______________________________________________________________________________

Week Eight

March 12                     Take Home Final Exam is due

                                    Discuss Assigned Stories

                                    Watch Sweet Land

                                                          English 2237 Oral Presentations

Purpose:  To offer your classmates essential biographical information on an author and provide important details about the historical context and critical interpretation of his/her work.  In addition, you will pose questions about the work itself to your classmates.

Audience:  Your classmates and instructor

Grade: 20% of your grade. 

Time Length:  20-25 minutes. 

Sources:  You must use at least 3 sources (from refereed, scholarly publications—journals, volumes, and books) and turn in a bibliography of these sources on the day of the presentation.  You may use some internet sources as background, but internet sources will not counted toward your required 3 sources.

Expectations:  You are required to do all of the following:

 

1) Tell us briefly about your author’s life, including when he/she was doing his/her major work. Please avoid plagiarizing the language of your sources.  Try to include what you find interesting and fascinating about this person (quirky hobbies, life experiences etc.)  Don’t bore your audience with the nonessentials (ex. “John’s great-grandfather was of Polish descent and he really enjoyed hunting”).

2) Tell us the specific themes/topics he/she focuses upon.  What was his/her goal or purpose in his/her work?  What drove or motivated him/her to do the work he/she did?  How did people react to this person’s work?

 

3)  Pose at least 3 detailed, open-ended questions to your classmates about the work (questions that lead to more than a yes/no response) that encourage your classmates to see how your subject’s work reflects a major theme, or idea of the period we’re studying (For example, how does this person’s work relate to other works in the same period?)

4)  Offer at least one detailed interpretation by a literary critic of the novel Explain how critics have historically interpreted this specific work.   Explain how this example reflects a major theme/concern of the person. ***This is the most important part of your presentation.

5) Please don’t simply read from your notes.  You need to make eye contact and use a clear speaking voice.

Better Than the Average Bear:  If you want an exceptional grade (B or better), you need to go the extra mile and use visual aids, handouts, or techniques that will make your presentation memorable.

Suggested Research Resources. 

You will want to first begin your research by doing a search for critical biographies and critical interpretations of your chosen author.  Every author we will study will have at least a couple of texts dedicated to interpretations of their works.  Once you do that, you may find the following sources helpful supplements to your research.  The book companion website for The Short Story and Its Writer could also be a helpful resource.  Check out www.bedfordstmartins.com/charters for more information.

All of these sources are located in the reference section of IHCC’s Library

Short Story Criticism PN 3321.S56

Short Stories for Students PN 3373

Critical Survey of Short Stories PN 3321

Contemporary Literary Criticism PN 771.C58

American Writers

African American writers PS153.N5A344

American writers : a collection of literary biographies PS129.A55

                                             Sign Up Sheet for Oral Presentations

*Denotes two person presentation. You must include discussion of film version.

Date        Title and Author                                        Presenter’s Name

*1/29    “Killings”                                            ___________________________

Dubus (handout)
                                                                        ___________________________

*1/29    “The Yellow Wallpaper”                    ___________________________

Gilman pages 312-325 & 867-73

                                                                        ___________________________

*1/29    “The Lottery”                                     ___________________________
Jackson pages 364-371 & 877-880

                                                                        ___________________________

*1/29    “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”     ___________________________
Bierce pages 74-81

                                                                        ___________________________

2/5   “A Hunger Artist”                                                ___________________________

Kafka pages 434-441 & 996-1005

2/5   “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings”          ___________________________

Marquez pages 306-311

2/5  “Everything that Rises Must Converge”    ___________________________

O’Connor pages 622-634 & 964-987

2/5  “Good Country People”                            ___________________________

O’Connor pages 634-648 & 964-987

*2/12 “Paul’s Case”                                         ___________________________

 Cather pages 116-131

                                                                        ___________________________

*2/12 “Bartleby the Scrivener”                                    ___________________________

Melville pages 530-557

                                                                        ___________________________

*2/12 “Where Are You Going?  Where Have  ___________________________

You Been?” Oates pages 594-607 & 895-900

                                                                        ___________________________

2/26 “A Rose For Emily”                                 ___________________________

Faulkner pages 285-292 & 866-67

2/26 “Hills Like White Elephants”                   ___________________________
Hemingway pages 349-353

*2/26 “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in           ___________________________
Heaven” Alexie pages 15-19 & 832-34

                                                                        ___________________________

2/26 “A Conversation with My Father”                       ___________________________
Paley pages 693-97 & 903-906

*2/26  “Brokeback Mountain”                         ___________________________

Proulx in Close Range  pages 255-285

                                                                        ___________________________

*2/26  “The Man Who Was Almost a Man”    ___________________________

Wright pages 813-822

                                                                        ___________________________

3/5 “Sweat”                                                     ___________________________
Hurston pages 354-363 & 930-31

3/5  “Tell-Tale Heart”                                      ___________________________

Poe pages 705-708 & 907-910
 

3/5 “The Management of Grief”                                  ___________________________

Mukherjee p. 564-577

 

3/5 “Who’s Irish?”                                           ___________________________

Jen pages 372-380

3/12 “The Lesson”                                           ___________________________

Bambara pages 61-66

3/12 “A &P”                                                    ___________________________

Updike pages 783-87

Film Analysis

Purpose:  To analyze the film version of the chosen short story by comparing and contrasting the elements of fiction (characterization, point of view, setting, and symbolism) in both works (the film and the short story)

Length:  2-3 typed double-spaced pages.  You will write 3 film analyses.

Please Note:  You do not have to do the film analysis in the same order that you read the stories.

