GRAFT/W97
LITERARY INTERPRETATION SYLLABUS
ENGLISH 200
Winter 1997 Instructor: Lynne Graft
8:30 - 9:50 AM T/Th P155 Office 329 Science Ext. 4030
E-mail: lrgraft@tardis.svsu.edu
Office Hours: 11:30-1:30 M/W, 11:30-12:00 T/Th or by appt. T/Th
Required Texts and Supplies
1. Joel Wingard, Literature: Reading and Responding to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay . Harper Collins 1996.
2. The Oxford English Dictionary or American Heritage Dictionary or any other quality paper bound dictionary
3. Plenty of looseleaf paper for use in class; no spiral edges, please
4. A ready supply of paperclips; no staples, please
Course Description and Objectives
Literary Interpretation is a course which will increase your ability to appreciate and understand the genres of fiction, poetry, and drama. We will study from each of these genres works which are recognized as examples of fine literature as well as some works not at all well known. You may not always agree with the editor's assessment or mine, but you should, nonetheless, come away from the course with a body of knowledge which will enable you to examine a work of literature and develop an adequate understanding of it on your own. This may be a slow process for some, at first, but your success will be greatly enhanced by regular attendance and thorough, close reading (not skimming) of the materials assigned. And of course your great attitude will help tremendously!
*If you have a reading comprehension problem or read slowly, you must build extra time into your study schedule to adequately read the material. Even very adept readers need to read literature several times..
This class is not often a lecture class. Rather, it is a writing-intensive, response based exploration and sharing of ideas revolving around the study of literature. It is your responsibility to come to class having read your assignment and formed some preliminary opinions about it. Together we will explore some preliminary opinions about it. Together we will explore, expand upon, and revise those opinions. You do not have to agree with me, the editor, or your classmates, but you must provide support for your own opinions. Fair enough? You will learn to do this and may be amazed before long that you now read differently, with greater insight than you did in the past.
Because this class has a heavy emphasis on reader response, it is designed with an electronic component. Using your e-mail address, you will make entries in your electronic journal which will be conducted entirely on-line. You will need to go to one of our computer labs to do this or do it from home if you have a computer and modem there. Computer Services will give you the necessary software to enable your home machine to
receive your e-mail if you have a computer with a modem. You will be part of a small group with whom you will dialogue all semester. In addition you will be part of the larger group and also have a direct line to me. You will receive hands-on instruction in using e-mail in a class session devoted to that. You will find this kind of discussion to be enlightening, liberating, and fun. This course is writing intensive and interactive. If you are looking for a lecture course where you do nothing more than sit back and take notes, you should look for a different section of English 200.
Evaluation
You will have three tests and write two papers, each worth 15%, or a total of 75% of your grade. The papers and tests enable you and me to assess the depth of your understanding and the maturity of your insights. You will be expected to observe the conventions of acceptable mechanics and usage. This includes correct spelling! As a college student, you have been admitted to an academic community and must learn to express yourself in the language of that community. The prerequisite for this class is completion of Composition I & II with grades of C or better.. If this is not the case, discuss it with me.
The remaining 25% of your grade will be determined by the quality of your class assignments, participation, and electronic response journal (as opposed to a hard copy journal). Only occasionally will I make specific journal assignments; your self discipline is required in this regard in order that you build lab time into your schedule and post an entry twice each week before Sunday, midnight. It is at that time that I record all responses for the week.
In the journal you should record your thoughts about the assigned readings, and also record new information you might have been inquisitive enough to seek out on your own. You should make an effort to dialogue with not at your group members, and call them by name. You may respond in the journal to controversies that arise in class discussion. You may take issue with me, with an author, playwright, poet, or with a classmate. Occasionally, you may even try creating your own literature: an essay, editorial, poem, play, whatever, providing the attempt is honest and not just filler. Make observations, ask questions, wax philosophical. Hopefully, this literature we study is going to make you THINK, and the journal will become a record of the level of your thinking. It can raise or lower your grade by as much as a whole grade, depending on its quality and evidence of effort.
The journal is required; it is not an option. A person who chooses not to post timely required entries will receive no more than a D in the course. Specific guidelines for entries will be placed in your e-mail inbox. Look upon lab time as you would library time. You must build time for it into your schedule. This may require you to make extra trips to campusthat you had not planned on, but this is an aspect of the university experience that you cannot avoid. Planning a schedule which allows you time only to attend class is extremely unrealistic and ill-advised.
There are no late papers. For practical purposes, due dates must be strictly adhered to. Papers are announced well in advance and may not be handed in late for a lowered grade. Papers not turned in on time are not read and receive a grade of 0. If you are having difficulty of any kind and anticipate that you cannot make a deadline, see me in advance of the due date to determine if an extension can be granted. This cannot occur except in an emergency situation. This is in reference to death, earthquake, plague, etc., not oversleeping, all night fights with girlfriend/boyfriend, sudden onset of pneumonia, writer's block, etc.
If a paper is due and you cannot be in class to turn it in, you must somehow get it to third floor Science and fill out a Record of Student Deposit form with either of the two secretaries. Your paper will then be put in my office. Your other option is to mail the paper to me, making sure it is postmarked in a post office on or before the due date. Do not slide overdue major papers under my door. This does not refer to homework.
Obviously, if you are not in class, you are not participating and will be graded accordingly. More than two absenses in the semester will hurt your grade, and if you miss five or six times, you should expect to fail the course. You alone are responsible for obtaining missed assignments and class notes. In-class writings, however, are exercises in spontaneous writing or inquiries about assigned readings and cannot be made up.
Please be on time. Late entries are disruptive and distracting to your classmates and put you at a disadvantage since class begins with the direction for the day's work, and collaborative activity that works best if you are there from the beginning..
If all this seems a bit heavy handed and authoritarian, please understand that we all need guidelines in order to function effectively. As a reforming procrastinator myself, I tend to build a course with that type of student in mind. You should regard the class as a non-threatening, informal and fun place to be. The classroom is a democratic place and all opinions are respected and valued. It is my hope that you will feel an integral, contributing member of the group and have quite a good time in the process. I hope, too, that you emerge a more critical thinker for having taken the course. The class requires considerable time and effort, but your new analytical skills and appreciation of literature will remain with you.
N.B. : Any student with a disability that may restrict her or his full participation in course activities is encouraged to meet with me during the first week of the semester or contact the SVSU Office of Disability Services, Wickes 145, for assistance.
Fall 1996. Graft
LITERARY INTERPRETATION READING SCHEDULE
THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FLEX BUILT INTO THIS SCHEDULE WHICH MAY NOT BE APPARANT TO YOU BUT IS TO ME. FROM TIME TO TIME WE MAY BE OFF SCHEDULE. KEEP YOUR READING UP-TO-DATE IF THIS HAPPENS SO YOU ARE NOT BEHIND WHEN I MIRACULOUSLY CATCH US UP !
Week One Policies & procedures, texts, syllabus, journal.
Tuesday Writing sample
7 January Read: Chapter 1, "What Is Literature/" pp. 3-16
Write: Respond to all S & C boxes using loose leaf paper
Assignment: Get e-mail address immediately if you don't have one
Thursday Discussion & reading response
9 January Read: Chapter 2, "The Reader's Role," pp. 17 - 37
Write: S & C, pp. 22, 24, 32
Read: Chapter 3 "Reading Lit. Actively," pp. 38-54
Write: Prereading Expectations for "Hills Like White Elephants," p. 41
Week Two What !! Vacation Already? No assignment - count your Tuesday blessings :-)
14 January
Thursday Discussion of Ch. 2 & 3: "Dover Beach," "Cover Me, " 16 January & "Hills Like White Elephants" Form and name dialogue groups.
