English 210 – Approaches to Literature
Extreme Themes, Word Slams, and Arguments
in Literature
Department
of English, Foreign Languages, & Journalism
MWSC
Division of Liberal Arts & Sciences
MW
2:00-3:20 JGM 105
Instructor: Dr. Cynthia Jenéy
Office:
S/SC 222K
Phone:
271-4447
Email: jeney@ mwsc.edu
Office
Hours: T 12:30-3:30 | Th 12:30-2:30
Required Textbooks:
Aeschylus.
(trans. Robert Fagles). The Oresteia Trilogy. [Do not substitute a
different translation!]
Lee,
Tanith. Biting the Sun.
Marx,
Karl & Friedrich Engels. The Communist Manifesto
Nims,
Frederick Western Wind. Fourth Edition.
Shakespeare,
William. King Lear.
Wilde,
Oscar. The Importance of Being Earnest.
Caution – do NOT wait until late in the semester to buy your books –
the bookstore will sell them back to the publisher’s
warehouse before you get to them!
Required Materials
A working, steady email account to which
you know the exact address.
Pocket
Folder for Handouts, Spiral notebook for note-taking and class exercises.
Recommended:
A
good college dictionary
An
edition of the MLA Style Handbook.
English
210 fulfills Category IV General Studies requirements. All English 210 sections
provide practice in reading poetry, prose fiction, and drama.
Objectives:
Upon
completion of English 210 a student should be able to:
(1) Recognize the major
characteristics of literary genres
(2) Discuss literature, orally and in writing, with assurance
(3) Appreciate literary works which are encountered
(4) Understand the different ways in which literary theme may be treated in
literature
Students
will be expected to:
(1) Read poetry, prose fiction, and drama
(2) Investigate various methods of approaching and understanding literature
(3) Write papers, including themes and essay examinations
(4) Read a variety of literary works in which a chosen theme is dominant
Class meetings: Class meetings of 200-level
courses are conducted under the assumption that students are well-versed in the
conventions of college classrooms and academic environments: arrive on time,
remain for the entire class period, turn off cell phones and pagers,
communicate with classmates and the instructor in a courteous, adult
manner. Students are expected to
complete each assigned reading in preparation for its listed class date (see
schedule). Come to class prepared, and plan to participate in discussion, class
activities, exams and quizzes. In the unlikely and unfortunate event that you
find yourself unprepared, come anyway – absence will only affect your
performance (and your grade) negatively.
This Syllabus: Read this syllabus very
carefully, and refer to it often. All information presented here is regarded as
part of your own knowledge. All answers to your questions about the class will
be based on an assumption that you understand the syllabus and class schedule,
and seek further clarification. The teacher reserves the right to alter this
syllabus and to make announced changes as need arises during the course of the
semester.
Due Dates: Dates for handing in all
required assignments are listed in the course schedule attached. There is no
room in the semester calendar for late papers. I do not plan to be accepting
late papers, due to my current teaching load and conference schedule. Make a
note of all due dates now, and plan accordingly.
Attendance: If you miss
class, get notes and assignments from a classmate. A
student with more than 4 (M-W) unexcused absences will automatically receive a
failing grade for the course. It is
your responsibility to keep track of your own attendance in the class. Please
see the student handbook for the definition of "excused absence"
(i.e., I do not wish to see doctor's excuses or obituaries). If you miss class it is your responsibility
to contact a classmate (and of course refer to this syllabus) regarding
announcements, assignments, changes, class notes, and additional readings or
writing.
Students
who consult with me in advance of known legitimate
conflicts or hardship will be given consideration on a case-by-case basis.
Serious efforts to attend, and to complete the work for this class will be
given fair consideration, especially in cases of earnest dedication and hard
work. Note: Weddings and vacation trips do not
constitute conflicts, hardships, or emergencies.
Contacting
Dr. Jenéy: Office
hours are established for the specific purpose of helping students who have
questions concerning the content and assignments of the course or who may wish
to discuss the materials further. Hours are posted at the beginning of this
syllabus (and on my office door). Polite phone or written messages requesting
help with class assignments are answered within 48 hours.
Email:
All emails should be clear, brief, and clearly identified by your name and the
course you are enrolled in; content should observe proper netiquette and be
appropriate to the academic setting. Emails may or may not receive a
response, since the campus WebMail systems are prone to shut-downs, broken
routers, DOS attacks, computer viruses and other technological failures.
Unsigned emails that do not identify the student, the course number and section
number will be deleted, or returned unanswered. Do not send email concerning
personal illnesses, absences or missed assignments.
Assignments:
There will be four exams (including the midterm and final) and one substantial
literary paper. Exams will be a combination of matching, fill-in the blank,
passage identification, and short essay. The essay component of each exam
should be written carefully and formally, in an organized and grammatical
manner, with attention to the use of terms and concepts covered in class.
