LIT 2120: Survey of World Literature

~ circa 1600 to the Present ~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We have all of us one human heart”

~ William Wordsworth, “The Old Cumberland Beggar” (1888)

Section: 3613

Meeting Times:

Tue., Period 5 – 6 (11:45 a.m–1:40 p.m.);

Thurs. Period 6 (12:50–1:40 p.m.)

Meeting Place: Matherly, 0116

Instructor: Ms. Kadesh Lauridsen (Minter) … Please call me Ms. Lauridsen

Email:

Office Hours: Tuesday 1:50 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.

Location: Turlington 4307

Course Description

This course is a survey of World literature from the 17th century to the present day. Since literature reveals the workings of culture, our readings and discussions will necessarily uncover the complex relationships between the two. The context of history will add another layer, sincea nation’s literature changes with its people and its times.

To this end, we will be taking up the conversations of the past and bringing them into the present, which will allow us to add to our understanding of literature and culture then and now. We will read a variety of genres that can give historical and topical context to our primary texts, moving across borders and across time and looking for relationships between authors, cultures, ideas in order to address a few key questions:

  • How does one country’s literature influence another? Does one writer influence another? Does literature transcend borders?
  • What does a writer do? Is a writer responsible to himself or to humanity?
  • Reading different forms and genres in different countries and cultures will invariably call into question the very definition of the term Literature: What is Literature? What is not Literature? Who gets to decide?
  • Do different countries define the role of a writer – and therefore the role of its literature differently?
  • Along these lines, can a writer transcend culture to speak universally or are writers invariably place-bound?

These questions will lead to others as we explore each text and its relationship to other texts.

Goals and Objectives:

The goal of this course is to encourage an understanding of each individual work within the larger context of the world stage and, by doing so, learn how to read poetry, drama, and fiction critically. We will explore several critical approaches to literary theory in order to consider different ways of thinking about literature. In order to communicate these interpretations, we will also focus on how to write about literature. Thus the goal in this endeavor is to construct essays that respond to the texts we read in a thoughtful, convincing, and effective manner.

Classroom explanations and discussions will guide you through the reading and writing assignments. You will also receive help in one-on-one conferences and through peer feedback sessions. Because this class fulfils the Gordon Rule, you will be asked to write a minimum of 6000 words over the course of the semester. You will also be expected to keep up with reading and writing assignments. Failure to meet all of these requirements will result in failure of the course.

  • This is a General Education course providing student learning outcomes listed in the Undergraduate Catalog. For more information, see
  • This course can satisfy the UF General Education requirement for Composition or Humanities. For more information, see:
  • This course can satisfy the UF requirement for Writing. For more information, see:

Required Texts (to be purchased)

  • Manguel, History of Reading(1997)
  • Equinano, Olaudah. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself. (1789)
  • Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince (1943)
  • Ba, So Long a Letter (1984)
  • Lahiri, Interpreter of Maladies (1999)
  • All other texts, as they are listed in the course schedule below, are available online. I will provide links and/or .pdf files through E-learning. You will be expected to print these texts and bring them to class annotatedfully in preparation for discussion.

Grade Breakdown

Essay One: [1000 words] / 10%
Essay Two: [1500 words] / 15%
Essay Three: [2000 words] / 20%
Reading Quizzes (unannounced & magical) / 10%
Critical Responses – [2 @ 500 words each] / 10%
Discussion Posts – [3 @ 150 words each] / 5%
Class/Group Participation / 10%
Midterm Exam / 10%
Final Exam / 10%
Total / 100%

Grading Scale, Per:

A 4.0 C 2.0 – 2.32

A- 3.67 – 3.9 C- 1.67 – 1.99

B+ 3.33 – 3.66 D+ 1.33 – 1.66

B 3.0 – 3.32 D 1.0 – 1.32

B- 2.67 – 2.99 D- 0.67 – 0.99

C+ 2.33 – 2.66 E 0.00 – 0.66

… and no, I will not “round up” grades. What you see in E-learning is what you get.