Expectations:  You are required to do all of the following:

 

1.  Compare and Contrast the following elements in the story and the film:

2.  Evaluate the Film:

For additional help with this assignment, please consult the handout “Literary and Film Terms”

 Notes from 1/22 Class

Some Literary Terms to Know

PLOT

· Exposition: what information do you need to appreciate what will happen during the time frame of the story?

· Foreshadowing: a technique the author uses to plant the seeds for action that will follow. Early hints to what will happen later.

· Rising action: When the action/conflict/events intensify

· Conflict: What are the forces opposed to one another in the story?

· Crisis: Sometimes called the turning point-when the action reaches its peak or the biggest conflict arises

· Dilemma: What's the problem at the heart of the action?

· Crisis point: Sometimes called the climax-the pinnacle of the action.

· Falling action (denouement): After the climax, the restoration or resolution of the conflict. The outcome.

· Epiphany: a moment of startling, sudden insight gained by the main character as a result of the unfolding of events in the story

CHARACTER

· Protagonist--the leading character; the main character

· Antagonist--the force acting against the main character

· Flat character--a one-dimensional representation

· Round character--a multi-dimensional representation

· Dynamic character--one who changes or grows from beginning to end

· Static character--one who never changes or grows from beginning to end

POINT OF VIEW

· Omniscient narrator--an all-knowing consciousness in the mind of every character simultaneously

· Limited omniscient narrator--in the mind of one character, usually the main character

· First Person: reliable vs. unreliable narrators--a character in the story tells the story

· Objective or "camera eye" narrator--an omniscient narrator with a neutral consciousness, like a camera filming events

Background on the Short Story Form

·       Precursors to the Short Story:  Tale, Legend, Fairy Tale, Fable (Creation myths, oral tradition, Homer’s tales, Aesop’s beast fables, religious parables)

·       18^th century narratives: popular in periodicals

·       Modern Short Story originates in the middle of the 19^th century (1850s).  American writer:  Edgar Allen Poe often called the “Father of the Short Story”

·       Poe defines a short story as:  something that can be read between one half to two hours and often has one single effect

·       Popular Form in the 19^th century

·       Definition from Glossary of Literary Terms: 

"…a relatively brief fictional narrative in prose, anywhere from 500-15,000 words in length. Distinct from the "sketch" or the "tale" in that it has a definite formal development, finding its unity in more than plot-in character, effect, theme, tone, mood, and style."

·       Novel vs. short story.  Economy is the short story form.  One of its primary purposes is to reveal a character in action (Momentary; brief glimpse)

Characteristics of Modern Short Fiction:

English 2240:  Representations of the Body in Literature and Culture

English 2240:  Representations of the Body in Literature and Culture

Instructor: Dr. Lisa DuRose                                                                 Spring 2007
Office: 216 Library                                                                                         Section 01
Office Phone: (651) 450-8341                                                                        TTh 2-3:15
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10:00-12:00                                   HH126

and by appointment

Email:  ldurose@inverhills.mnscu.edu

 

Required Texts and Materials: 
    

No Cell Phones in Classroom

Except for emergency situations, I ask that you refrain from bringing cell phones into our classroom.  In cases when it is absolutely necessary for you to have a cell phone, please keep it on silent mode.  If you receive a call on your cell phone, I will ask that you leave the classroom to take your call. 

Laptop Policy

You are welcomed to bring in your laptop to take notes or do in-class writing; however, if you use it to check email or surf the internet during class discussion, you will no longer be allowed to bring the laptop to class.

Course Description:

This course takes the human body as its central theme and explores that theme through literature, history, and film.  Specific topics will include:  the aesthetics of beauty, diverse identities (e.g. racial, ethnic, sexual), bodily transformations, and disability.

Course Expectations

Since this class is about the discussion of literature, class discussions are one of the most important elements of what we will be doing.  We will be doing a variety of activities during the semester to keep the class lively:  group exercises, discussions, presentations, and films.  Therefore, I will expect EVERYONE to be fully prepared to participate in class discussion.  This means completing all of your readings and written response before you arrive to class.

Attendance
Attendance is required in this class and counts as part of your participation grade. If you must be absent from class, please contact me ahead of time if possible.  Since I cannot recreate an entire classroom experience you are responsible for contacting fellow classmates for information you might have missed.  If you have more than five absences, you will fail the course.  Severe illness and deaths in the family are not counted against you, but you must attach either a doctor's note or visit form to verify your illness.  If you are absent from class for two consecutive weeks and you fail to contact me, you will be automatically dropped from the course.

Late Papers/Assignments: 
All papers and assignments must be turned in on their due date by 2:00PM.  If you are unable to attend class to turn in your paper, please call me by 11:00 AM to let me know.  I will not accept any late papers unless you have made previous arrangements with me.

Lateness

You are allowed three tardies over the course of the semester.  If you are late more than four times, your tardies will start to affect your attendance and quiz grades.  Arriving more than fifty minutes late to class will result in an absence.

Participation

Ten percent of your final grade for the course will be based on your participation in the classroom.  A student receiving a high grade in participation comes to class prepared, contributes readily to the conversation but doesn’t dominate it, makes thoughtful contributions that advance the conversation, shows interest in and respect for others’ views, and participates actively in small groups.  If speaking in class presents a problem for you, come and talk to me in my office.  Regular attendance is also necessary for a high participation grade.  If you accumulate more than four absences, regardless of what happens to other portions of your grade, you will fail the participation portion of your grade.

Literary Events
The Twin Cities has a thriving literary and artistic community and it is my hope that we will take advantage of it over the course of the semester.  In addition, IHCC will also have literary and cultural events (our annual Student-Faculty Conference, lectures, and an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein which we will also attend.  I will keep you posted on the dates and times of these events.  Students who attend and turn in a typed one page response will receive extra credit counted toward their participation or quiz grades.

