Course
Description
While all sections of this course
are entitled “Introduction to Literature” this particular
class would be better entitled “Introduction to Textuality.”
While we will consider a wide range of traditional “literary”
texts (novels, plays, poems, short stories), we will also expand the
canon by considering anecdotes, advertisements, essays, photographs,
paintings, and hypertexts. The fundamental goal of this course is
to help you better understand, manipulate, and master the verbal/textual
environment in which we all live. Literature is one of the most powerful
tools for achieving this goal because writers over time have developed
some of the most sophisticated and creative ways of shaping our verbal
environment (and thus shaping our world).
Course Goals
Students
will:
•
Learn to read and write more analytically
•
Learn the specific skills of close reading
•
Improve their grammar (to the point where they write
nearly error-free papers)
•
Learn to write an effective essay on a literary topic
•
Learn to do independent research (including using electronic
databases and resources) and complete a research essay
•
Learn more about the 4 genres under consideration:
short fiction, poetry, novels, and plays—including appropriate terminology
and methodologies for study
•
Learn about individual authors and literary history
Texts
Robert Scholes, Text
Book: Writing through Literature, 3rd ed. (Bedford/ St. Martin’s)
Diana Hacker, A Canadian Writer’s Reference, 4th Edition
(Bedford/ St. Martin’s)
Diana Hacker, A Canadian Writer’s Reference Exercise Book,
4th Edition (Bedford/ St. Martin’s)
(Note: These three books are available in a package at a discounted
price)
Further texts will be announced for second term
Procedure,
Assignments and Workload
I want this class to be a meaningful
learning process for both you and me. Your participation is valued
and is essential for the kind of classroom I intend this to be. In
order to be fully involved you should be:
• attending class regularly and participating in discussions
and homework assignments
• actively reading and thinking about texts for the day they’re
due to be discussed
• taking notes on your own reading, on my lecturing, and on
class discussion in general.
My job is not primarily to impart information, not to give you answers
about texts, but to help you improve your skills in thinking, reading,
and writing critically and creatively. The more you take an active
role in this process the more you stand to gain from this class. This
is particularly true in two key areas—improving grammar and
improving writing. These areas will be addressed somewhat in class
time, but much of this work—reading and exercises—will
be completed on your own time. Of course, I am always available for
individual help and consultation. Feel free to drop by during my office
hours or make an appointment for another time if these ones don’t
suit you.
Homework
There are regular homework assignments for most days listed on the
course calendar. You are expected to have completed the reading and
the question(s) for class each day. On days where we will discuss
a number of questions, I ask students to read and answer each question
briefly, but to concentrate on one question (assigned based on your
last name). You are responsible for all the material and you may be
called on in class to answer the question you concentrated on.
There will be occasional surprise quizzes as homework and reading
checks. During first term you will be asked to hand in 1 or 2 of the
following homework assignments. If you hand in two, you get the better
of the two grades.
1) Due Oct. 7: Find a commercial which follows Aristotelian
principles, as discussed in TB p. 51-57, “Aristotle and the
Advertisers” . Either summarize and analyze the advertisement
or, if possible, bring in a video of the ad with your analysis.
2) Due Oct. 12 or 14 (by e-mail): find and send me
an example of a “defamiliarized” image (visual or written)
with a comment about it. (See reading for Oct. 14)
3) Due Oct. 14: write an analysis of one of the scenes
from Trifles, “The Kiss,” or “The Use of
Force” as a character contests, using Goffman’s terms
of reference (TB p. 42-51)
4) Due Oct. 19: Write up your definition of metaphor
(see # 4 p. 72)
5) Due: Oct. 21: Create a riddle poem, like Plath’s
“Metaphors” p. 74 #2.
6) Due Nov. 9: Do a series of Queneau’s transformations
p. 161 #2
7) Due Nov. 23: Choose a classic celebrity and do
some research (and write a short report) on ideological interpretations.
Evaluation
Grades will be based on
written assignments including essays, tests, and homework assignments;
grammar quizzes; unannounced quizzes (homework checks); and a December
and final exam. There will be no make-ups for quizzes and short homework
assignments. I will drop one missing or low assignment per term from
your class work grade. After that, missing assignments or quizzes
count as zero.
Term One Grades
15% Assignment #1: Personal Narrative (due Sept. 30)
10% Creative Writing assignment (due Oct. 26)
15% Critical Writing assignment (due Nov. 30)
20% Class work (including quizzes and homework)
40% Exam
Late Policy:
You will have at least two weeks to complete essays. Essays are due
in class on the assigned date. If you are unable to be in class that
day, make an arrangement with me at least 24 hours in advance. Late
assignments will receive a penalty of –5% for the first day
late, and then –10% for up to one week late. After one week
late I will not accept assignments.
*Click
here for grading scale.
Grammar
Grammatical
correctness is essential to effective writing. It is assumed
that by the time your reach university level you can compose grammatically
correct sentences with very few errors. Essays that do not
meet these standards may not receive a passing grade. Please
review the handout “Policy For the Use of Standard English”
for this class. Over the course we will review a number of
basic writing errors and you will be asked to complete the corresponding
assignments from The Canadian Writer's Reference Exercises .
We will take up assignments in class, and we will have a number
of grammar quizzes that will count towards your class work grade.
For those who want to spend more time developing their grammar
skills there is an excellent website
which accompanies our reference guide. Here you will find additional
exercises and self-grading quizzes to help improve your skills.
Additional web-based exercises for each section are indicated on the
grammar “Readings and Exercises” handout.
*Click
here for Writing Errors: Required Grammar Exercises
Essays
Below are some general guidelines
for the presentation of essays.
· All
essays must be typed or word-processed, double spaced, with a one-inch
margin on both sides and at the top and bottom of the page.
All pages should be numbered. Staple pages together.
Put your student number instead of your name ,
along with your essay title, date, etc. on a title page or at the
top of the first page. Use as standard size font—Times Roman
12 point is a good choice (you do not want a font much bigger or much
smaller). Please avoid fancy graphics or distracting fonts.
· Essays must meet
university-level standards for basic grammar, mechanics, sentence
structure, and formatting. For completed essays, this class will use
the Standard English Policy (see handout).
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
means taking another person's words or ideas as your own without properly
acknowledging their source. This can include anything from buying
an essay, downloading one off the internet, copying sentences or phrases
from an unacknowledged source (cutting and pasting lines from internet
sites), or using someone else's ideas (whether in direct quotation
or paraphrase) without giving them credit. Plagiarism is a
serious academic offense with serious consequences. Cases of
plagiarism will be reported to the relevant dean's office and students
will face the following penalties: First offence: zero on the assignment
and offence noted on the student's academic file; second offence:
zero in the course, and possible discontinuation from CBU; third offence:
discontinuation from CBU . Avoid
unintentional plagiarism by making sure you keep careful record of
any ideas or text you've borrowed from other sources. When working
with text on the internet, always cut and paste the URL at the top
of your page so you'll be able to easily refer back and cite your
source.
ENGLISH
200 FIRST SEMESTER CALENDAR
This calendar is designed
to give you an idea of what we will be studying and what you need
to read and do. Assignments for the given day must be completed BEFORE
class that day. It is possible that there will be minor changes as
we go along. You need to keep up to date by attending class and paying
attention to assignments and readings.