UF has recently instituted minus grades. As a result, letter grades now have different grade point equivalencies. For more information, see:

Essay Assessment:

Essays are assessed based upon a set of criterion set out on a rubric. Each rubric includes a scaled assessment of Thesis, Organization, Evidence, and Style/Mechanics. Additional criterion may be added for specific essays. The core rubric scales are as follows:

Thesis High Score: Author presents a clear, sophisticated and analytical argument that elaborates on multiple implications; and that identifies non-obvious (surprising, counter-intuitive) complexities of meaning and implications.

5 – Excellent thesis. See above.

4 – Good thesis. Makes all the right connections and meets all the requirements of the assignment in a thorough fashion.

3 – Basic thesis that may lack a depth of engagement or a full connection of ideas. See above.

2 – Needs significant improvement to be comprehensible as an argument; does not address all aspects of the assignment.

1 – Does not meet the requirements of the assignment

Organization High Score: Ideas are logically developed and directly linked to an analytical thesis. Ideas are connected at the sentence and paragraph levels with appropriate use of transitional words and phrases. Paragraphs are clearly focused on the development of the thesis.

5 – Excellent. See above.

4 – Good organization that contributes to the understanding of and relationship between ideas.

3 – Sufficient organization that may have some problems and a need for more internal organization.

2 – Organization needs improvement in order to help reader understand connections between ideas. Problems in transitions contribute to reader’s confusion.

1 – Lack of organization and transitions makes reading essay confusing or unreadable.

Evidence High Score: Student incorporates and analyzes a broad range evidence that is significant, sufficient, and relevant to each point that is made in the argument; student also incorporates and analyzes evidence that addresses opposing arguments.

5 – Excellent and thorough. See above.

4 – Very good. Thoroughly fulfills the requirements of the assignment.

3 – Adequate evidence. May lack some needed evidence that could strengthen argument.

2 – Insufficient or extremely uneven evidence.

1 – Lack of evidence. Does not meet the requirements of the assignment.

Style and Mechanics High Score: Student articulates ideas clearly, making use of language that is both concise and sophisticated. Writing is free of grammatical error. MLA documentation is used properly throughout.

5 – Excellent.

4 – Very good. Need for minor corrections

3 – The basic requirements are met, but there is a need for several corrections.

2 – Mechanical errors hamper understanding and are below the standards of a college level writing assignment.

1 – Unacceptable, unreadable.

Mode of Submission:

When the essay is assigned, it will be designated either a hard copy or on-line submission. On-line submission deadlines will vary (they are generally due at midnight of the assigned deadline date), but dates and times will be clearly stated on the assignment sheet and available on our class E-learning website. Hard copy submissions are due at the beginning of class on the assigned deadline. ALL ASSIGNED WORK – INCLUDING HOMEWORK – should be typed on only one side of 8 ½" x 11" white paper, MLA format, stapled, and be in Times New Roman font.I will not accept any papers that are not in this format. Be sure to staple papers before submitting hard copies. (You may want to get a mini stapler to keep with you.) I will NOT provide a stapler for you on the days that papers are due. Your final drafts should be polished and presented in a professional manner.

Attendance Requirement:

Much of the learning that takes place in LIT 2120 is spontaneous and difficult to reproduce outside of class. Consequently, attendance is required.

  • If you miss more than three class periods over the course of the semester, you will fail the entire course.
  • The only exemptions from this policy will be absences involving university-sponsored events, such as athletics and band, or religious holidays. These absences must be prearranged with me, documented and verified through your respective team coach, sponsor or department head.
  • Any in-class quizzes or assignments you miss during an absence cannot be made up.
  • Be sure to save your absences for illness and family emergencies. If you are absent, it is still your responsibility to make yourself aware of all due dates.
  • You are still responsible for turning assignments in on time. Please do not come late to class; arriving late disrupts the entire class.
  • If you are more than 10 minutes late, you will be marked absent. Being more than 5 minutes (but less than 10) late three times will equal one absence.
  • Any quizzes or in-class assignments you miss by being late cannot be made up.
  • Whether or not an absence is excused, you are responsible for contacting a classmate to find out what material you missed and any work that was assigned.
  • Please do not ever ask the following questions: “Did I miss anything important in class on (fill in day of absence)?” or “Did you do anything in class on (fill in the day of absence)?” Consider the implications.
  • As I do not accept ANY late essays, if an essay is due in class on the day of your absence, the essay should be turned in electronically by the time that class begins. Any electronic submission is time stamped. This policy ensures fairness to your fellow students; your work will be submitted at the same time that they are required to submit their own work in class.