Take Home Assignments

You will have five take home assignments due in this class.  These assignments may involve answering 3-5 questions about the readings, hand-outs, or films or it may entail providing a journal-like personal response to the points of views in the literature we encounter.  These assignments are worth 15 points a piece, count toward 15% of your grade, and must be typed.

Quizzes

We will have a total of five quizzes in this course.  Each quiz will be worth 10 points a piece and will consist of short answer responses.  The quizzes will cover information assigned from the end of the last quiz through the readings assigned on the day of the current quiz.  These quizzes are worth 10% of your grade.

Midterm/Final Exams

Combined, the midterm and final are worth 50% of your grade.  The exams consist of quote identification and analysis and an essay question.  Most students find the exams quite challenging.  You are highly encouraged to take diligent notes on your readings, during oral presentations, and during lectures.  Please note that the final exam covers the entire semester of study.

Discussion Leading and Research Report

In order to make sure everyone is an active participant, each of you will work individually or with one other classmate to lead discussion on one of the assigned readings.  This will involved posing questions about the reading and providing essential background research about the topic.  You will be assigned a given topic on the second day of class.  You are required to lead discussion and report your research on the day assigned.  Only in cases of emergency will you be allowed to reschedule your report.  This project counts toward 10% of your grade. For a more detailed description of this project, please see page 7 of the syllabus.

Communication

I will not require conferences, though I highly recommend that you come see me in my office when you have questions about the course or the course material.  I will be happy to discuss your progress in the course, and/or your reactions to the course, the texts, or class discussions.  I hold regular office hours (listed above), and you can make an appointment to see me at another time as well.  You can also use email to ask questions or to further a discussion about issues related to the course.  You will have a more successful experience in this class if you maintain open and honest communication with me.  I ask, however, that you use the time we spend together wisely.  Contact me if you will be absent, need a paper extension, want to schedule a meeting (or cancel one), or need additional help on an assignment. Contact a classmate for reading assignments, writing assignments, or class notes.

Email Communication

If you send papers or assignment to me via email, please be sure that you verify that I received your assignment.  You should also plan on giving me a hard copy of the assignment you send when you return to class. 

Professionalism
This is a catch-all term used to describe your effort and willingness to plunge into class activities, take risks, tackle ever more difficult tasks, help others, and learn from your mistakes--all qualities that would contribute to success in any career.   Disruption of class, whether by latecomers, noisy devices or inconsiderate behavior will not be tolerated.  Specific guidelines about student behavior are stated in the student code of conduct section of the Inver Hills Community College Catalog. Failure to uphold these codes will disqualify you from participating in this class.

Plagiarism/Cheating:

Plagiarism and cheating are very serious offenses and will not be tolerated.   If you have questions about plagiarism, see me or someone in the writing center.  Students who plagiarize or cheat on an assignment will automatically fail that assignment and may face further penalties, including possible failure of the course.

Grades will be Based on the Following:
Discussion and Class Participation                                           10%  (50 points)

Discussion Leading and Research                                            15%  (75 points)

5 Quizzes (10 points a piece)                                                   10%  (50 points) 
5 Take Home/Assignments (15 points a piece)                                    15%  (75 points)
Midterm Exam                                                                         20%  (100 points)

Cumulative Final Exam                                                           30%  (150 points)
                                                                                                Total Points = 500 points

Grading Scale

90-100             A

80-89               B

70-79               C

60 range           D

Below 60         F

Accessibility:

I would like to make sure that all the materials, discussions and activities that are part of the course are accessible to you.  If you would like to request accommodations or other services, please contact me as soon as possible.  It is also possible to contact the Disability Services Office, L-224; phone, 651/450-8628; TTY, 651/450-8369.

Withdrawing from the course:

I sincerely hope you accept the challenge of this class and find no need to withdraw, but be aware that if you do withdraw, there are channels you must go through. Be sure you meet the deadline and that you get the proper forms from your counselor. If you do not take care of the formalities, you will receive a failing grade in this class. The last day for course withdrawal is April 27, 2007.  If you are considering withdrawing and need information about your standing in the course, please speak with me.

Writing Center

The Writing Center, located in the Learning Center, is a place you can go for additional help with your writing.  No matter how confident you are about your writing, no matter what kind of paper you're writing, no matter where you are in the writing process (brainstorming, drafting, revising), you will find the Writing Center a helpful and friendly environment.  Please visit them.  You will not regret it. They are open:

Mon. & Thurs.             9:00 a.m.-- 6:00 p.m.

Tues. & Weds.             9:00 a.m.-- 4:00 p.m.

Friday                                      9:00 am.-- 1:00 p.m.

                                                           Tentative Schedule

 

********Please have the readings done by the day listed on the left********

The following schedule gives you the due dates for reading assignments.  It does not include all readings and take home assignments.  If you are absent, please contact a classmate to get the reading and writing assignment.

