English 2309-016
Instructor: Dr. Ana Savic
Office: 619 Carlisle Hall Hours: By appointment
Course Content: Students will read/watch, discuss, and write about significant works of world literature (poems, short stories, films, and novels) of the 20th and 21st Centuries with emphasis on ideas and the ways in which they reflect cultural and aesthetic values.
Student Learning Outcomes: Primarily, students will practice becoming better readers, writers, and critical thinkers. In addition, students will explain or describe the characteristics of 20th/21st Century literature and culture. Students will read/watch significant and representative works of world literature. Students will develop methods and strategies for analyzing and interpreting texts. Students will respond critically to course material, using synthesis and analysis, in discussion and in written assignments. Students will write with clarity to communicate effectively, employing proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation in writing. Students will utilize sources and multi-media in class assignments.
Requirements: Students should have completed English 1301 and 1302 prior to enrolling in this course.
Students must have access to Netflix or iTunes or some venue for viewing films for the course during Weeks 4, 9, and 13.
Required Textbooks:
Primary Text: Lawall, Sarah. Ed. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 2nd Ed. Vol. F. NY: Norton, 2002.
Paperback Novels: Lahiri, Jhumpa. The Namesake. NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.
Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. NY: Riverhead, 2007.
Course Grade:
15 Discussion Forums @ 10 points = 150 points = 15%
10 Reading Quizzes @ 15 points = 150 points = 15%
2 Mini-Projects @ 50 points = 100 points = 10%
2 Essays @ 100 points = 200 points = 20%
2 Essay Exams – Midterm and Final @ 100 points = 200 points = 20%
1 Major Project @ 200 points = 200 points = 20%
For an A, students must earn 900 – 1000 points; for a B, 800 – 899 points; for a C, 700 – 799; for a D, 600 – 699; for a F, less than 600 points.
Policy on Late Work: No late work accepted!
Activities/Assignments:
Discussion Forums: There are fifteen discussion assignments; each assignment is worth 10 points (15 X 10 = 150 points or 15% or your course grade). You must post your comments and responses for each week’s lesson no later than Saturday night at 11 pm.
You will interact with your classmates each week in the Discussion Forum as you engage in a conversation about the course readings and films. Typically, the forums ask you to comment on two or more issues in one posting. In addition, you are required to respond to the postings of two of your peers.
Criteria: Your weekly posts in the Discussion Forum will require you to adequately cover the issues under discussion in at least 200 words. The Forum is your opportunity to interact and share with your classmates about the literature or film in each week’s lesson. Give thoughtful consideration to the prompts/questions before posting your response. Carefully and thoughtfully read the comments of your peers before posting your response. In the forum you are engaging in a conversation about a text; try to enlarge the conversation and avoid repeating what others have already said.
Since each weekly discussion post is worth 10 points, the rubric below indicates the skills you must demonstrate in order to earn points for your discussion posting.
Points Criteria
9-10 Posts exhibit original, creative, and critical thinking
7-8 Posts are thoughtful and interesting
5-6 Posts are adequate but do not indicate digging deeper in terms of thought
1-4 Posts show little thinking beyond the obvious and are often hurriedly written
After the first few weeks, I may put you into discussion groups to improve the learning process.
Reading Quizzes: There will be ten true/false quizzes designed to test your reading of the assigned literature for the week. Each quiz is worth 15 points (10 X 15 = 150 points or 15% of your course grade). Quizzes are due on Thursday evenings by 11 pm.
There were be no reading quiz for Lessons 1, 4, 9, 13, and 15.
Mini-Projects: You will prepare two mini-projects related to Lessons 4 and 9; each is worth 50 points (2 X 50 = 100 points or 10% of your course grade).
Mini-Project 1: After watching Joyeux Noel and reading “The Fly” in Lesson 4 - World War I, search/research for a song, a poem, and a recruiting poster of the WWI period.
Begin your project with an MLA heading on the left-hand side of the paper: your name, Dr. Savic, Engl 2309-016, the date. Give your project a title, such as Mini-Project 1: WWI. Then, include each item, followed by two paragraphs. In the first paragraph, describe and analyze the item. In the second paragraph, relate the item to a specific event, character, or scene in the film Joyeux Noel. Include a citation in MLA format or a link to document where you found each of your three items.
When Lesson 4 becomes available, you will be able to view a former student’s Mini-Project 1.
Submit your mini-project using the Assignments Tool!
Mini-Project 1 is due no later than Sunday evening at 11 pm at the end of Week 4.
