English 349-01

English Novel from Defoe to Hardy

(Writing Intensive)

Fall 2002

Dr. James Evans

Office/office hours

102 McIver (phone, 334-3282; e-mail, james_evans@uncg.edu)

Office hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Wednesday 1:00-2:30 p.m.

You are welcome to visit my office at any point during the semester and to schedule an appointment outside of my usual office hours.

Student Learning Goals: At the completion of this course you should be able to:

--read English novels of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with careful attention and recognize narrative techniques in them;

--understand better how authors and readers create meaning in fictional texts;

--understand aspects of the novel as a genre, such as plot, characterization, point of view, setting, and representation;

--understand better the relationship of these novels to such historical and cultural topics as gender and class;

--demonstrate ability to write clearly and effectively about novels and to improve written work following constructive feedback.

Required texts (all Penguin paperbacks) and dates for class discussion:

Richardson, Pamela: August 22, 27, 29

Fielding, Joseph Andrews: September 3, 5, 10, 12

Burney, Evelina: September 17, 19, 24, 26

Exam: October 1

Austen, Sense and Sensibility: October 3, 8, 10

C. Bronte, Jane Eyre: October 17, 22, 24, 29, 31

Dickens, Great Expectations: November 5, 7, 12, 14, 19

Hardy, Tess of the D’Urbervilles: November 21, 26; December 3, 5

Final Exam: December 17 (noon)

Attendance/Participation: I expect your regular attendance and your active participation in class discussion. After four absences your participation grade will be lowered for additional absences; excessive absences may result in your being dropped from the course. I expect you to arrive on time for class and to remain for the entire 75 minutes; please turn off cell phones or pagers. Once during the semester you will briefly (approximately 10 minutes) lead class discussion about a character or episode from a novel; meet with me in advance to discuss your strategy. Your journal piece for that week will be a written version of your presentation; you may read or talk through your piece, then ask questions. On occasion I will ask you to divide into small groups to discuss an aspects of novels.

Exams: You will write two essay exams during the semester, one near midterm on the first three

novels and another, the final exam, on the last four novels. You may choose from among several questions that ask you to compare and contrast aspects of the novels.

Reading Journal: Beginning August 27, each week you will write and submit a 2-page piece on the novel being discussed at the time. Use this opportunity to focus your thinking about this novel. Try out ideas that you might want to explore more fully in a paper. You may follow the prompts below or write about another aspect of the novel that interests you. While I want you to be focused (ie., don’t write on several different topics) and to use examples, remember that this is informal writing.

—Isolate a passage that intrigues or puzzles you and try to come to an understanding of its significance in this novel.

—Focus on what you think is a major ambiguity in the novel for you, the author, or a character.

—Discuss a character in a particularly important moment or passage in this novel.

—Discuss a character in relation to other characters in this novel.

—Discuss an aspect of the genre, such as point of view or setting in this novel.

—Write a letter to an author or a character, either soliciting advice or giving it.

No journal piece is due the weeks of October 1/3, October 17, November 19/21.

Papers: During the semester you will write two essays, each about 5 word-processed pages; your essay will take one of your journal pieces as its starting point. Do not use secondary sources; the thinking and writing in the essays should be your own. Your paper should have a clear thesis and should use evidence from the novel, including brief quotations, to support your ideas. I will be glad to discuss your paper at any point in your writing process and to read an early draft. You are also invited to use the University Writing Center.

Paper 1: submit your essay by October 17 and attach your journal piece.

Paper 2: submit your essay by November 21 and attach your journal piece. Do not write again on the novel discussed in your first paper.

Revision: You must revise one of your papers and submit this work by noon on Reading Day, December 10. Attach the first submission to your revision.

Academic Integrity Policy: You should be familiar with this UNCG policy, especially as it concerns cheating, plagiarism, and appropriate penalties. I expect you to include and sign this statement on both exams and papers: I have abided by the Academic Integrity Policy on this assignment.

Course Grade: Exams, 30%

Papers, 30%

Journal, 30%

Participation, 10%