Week One:

Jan. 18             Introduction to the course

______________________________________________________________________________

SECTION ONE: FASHIONING BODIES/MODIFYING BODIES/COMMODIFYING BODIES

Week Two:

Jan. 23             “The Skin We’re In” (handout)
Choose Discussion Leading Topic

Jan. 25             “The Birthmark” (coursepack)

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Three:

Jan. 30             “Beauty Myth” (coursepack);“Mirrorings” (handout)

Feb. 1              “A Hunger Artist” (coursepack) “Fat Girl” (coursepack)  Quiz #1

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Four:

Feb. 6              Bodies of Power” (coursepack) and “Parker’s Back” (coursepack) video: Body Art

                        SECTION TWO: ENGENDERING BODIES

Feb. 8              Freud’s “Some Psychical Consequences of the Anatomical Distinctions Between the Sexes” (handout) and Gould’s “Women’s Brains” (coursepack)

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Five

Feb. 13                        Laqueur’s “The Practices of Anatomy” (coursepack

Feb. 15                        As Nature Made Him pages Preface and 3-78

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Six

Feb. 20                        As Nature Made Him pages 79-195  

Feb. 22                        As Nature Made Him pages 199-285

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Seven

Feb. 27                        Meyer’s “Rock Hudson’s Body (coursepack)

Mar. 01                        “On Gaining a Daughter” (handout)  Quiz #2

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Eight

Mar. 6              Midterm Exam

Mar. 8              Class Does Not Meet

______________________________________________________________________________

                        SECTION THREE: THE BODY AS MEDICAL SUBJECT

Week Nine

Mar.  13           Wit pages 1-44

Mar. 15                        Wit pages 44-85          

______________________________________________________________________________

**********************Spring Break March 19-23^rd********************************

Week Ten

Mar. 27                        Mary Shelley’s Introduction to Frankenstein pages 169-175

Read Preface and pages 3- 58 in Frankenstein

Mar. 29                        Frankenstein pages 59-101

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Eleven

Apr. 3              Frankenstein pages 103-139

“’Doctor’ Frankenstein and Scientific’ Medicine” (handout)

Apr. 5              Frankenstein pages 140-156 and “Possessing Nature:  The Female in Frankenstein” 274-286.  Quiz #3

______________________________________________________________________________

SECTION FOUR THE BODY AND DISABILITY

Week Twelve

Apr. 10            Thomson’s “The Disabled Figure in Literature” and “Disability and Representation” (coursepack) and Bogdan’s “Freak Encounter” (coursepack);

Apr. 12            O’Connor’s “Good Country People” (coursepack) and Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron” (handout)

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Thirteen

Apr. 17            Ballad of the Sad Café pages 3-44

Apr. 19            Ballad of the Sad Café  pages 44-72 Quiz #4

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Fourteen

Apr. 24                        Mairs’ “Body in Trouble” and Kriegel’s “Wheelchairs” (both in coursepack

SECTION FIVE: THE BODY AND RACIAL IDENTITIES

Apr. 26            Chopin’s “Desiree’s Baby” and Guy-Sheftall’s “The Body Politic” (both in course pack)

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Fifteen

May 1              Black No More Forward and Preface pages 17-105

May 3              Black No More pages 105-131

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Sixteen

May 8              Black No More pages 131-195 Quiz #5

May 10                        Black No More pages 195-222

Final Exam:  Tuesday, May 15^th 4-6 PM

Discussion Leading and Research Report

 

Purpose:  To provoke your classmates into useful discussions about the assigned reading by providing essential research information about the theme or topic of the reading.

Audience:  Your classmates and instructor

Grade: 10% of your grade

Length:  15-20 minutes.  **NO MORE THAN 20 MINUTES**

Sources:  You must use at least three outside sources.  Audiovisual materials (films, advertisements, and CDs etc.) as well texts (articles, essays, books etc.) count as sources.

Expectations:  You are required to do all of the following:

 

1) Come prepared with 3 detailed, thoughtful, and open-ended questions (questions that lead to more than a yes/no response) on the text.

2) Offer a concise and engaging summary of the research you’ve gathered about the topic of the reading.  This may involve summarizing a film, essay, or other piece of writing and demonstrating the connections this research has to the assigned work. 

3) Explain the connections the assigned reading work has to other works we’ve read in this course.
   
4) Please don’t simply read from your notes.  You need to make eye contact and use a clear, loud speaking voice.

5) Provide a list of your sources

Better Than the Average Bear:  If you want an exceptional grade (B+ or better), you need to go the extra mile and help your classmates understand the multiple perspectives of your topic.  Be creative with the visual aids you provide. Handouts and overheads can also be useful in discussion leading

Suggested Resources:

If you are assigned to research a literary interpretation of a work, consult the following resources:

If you are assigned to research a topic or film, consult the following resources:

Sign up Sheet for Discussion Leading and Research Report

*cp denotes coursepack

Date       Research Project                Names of  Presenters                        Assigned Reading

Th. 1/25 Literary Interpretations    _______________________          “The Birthmark” (cp*)                                                                                                                           

Of the short story “The Birthmark”

_______________________

Tu. 1/30 Research on the portrayal                 _______________________          “The Beauty Myth”  (cp)

Of women in advertisements

_______________________

 Th. 2/1 Literary Interpretations       _______________________          “A Hunger Artist” (cp)

Of the short story “A Hunger Artist”

_______________________

 

Tu 2/6 Literary Interpretations         _______________________          “Parker’s Back” (cp)

Of the short story “Parker’s Back”

See Infotrak for useful interpretations_______________________

Tu 2/20  Research on Gender           _______________________          As Nature Made Him

Reassignment Surgery

_______________________

 

Tu 2/27 Research on the portrayal  _______________________          “Rock Hudson’s Body” (cp)

Of gays and lesbians in Hollywood

Possible Film:  The Celluloid Closet_______________________

Th 3/1    Review and Summary of   _______________________          “On Gaining a Daughter”             The film Southern Comfort                                                                     (handout)

Documentary on transgender man _______________________

Th. 3/1 Review and Summary of    _______________________          “On Gaining a Daughter”

The series Transgeneration                                                                               (handout)

_______________________

Th. 3/29 Literary Interpretations     _______________________          Frankenstein       

Of the novel Frankenstein

_______________________

Th. 4/5 A look at several film           _______________________          Frankenstein

