“He knew everything about literature except how to enjoy it.”
--Joseph Heller, author of Catch 22
Dept. of Language and Literature
AML 2020-02
American Literature II
Dr. Doug Ford
Spring 2010
Office: 645
Office Hours: M: 9-10 am, noon-2pm
W: 9-10 am, 1-2 pm
F 9-10, noon-2 pm
TR 9-9:30, 11-12:30, 2-3 pm
Office Phone: 408-1501
E-mail:
Web page: http://faculty.mccfl.edu/fordd/fordd.htm
SCF Virtual Library: http://www.mccfl.edu/pages/109.asp
Course Description:
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENC 1101 and concurrent registration in or completion of ENC 1102 with a grade of “C” or better. These courses meet Area IV requirements for A.A., A.S., and A.A.A. General Education requirements, the 6,000-word Gordon Rule requirement, and part of the six-hour International/Intercultural requirement. First semester (to 1865) traces the development of major American writings through a study of Native American narratives and the writings of European explorers, colonists, federalists, and American Renaissance (including the transcendentalists and romantics). The second semester (1865 to present) covers the literature of Realism, Naturalism, Modernism, and Post-Modernism. In both courses, emphasis is on the rich context of historical, cultural, racial, and gender diversity that constitutes American experiences. Either course may be taken first or separately.
Course Performance Standards:
At the completion of the course, the student should be able to:
1. Identify major authors and primary texts of the American literary canon.
2. Trace the historical and cultural development of major concepts in American literary texts.
3. Identify the major movements in American literary history: (AML 2010) Native American, Colonialism, Federalism, Transcendentalism, and Romanticism; (AML 2020) Realism, Naturalism, Modernism, post-Modernism.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of critical and theoretical issues contained in secondary scholarship.
5. Distinguish various literary genres.
6. Demonstrate knowledge of the vocabulary needed for studying literature.
7. Demonstrate college-level reading skills through textual analysis, including the detection of tone, bias, stereotypes, and underlying assumptions.
8. Demonstrate college-level writing skills, including incorporation of primary and secondary sources, through a variety of writing assignments, including one or more formal, research-based assignment.
9. Fulfill the writing requirements as mandated by SBE 6A-10.30 (Gordon Rule).
10. Demonstrate academic research skills, including the use of current documentation methods and both print and electronic sources.
11. Demonstrate use of technological skills necessary for academic work.
12. Demonstrate the ability to interact effectively with peers by participating in collaborative projects.
13. Demonstrate an understanding of his/her role in a global society formed from a diverse population.
Texts and Materials:
v The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Vols. C, D, and E. Edited by Nina Baym. 7th edition.
v The Crying of Lot 49, by Thomas Pynchon.
v Pen and paper for in-class writings
v Access to a computer for research and ANGEL assignments
v An SCF e-mail address to correspond with instructor, and an Internet connection for online discussions
Attendance Requirement
Because this course involves students sharing viewpoints and discussing literature, consistent attendance is mandatory. Missing four class meetings compromises a student’s ability to interact with professor and classmates, and I may ask students to withdraw at this point. Accordingly, students who miss more than four class meetings and remain in the class will receive an F for their participation grade, and their final course grade will drop by one letter. Hence, a passing grade may become a failing one because of absences. Please note that I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences, and please do not ask me to make allowances.
In addition, excessive and/or frequent tardiness will result in a penalized participation grade. Students who arrive late on a regular basis will not receive higher than a C grade in participation, and the grade may become an F, depending on the frequency of tardiness.
Late Paper Policy
Please note that I do not give passing grades to late assignments. If you do not have your work completed on assigned due dates, please do not come to class. Since students cannot pass the course without completing and turning in every assignment on time, you should withdraw from the course if you cannot turn your assignments in on time. If you cannot attend class on the day that an assignment is due, you should e-mail me your work either as an MS Word attachment, or embedded in the text of the e-mail on the day that the assignment is due. Note: my e-mail address is , as indicated at the top of this syllabus. I grant extensions only in the event of an illness or injury to your own body that can be verified with official documentation from a medical professional.
Withdrawal Policy:
In accordance with the State College of Florida policy, as stated in the college catalog, students may withdraw from any course, or all courses, without academic penalty, by the withdrawal deadline listed in the State College of Florida academic calendar. This semester, the withdrawal date is March 25. Students should take responsibility to initiate the withdrawal procedure but are strongly encouraged to talk with their instructors before taking any withdrawal action. In addition, students should note that faculty may also withdraw students for violating policies, procedures or conditions of the class, as outlined in individual class syllabi, and such action could affect financial aid eligibility.
Gordon Rule:
This course meets the Florida State Board of Education Rule Number 6A-10.30. In accordance with this rule, students will complete written assignments totaling 6,000 words. A grade of C or better is required for credit in Gordon Rule classes.
Regarding Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is the use of ideas, facts, opinions, illustrative material, data, direct or indirect wording of another scholar and/or writer—professional or student—without giving proper credit. As a general standard, SCF stipulates that expulsion, suspension, or any lesser penalty may be imposed for plagiarism. As a personal rule, I do not pass students who plagiarize.
