Estimated Schedule of Readings & Written Assignments
Week One: Introduction to English 200 – What is literature and why do you read it? Why do we read it?
T 2/1
• Distribution of syllabus and a discussion of learning objectives, goals, expectations, and course requirements
• Frost, “The Road Not Taken” (5)
• HW
o Purchase your textbook before our next meeting and join the course e-journal blog as soon as possible!
o Stanford, Responding to What You Read on p.5-7, and Considering Evidence to Support… on p.7-11
o Frost, “Mending Wall” (1246-48)
o Post a comment to e-journal #1: You have read one poem by Robert Frost, giving your own responses to it while also hearing those of others presented in the textbook; now you will read another by Frost titled “Mending Wall.” This time I ask that you respond by following the directions to the Exercise on the bottom of p.4, applying them to “Mending Wall.” Post your response as a comment to the first e-journal blog entry. (Due 2/3)
R 2/3
• Discussion on using textual evidence as support and on employing active reading skills
• Introduction to the next course segment
• HW
o Stanford, Joining the Conversation on p.13
o Grace, “Butterflies” (14-15)
I. Weeks Two – Four: Active Reading – Using the Language & Vocabulary of Literature to Explain Our Response to It
T 2/8
• Review of Frost, e-journal #1, and Grace
• Hughes, “Theme for English B” (15-16)
• HW
o In Stanford, review the Response Questions to Hughes on p.16
o Post a comment to e-journal #2: Write your own “B page” for English 200, just as Hughes did for his college English course sixty years ago. I invite you to be as open and creative as possible in your response. Bring a hard copy of this assignment to the next class… we will be using them in an activity. (Due 2/10)
R 2/10
• A sharing of our “B pages” via review of e-journal #2
• Review of Hughes
• HW
o Wasserstein, The Man in a Case (17-23)
F 2/11 – College closed – Lincoln’s Birthday
M 2/14 – Valentine’s Day
T 2/15
• Review of Wasserstein
• White, “Education” (24-26)
• HW
o Stanford, Actions and Events on p.26-31
o Post a comment to e-journal #3: Choose an Exercise from the section Actions and Events on p.31-32 and complete the task asked of you. If you decide to complete number three you will receive extra credit, as this prompt is more demanding than either number one or two. (Due 2/17)
R 2/17
• Discussion on plot, structure, conflict, irony, et al.
• Review of White and e-journal #3
• Distribution of SP#1 Rubric
• HW
o Stanford, People, as well as Places and Times on p.32-47
T 2/22
• Discussion on characters, types of dialogue, point of view and narration, setting, et al.
• Stanford, Devising a Preliminary Thesis Statement on p.95
• Review of Grace, Hughes, Wasserstein, and White
• Preparation for Short Paper One and review of SP#1 Rubric
• HW
o Stanford, Words and Images, Sounds and Patterns, as well as Ideas on p.47-56
o Post a comment to e-journal #4: Write a draft thesis statement to your first paper, for which you will write an organized, thoughtful response to one of the texts we have read thus far. The class’s comments to this post can serve as a pool of ideas that you may use to formulate your own thoughts and interpretations. (Due 2/24)
M 2/21 – College closed – President’s Day
W 2/23 – Conversion day – Classes follow a Monday schedule
R 2/24
• Discussion on style, tone, diction, syntax, rhythm and rhyme, figurative language, et al.
• Discussion on theme and meaning
• Review of e-journal #4
• HW
o Over the weekend work your paper! Be sure to reference the SP#1 Rubric for specific guidelines.
T 3/1
• Introduction to the next course segment via Stanford, Continuing the Conversation on p.57
• Short Paper One Due — Be sure to bring two extra copies of your paper (that means three in total) so that you are prepared for the mandatory in-class peer-review and edit.