Interpretations of Frankenstein

See the documentary:  The True      _______________________

Story of Frankenstein

Date       Research Project                Names of  Presenters                        Assigned Reading

Th. 4/12 Literary Interpretations     _______________________          “Good Country People” (cp)            

Of the short story, “Good Country People”

_______________________

Th. 4/12 Literary Interpretations     _______________________          “Harrison Bergeron” (cp)

Of the short story, “Harrison Bergeron”

_______________________

Th. 4/19  Literary Interpretations    _______________________          The Ballad of the Sad Café             of the Ballad of the Sad Cafe               

_______________________

Tu. 4/24  Review and Summary of _______________________          “Wheelchairs” (cp)

The film Murderball

_______________________

Tu 4/24 Research on the portrayal _______________________          “Body in Trouble” (cp)

Of women with physical disability in popular culture

_______________________

Th 4/26 Literary Interpretations      _______________________          “Desiree’s Baby”

Of “Desiree’s Baby”

                                                                _______________________                                                         

Tu 5/1 Portrayals of African             _______________________          Black No More

Americans in film (See the documentary

Ethnic Notions)                                   _______________________                                                         

Th. 5/3 Summary of the essay         _______________________          Black No More

“Science and Race” by Jonathan Marks.

In American Behavioral Scientist,   _______________________

Nov-Dec 1996 v40 n2 .  See Infotrac

5/8 Literary Interpretations of          _______________________          Black No More

Black No More

_______________________

English 1171:  Introduction to American Authors

Instructor: Dr. Lisa DuRose                                                                  Fall 2006
Office: 216 Library                                                                                           Section 01
Office Phone: (651) 450-8341                                                                TTh 11:00-12:40

Office Hours.M 11:00-1:00 W 12:00-1:00 Th 10:00-11:00                        LA 133

 and by appointment                                                      
 Email:  ldurose@inverhills.mnscu.edu

Required Texts and Materials: 

No Cell Phones in Classroom

Except for emergency situations, I ask that you refrain from bringing cell phones into our classroom.  In cases when it is absolutely necessary for you to have a cell phone, please keep it on silent mode.  If you receive a call on your cell phone, I will ask that you leave the classroom to take your call. 

 

Course Description

This course familiarizes students with the major themes, motifs, and authors in American literature from the Colonial Period to the present.  This course is a general introduction to the method of examining and understanding American short stories, poetry, drama, and novels; it is not a comprehensive historical survey.

Course Expectations

Since this class is about the discussion of literature, class discussions are one of the most important elements of what we will be doing.  We will be doing a variety of activities during the semester to keep the class lively:  group exercises, workshops, discussions, presentations, and films.  Therefore, I will expect EVERYONE to be fully prepared to participate in class discussion.  This means completing all of your readings and written response before you arrive to class.

Attendance  

Attendance is required in this class and counts as part of your grade. If you must be absent from class, please contact me ahead of time if possible.  Since I cannot recreate an entire classroom experience you are responsible for contacting fellow classmates for information you might have missed.  If you have more than six absences, you will fail the course.  Severe illness and deaths in the family are not counted against you, but you must attach either a doctor's note or visit form to verify your illness.  If you are absent from class for two consecutive weeks and you fail to contact me, you will be automatically dropped from the course.

Late Papers: 

All papers must be turned in on their due date by 11:00 AM.  If you are unable to attend class to turn in your paper, please call me by 10:00 AM to let me know.  I will not accept any late papers unless you have made previous arrangements with me.

Lateness

You are expected to arrive on time for every class.  If you know you’ll be late, please try to let me know ahead of time.  Arriving late is inconsiderate to your classmates and your instructor.

Participation:

Fifteen percent of your final grade for the course will be based on your participation in the classroom.  A student receiving a high grade in participation comes to class prepared,

contributes readily to the conversation but doesn’t dominate it, makes thoughtful

contributions that advance the conversation, shows interest in and respect for others’ views, and participates actively in small groups.  If speaking in class presents a problem for you, come and talk to me in my office.  Regular attendance is also necessary for a high participation grade.  If you accumulate more than four absences, regardless of what happens to other portions of your grade, you will fail the participation portion of your grade.

Quizzes

In order to make sure you’re not falling behind the assigned readings and to maintain good class room discussion, I will often give you a brief quiz at the beginning of class meetings on the assigned reading.  The quizzes will consist of 5 questions about the assigned works of literature.  Answering the questions correctly will require a careful reading of the texts. Please note:  there are no make-ups for quizzes.  You need to show up within the first fifteen minutes of class in order to take the quiz. Your lowest two quiz grades will be dropped.

Midterm/Final Exams

Combined, the midterm and final are worth 45% of your grade.  The exams consist of quote identification and analysis and an essay question.  Most students find the exams quite challenging.  You are highly encouraged to take diligent notes on your readings, during oral presentations, and during lectures.  Please note that the final exam covers the entire semester of study.

Oral Reports
In order to make class more lively and to insure that everyone is an active participant, you will  present an oral report on a writer and his/her specific work.

In Class and Short Take Home Assignments

You will often have a written assignment due. This may involve answering two to three questions about the readings, hand-outs, or films or it may entail providing a journal-like personal response to the points of views in the literature we encounter.  In class and group writing are also counted toward your writing assignments.

Literary Events:
The Twin Cities has a thriving literary community and it is my hope that we will take advantage of it over the course of the semester.  There will be many opportunities for us to attend plays at the Guthrie Theater and many other venues.  As a class, we will all attend Neil Simon’s play Lost in Yonkers at the Guthrie Theater in late October or early November.  In addition, IHCC will also have literary and cultural events (our annual Banned Book Reading, lectures, and at least one play). I will keep you posted on the dates and times of these events.  Students who attend and turn in a typed one page response will receive extra credit counted toward their participation or quiz grades.