Standards of Conduct:
Students are expected to abide by the guidelines stated in our student handbook. Also, students must silent cell phones before the beginning of class. If your cell phone goes off during class, you will have to stand up and dance to your ring-tone.
Format for Writings:
Formal writings (i.e. essentially anything turned in for a grade) should be submitted in a format that conforms to the MLA style. In the upper left hand corner, students should list their name, the course, the professor’s name, and the date. The student’s last name and page number should be included in the upper right hand corner of every page. Also, in accordance with the MLA style, each paper should include a Works Cited page listing all relevant material. I prefer one-inch margins, with a 12 pt. font (either Times New Roman or Courier).
Note: I do not accept papers that do not conform to the MLA style. Turning in a paper without a Works Cited page, for example, will be returned with no grade (a student can’t pass the course unless all work is graded).
Required Writing Assignments:
All of the following assignments must be completed for a student to pass this course.
“Time Travel” Paper: Early in the semester, we will read texts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and your paper will focus on just one of these texts. Your task will consist of finding an early review of one of these texts and then explaining how a 21st century reader might see the text in a different light. In other words, you’re going to explore how the meaning of a literary text might change over a given span of time. (I call it the “time travel” paper not because I expect you to join Bill and Ted on a misadventure, but because it’s the literary text itself that travels through time!) How do the events we experience in the early 21st century make us see a text differently from someone who read it when it was first published?
Here are the steps you will need to take to complete the paper:
1. Using either the print sources of the library or the Literature Resource Center (found in the library’s list of databases), find an early review of the text you have chosen to discuss. If you cannot find an early review of the text, find some kind of early assessment of the author in general.
2. Present what you found in the first (or possibly second) paragraph.
3. In the body of your paper, assess the reviewer’s claims. Does a present-day reader like you agree with what that reviewer wrote? Why or why not? Speculate on how the passing of time has either been good to the text you’ve chosen, or if some of its meaning and value has eroded.
4. Remember: use quotations and cite them in the MLA style. Also remember to include a works cited page that lists the text you have chosen to discuss and the review you found.
Minimum word length: 700 words
Explication/Panel Paper: This paper will offer a close reading of one text that we’ve read during the semester. For this paper, you will choose one passage from the story and argue why it is the most important line in the reading selection. In other words, you will find a passage in the story that you see as essential to the understanding of the whole story or novel it comes from. You must quote this passage somewhere in the paper, then explain why you chose it. In this paper, you may explain how this passage helps you understand a theme, a concept, or a character in the story from which it comes. As with any paper, you should include quotations and other relevant details from the text you are discussing. The paper must also come with a Works Cited page, as always. This paper will be part of a panel presentation that students will conduct in groups of three or four. Minimum word length: 500 words
“Survivor for Critics” Paper: For this paper, you will choose any text read over the course of the semester, and you will play a game of “Survivor” by finding two different critical readings of that same text. In other words, you will need to return to the library (or the Virtual Library), and use its resources to find out what two different critics have said about the text you have chosen to discuss. Hint: Try to find two critics who comment on a similar aspect of the text you’ve chosen to discuss. In the paper, you will provide a detailed explanation of each critics’ thesis, and you will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of what they say. Then, will decide which critic you agree with, and which critic you will “vote off the island.” To carry out this task successfully, you will have to go into a detailed explanation of how you see the text and why you disagree or agree with the critics you have found. Make sure that you not only use quotations and details from the critical articles, but also from the text itself. Once again, don’t forget to include a Works Cited page and proper citations for each quote. Minimum word length: 1,200 words
Reflection: “Race and Power” (300+ words): This online activity will be written in response to a question that I will post for you on ANGEL, and it will call upon you to think about how writers explore and possibly challenge power relationships in early postmodern literature. You will post your own edited, written reflection on ANGEL, and this reflection must consist of at least 300 words. Please take time to proof-read your reflection before posting it! In addition to your own posting, you must respond to the postings of at least two other students. Your responses must be substantial—in other words, it will NOT be enough to simply say “I agree”; instead, you must offer your own thoughts regarding something written by another student (and obviously, you should also use courteous language). Not following these guidelines will affect your point total.
Exams: This course will involve both a mid-term and a final examination. Students will have to identify significant passages and explain why they are relevant to the texts from which they come. Students who do not keep up with the reading schedule will find these very difficult to pass. I will also use these exams to test how will students understand the central concepts to this course (realism, regionalism, naturalism, modernism, and post-modernism). There will be no multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank exams in this course.
Quizzes And Participation: I will frequently give quizzes to verify that you completed reading assignments. Reading quizzes will take place at the very beginning of class, and students who arrive late cannot take these quizzes. At the end of the semester, I will average your quiz grades and use these as the basis for your participation grade. Your participation grade will go up or down from there, depending upon the quality and quantity of your contributions to class discussions.
To get an A in participation is pretty simple. You must do the following:
· Get an A average on your quizzes
· Show some interest in the material by offering thoughts, questions, and feedback during class discussion (I’m not grading you on your napping skills).