English 341, 20th Century American Fiction (3 credits)

Course Syllabus, Fall 2006

206 Minard --MWF, 8-8:50 am --Course #: 20168

Instructor:Dr. Tom MatchieOffice Phone:321-7157

Office:Minard 320DOffice Hours:MWF 9-11 am

E-Mail:

Course Description and Objectives:

Catalog Description: Selected fiction reflecting social, psychological and literary trends in the 20th century. Includes multicultural and women authors, as well as experimentations in genre.

Appropriate college writing and research skills will be expected from all students, including an understanding of proper MLA documentation style. The objectives of the course are as follows:

  1. Students will become familiar with the aesthetic, cultural and historical contexts of 20th century American prose. We will explore how the literary themes and strategies of American writers during this time reflect issues of race, class, gender, American identity (self and national), geography, urbanization, and other concerns of the period.
  2. Students will gain a greater appreciation for 20th century American literature, develop a greater expertise in the critical response to and interpretation of literature (in oral and written form), and become aware of the ongoing critical conversations that surround this literature.

General Education Outcomes:

As a course fulfilling General Education requirements, the course fulfills two General Education Outcomes. Through course writing assignments and oral reports, students will achieve GE Outcome #1, which is to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts and modes, using a variety of communication skills. Through course exams and writing assignments, students will also achieve GE Outcome #6, which is to integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful manner. Because the course is also approved for Cultural Diversity credit, students will consider theories of race and gender in relation to course texts.

Required Texts: (available at the Varsity Mart)

Flannery O’Connor, A Good Man is Hard to Findand Other Stories (Harcourt, 1992)--South, city/rural

Jack Kerouac, On the Road (Penguin, 1991)--Travel, counter-culture

Jon Hassler, Staggerford (Ballantine, 1986)--Midwest Academic, student/teacher

Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon (Plume, 1987)--African American, roots

Jane Smiley, A Thousand Acres (Knopf, 1991)--Midwest Rural, the Corporate Farm

Sandra Cisneros, House on Mango Street (Vintage, 1991)--Hispanic, Chicago

Andre Dubus III, House of Sand and Fog (Norton, 1999)--Arabic, West Coast

Thomas King, Green Grass, Running Water (Bantam, 1994)--American Indian, Canadian

John Steinbeck, East of Eden (Penguin, 2002)--West

Grading:

Papers (2) 30%; Exams (4) 40%; Reports 20%; Quizzes 10%

Papers:

Two three-page argumentative papers in which you make an original contention about one of the novels we have read. Include at least three sources which you can look up in the library. If you use the Web, find the source so that you can include the page numbers from the magazine, book, or manuscript. Use the 2003 MLA Style Sheet to document your paper. Include the Works Cited page on a separate sheet. More information on the papers will be distributed.

Exams:Subjective: short answer and/or essay. More information on the exams will be distributed.

Quizzes: Occasional short objective questions on your reading.

Reports:

Ten-minute summary of a particular author’s background, canon, and contributions in the context of the particular novel or short-story collection we will be discussing. Tell me some time in advance what particular author/area/subject you are interested in studying and sharing with the class. More than one student may report on a given work. More information on the reports will be distributed.

Special Needs:

If you have a disability that will affect your work in this course, please tell me about it as soon as possible so we can try to make appropriate assignments to assist you.

Academic Honesty:

All work in this course must be completed in a manner consistent with NDSU University Senate Policy, Section 334: Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct (available at

“Faculty members have the prerogative of determining the penalty for prohibited academic conduct in their classes. Faculty members may fail the student for the particular assignment, test, or course involved, or may recommend that the student drop the course in question, or these penalties may be varied with the gravity of the offense and the circumstances of the particular case” (NDSU Policy Manual, section 335.2.b.).

Grading Scale:

A90-100%C70-79%F0-59%

B80-89%D60-69%

Engl 341, Class Schedule, Fall 2003

Note: I encourage you to read the introductions to the texts and to have completed the reading assignment on the first day of each week.This schedule is tentative.

August

Week1Selected short stories by O’Connor

2Selected short stories by O’Connor

September

3Kerouac (Reports occur throughout the semester)

4Hassler

5Morrison

6Exam Preparation & Exam #1

October

7Smiley

8Cisneros

9Dubis

10Exam Preparation & Exam #2

November

11King

12Steinbeck

13Steinbeck

14Exam Preparation & Exam #3; Thanksgiving Holiday

December

15Preparation for the Final

16Final Exam Week

1