Communication

I will not require conferences, though I highly recommend that you come see me in my office when you have questions about the course or the course material.  I will be happy to discuss your progress in the course, and/or your reactions to the course, the texts, or class discussions.  I hold regular office hours (listed above), and you can make an appointment to see me at another time as well.  You can also use email to ask questions or to further a discussion about issues related to the course.  You will have a more successful experience in this class if you maintain open and honest communication with me.  I ask, however, that you use the time we spend together wisely.  Contact me if you will be absent, need a paper extension, want to schedule a meeting (or cancel one), or need additional help on an assignment. Contact a classmate for reading assignments, writing assignments, or class notes.

Email Communication

If you send papers or assignment to me via email, please be sure that you verify that I received your assignment.  You should also plan on giving me a hard copy of the assignment you send when you return to class. 

Professionalism
This is a catch-all term used to describe your effort and willingness to plunge into class activities, take risks, tackle ever more difficult tasks, help others, and learn from your mistakes--all qualities that would contribute to success in any career.   Disruption of class, whether by latecomers, noisy devices or inconsiderate behavior will not be tolerated.  Specific guidelines about student behavior are stated in the student code of conduct section of the Inver Hills Community College Catalog. Failure to uphold these codes will disqualify you from participating in this class.

Plagiarism/Cheating:

Plagiarism and cheating are very serious offenses and will not be tolerated.   If you have questions about plagiarism, see me or someone in the writing center.  Students who plagiarize or cheat on an assignment will automatically fail that assignment and may face further penalties, including possible failure of the course.

Grades will be Based on the Following:
Discussion and Class Participation  (includes group work )                                   15%
Quizzes                                                                                                             10%

Oral Presentation                                                                                              15%   
Take Home/In Class Writing Responses                                                             15%
Midterm Exam                                                                                                  15%

Cumulative Final Exam                                                                                      30%

 

Grading Scale

90-100              A

80-89                B

70-79                C

60 range           D

Below 60          F

Accessibility:

I would like to make sure that all the materials, discussions and activities that are part of the course are accessible to you.  If you would like to request accommodations or other services, please contact me as soon as possible.  It is also possible to contact the Disability Services Office, L-224; phone, 651/450-8628; TTY, 651/450-8369.

Withdrawing from the course:

I sincerely hope you accept the challenge of this class and find no need to withdraw, but be aware that if you do withdraw, there are channels you must go through. Be sure you meet the deadline and that you get the proper forms from your counselor. If you do not take care of the formalities, you will receive a failing grade in this class. The last day for course withdrawal is November 29, 2006.  If you are considering withdrawing  and need information about your standing in the course, please speak with me.

Writing Center

The Writing Center, located in the Learning Center, is a place you can go for additional help with your writing.  No matter how confident you are about your writing, no matter what kind of paper you're writing, no matter where you are in the writing process (brainstorming, drafting, revising), you will find the Writing Center a helpful and friendly environment.  Please visit them.  You will not regret it. They are open:

Mon. & Thurs.              9:00 a.m.-- 6:00 p.m.

Tues. & Weds.             9:00 a.m.-- 4:00 p.m.

Friday                           9:00 am.-- 1:00 p.m.

                                                               Tentative Schedule
************Please have the readings done by the day listed on the left****************

 

The following schedule gives you the due dates for reading and writing assignments.  It does not include all reading and take home assignments.  If you are absent, please contact a classmate to get the daily assignment.  Please note:  readings are due on the date listed at the left.

The American Short Story

Week One
8/24      Introduction to the Course.
______________________________________________________________________________

Week Two     
8/29      Introduction: Some Precursors of the American Short Story pages 1-21 in American Short Story and Its Writer (*AS from here after).  “School of Literary Criticism” (handout).

Choose Oral Reports.

8/31      Early Nineteenth Century” pages 25-34 in AS

            “Rip Van Winkle” p. 36-48 in AS

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Three
9/5        “The Minister’s Black Veil”103-114 in AS

            Henry James’ essay on Hawthorne pages 1378-1382 in AS

            “Slavery’s Pleasant Homes” pages 143- 147 in AS

 9/7       “Bartleby, the Scrivener” pages 197-225 in AS

            “A Deconstructive Reading of Melville’s Bartleby” pages 1411-1415 in AS    

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Four
9/12      “Late 19^th Century” pages 246-254 in AS

The Yellow Wallpaper” pages 390-403 in AS

“A Feminist Reading of the Yellow Wallpaper” and Gilman’s essay

pages 1351-1356

“The Revolt of Mother” pages 360-373 in AS

9/14      “The Wife of His Youth” 456-456 in AS and pages 1365-68

               Early 20^th Century” 481-491 in AS

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Five

9/19       Mid 20^th Century pages 789-797 in AS

Everything That Rises Must Converge” pages 997-1009 in AS

            “Harrison Bergeron” pages 1018-1023 in AS

9/21      Late 20^th Century pages 1030-1038 in AS

“A Conversation with My Father” pages 1089-1093 in AS

“The Things They Carried” pages 1162-1176 in AS

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Six           
9/26      Class Does Not Meet.  Student Success Day

9/28      “Miss Clairol” pages 1177-1181 in AS

            “The Tenants” pages 1150-1151 in AS

            “The Only Traffic Signal on the Reservation Doesn’t Flash Red Anymore”

            Pages 1205-1211

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Seven
10/03    Read Introduction to 101 Great American Poems and “Reading and Writing About

Poetry” (handout).  “To the Right Honourable William” pages 1-2.  “I Hear America Singing” pages 22-23 and “Song of Myself” pages 25-26.  “Bury Me in a Free Land” pages 27-28.  Selected Dickinson poems pages 29-32.

