be frequent quizzes, two tests, one paper, one presentation, and one final examination.
Grading:
Participation (quizzes, presentation, contribution to class discussion, attendance, attentiveness) = 20%
Reading journal = 15%
Test on poetry = 15%
Test on short fiction = 15%
Paper = 15%
Final Exam = 20%
Please note: you cannot make up a missed quiz.
Late work policy: You must make prior arrangements to hand in an assignment one day late. You will lose a letter grade in so doing. After that, I will not accept the work. No exceptions. All writing assignments, except for your reading journal, must be typed in a 12-pt. font, double-spaced, with 1" margins.
Tentative Class Schedule Eng 104-12, Fall
2002, Luby
(subject to change)
M, Aug 19: Introduction to class
W, Aug 21: Your role as reader, reading journal
F, Aug 23: Introduction to poetry, handout, Roethke, "My Papa's Waltz," "Dolor;" Dobyns, “How to Like It;" Plath, "Morning Song"
M, Aug 26: Roethke, Dobyns, Plath cont.
W, Aug. 28 Bishop, "In the Waiting Room," Hughes, "Theme for English B,"
F, Aug. 30 Kinnell, "Blackberry Eating," Komunyakaa, "We Never Know"
M, Sept. 2 No
Class, Labor Day
W, Sept. 4 Atwood, "you fit into me," (779) Dickinson, "I heard a Fly buzz" (969)
F, Sept. 6 Cummings, "next to of curse god america i," (809), Marzan, "Ethnic Poetry"(822)
M, Sept. 9 Eliot, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" (1068)
Reading Journals due
W, Sept. 11 No
Class, 9/11 Memorial
F, Sept. 13 open class, catch up
M, Sept. 16 Shakespeare, "The World is Too Much with Us" (889), Thomas, "Do not go gentle into that good night" (895)
W, Sept. 18 Haiku, (website)
F. Sept. 20 Shomer, "Elegy and Rant for My Father," (website), Hudgins "Elegy for My Father, Who is Not Dead" (904)
M, Sept. 23 Soto, "Mexicans Begin Jogging" (934), Alexie, TBA (website)
W, Sept. 25 Levine, "What Work Is," (website), Kunitz, "Halley's Comet" (website)
F., Sept. 27 Class Canceled
M, Sept. 30 Exam Review
Reading Journals due
W, Oct. 2 Test #1, part 1
F, Oct. 4 Test #1, part 2
M, Oct. 7 Intro to Short Fiction, "Reading Fiction" (11-42)
W, Oct. 9 "A Rose for Emily" (75)
F, Oct. 11 "The Cask of Amontillado" (597)
M, Oct. 14 No
Class, Fall Break
W, Oct. 16 "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" (251)
F, Oct. 18 "Bartleby the Scrivener" (116)
M, Oct. 21 "Soldier's Home" (152), "Nebraska" (160)
W, Oct. 23 "The Night Nurse" (655)
F, Oct. 25 "A Good Man is Hard to Find" (384)
M, Oct. 28 "Battle Royal" (231)
W, Oct. 30 "Popular Mechanics," (286), "Girl" (584)
F, Nov. 1 Reading: TBA
Reading
Journals Due
M, Nov. 4 Exam Review
W, Nov. 6 Test #2, part 1
F, Nov. 8 Test #2, part 2
M, Nov. 11 Intro
to the novel, The Things They Carried
W, Nov. 13 The
Things They Carried
F, Nov. 15 The
Things They Carried
M, Nov. 18 Presentations
W, Nov. 20 Presentations
F, Nov. 22 Open class, catch up
Reading
Journals Due
M, Nov. 25 Intro to Drama, Trifles (1238)
W, Nov. 27 No
Class, Thanksgiving Holiday
F, Nov. 29 No
Class, Thanksgiving Holiday
M, Dec. 2 The Glass Menagerie (1893)
W, Dec. 4 The Glass Menagerie
F, Dec. 6 The
Glass Menagerie
M, Dec. 9 Last Day of Classes, exam review
Paper due
Reading
journals due
F, Dec. 13 Final Exam: 12-3