ENG 2213.011 Literary Criticism and Analysis

ENG 2213.011 Literary Criticism and Analysis

ENG 2213.011 Literary Criticism and Analysis

In this class we will analyze poems, prose and plays from many sources, paying close attention to literary terms, criticism, and genre characteristics. We will apply aesthetic, gender, post-colonial, cognitive, and evolutionary criticisms where appropriate, and take particularly pointed looks at the roles of both writer and critic. As a course highlight we will see a live, on-campus performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and have an actor from the troupe visit our classroom. Along the way I will try my best to entertain you, and you will do your best to instruct me.

Required Texts:

1)Course Reader (photocopy/on-line).

2)Wm. Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (any edition)

3)The Norton Anthology of American Literature 1945-present (seventh edition, used copies are fine) (ISBN 978-0-393-92743-6)

4)Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Jonathan Culler; Oxford UP.

5)The Old Man and the Sea. Ernest Hemingway (any edition).

Recommended Text:

Oxford Concise Dictionary of Literary Terms (ISBN 978-0-19-860883-7)

Course Requirements:

Attendance: Necessary absences should be cleared with the professor in advance. It’s pretty simple. If you show up to most or all of your classes you are likely to pass the class. One percent per absence, 30% of the final grade.

Response papers: Informal essays, 1-page on critical packet. Due at end of section (see calendar). Open format—but say what you think! Each paper 1% of final grade, 10% total.

Oral Presentation: Each student will do at least one individual presentation (on a critical essay or fiction reading) and one group presentation (MSND act), with questions to follow. Five percent each, 10% of final grade.

Tests: One mid-term and one final exam, both a combination of multiple choice, short answer, and brief essay, on material covered and reviewed in class. See dates on calendar. 10-15% of final grade, 25% total. Random quizzes at.

Papers: Two papers, 3-5 pages each. Dates on calendar. 10-15% of final grade, 25% total.

Cheating of any kind, violation of University rules, or of the Student Code of Conduct, will result in a report to appropriate authorities and, where possible, expulsion of the student from the University. Think, plan ahead, and consult first. Plagiarism (using other people’s words/writing without citing or acknowledging them) is now, thanks to Google, easily detectible. Write your own papers if you want to pass the class.

No cell phone use in class. Five percent off final grade per incident.

Student conversations during class should involve class material only, and should be brief, quiet, and to the point. Students participating in such discussions will share them with the class. Five percent off per incident

Patience, politeness, forbearance, and tolerance are requisite skills for both adulthood and university attendance, and should be practiced at all times.

Any necessary or accidental deviation from these policies should be discussed with the professor. If advance discussion is not possible, an explanation and/or apology for the exception will be given to the class as a whole by the student involved.

Grading:

Attendance and Participation—30%30 points

Oral presentation—5% 5 points

Group presentation—5% 5 points

Position/Response essays—10%10 points

Exams—10% first, 15% second25 points

Papers—10% first, 15% second25 points

Total Possible Grade:100 pts.

A = 90-100 pts

B = 80-89 pts

C = 70-79 pts

D = 60-69 pts

F = less than 60 pts

Week 1 / Th Aug 26 / Introductions, syllabus, discuss critical approaches.
Bleeding Love; read Brooks over weekend—#1 essay
Week 2 / T Aug 31 / Pennebaker exercise (#2essay) Read selected poems.
Th Sep 2 / Oral presentations poetic languagePerrine—#3 essay
Week 3 / T Sep 7 / Oral presentations poetic languagePerrine—#4 essay
Th Sep 9 / Analyze Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz” introduce packet on Fiction
Week 4 / T Sep 14 / Oral presentations prose effectsPerrine—#5 essay
Th Sep 16 / Oral presentations prose effectsPerrine—#6 essay
ReadThe Old Man and the Sea over weekend
Week 5 / T Sep 21 / Oral presentations prose effectsPerrine—#7 essay
Th Sp 23 / Discuss and analyzeThe Old Man and the Sea
Week 6 / T Sep 28 / Sample paper; discussion, 1st paper assignment, WritingCenter.
Th Sep 30 / Midsummer Night’s Dream (MSND) introduction (5 acts) (read play over weekend)
Week 7 / T Oct 5 / Student group oral translations of acts in MSND. Emphasize poetic and prose effects
Th Oct 7 / Student group oral translations of acts in MSND ditto
Week 8 / T Oct 12 / Actor fromMSND
Live Midsummer Night’s Dream UTSA 10/13, 15, 16—buy tickets!
Th Oct 14 / Mid-Term; read Culler text over break
Week 9 / T Oct 19 / First paper due, MSND; Lecture on Theory
Th Oct 21 / Students present deconstruction, feminism, queer theory (Culler +) #8 essay
Week 10 / T Oct 26 / Students present post-colonialism, race theory (from Culler +) #9 essay
Week 11 / T Nov 2 / Kerouac in Norton; apply Theory;
Th Nov 4 / Joy Harjo or Leslie Marmon Silko in Norton; apply Theory
Week 12 / T Nov 9 / Summarize Theory, Introduce Cog and Ev Psych (read Turpin essays) #10 essay
Th Nov 11 / Cog Psych literary Work Tomas Rivera, #11 essay
Week 13 / T Nov 16 / Ev. Psych literary Work Edith Wharton, #12 essay
Th Nov 18 / Discuss Implications of new psychology approaches. Turn in RPs Read Short Stories over weekend
Week 14 / T Nov 25 / Short Stories/Fleming (oral presentations if necessary)
Th Nov 27 / Short Stories/Hemingway (oral presentations if necessary)
Week 15 / T Nov 30 / Peer critique drafts of second paper
Th Dec 2 / Second paper due, 3-5 pg analysis of “Chrysanthemums” using any or all critical approaches. Review Final
Dec 6-7 / Student Study Days
Week 17 / Dec 9 / Final Exams (011, 8-9:15) Thur Dec. 9, 7:30-10 am