10/05    “Richard Cory” page 39.  “We Wear the Mask” page 43. “Birches” pages 46-47 “Fire

and Ice” page 48 “Mending Wall” pages 48-49. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” page 50

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Eight
10/10    “Chicago” page 53. “The Red Wheelbarrow” page 60.  “This is Just to Say” page 61. 

“Poetry” pages 65-66.   “If We Must Die” pages 70-71.

10/12    “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” pages 66-70.  “Since Feeling is First” page 74.

“Dream Deferred” page 75.  “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” page 77.  “Incident”78-79.

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Nine
10/17       Midterm Exam

 

Week Ten
10/24    Lost in Yonkers Act I

10/26    Lost in Yonkers Act II
______________________________________________________________________________

Week Eleven
10/31    Lost in Yonkers

11/2      Attend Lost in Yonkers at the Guthrie Theater??

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Twelve

11/7      The Piano Lesson pages 1-54

11/9       The Piano Lesson pages 55-108

______________________________________________________________________________

 
Week Thirteen

11/14    The Piano Lesson

11/16    The Piano Lesson

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Fourteen

11/21    House of Sand and Fog pages 1-101

11/23    Class Does Not Meet.  Thanksgiving

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Fifteen
11/28    House of Sand and Fog pages 102-193

 

11/30    House of Sand and Fog pages 193-218

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Sixteen

12/5      House of Sand and Fog (film clips) pages 221-301

12/7      House of Sand and Fog (film clips) pages 302--end

______________________________________________________________________________

Week Seventeen

12/12  Review for Final Exam and Course Evaluations

______________________________________________________________________________

Final Exam: Wednesday, December 20^th 12:00-2:00 PM

1171 Literary Oral Presentations

Purpose:  To offer your classmates essential biographical information on an author and provide important details about the historical context and critical interpretation of his/her work within the American Literary Tradition.  In addition, you will pose questions about the work itself to your classmates.

Audience:  Your classmates and instructor

Grade: 15% of your grade. 

Time Length:  20-25 minutes. 

Sources:  You must use at least 3 sources (from refereed, scholarly publications—journals, volumes, and books) and turn in a bibliography of these sources on the day of the presentation.  You may use some internet sources as background, but internet sources will not counted toward your required 3 sources.

Expectations:  You are required to do all of the following:

 

1) Tell us briefly about your author’s life, including when he/she was doing his/her major work. Please avoid plagiarizing the language of your sources.  Try to include what you find interesting and fascinating about this person (quirky hobbies, life experiences etc.)  Don’t bore your audience with the nonessentials (ex. “John’s great-grandfather was of Polish descent and he really enjoyed hunting”)

2) Tell us the specific themes/topics he/she focuses upon.  What was his/her goal or purpose in his/her work?  What drove or motivated him/her to do the work he/she did?  How did people react to this person’s work?

 

3)  Pose at least 3 detailed, open-ended questions to your classmates about the work (questions that lead to more than a yes/no response) that encourage your classmates to see how your subject’s work reflects a major theme, or idea of the period we’re studying (For example, how does this person’s work relate to other works in the same period?)

4)  Offer at least one detailed interpretation by a literary critic of the short story, novel, or poem that we are studying.  Explain how critics have historically interpreted this specific work.   Explain how this example reflects a major theme/concern of the person. ***This is the most important part of your presentation.

5) Please don’t simply read from your notes.  You need to make eye contact and use a clear speaking voice.

Better Than the Average Bear:  If you want an exceptional grade (B or better), you need to go the extra mile and use visual aids, handouts, or techniques that will make your presentation memorable.

Suggested Research Resources. 

Most of the authors in this course will have biographies and/or critical literary approaches to their works. For any short story, I would also consult the Selected Annotated Bibliography in The American Short Story and Its Writer pages 1479-1486.  I would begin with these sources first. Here are more general references that might prove useful:

All of these sources are located in the reference section of IHCC’s Library

Poetry Index PN1022.A39

Granger’s Index to Poetry PN1022.H39

Poetry for Students PN 1101.P64

Critical Survey of Poetry PN1021.C7

Guide to American poetry explication. Z1231.P7G85 1989

African American writers PS153.N5A344

American writers : a collection of literary biographies PS129.A55

American women writers, a critical reference guide from colonial times to the present PS147A4

Asian American literature : reviews and criticism of works by American writers of Asian descent PS153.A84A82

Black literature criticism : excerpts from criticism of the most significant works of Black authors over the past 200 years PS153.N5B556

The Harlem Renaissance : a Gale critical companion PS153.N5H245

Latino and Latina writers PS153.H56L39

Native American women writers PS153.I52N38

Modern American literature PS221.M53

Contemporary Poets

Contemporary Literary Criticism PN 771.C58

Critical Survey of Short Stories PN 3321

Short Story Criticism PN 3321.S56

Short Stories for Students PN 3373

Contemporary Novelists

American Writers

Gay and Lesbian Literature             

Encyclopedia of the Novel

Sign Up Sheet for Oral Presentations
* = two person presentation

Date        Title and Author                                                 Name of  Presenter

8/31 Th “Rip Van Winkle” p. 36-48 in AS                        _______________________________       

Washington Irving

 

9/5 Tu “The Minister’s Black Veil”103-114 in AS           _______________________________

Nathaniel Hawthorne

9/5 Tu “Slavery’s Pleasant Homes” pages 143- 147 in AS_______________________________

Lydia Childs

*9/7 Th “Bartleby, the Scrivener” pages 197-225 in AS _______________________________
Herman Melville