• HW
o Stanford, Expectations: Short Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Nonfiction on p.57-60
o Atwood, “you fit into me” (59)
II. Weeks Five – Seven: The Many Genres and Voices of Literature
R 3/3
• The major distinctions between genres of literature
• Stanford, An Introduction to Short Fiction on p.60-65
• HW
o Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper” (532-545)
o Post a comment to e-journal #5: Choose one of the Guidelines for reading short fiction on p.64-65 as your entry. Respond to “The Yellow Wallpaper” via your chosen Guideline. (Due 3/10)
T 3/8 – Class Canceled
R 3/10
• The characteristics of short fiction
• Review of Gilman, her Commentary on p.546-47, and e-journal #5
• Distribution of SP#2 Rubric
• HW
o Stanford, An Introduction to Poetry on p.65-70
o Shelley, “Ozymandias” (962-63)
o Kinnell, “When the Towers Fell” (974-978)
o Post a comment to e-journal #6: This journal has two parts. First, after reading these two poems on the “relics” of Ozymandias and the Twin Towers, describe any connection (or disconnection) that you may see between these pieces of literature. See the Comparison Guidelines on p.113-114 for assistance with this portion of the assignment. Second, read them again, actively, and explain how each poem affected your emotions and thoughts during this subsequent experience. (Due 3/15)
T 3/15
• The characteristics of poetry
• Review of Shelly, Kinnell, and e-journal #6
• Discussion of citation (MLA) and paraphrase
• HW
o Stanford, An Introduction to Drama on p.70-78
o Synge, Riders to the Sea (874-884)
o Post a comment to e-journal #7: Respond to the fourth Consideration Prompt after this play, which states: Scholar Thomas Kilroy has noted that Maurya “finds a freedom in isolation” and that she separates herself from the family and the community, showing “a contempt for the values that are left behind” (Mosaic, Spring 1971). Do you agree with this comment? What evidence can you offer to either support or refute Kilroy’s view of Maurya? (Due 3/17)
R 3/17
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Last Day to withdraw from a course without a W grade
• The characteristics of drama
• Review of Synge and e-journal #7
• Stanford, An Introduction to Nonfiction on p.78-82
• Stanford, Using and Documenting Quotations from Literary Works: MLA Style on p.175-181
• HW
o Lopez, Landscape and Narrative (884-890)
o Post a comment to e-journal #8: Respond to the first two Consideration Prompts listed on p.890. (Due 3/22)
T 3/22
• The characteristics of nonfiction
• Review of Lopez and e-journal #8
• HW
o Stanford, Considering Other Voices on p.82-86
o Over the long weekend, work on your paper! Be sure to reference the SP#2 Rubric for specific guidelines.
R 3/24
• Introduction to next segment of course via Stanford, Writing and Critical Thinking on p.87-90
• Short Paper Two Due — Be sure to bring two extra copies of your paper (that means three in total) so that you are prepared for the mandatory in-class peer-review and edit.
• Revision of Paper One Due — Remember to staple both the original draft and the revision copy together, with the revision on top, when handing in this optional assignment.
• HW
o Stanford, Preparing to Write About Literature on p.90-92
III. Weeks Eight – Eleven: Using Critical Thinking – Writing to Respond, Compare, Analyze, Explicate, and Evaluate
T 3/29
• Writing about literature
• Stanford, Writing to Respond on p.92-101
• HW
o Stanford, Writing to Compare on p.101-114
o O’Brien, “The Things They Carried” (934-948)
o Post a comment to e-journal #9: Write a response in the same fashion as Karen’s paper on p.99-101. Begin by briefly summarizing your reaction to the work by O’Brien, and then use a personal narrative to explain that response. Be sure that you make references to the short story that show how it connects to your narrative (i.e., making a comparison between the two), properly citing the quotations you employ in MLA format. Remember to revisit the Comparison Guidelines on p.113-114 for assistance with this assignment. (Due 3/31)
R 3/31
• Writing comparisons
• Review of O’Brien and e-journal #9
• Stanford, Writing to Analyze on p.144-121
• Distribution of SP#3 Rubric
• HW
o Joyce, “Araby” (206-211)
T 4/5
• Writing analyses and explanations
• Review of Joyce
• HW
o Stanford, Writing to Explicate on p.121-134
o Post a comment to e-journal #10: Recall that an analysis, or explication, “unfolds” the work. That is, it explains in detail how the selected piece of text “communicates” to the reader by focusing on one or more of the elements of literature: sound, structure, figurative language, development of characters, development of plot and action, or irony, to name a few. Using Joyce’s “Araby” offer a written analysis that explains how one or more literary elements present in the story “communicate” to you. Revisit the Analysis and Explanation Guidelines on p.121 and 134, respectively, for assistance with this assignment. (Due 4/7)
R 4/7
• Review of explication and e-journal #10
• Stanford, Writing to Evaluate on p.135-145
• HW
o Hemingway, “Hills Like White Elephants” (839-844)
o Post a comment to e-journal #11: Answer the fifth Consideration Prompt to this story on p.844, drawing on and directly discussing your own beliefs and values as you form your response. Remember to revisit the Evaluation Guidelines on p.144-145 for assistance with this assignment. (Due 4/12)
M 4/11 – Last day to withdraw from courses with a W grade – Last day to select Pass/Fail Option
T 4/12
• Review of Hemingway and e-journal #11
• HW
o Over the weekend, work on your paper! Be sure to reference the SP#3 Rubric for specific guidelines.