Your
paper will be very structured, with criteria provided in advance. It will be
based upon 1) primary texts (literature assigned in the class), and 2) terms,
concepts, theories, and ideas studied in lecture, handouts, and in the textbook
(it is not a research paper, although some outside sources will be acceptable,
on approval). While essay grading always involves non-mathematical principles,
criteria and goals will be laid forth, and the paper will be judged according
to the writer’s ability to meet the demands of the reading and the assignments.
Grades are weighted as follows:
10% Exam #1 Poetry (required)
20% Midterm Exam (required)
10%
Exam #3 Fiction/Novel (required)
20% Literary Essay (required)
20% Final Exam (required)
20% Class participation, exercises, micro-themes
and quizzes (required)
100% Total
The
above assignments are minimum requirements for passing the course. There will
be no make-up exams or late essays.
There is simply no time for them in the course calendar, and no room for
them in my schedule. If you miss a required test or paper you need to meet with
the instructor immediately concerning your status in the course.
A
note about the writing in this course: although we will all encourage each
other to be open and to explore ideas, experiences, thoughts, emotions, and
beliefs, essay assignments shall be considered
public texts. Therefore I have
a strict policy against writing about any un-prosecuted crime or suspected
illegal activity which you have witnessed, or in which you have been involved.
When in doubt, I will always err on the side of safety.
Grading:
I expect essay exams and papers to have a clear thesis, reasonable organization
and development, focused paragraphs, and sentence-level competency. During the
course of the semester you will be asked to employ the literary and rhetorical
terminology, ideas, and conceptual frameworks we have studied.
Academic honesty: See Policy Guide II, B, C: “Since honesty in the classroom is required, cheating, plagiarism,
or knowingly furnishing false information to the college constitutes a
violation.” In short, the work you turn in must be your own. The words, ideas,
and information of other authors must always be punctuated and cited
correctly, according to MLA (Modern Language Association handbook) Style.
Disabilities: Any student in this course
who has a disability that affects the ability to complete course work should
contact the MWSC Special Needs Office as soon as possible so that the center
can provide alternative ways to satisfy class requirements.
Coordinator:
Lois
E. Fox
Location:
SS/C Building, Room 202
Office
Hours: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
Phone:
(816) 271-4330
English 210
Tentative Class Schedule
Spring 2003
|
January |
|
|
|
M |
13 |
Introduction. Syllabus. Policies. Requirements. |
|
W |
15 |
Western Wind (WW) xxxiii-xxxviii; Chapter 1 |
|
M |
20 |
MLK Holiday – NO CLASS MEETING |
|
W |
22 |
WW Chapter 1, Chapter 2 |
|
M |
27 |
WW Chapter 2, Chapter 3; possible quiz |
|
W |
29 |
WW Chapter 3, Chapter 4 |
|
February |
|
|
|
M |
3 |
WW Chapter 4, Chapter 5 possible quiz |
|
W |
5 |
WW Chapter 5, Chapter 6 Review for Exam |
|
M |
12 |
Exam: Poetry; WW Chapter 9, Chapter 11 |
|
W |
17 |
Presidents Day—NO CLASS MEETING |
|
M |
19 |
WW Chapter 11; Marx & Engels. The Communist Manifesto |
|
W |
24 |
Marx & Engels. The Communist Manifesto; Classical Rhetoric |
|
M |
26 |
Marx & Engels. The Communist Manifesto; Classical Rhetoric |
|
March |
|
|
|
W |
3 |
Marx & Engels. The Communist Manifesto |
|
M |
5 |
Marx & Engels. The Communist Manifesto |
|
W |
10 |
SPRING BREAK—NO CLASS MEETING |
|
M |
12 |
SPRING BREAK—NO CLASS MEETING |
|
W |
17 |
Midterm Exam |
|
M |
19 |
Lee. Don’t Bite The Sun |
|
W |
24 |
Lee. Don’t Bite The Sun |
|
M |
26 |
Lee. Don’t Bite The Sun |
|
W |
31 |
Lee. Don’t Bite The Sun |
|
April |
|
|
|
M |
2 |
Exam: Fiction; Aeschylus. Agamemnon |
|
W |
7 |
Aeschylus. Agamemnon; Assign Literary Essay |
|
M |
9 |
Aeschylus. Agamemnon |
|
W |
14 |
Shakespeare. King Lear |
|
M |
16 |
Shakespeare. King Lear |
|
W |
21 |
Shakespeare. King Lear |
|
M |
23 |
Wilde. The Importance of Being Earnest; Essay Due |
|
W |
28 |
Wilde. The Importance of Being Earnest |
|
M |
30 |
Wilde. The Importance of Being Earnest |
|
May |
|
|
|
W |
5 |
Final Exam 2:00-3:50; |