FRENCH 130
FRENCH NOVELS
FALL 2014
Mondays and Fridays 1-2:40 pm
Dante 117
Prof. Helga Lénárt-Cheng
Fragonard: La liseuse (around 1770) Was is das: La liseuse (remake, around 2014)
OFFICE: Dante 325
EMAIL:
OFFICE HOURS: Mondays and Wednesdays 2:45-3:45 and by appointment
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
●Choderlos de Laclos: Les Liaisons dangereuses (folio)
●Duras, Claire: Ourika (electronic copy available online)
●Tahar Ben Jelloun: Cette aveuglante absence de lumière (Seuil, 2002)
●Other excerpts will be photocopied or available through Moodle
PREREQUISITE: completed lower division coursework
COURSE CONTENT:
French 130 is designed to introduce you to a range of French novels from the 18th to the 21st centuries. French 130 is a survey course, meaning that beside the three full-length works (one from each century), we will also read a variety of short excerpts (les apéros) so that you can at least acquaint yourself with a larger number of authors. All readings are in French.
The course will consist of a healthy balance of readings, lectures, debates, individual presentations, seminar-style discussions, and film screenings. The course is designed to encourage independent study. My hope is that through this course you will get into the habit of reading in French so that
you may become lifetime readers.
LEARNING OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES:
In addition to those immeasurable rewards that come from conversing with great authors of the past, successful students will:
●Use the target language as the primary medium of communication
●Improve oral and written proficiency
●Demonstrate critical reflection
●Explore the development of the genre of the novel within the historical context
●Read beyond basic plot and learn tools of literary analysis
●Apply the vocabulary of literary analysis to a wide variety of texts
●Identify and define key characteristics of important French literary movements
MOODLE:
This course has a Moodle website where assignments and all course related information will be posted. Please check this site and your SMC e-mail regularly.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Each student is allowed a maximum of three absences (excused or unexcused) during the semester. Please save them for emergencies, or for when you are ill. Each absence beyond three will lower your final course grade by one grade point. If you have an extended illness or emergency, please discuss it with me.
●Three tardies (more than 5 minutes late to class) count as one absence
●“I’m in love”-excuse: once in the semester you can come unprepared to class (except on the day of the midterm, the final and your own presentation). Just make sure you send me an e-mail before class, with “je suis amoureux/se” in the subject line.
●Doing work for other classes, or the use of cell phones, laptops and other electronic devices counts as an absence
●No food, gum, and alcoholic beverages please
DETERMINATION OF COURSE GRADES:
●Homework assignments are listed on the calendar (available on Moodle). Written homework will be collected at the end of class each day. A random selection of these will be corrected and graded. Send in your homework with another student if you have to miss class. Vocabulary booklets will be collected on exam days. Late homework of any type will not be accepted.
●There will be one a midterm exam on October 20th. There will be no make-up exams unless you have an extreme emergency that can be documented.
●There will be a comprehensive final exam on December 8th at 1-3pm, which cannot be administered at any other time.
GRADING SCALE
A=93-100 / B+=87-89 / C+=77-79 / D+=67-69 / F59A-=90-92 / B=83-86 / C=73-76 / D=63-66
B-=80-82 / C-=70-72 / D-=60-62
GRADE BREAKDOWN
●Homework50%
●Midterm exam15%
●Individual presentations15%
●Final Exam20%
CLASS POLICIES REGARDING ACADEMIC HONESTY
Saint Mary’s College expects every member of its community to abide by the Academic Honor Code.According to the code, “Academic dishonesty is a serious violation of college policy because, among other things, it undermines the bonds of trust and honesty between members of the community.”Violations of the code include but are not limited to acts of plagiarism.For more information, please consult theStudent Handbookat
CLASS POLICIES REGARDING DISABILITIES
Student Disability Services extends reasonable and appropriate accommodations that take into account the context of the course and its essential elements for individuals with qualifying disabilities. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Student Disability Services Office at (925) 631-4358 to set up a confidential appointment to discuss accommodation guidelines and available services. Additional information regarding the services available may be found at the following address on the Saint Mary’s website:
FURTHER INFORMATION TO HELP YOU SUCCEED:
Office hours: Talk to me if you think you are getting lost or behind. This is a college course and we must move along at a certain pace. When you need review, or have questions, please come to my office hours. These are your hours!
Study time: The amount of time needed to master a subject varies by person. Nonetheless, it is rare to succeed in college unless one spends generally two or three solid hours outside of class for every hour in class. For our 1,5 hour classes this means 3-4 hours of preparation per class. Your reading needs to be slow-going and careful. Read with a dictionary in hand and mark new words on the margin.
OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDITS:
●READING: Read an extra novel on your own and I will reward you. Please discuss your choice with me before you start reading.
●SMC FRENCH CLUB: Become part of the French community on campus! Sign up today and you will receive e-mails about their meetings and programs. Attendance and volunteering at some of these meetings and programs will raise your grade by 1%.
●OFF-CAMPUS CULTURAL PROGRAMS: Check the Bay Area French programs listing regularly for upcoming French events. Please confirm with me before attending.Take advantage of this fun way to score points.
●Write down the names, phone numbers, and emails of two students in this class: