Fall
2005:Tuesdays and Thursdays,
Dr.
I.Texts
(primary texts available through the Carriage House):
The
Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction, ed. Ann
Charters.
6th
Edition.
The
Catcher in the
II.
Course Description and Objectives
English
301 is an introduction to the kind of analytical reading and writing
you
will be expected to do as an English major.For
some of you who are well into your major the course will be a review of
sorts in that you will be sharpening skills that you have already
learned,
perhaps even reading works that you have already read.I
hope, however, that you will all encounter in this course many texts
that
you will find exciting to read, reread, discuss, and write about.We
will consider works from various genres, among them the short story,
the
poem, and the play.
Our
strategy will be this:in the first
half of the semester we will focus on the short story with the idea
that
you will become an expert of sorts on this genre.The
short story, of course, has its own history and its particular
conventions,
and we will concentrate on these in the first part of the course.Many
of the skills and much of the vocabulary that you develop in studying
short
fiction, however, will be transferable to other forms of prose, such as
the novel, the play, and the essay; ultimately, even
to poetry and other forms of verbal and non-verbal communication as
well.The
general objective of the course, therefore, is to help you become a
more
careful and more sensitive reader of literature and to provide
strategies
that will enable you effectively to communicate in essay form your
observations
about texts you have read.
The
specific components of the course that we will use to accomplish this
general
objective are as follows:
A.Close
reading and discussion of approximately twenty short stories, one
book-length
play, assorted poems, and additional essays, some that are related
specifically
to particular works and some that are not;
B.A
study of the history and development of various genres, with particular
focus on the history of the short story and its conventions and
on basic elements of fiction such as plot, character, setting, point of
view, style and voice, symbolism and allegory, and theme;
C.A
review of strategies that can be used in writing essays about
literature,
among them explication, analysis, comparison and contrast, other
perspectives.
III.Assignments
and Requirements:
A.Assorted
short, written responses to specific questions to be turned in or
written
in response to questions posted on Blackboard (approximately 1-2 pages
each).Class participation will be
factored into this component of your grade. 15% of course grade
B.Two
papers (3-4 pages long), sharply focused on a specific aspect of a
particular work (each to count 20% of course grade). 40% of course
grade
C. One
paper, a bit longer than the first two, using outside research (4-6
pages
long).
20%
D.A
final essay that is a revision (and perhaps expansion) of one of the
essays
you
have already turned in, due near the end of the semester. 20%
E.Occasional
quizzes on reading, concepts, and terminology and participation in class
discussion. 5% of course grade
F.Attendance:
much of our class will consist of discussion of the works we are
reading.You
are encouraged to contribute to class discussions and your
participation
will be figured into your final grade.If
you miss more than five classes for any reason you will receive a grade
of F for the course.
IV. VCU Honor
System:
"
V. Students with
Disabilities: "
VI. A Note on
Computers:
Much of the work in this course will depend on regular use of
Blackboard
and on email sent to and from your VCU email address. I will use your
VCU email address for communication with you and will expect you
to
check it between each of our classes. The same is true for Blackboard:I
will post announcements there and you should check it between each of
our
classes.You will be able to access
all of the course materials by going to http://blackboard.vcu.edu
VII.
Miscellaneous:
My office is 307