Mini-Project 2: Satrapi says she wrote PersepoIis, which you will read in Lesson 9, as a tribute or in remembrance of “those Iranians who lost their lives in prisons defending freedom, who died in the war against Iraq, who suffered under various repressive regimes, or who were forced to leave their families and flee their homeland.” After watching Persepolis based on Satrapi’s graphic novel of the same name, search/research for three examples of tributes or memorials of victims or participants in an historical event, war, or tragedy of the 20th or 21st century (but not WWI since that was the focus of Mini-Project 1). Your three examples may include poems, songs, stories, novels, films, performances, paintings, sculptures, monuments, etc. Select three different kinds of examples – not three songs or three films, for example.
Begin your project with an MLA heading and a title (such as Mini-Project 2: D Day). Next, include a paragraph identifying the event you have selected and explaining why you have selected the event for your project, why the event is of interest to you. Then, include each of the three examples you have selected which memorialize the event. Following each item, write a paragraph which describes and analyzes the item and explains how it memorializes the event.Include a citation in MLA format or a link to document where you found your items.
When Lesson 9 becomes available, you will be able to see an example of Mini-Project 2.
Submit your mini-project using the Assignments Tool!
Mini-Project 2 is due no later than Sunday evening at 11 pm at the end of Week 9.
Essays: There are two essay assignments; each essay is worth 100 points (2 X 100 = 200 points or 20% of your course grade). Essay 1 is due no later than Sunday evening at 11 pm at the end of Week 5 and Essay 2 at the end of Week 12.
A one-page essay proposal, including your thesis statement and a plan, an outline, or a narrative/description of what you will argue in your essay is due by Friday evening at 11 pm.
Essay1: Literary Analysis
Essay proposal is due Friday of Week 5. Essay 1 is due Sunday of Week 5.
For this first essay, you will plan and write a literary analysis of 3-4 pages, typed and double-spaced on one of the following stories: “Punishment,” “Child’s Play,” “The Metamorphosis,” “The Dead,” “The Fly,” “The Shawl,” or “Ladies and Gentlemen, to the Gas Chamber.” You may write on a topic of your choice, but you might want to consider the topics below:
Is justice served in “Punishment”?
The transformation of Midori in “Child’s Play”
Gregor’s spiritual hunger in “The Metamorphosis”
Gabriel’s epiphany in “The Dead”: Will he make changes in his life in the future?
An analysis of the Boss in “The Fly”
The shawl as a symbol in “The Shawl”
Contrast Henri and the narrator in “Ladies and Gentlemen, to the Gas Chamber”
Give your paper a title which hints at your thesis. In your paper, include an introduction, state a clear thesis at the end of your introduction, support the thesis in several body paragraphs using specific details, examples, and quotes from the story you are analyzing, and end with a memorable conclusion. Document your quotations using MLA format for documentation.
You are not expected to do research for this essay, but if you do and if you incorporate ideas from your reading in your essay, you must document them using MLA format for documentation.
Submit your essay as a Word document using the Safe Assign Tool.
Essay 2: Literary Analysis of The Namesake
Essay proposal is due Friday of Week 12. Essay 2 is due Sunday of Week 12.
For this assignment, plan and write an essay of 3-4 pages, typed and double-spaced on a topic related to The Namesake. Consider the following topics:
Compare/contrast Gogol’s “The Overcoat” with Lahiri’s The Namesake. How is a name like an overcoat?
Trace Gogol/Nikil’s struggle with his name and his identity. Do you think he ever makes peace with his name?
Consider the blossoming of Ashima in the course of the novel. In what ways does she grow and develop?
Discuss Gogol/Nikil’s relationships with women. What do the relationships have in common? Why does each break down at some point?
Many episodes in the novel occur on the train. What is the significance of this?
In an interview with the author, Lahiri said she wanted India to function as a ghost in the background of the story. Does India function as a ghost or as something else?
Submit your essay using the Safe Assign Tool.
Exams: You will have two exams in this course. Each exam will have one long or several short essay questions.
Each exam is worth 100 points. Together, the two exams are worth 200 points or 20% of your course grade.
Exam I – Midterm Exam - will be due at the end of Week 8 on Sunday by 11 pm.
Exam II – Final Exam - will be due at the end of Week 15 on Sunday by 11 pm.
Major Project: Making Connections
The major project is worth 200 points and 20% of your grade. The project is due at the end of Week 10 on Sunday by 11 pm.
- Select one of the readings from the course outline and a theme, issue, or concept from it. For example, if you were intrigued by “Child’s Play,” you might work with the theme of “transition from childhood to adulthood.” If you found “The Shawl” thought provoking, you might explore the idea of “the human capacity to endure.”
Please Note: You may use one, and only one, item from the course outline or course materials in this project. The other four items you use must be a result of creative and critical thinking and of searching and researching. You may not select a theme and use all five examples of the theme from the course materials.
