APPROACHES TO LITERATURE: LITERATURE OF THE SOUTH

ENG 210 Approaches to Literature

Literature of the American South

Syllabus

Dr. Kenneth L. Rosenauer

Textbook

The textbook required for this course is Voices of the American South, edited by Suzanne Disheroon-Green. It should be available at both the campus bookstore and Passport Books, located across Mitchell Avenue from the campus.

Purpose

Approaches to Literature (ENG 210) is a sophomore-level literature course that introduces you to excellent works of literature selected to follow a theme or genre — in this case, the literature of the American South. The course is designed to develop your ability to read, evaluate, and respond to this literature through oral discussion and written reports. English 210 fulfills Category IV General Studies requirements. All English 210 sections provide practice in reading and analyzing poetry, prose fiction, and drama.

Goals

Upon satisfactory completion of this course you 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 that are encountered

(4) Understand the different ways in which literary theme may treated in literature

Means

To reach these goals, you are expected to:

(1) Read poetry, 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.

Literary Reports

You will be required to complete three literary reports during the term, one worth 50 points and the other two worth 300 points each. All must be typed, double spaced, with these desktop publishing settings: font — Times Roman or comparable, size — 12 pt., double spaced, margins — 1 inch all around.

The 50-point paper is a 3-page response to Gone with the Wind, in which you detail how the film has helped you understand The South by relating it to at least four of the themes we discuss at the beginning of the semester.

You may select any of the following for your two 300-point reports (make sure we have finished discussing the chosen work first). Each report, running no less than 4 and no more than 7 pages, may be done only once:

• Personal critical analysis of a single work we have studied.

• Analytical essay in which you argue for your own personal relationship to a character, explaining clearly what characteristics you each have in common and how those influence how you and the character act in similar circumstances or how it is you respect/admire the character and why.

• Sequel or alternate ending to a short story we have studied, which includes AT LEAST one full page that explains the impact of your sequel or alternate ending vs. our reading of the first story.

• Cross-medium poem written on a short story or play we have studied, which includes AT LEAST one full page that explains the impact of your poem vs. our reading of the first story/play.

• Cross-medium play written on a short story or poem we have studied, which includes AT LEAST one full page that explains the impact of your play vs. our reading of the first story/poem.

• Modernized parody of a poem, short story, or play we have studied, which includes AT LEAST one full page that explains the impact of your parody vs. our reading of the first story/poem/play.

Class Participation

You are expected to be fully prepared to discuss each work in class. This will require a thorough understanding of the readings and a willingness to offer your perspectives. Each of you will keep a tally sheet for each class period, wherein you will track the number of contributions you make to discussions as well as a brief reference to those contributions. Participation is worth 100 points.

Reading Questions

You will receive a list of reading questions for most of your assignments. Those are graded Credit/-20 points penalty and are due at the beginning of each class meeting. The penalty points will be deducted from the other points you earn for the term.

Notebook

You are expected to keep a detailed notebook of your personal insights and notes gathered during and following your reading of each work and in-class notes of lectures and discussions. While textbook marginal notations are commonplace, those will not be graded. Due just prior to the final exam period and graded for completeness, the journal must be clearly marked and will be worth 50 points.

Examination

A 100-point midterm examination and a 200-point final examination will be given, each covering the works we have studied and our class discussions. At the beginning of the semester, you will receive a list of questions from which the exams will be taken.

Attendance

Very simply, you are expected to be in class each day we meet. During summer, each class day is equivalent to a full week of regular semesters. Unexcused absences will be reflected in class participation and notebook grades. Also, late assignments are not accepted without an excuse I consider valid.

Grades

Points will be earned for the following items:

GWTW Report................................................... 50 points

Literary Report One......................................... 300 points

Literary Report Two........................................ 300 points

Class participation........................................... 100 points

Reading journal................................................. 50 points

Midterm exam............................................... 100 points

Final exam....................................................... 200 points

TOTAL........................................................ 1,100 points

The letter grade equivalents will follow a traditional 10-percent spread.

Office Hours/Phones/E-mail

Office hours are immediately following the class and by appointment. My office is in Eder 222E.

Office Phone: 271-4323, Home Phone: 387-8213. Leave messages if I am not available to answer the phone; that's why I've got the answering machines.

E-mail: My e-mail address is <rosenauer@missouriwestern.edu>. You are welcome to write me about questions or concerns you may have about the course. My Web site is located at <http:// staff.missouriwestern.edu/~rosenauer/rosenauer_main.html>. There you will find pertinent course materials, including copies of the syllabus, course outline, and final exam questions.

Academic Honesty

You are expected to do your own reading and writing for this course. IMPORTANT: All forms of cheating, including plagiarism — submitting someone else's written work as your own — will earn an F for the assignment and may earn an F for the course.

Disabilities

If you are disabled, whether the disability is apparent or not, and concerned that your disability may interfere with your completion of course requirements above, please notify me during the first two days of classes so that we might discuss appropriate alternatives.