Quizzes:

Quizzes will appear randomly, as if by magic. If you are reading the texts as we progress though the semester, you should do fine. If not, you will be sad.

Assessment of Participation:

Your participation grade is not a vague grade based on whether or not I “like” you. It is based upon your active engagement in our class discussions of the readings and in our editing sessions of your writings. You should bring your texts to class, along with your reading notes for every assigned reading. You can expect me to call on you and ask questions about these notes and your responses to the text. If you do not have them, this will be reflected in your participation grade. In other words, your ability to respond to questions pertinent to the readings should be directly related to the quality of your reading notes; this will be reflected in your participation grade. If you do not have reading notes and cannot locate and discuss relevant quotes from the texts we are reading, this is a strong indication to me that you are not engaged in the class. If you are mentally vacant (texting, dozing, staring out the window), the same concept applies.

Graded Materials & Requirements:

Students are responsible for maintaining duplicate copies of all work submitted in this course and retaining all returned, graded work until the semester is over. Should the need arise for a re-submission of papers or a review of graded papers, it is the student's responsibility to have and make available this material.

REQUIREMENT: All work must be completed for a grade since this course can satisfy the UF General Education requirement for Composition or Humanities. For more information, see:

Course Policies

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious violation of the Student Honor Code. All students must abide by the Student Honor Code. For more information about academic honesty, including definitions of plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration, see:

University of Florida students are responsible for reading, understanding, and abiding by the entire Student Honor Code.
All acts of plagiarism will result in failure of the assignment and may result in failure of the entire course.

Students with Disabilities

The DisabilityResourceCenter in the Dean of Students Office provides

information and support regarding accommodations for students with disabilities. For more information, see:

Harassment

UF provides an educational and working environment that is free from sex

discrimination and sexual harassment for its students, staff, and faculty. For more about UF policies regarding harassment, see:

Classroom Behavior

Please keep in mind that students come from diverse cultural, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. Some of the texts we will discuss and write about engage controversial topics and opinions. Diverse student backgrounds combined with provocative texts require that you demonstrate respect for ideas that may differ from your own.

Because class participation relies heavily on individuals feeling comfortable expressing their opinions, you must always show respect for the diversity of opinions expressed in this class. You must also demonstrate respect for gender, racial, class, and ethnic differences among your colleagues and instructor.

Any questions you have about these policies should be addressed immediately with me. Know that my aim is to make our classroom a place where the same rules apply to everyone.

Above all, I am here to help you learn to be a better reader, writer & analytical thinker. Never be afraid to ask me to help you achieve those goals!

Course Overview (Subject to Change)

[Writing Assignments with Word Counts]

Week One –

Introduction; Course Themes and Social Contexts

Reader Response Theory (online)

Week Two –

History of Reading [required text]

Week Three –

History of Reading

Critical Response One [500 words]

Week Four –

Travel Narratives (online)

  • Lady Wortley
  • Dorothy Wordsworth
  • Mirza Abu Taleb Khan
  • Xie Qing Gao

Week Five –

Writing About Literature

  • Rousseau “Discourse … Inequality” (online)

Discussion Post One [150 words]

Week Six –

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African

Essay One [1000 words]

Week Seven –

Postcolonial Theory (online)

  • Ghalib (Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan)

Week Eight –

  • Tagore “The Hungry Stones” and non-fiction essays

Critical Response Two [500 words]

Week Nine –

SPRING BREAK

Week Ten –

Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince (1943) [required text]

Discussion Post Two [150 words]

Week Eleven –

Essay Two [1500 words]

Week Twelve –

Neruda, Pablo. Misc. Poems (1960s – 70s) (online)

Week Thirteen –

Feminism and Queer Theory (online)

Ba, So Long a Letter (1984) [required text]

Week Fourteen –

Lahiri, Interpreter of Maladies (1999) [required text]

Discussion Post Three [150 words]

Week Fifteen –

Essay Three[2000 words]

Week Sixteen –

Student Conferences

Exam Review

[Exam Week] –

Final Exam

K. Lauridsen – Spring 20111