                                                                                                   _______________________________

9/12 Tu  “The Yellow Wallpaper” pages 390-403 in AS_______________________________

Charlotte Perkins Gilman

9/12 Tu “The Revolt of Mother” pages 360-373 in AS ________________________________

Mary Wilkins Freeman

9/14 Th  “The Wife of His Youth” 456-456 in AS           _______________________________

Charles W. Chestnutt

9/19 Tu  “Everything That Rises Must Converge”       _______________________________

pages 997-1009 in AS. Flannery O’Connor

9/19 Tu  “Harrison Bergeron” pages 1018-1023 in AS_______________________________

Kurt Vonnegut

9/21 Th “A Conversation with My Father” pages        _______________________________

1089-1093 in AS.  Grace Paley

9/21 Th “The Things They Carried” pages 1162-1176 in AS _______________________________

Tim O’Brien

9/28 Th  “Miss Clairol” pages 1177-1181 in AS              _______________________________

Helena Maria Viramontes

9/28 Th  “The Tenants” pages 1150-1151 in AS             _______________________________

Bharati Mukherjee

9/28 Th  “The Only Traffic Signal on the Reservation  _______________________________

 Doesn’t Flash Red Anymore” Pages 1205-1211

Sherman Alexie

               
10/03 Tu  Selected poems of Walt Whitman                  _______________________________

101 Great American Poems

 

10/03 Tu  Selected poems of Emily Dickinson               _______________________________

101 Great American Poems

10/05 Th Selected poems of Robert Frost       _______________________________

101 Great American Poems

10/05 Th Selected poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar      _______________________________

101 Great American Poems

10/10 Tu  Selected poems of William Carlos Williams_______________________________

101 Great American Poems

10/10 Tu  Selected poems of Claude McKay                 _______________________________
101 Great American Poems

10/10 Tu  Selected poems of Carl Sandburg                   _______________________________
101 Great American Poems

10/12 Th  Selected poems of Langston Hughes            _______________________________
101 Great American Poems

10/12 Th  Selected poems of Countee Cullen _______________________________
101 Great American Poems

10/12 Th  Selected poems of T.S. Eliot                            _______________________________
101 Great American Poems

*10/26 Th  Lost in Yonkers                                              _______________________________

Neil Simon

 

                                                                                                _______________________________

10/31 Tu Lost in Yonkers                                                  _______________________________

1993 Film Version: Reviews and Interpretation

 

*11/9 Th   The Piano Lesson                                            _______________________________

August Wilson

                                                                                                _______________________________

*11/28 Tu   The House of Sand and Fog                        _______________________________

Andre Dubus III  

                                                                                                _______________________________                                                       

12/5 Tu   The House of Sand and Fog                             _______________________________

Film Version: Reviews and Interpretation

Humanities 1111 Baroque to Modernism

                    HUMANITIES 1111: BAROQUE TO THE MODERN WORLD

Instructor: Dr. Lisa DuRose                                                              Spring 2005
Office: 216 Library                                                                           Section 01
Office Phone: (651) 450-8341                                                          TTh 1:00-2:40
Office Hours: MW 11:00-12:00 TTh 12:00-1:00                                 B 207
and by appointment

Writing Center Hours:  MW 10:00-11:0; W 2:00-3:00; Th 3:00-4:00
Email: Durose212@aol.com or ldurose@inverhills.mnscu.edu

Course Description:
This course examines written works, art, architecture and music in their cultural context from the European Enlightenment to the Modern World; e.g. such artists and writers as Bach, Swift, Voltaire, Rembrandt, Stravinski and Yeats, and such movements as Baroque, Realism, Impressionism and Existentialism.

Course Purpose:
The humanities are a fruitful and exciting field of study.  They ask--and sometimes answer--questions about the meaning of culture, society, and the arts, and life itself.  This field covers a number of disciplines--literature, philosophy, the arts, architecture, religion, and music among others.  The two courses at Inver Hills offer an historical approach:  we will use the process of history as a background to explore the existence and meaning of the humanities.  We also will limit ourselves to a Western perspective:  in this course, we will discuss primarily European roots of our culture, society, and arts.

Required Texts and Materials:
    *The Humanistic Tradition.  Volume II.  Fourth Edition. Gloria Fiero (Please bring this text

     to every class meeting)
    *Frankenstein (1818) Mary Shelley.  A Norton Critical Edition.  Ed. J. Paul Hunter
    *Heart of Darkness  Joseph Conrad.  A Norton Critical Edition.  Ed. Richard Kimbrough
   * College Dictionary

Course Goals:
1.  Recognize and identify major works in the arts, music, and literature.
2.  Recognize the characteristics of major historical periods.
3.  Relate major artistic trends to philosophical underpinnings.
4.  Develop a vocabulary for discussing works of art and ideas.
5.  Demonstrate knowledge of cultural, social, religious, and linguistic differences in major works of art and literature.
6.  Communicate, both in writing and orally, your responses to and ideas about works of art and literature.
7.  Discuss the influence of political, economic, and cultural forces on the productions of works of art and literature.

Workload:
How much work is typical in a college course?  3 cr.= 9 hrs./week; 4 cr. = 12 hrs/week.  This time includes both class and homework.  I’d like to ask you for your commitment this semester to the expected amount of time for work.  The Inver Hills (and national) standard is three hours of work (two of homework and one of class time) per week for every college credit, to receive an average grade.  This course is a FOUR CREDIT class, so I hope you’ll plan on spending at least TWELVE HOURS per week on class and homework:  four on class and eight on homework.

Grades will be Based on the Following
Discussion and Attendance                                           5%
Weekly Quizzes (10-12)