Read: Ch. 4, "Writing About Lit.,l" pp. 55-82; Ch. 5, "What Is Fiction?" pp. 85-110
Write: Q's - pp. 93-94, 100
Week Three E-mail Instruction in computer lab, P212 Tuesday Formation of distribution lists. Assignment to be 10 21 January done in e-mail and sent to lrgraft. Tom Petty "Mary Jane's Last Dance," Guy deMaupassant's "The Necklace"
Read: Finish Ch. 5, pp. 111-130, Write: Make notes
Thursday Discussion of Ch. 5 - Literary Conventions
23 January Read: Ch. 6, 131-176, Edgar Allen Poe: "The Cask of Amontillado, Charlotte Perkins Gillman, "The Yellow Wall-Paper, 294-306
Write: prep notes
Week Four Discussion
Tuesday Discuss "The Yellow Wall-Paper,"294-306;
28 January Read: Louise Erdrich: "Fleur," 373; Alice Walker: "To Hell With Dying," 384-388
Write: Card Report
Assign: Fiction Paper, due 25 February
Thursday Continued Discussion - Plot, Point of View, Setting
30 January Read: continue with assigned reading
William Faulkner: "A Rose For Emily," 399-405
Week Five Finish discussion of assigned stories. In-class Tuesday activities.
4 February Read: William Faulkner: "A Rose for Emily," pp. 399-405
Write: actual chronology of events
Thursday Discussion of "Rose" In-class Activities
6 February Read: Faulkner: "Barn Burning," pp. 388-399
Write: Card Report
Week Six Continue w/discussion of Faulkner
Tuesday
11 February
Thursday Finish fiction unit
13 February Read: Review text and notes
Week Seven Fiction Test
Tuesday Read: Ch. 15, "Reading & Responding to Drama."
18 February 811-833; Larry Charles: Seinfeld ,"The Subway." 813; Susan Glaspell: Trifles, 824
Thursday Begin Drama unit
20 February Discuss Seinfeld and Trifles
Write: Card Report of Trifles
Week Eight Fiction Paper Due Video: A Jury of Her Peers
Tuesday Preliminary discussion of Hamlet
25 February Read: Hamlet Write: to be announced
Thursday Hamlet
27 February Read: continue with Hamlet
Rent Hamlet video starring Sir Laurence Olivier (Mel Gibson will be seen in class
Week Nine SPRING BREAK!!!
Tuesday
4 March
Thursday SPRING BREAK, continued
6 March
Week Ten Lab session on Hamlet, P212
Tuesday
11 March
Thursday Collaborative activities
13 March
Week Eleven Video, Hamlet
Tuesday Write: Drama Paper - Comparison between Olivier & Gibson versions, 18 March, due 25/3
Thursday Hamlet, continued
20 March Read: Chapter 10: "What Is Poetry?" begins on 505
also, "Reading and Responding to Poetry," 503
Week Twelve Discussion of Ch. 10 - In-class activities
Tuesday Read: assigned poems
25 March Write: tba
Thursday Discuss poems assigned, collaborative activities
27 March Read: Ch. 11: "Reading Poems Actively," 533-59
Write: tba
Week 13 Discuss poems assigned, collaborative activities
Tuesday Read: Ch. 12: "Types of Poetry," 563-587
1 April Write: tba
Thursday Discussion of Various Forms and Terminology
3 April
Week 14 Finish Poetic Forms
Tuesday Read: Ch. 13: "Special Focus in Poetry: Additional 8 April Reading Strategies," 589-622
Thursday Discussion of various strategies for finding/making 10 April meaning. Examination of poems in Ch. 13
Read: assigned poems
Week 15 Final week of poetry, collaborative activity, video
Tuesday
15 April
Thursday Test preparation
17 April
Week 16 Final Exam: 8:30 - 10:20 on Tuesday, 22 April