Missouri Western State College
Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism
English 220-02: Introduction to Reading Texts
Dr. Stacia Bensyl
Spring 2002
Class time: 12:00-12:50 MWF
Class place: JGM 109Dr. Bensyl's office: SSC 222I
Hours: 10:00-12:00 MWF, 11:00-12:00 and 1:00-2:00 TTH, and by appointment.
Phone: 271-5936
E-mail: bensyl@missouriwestern.edu
Course Description
:This course is designed for future English majors. As such, it is important that you have as much exposure to the vocabulary of the discipline, the theories and approaches of the discipline, and the methodology of the discipline. The process of reading literary texts involves particular skills and raises particular issues specific to the reading process. Not only will we look at different genres of literature—prose, poetry and drama, in this class—we will also look at different critical approaches to the texts. Additionally, we will explore the use of MLA documentation, the official documentation style for English research papers.
Objectives:
At the end of this course you should be able to:
Prerequisite for ENG 220: ENG 108 or 112.
Required Books:
DiYanni, Robert, ed. Literature. 5th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2002.
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 1999.
Please bring both books to class every day.
Evaluation:
Participation: 10%
Midterm Exam: 15%
Final Exam: 15%
Three Critical Papers: 60%
Please note that you must turn in all three papers, and take the midterm and final exams in order to be eligible to pass the class.
Attendance
:The MWSC Policy Guide states that "each instructor will determine and make known to the class the requirement for attendance" (45). It is extremely important that you attend class on a regular basis. Much of our exams will draw heavily on what we’ve discussed in class. If you don’t come to class you will not be as informed as you will need to be about assignments and other pertinent information. If you’re not in class, it is your responsibility to come to me to discuss what you’ve missed. Additionally, your in class assignments which constitute a portion of your participation grade won’t be able to be made up. Not being here will make a difference.
Please read the Policy Guide for information for other information about the College’s policies regarding attendance and absence.
Please be on time. I won’t lock the door, but I will notice those who are constantly tardy and that will affect your participation grade.
Academic Dishonesty
: I don’t tolerate plagiarism, or the claiming of someone else’s work as one’s own, of any kind. I will take the fullest extent of disciplinary action allowed for academic dishonesty. Please, don’t cheat.Late and Missing Work
: I will accept one late paper. It must be turned in the class period following the original due date.Revision Policy
: You may revise any of your three papers once. In order to have your rewrite accepted, you will need to come see me for a rewrite conference. I don’t require anyone to rewrite. The choice is yours. Due dates for rewrites will be announced in class.Policy on Students with Disabilities
: Any student in this course who has a disability which requires different contexts for either evaluation or expression should contact me in the first few weeks of the course so that those needs can be considered.
Calendar
:N.B. This schedule is tentative. We may need more or less time for specific assignments. Please remain flexible.
Yes, we'll be reading a lot. As English majors, it's important to remember that reading is important. It is imperative that you keep up with the reading schedule. Read ahead if possible.
1/14: Introduction to course: discussion of syllabus, assignments, and critical approaches.
1/16: Critical approaches continued DiYanni 2071-2076
1/18: Formalist, Biographical, and New Historicist perspectives 2076-2084
1/21: Psychological, Marxist and Feminist perspectives 2084-2092
1/23: Reader-response and Mythological perspectives 2093-2100
1/25 Structuralist, Deconstructive, and Cultural Studies perspectives 2100-2111
1/28: Mason's "Shiloh" (62-71)
1/30: Introducing MLA
2/1: Research discussion—paper #1 choices; chapter 23.
2/4: Using the library; Essay #1 proposal due.
2/6: Chapter Two (37-42)
2/8: Silko's "Yellow Woman" (635-641); Valenzuela's "I'm Your Horse in the Night" (650-653)
2/11: Short story: O’Brien’s "The Things They Carried" (606); Hemingway’s "Soldier’s Home" (350).
2/13: Short story: Alexie’s "Indian Education" (482); Atwood’s "Happy Endings (496); Essay #1 Due.
2/15: NO CLASS--BENSYL AT CONFERENCE
2/18: NO CLASS PRESIDENTS" DAY
2/20: Sandra Cisneros (230-51).
2/22: Sandra Cisneros continued.
2/25: Transformations: adapting a text--bits from ch. 10 (TBA)
2/27: Transformations continued.
3/1: More transformations
3/4: Midterm Exam.
3/6: Essay #2 proposal due
3/8: Drama transformation from short prose tale: Luke’s "The Prodigal Son" (21) and Keillor’s Prodigal Son (1886); Bentley (2141); midterm grades due
3/11: Spring Break
3/13: Spring Break
3/15: Spring Break
3/18: MLA review
3/20: Essay #2 due. Chapter 15 (1180-1182)
3/22 Chapter 16 (1183-1200)
3/25: Drama: Riders to the Sea (1770-1778); Arms and the Man (1560-1604)
3/27: Drama: Simply Maria (1893-1915).
3/29 is the last day to drop classes.
4/1: Drama: Glaspell’s Trifles (1615); Glaspell’s "A Jury of Her Peers" (handout).
4/3: Drama: Trifles continued—context across dramatic traditions
4/5: Poetry: Voice and Diction (686-702)
4/8: Poetry: Imagery and Figures of Speech (703-14).
4/10: Poetry: Symbolism, Allegory, and Syntax (715-28); Proposal for Essay #3 due.
4/12: Poetry: Sound, Rhythm, and Meter (728-44)
4/15: More MLA information
4/17: Poetry: Structure and Theme (744-755)
4/18: Applying what we've learned to various poems
4/22: Langston Hughes (905-930); Essay #3 due
4/24: More Hughes
4/26: Still more Hughes
4/29: Discussion of Final Exam;
Final Exam: Monday, May 6, 11:30 am – 1:20 pm