English Novel from Defoe to Hardy
Fall 2004
Dr. James Evans
Office/office hours
102 McIver (phone, 334-3282 or 334-5311; e-mail, james_evans@uncg.edu)
Office hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 10:30-11:30 p.m., Wednesday 1:00-2:00
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 selected 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 and speak clearly and effectively about these
novels and to improve your writing and speaking following constructive feedback.
Required texts (all Penguin paperbacks) and dates for class discussion:
Defoe, Moll Flanders: August 19, 24, 26, 31
Fielding, Joseph Andrews: September 2, 7, 9, 14
Austen, Pride and Prejudice: September 16, 21, 23, 28
First Exam: September 30
E. Bronte, Wuthering Heights: October 5, 7, 14, 19
Dickens, Great Expectations: October 21, 26, 28; November 2
Eliot, Silas Marner: November 4, 9, 11
Hardy, Tess of the D’Urbervilles: November 16, 18, 23, 30
Second Exam: December 2
Exams: You will have two exams during the semester, one near midterm on the first three novels and another, during the last class meeting, on the other four novels. These exams will require paragraph-length responses and will test your knowledge of the novels.
Essays: During the semester you will write two essays, each 4-5 word-processed
pages. 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. I will distribute suggestions for papers and criteria for evaluation
later in the semester.
Paper 1: submit by October 15.
Paper 2: submit by December 7. Do not write on the novel discussed in your
first paper.
Speaking Requirements: This is a speaking-intensive course.
Informal Speaking: I expect your regular attendance and your active participation
in class discussion; more than three absences will lower this part of your
grade. I expect you to arrive on time and to remain for 75 minutes. Please
turn off your cell phones.
I will occasionally ask you to divide into small groups to discuss aspects
of the novels and to report back to the class. In our study of Moll Flanders
I will ask each of you to read aloud a passage that interests you.
Individual Presentations: You will make two 5-minute presentations, each on a different novel. For your presentation choose a topic (perhaps a character, an episode, a setting, a theme, or an aspect of narrative technique, such as voice) and offer a brief analysis of its significance in the novel and/or its cultural contexts; you should read selected passages from the novel in support of your interpretation. I will provide sign-up sheets and guidelines on content, delivery, and practicing. As you prepare for these assignments, discuss your plans with me or visit the University Speaking Center for assistance. Following each presentation, submit your notes and/or outline to assist me in evaluating your work.
Course grade: Examinations, 33%; essays, 33%; speaking requirements, 34%.
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 papers and examinations: I have abided
by the Academic Integrity Policy on this assignment.