Syllabus
Texts:
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Norton critical edition, 978-0393976045.
Pat Barker, Regeneration, Penguin, 9780452270077.
Joseph Conrad, The Secret Agent, Modern Library, 978-0812973051.
Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca, Harper, 978-0380730407.
Graham Greene, The Third Man and the Fallen Idol, Penguin Classics, 978-0140185331.
Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day, Vintage, 978-0679731726.
Rebecca West, The Return of the Soldier, Modern Library, 978-0812971224.
Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Norton critical edition, 978-0393927542.
8/30: intro to course; overview of texts, policies, and basic background history
9/1: Rebecca West, The Return of the Soldier
9/3: Rebecca West, The Return of the Soldier
9/6: No class: Labor Day
9/8: Virginia Woolf, “The Mark on the Wall” and “A Room of One’s Own”
9/10: James Joyce, “The Dead”
9/13: Oscar Wilde and the aesthetic decadent movement
9/15: Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
9/17: Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
9/20: Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest (film)
9/22: Henry James, “The Beast in the Jungle”
9/24: Philip Larkin, “This Be the Verse”; W.H. Auden, “Funeral Blues” and other poems TBA
9/27: Katharine Mansfield, “Daughters of the Late Colonel”
9/29: Graham Greene, The Third Man
10/1: Graham Greene, The Third Man (film)
10/4: Graham Greene, The Third Man (film)
10/6: Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca
10/8: Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca
10/11: Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca (Hitchcock film)
10/13: Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca (Hitchcock film)
10/15: Rebecca
10/18: discussion of film adaptations; intro to Conrad; discussion of paper (bring your questions)
10/20: Joseph Conrad, The Secret Agent
10/22: Joseph Conrad, The Secret Agent
10/25: Draft workshop for Paper #1 (3-4 pages)--bring a copy of your essay (ON PAPER, not just your laptop!) for peer review.
10/27: Short stories: Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie (handouts or posted on course blog)
10/29: MIDTERM
11/1: Pat Barker, Regeneration
11/3: Pat Barker, Regeneration
11/5: NO CLASS TODAY: please view linked material on course blog (video)
11/8: background on Austen; first half of Pride and Prejudice
11/10: Pride and Prejudice
11/12: Pride and Prejudice
11/15: finish up Austen; introduction to Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day
11/17: Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day
11/19: Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day (film excerpts)
11/22: tips and suggestions for writing the final paper; how to write about literature
11/24-11/26: No class (Thanksgiving)
11/29: war poems: Sassoon, Owen, Brooke (linked from course blog)
12/1: Dickens, A Christmas Carol
12/3: Dickens, A Christmas Carol
12/6: exam review and prep
12/8: exam review and prep
12/10: Last day of classes; evaluations; final paper due.
FINAL EXAM: Saturday, 12/18, 8-10 a.m. (yes--I know. 8 a.m.)
Grading and Policies:
Your grade for this course will be made up of the following parts:
8 response papers (see attached description).....................40%
Paper #1 (3-4 pages)..........................................................10%
Paper #2 (5-6 pages)..........................................................20%
Final Exam.........................................................................30%
Attendance
As per University policy, attendance in this course is not required; however, the final exam will be heavily based on lecture. I highly recommend that you attend class meetings, because you will do far better in the course if you do. In particular, your papers (response papers and longer papers) will be much better if you are present for discussion and lecture.
Because of this policy, providing me with documentation of illness, etc., is not necessary unless you are asking for an extension on written work.
Religious Observances: The University's policy "Assignments and Attendance on Dates of Religious Observance" provides that students should not be penalized because of observances of their religious beliefs; students shall be given an opportunity, whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any academic assignment that is missed because of individual participation in religious observances. Students are responsible for obtaining material missed during their absences. Furthermore, students have the responsibility to inform the instructor of any intended absences for religious observances in advance. The student should provide written notification to the professor within the first two weeks of the semester. The notification must identify the religious holiday(s) and the date(s).
Submitting Written Work
You may submit your written work via e-mail or in hard copy. I prefer e-mail; it gives me a permanent copy of your essay, makes it easier for me to respond to your work, and saves paper. Either is acceptable, though. Please e-mail your papers either in Word format or as text in the body of the e-mail. I will acknowledge receipt of your paper; if you do not receive this acknowledgment, I have not received it. Likewise, if you bring a hard copy, it must be handed directly to me--not dropped off at my office or the like.
Contacting Me
The best way to contact me is via e-mail. You may also see me during office hours, or, if time permits, before class. I teach another course immediately after this one, so I am not available after class. Office hours are a great time to ask me if you have any questions about the material covered in class, about assignments, about policies. Do not e-mail me to ask me to recap a class that you have missed. I don’t do that over e-mail. Ask a classmate or come to office hours.
I will respond to your e-mails as quickly as possible. That doesn’t always mean that it will be instantaneous. If I don’t respond within 24 hours, you may send a follow-up (during the week, that is; on weekends it may take longer to get a response).
I’m aware that e-mail is a casual medium; however, I’m crabby. Preserve my good humor by making your question as clear as possible. Make sure that you give me enough information to help you. In addition, do not call me “Teach,” consider “u” or “4” to be words, or spell “thanks” with an “x.” I appreciate your cooperation.
My office and office hours are listed on your syllabus. I am available during that time and by appointment to help you. During office hours, you may walk in to meet with me—no appointment required. This is a time in which we can discuss a concept that’s giving you trouble, your ideas for the next paper, or research techniques; if others are waiting, I will limit your time to fifteen minutes. For the most productive meeting, come to office hours with a clear agenda, specific questions, problems, issues you want to discuss. Be prepared to take notes; bring any assignment sheets, notes, your draft—et cetera. I will not read drafts in entirety. If time allows, I will read a page or two and let you know whether you are on the right track, but the best way to use this time is to come in with a specific question. For example, if a lot of your papers are coming back with comments about weak evidence, you might ask me to examine a couple of body paragraphs to see if your evidence is compelling and useful.
I’m also available to meet with you by appointment. This is not, however, casual walk-in time, and I will treat it like a class meeting.
Problems or Questions
If you have questions about procedures, if a problem occurs, or if you want to request flexibility in connection with a course requirement, write me a memo, making clear what you are asking for and telling me whatever I need to know to make a decision. I can’t usually give you good information in the “after-class ambush” and, in fact, I can’t stand by anything you think you hear under such circumstances. I can make better decisions if I am given good information and time to consider a question or problem. Keep in mind that this course is extremely flexible as is; unless you leave all of your response papers for the last minute, you will be unlikely to need more time. Plan ahead.
Special Needs
If you have a registered disability that will require accommodation, please see me immediately. If you have a disability and have not yet registered it with Disability Support Services in the Shoemaker Building (4-7682 or 5-7683 TTY/TDD), you should do so immediately.
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