Missouri Western State College

 Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department of English, Foreign Language, and Journalism

English 210-03 Approaches to Literature—Chick Lit.

MWF 10:00-10:50

SSC 210

 

 

Instructor:  Dr. Stacia Bensyl

Office:  SSC 222-I

Phone: x5936

Office Hours: 9:00-10:00 MWF, 10:00-11:00 TTh, and by appointment

E-mail: bensyl@missouriwestern.edu

 

Required Texts:

 

Gilbert, Sandra M. and Susan Gubar, eds.  The Norton Anthology of Literature by Women.  2nd ed. New York: Norton, 1996.

 

Assessment methods:

·        Eleven 25-point quizzes

·        Two papers (minimum 3 complete pages)  worth 50 points each

·        A final exam worth 150 points (100 points objective and one essay worth 50 points)

 

Classroom expectations:

·        Students should come to class prepared by reading the assignment for that day.

·        Quizzes cannot be made up.  Please do not ask to do so.  After I collect the quizzes, latecomers will not be given the opportunity to take the quiz.  I will drop the lowest quiz score you receive during the semester.

·        Students should come to class with an open mind. 

·        Students should not visit, whisper, or talk during lectures. 

·        Turn off or leave at home all electronic beepers, phones, tape-players, etc.

·        Students should participate in classroom discussion.

 

Objectives: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/EFLJ/eng210.asp- Objectives

·        Students will have a better understanding of literature by women

·        Students will be able to put literature by women in a historical and cultural context to further this understanding

·        Students will be able to discuss and write about literature by women

 

Student Disability:

            Any student in this course who has a disability that prevents the fullest expressions of abilities should contact Missouri Western's special needs coordinator for possible certification of special needs and expert recommendations for assistance.  You should also contact me personally as soon as possible so that we can discuss class requirements.

 

Academic Honesty Policy:

I abide by all the regulations outlined in the Missouri Western State College Catalog and Student Handbook.  I will not tolerate plagiarism or claiming another's work as your own.  Please don't cheat!  If I find evidence of academic dishonesty, I will automatically assign that student an “F” for the course.

 

Important Due Dates:

 

Paper #1 due—Monday, February 28

Paper #2 due—Monday, April 18

You will be given instructions for each of the papers in class.

 

Final Exam:  Monday, May 9, 8:30-10:20

 

Tentative Assignment Schedule

 

Jan.      19        Introduction

            21        “Moments of Being,” page 1334

            24        Trifles, page 1351

            26        Trifles

            28        “Feminist Manifesto,” page 1364

            31        “The Cooboo,” page 1369

Feb.       2        “Where Lovers Dream,” page 1373

4        “Meditations at Kew,” page 1380; “The Affinity,” page 1380; “Divorce,” page 1381

              7        “The Blank Page,” page 1391

              9        “Miss Ogilvy Finds Herself,” page 1395

            11        “The Daughters of the Late Colonel,” page 1463

            14        “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,” page 1483

            16        “Sweat,” page 1490

            18        “The Waltz,” page 1557

21                Presidents’ Day

23        “The Demon Lover,” page 1581

25        “How Cruel Is the Story of Eve,” page 1622

28        Paper #1 due/ “In the Waiting Room,” page 1656

Mar.       2        “In a Café,” page 1668

              4        “My Sisters, O My Sisters,” page 1686

              7        “Eve to Her Daughters,” page 1741

              9        “the mother,” page 1788

11              No class

14              Spring Break

16         Spring Break

18         Spring Break

21       “The Ballad of the Sad Café,” page 1748

23       “The Ballad of the Sad Café”

25       “The Black Madonna,” page 1798

28       “Seventeen Syllables,” page 1834

30       “Good Country People,” page 1880

Apr.        1       “Her Kind,” page 1910

               4       From I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, page 1917

               6       “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers,” page 1955, “Lady Lazarus,” page 2097

               8       from Zami: A New Spelling of My Name, page 2132

             11       all of Lucille Clifton’s “Mary” poems, page 2136

13       no class Bensyl at conference

15       no class Bensyl at conference

18       Paper #2 due

20       “The Little Red Hen Tells All,” page 2230

22       “No Name Woman,” page 2239

25       “Wish,” page 2248

27       “The Management of Grief,” page 2254

29       from The Joys of Motherhood, page 2301

May        2       “Yellow Woman,” page 2328