- Next, search for a work of literature, art, music, and film (one of each!) which relates/connects to your chosen work from the course and illustrates/connects to your theme, issue, or concept. Again, these four works should not come from the course materials, but should be ones that have resulted from your creative and thoughtful search.
- Assemble your five items (course work +lit +art + music + film) in alphabetical order by author, artist, musician, and the film by title in a Word document. Begin with an MLA heading and a title (such as Making Connections: Transition from Childhood to Adulthood). Include the bibliographic information for each of the five items in alphabetical order and in MLA format. Following each bibliographic entry, include a two-paragraph annotation. In the first paragraph, analyze and explain the item. In the second paragraph, explain how the item connects to your chosen work and theme. Include visuals, song lyrics, or other media in your project.
- Post your project to Safe Assign and to the Making Connections Discussion Forum at the end of Week 10 by Sunday at 11 pm. You may post your Word document, but if you prefer, you may convert your project to a web page, a blog, or a Powerpoint in order to include film clips and other media when you present your project to your classmates.
View a Making Connections Project prepared by a former student:
NOTE: Please do not include any of the items in the sample project in your project.
Drop Policy: If a student chooses to withdraw from this course, it is the student’s responsibility to do so within the University’s deadlines. The last day to drop is March 30, 2012.
Academic Integrity: It is the philosophy of The University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the University.
“Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts.” (Regents’ Rules and Regulations, Series 50101, Section 2.2)
Course Calendar:
Week 1 – Jan 16-22: Lesson 1
Read The Modern World, 1579-1606; “Punishment” 1671-1673, 1693-1699 in The Norton Anthology.
Participate in Discussion Forum.
Week 2 – Jan 23-29: Lesson 2
Read “Child’s Play” 1804-1836.
Complete Reading Quiz and participate in Discussion Forum.
NOTE: Major Project – Making Connections assigned! DUE: Week 10!
Week 3 – Jan 30-Feb 5: Lesson 3
Read “The Metamorphosis” 1996-2030 and “The Dead” 1941-1974.
Complete Reading Quiz and participate in Discussion Forum.
Week 4 – Feb 6-12: Lesson 4
Watch Joyeux Noel and read “The Fly” online.
Participate in Discussion Forum and prepare Mini-Project 1.
Mini-Project 1 due!
Week 5 – Feb 13-19: Lesson 5
Read “The Shawl” online and “Ladies and Gentlemen, to the Gas Chamber” 2770-2786.
Complete Reading Quiz, participate in Discussion Forum, and prepare Essay Proposal and Essay 1.
ESSAY 1 DUE!
Week 6 – Feb 20-26: Lesson 6
Read “The Second Coming” 1705 and Things Fall Apart, Part I, 2855-2915.
Complete Reading Quiz and participate in Discussion Forum.
REMINDER: Begin Making Connections Project!
Week 7 – Feb 27-Mar 4: Lesson 7
Read Things Fall Apart, Parts II and III, 2915-2948 and “The Guest” 2570-2582.
Complete Reading Quiz and participate in Discussion Forum.
Week 8 – Mar 5-11: Lesson 8
Read “Yellow Woman” 3141-3150 and “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” online.
Complete Reading Quiz, participate in Discussion Forum, and prepare for Mid-Term Exam.
EXAM I
Week 9 – Mar 19-25: Lesson 9
Watch Persepolis and read “Saboteur” online.
Participate in Discussion Forum. Prepare Mini-Project 2.
Mini-Project 2 due!
Week 10 – Mar 26-Apr 1: Lesson 10
Read “The Overcoat” online.
Complete Reading Quiz, participate in Discussion Forum, and post Making Connections Project.
Making Connections Project DUE!
March 30 – Last day to drop!
Week 11 – Apr 2-8: Lesson 11
Read The Namesake, Chs. 1-6.
Complete Reading Quiz and participate in Discussion Forum.
Week 12 – Apr 9-15: Lesson 12
Read The Namesake, Chs 7-12.
Complete Reading Quiz, participate in Discussion Forum, prepare Essay Proposal and Essay 2.
ESSAY 2 DUE!
Week 13 – Apr 16-22: Lesson 13
Watch The Kite Runner and begin reading A Thousand Splendid Suns.
Participate in Discussion Forum.
Week 14 – Apr 23-29: Lesson 14
Read A Thousand Splendid Suns, Parts I-II.
Complete Reading Quiz and participate in Discussion Forum.
Week 15 Apr 30-May 6: Lesson 15
Read AThousand Splendid Suns, Parts III-IV.
Participate in Discussion Forum and prepare for Final Exam.
EXAM II