English 1020: Introduction to Literature

                                                                        

Spring 2010
MWF: 9:00-9:50am
Classroom: M 3105              

Instructor: M. Jamal (M3074)
Office Hrs.: MWF. 1:30-2:30pm 
Phone: 322-0114, e-mail: jamalma@pgcc.edu

                                                             

 

Required Text: Kirszner and Mandell. Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Compact 7th Edition

Reference Text: Diana Hacker. Rules for Writers, 5th Edition

 

English 1020 invites students to explore a variety of ways to read, think, and write about short fiction, poetry and drama. Thus, the following selections from different genres of imaginative literature are primarily meant to arrest your interest and challenge your thinking. It is my earnest hope that by their style and their focus on issues of universal concern, these works of supreme craftsmanship will also serve as a catalyst to self-expression and self-definition. For it is indeed true that only an individual whose consciousness has been heightened through reading develops effective writing skills.

 

Scheduled Reading*: January 25 - May 17

Week of:

Jan. 25

Introduction to Course and Diagnostic Essay

Feb. 1

Summary/discussion of Chapters 1 & 2

Feb. 8

Chapter 9: UNDERSTANDING FICTION 

“The Story of an Hour,” p. 197

 

Character, p. 219

 

John Updike: “A&P”, p. 224

Feb. 15

Setting, p. 255

 

Tillie Olsen: “I Stand Here Ironing” p. 298

                  

Point Of View, p. 300

Feb. 22

Edgar Allan Poe: “The Cask of Amontillado” p. 331

Theme, p. 485

 

Eudora Welty: A Worn Path,  p. 502

      

Paper #1 Due March 03

March 1

POETRY, p. 709. Recognizing Kinds of Poetry, 710

 

Poems About Parents. Theodore Roethke: “My Papa’s Waltz” p. 925

 

Poems About Love. Elizabeth Browning: “How Do I Love Thee” p. 938

 

Poems About War. Wilfred Owen: “Dulce et Decorum Est” p. 942 

March 8

Voice, p. 742

 

Langston Hughes: “Negro” p. 746

 

Robert Browning: “My Last Duchess” p. 747

 

Percy B. Shelley: “Ozymandias” p. 765, "Ode to the West Wind" p. 1056

March 15

Imagery, p. 799

 

Tennyson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (Handout)

 

Mid-term Exam March 17

March 22

Figures of Speech, Simile, Metaphor, and Personification, p. 813

Shakespeare: "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?" 813

Andrew Marvell: “To His Coy Mistress” p. 831

Maya Angelou: "My Arkansas" p. 19

 

Marge Piercy: “The Secretary Chant” p. 822

March 29-April 4

Spring Break: College Closed

April 5

Paper #2 Due: April 7

DRAMA, p.1075; Kinds of Drama; Plot and Subplot

Henrik Ibsen: A Doll House, 1165

April 12

A Doll House; Theme, p.1550; Titles, p.1552; Conflicts, p.1552; Dialogue, p.1553; Characters,  p.1554

April 19

August Wilson: Fences, p. 1572. 

April 26

Fences (Contd.)

May 3

Writing a Paper with Sources: p.95, Documenting Sources, p.110

May 10

Research Paper Workshop. Rough Drafts Due

May 11-17

Finals Week. Third Paper Due by May 13

                       

                    

Papers

All out-of-class papers must be typed.

Attendance

Regular attendance is required. Only in extreme situations, a student may be excused for missing class (usually, just once a semester). However, he/she will be assigned extra work to make up for the day’s activity. Repeated absence from class will result in loss of grade.

Assignments

All assignments are due on the day they are to be handed in. No late papers will be accepted. Also, you must complete all assignments to pass the course.

Quizzes

Quizzes will cover all class materials from the readings, discussions, and handouts. They will be unannounced and given during class time. Sorry, no make-up quizzes!

 

Grades: The following grade range will be used to evaluate your work:

 

               A+ (97-100)    B+ (87-89)   C+ (77-79)  D+ (67-69)

 

               A   (93-96)      B    (83-87)   C   (73-76)   D  (63-66)

           

               A- (90-92)      B-   (80-82)    C- (70-72)   D- (60-62)

              

Final course grade will be A, B, C, D, or F, only (no + or - letter grades).

Assignments*: 

i)          Three out-of-class Essays 60%

ii)         Midterm 10%

iii)       Attendance & Class Participation 10%

iv)       Quizzes & In-class Response Essays 20%

*Check for due dates under "Scheduled Reading."

 

Disruptive Behavior: PGCC Policy dictates that students do not engage in disruptive behavior. As such, any action that interferes with class activity and is considered inappropriate for a college classroom will not be tolerated.

 

Miscellaneous: ALL beepers, cell phones, pagers and similar devices must be turned off during class time. There is nothing more annoying (and disruptive!) than someone’s cell phone going off during class.

 

Consumption of food and drink in a classroom is not allowed!

 

Plagiarism: Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. Plagiarized work will lead to loss of credit for the course.

 

HAVE A GREAT SEMESTER