R 4/14
• Short Paper Three Due — Be sure to bring two extra copies of your paper (that means three in total) so that you are prepared for the mandatory in-class peer-review and edit.
• Revision of Paper Two Due — Remember to staple both the original draft and the revision copy together, with the revision on top, when handing in this optional assignment.
• HW
o Stanford, Argument and Critical Thinking on p.147-152
o Post a comment to e-journal #12: During Spring Break, think of one person, place, or thing you encounter that relates to any of the texts, characters, plots, settings, themes, metaphors, etc. which we have read so far this term. Describe your experience and it’s textual connection using vivid detail. (Due 4/28) If you write two separate entries to this posting you will receive x-tra credit points equaling a “second” journal entry.
Week Twelve: Midterm Recess (No Classes: Su 4/17 – T 4/26)
IV. Weeks Thirteen – Sixteen: Argument and Research – Reading Literature Thematically by Thinking Critically
R 4/28
• Review of reading assigned before Spring Break and e-journal #12
• Stanford, On Reading Literature Thematically: Critical Thinking on p.193-194
• Distribution of Thesis Proposal Rubric
• HW
o Stanford, Writing an Argument: The Process on p.152, 157-161
o Chopin, “The Storm” (153-156)
o Post a comment to e-journal #13: Choose a topic for argument as if you were going to write a research paper on Chopin’s “The Storm.” Name that topic and then provide a draft thesis statement that clearly identifies whether this hypothetical paper’s focus is on character, theme, setting, social/cultural issues or history, or interpretation. You may refer to Stanford’s suggestions as guides; however DO NOT just copy them! (Due 5/3)
T 5/3
The writing process when forming a literary-based argument
• Review of Chopin and e-journal #13
• Stanford, Argument and Research on p.161-169
• HW
o Stanford, Using and Documenting Sources on p.169-175
o Work on the Thesis Proposal! Be sure to reference the Thesis Proposal Rubric for specific guidelines.
R 5/5
• Avoiding plagiarism when using source material
• Sharing of our Thesis Proposals and why we have chosen the direction and scope of our analyses
• HW
o Walker, “To Hell with Dying” (1180-1185)
o Thesis Proposal Due — Be sure to bring two extra copies of this document (that means three in total) so that you are prepared for the mandatory in-class peer-review and edit, and group discussions.
T 5/10
• Review of Walker
• Donne, “Death, be not proud” (1186)
• Dickenson, “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died—” (1188)
• HW
o Read the bio of George Saunders on p.1067 in Stanford
o Saunders, “Sea Oak” from Pastoralia (this text will provided as a handout)
o Post a comment to e-journal #14: Write a short piece that offers a creative way of expressing your reaction to the last four works on death. Obviously one could hone in on death as being a recurring theme, stating merely this “connective” evidence… yet the more intriguing piece of scholarly writing here will dig deeper into these works of literature and attempt to identify how these voices communicate to (you) the reader. (Due 5/12)
R 5/12
• Review Donne, Dickenson, Saunders and e-journal #14
• HW
o Work on your revision papers!
T 5/17
• Revision of Thesis Proposal Due — Remember to staple both the original draft and the revision copy together, with the revision on top, when handing in this optional assignment.
• Revision of Paper Three Due — Remember to staple both the original draft and the revision copy together, with the revision on top, when handing in this optional assignment.
• HW
o Work of your Final Paper! Contact me if you need assistance. Good luck with this and all your finals!
W 5/18 – Last day of Spring Semester classes
R 5/19 – Reading Day
Week Seventeen: Finals (F 5/20 – R 5/26)
Final Paper Due – Exact day and time is to be determined
