JAMESTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
State University of New York
Instructor Course Syllabus
Course Abbreviation & Number: ENG 1540 Course Title: Writing about Literature
Course Instructor: Jill Szumigala Contact Information:
Phone: 988-3276
Email:
Office Location: HS Room 110
Office Hours: M-Th 2:30-3:30
Current Semester: Full Year Fall 2017- Spring 2018
Course Description: Students will learn to write precise, clear, substantial, and logical essays about fiction, poetry, and drama.
Course Student Learning Outcomes: Students who demonstrate understanding can:
1. Interpret texts from a variety of genres and diverse perspectives;
2. Produce a minimum of 5000 words of critical analysis and response to literature;
3. Research a literary topic to develop an argument written in a MLA style paper.
· Course topic outline and schedule
Topical Outline:
· Writing Component
o Multiple 2-3 page critical responses at the end of most literary works
o Blog Posts throughout the reading of major works
4 major papers approximately 5-7 pages in length
o 1 research based literary topic paper
· Writing as a means of thinking about literature and analyzing its properties
o Focusing of discussions, blogs, and formal written work.
· Form and structure
o This will be found in discussion, blog posts and the 2-3 page analysis essays.
o This will be the focus of 1 of the major papers throughout the semester
· content
o This will be found in discussion, blog posts and the 2-3 page analysis essays
o This will be the focus of at least 1 of the major papers
· meaning
o This will be discussed in all major papers and critical responses
· Skills to be taught in the course
o abstract thinking
o critical analysis
· Literature Component
o Elements of fiction, poetry, drama will be discussed throughout the units and will
be the focus of one of the major papers.
o Critical approaches and Cultural context will be the primary focus of the 2-3 page
critical responses.
· Textbook/Required Materials
o All required texts will be provided by Pine Valley High School
· Grading Policy
o 70% of the grade is based on major papers and critical responses
§ Critical responses will be worth ½ of an essay grade
§ Major papers will be worth a full essay grade
o 15% is blog responses and other class work
o 15% of the grade will be based on all other coursework completed throughout the semester
§ 90% + A
§ 86-89% B+
§ 80-85% B
§ 76-79% C+
§ 70-75% C
§ 66-69% D+
§ 60-65% D
§ 0-59% F
· Attendance Policy
o Attendance policy is concurrent with that of Pine Valley High School.
· Late Assignment Policy
o All assignments are expected to be on time.
o 10% will be deducted per day for all late work.
o Some work is time sensitive (i.e. Peer Editing etc) and will receive 0 credit if it is late
· Class communication will be conducted through the Pine Valley email, Google Classroom and Remind101
· Emergency Closing Procedures as per Pine Valley procedure
· Expectations of Students
o Civility Statement (http://www.sunyjcc.edu/current/classroomcivility)
o Student Responsibility Statement (http://www.sunyjcc.edu/academics/student-responsibility)
o Academic Integrity (http://www.sunyjcc.edu/faculty-staff/academic-integrity)
· Disability/Special Services
· Any student who requires accommodations to complete the requirements and expectations of this course because of a disability should make his or her needs known to Nancy Callahan, ADA coordinator/Disability Support Services, 338-1251.
Approximate Schedule of Activities- subject to change
September 5- Syllabus- What is a monster?
6- Literary Theory- Feminist Theory- “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
7- “Trifles”
8- “Trifles”
11- “Trifles” HW: Feminist Theory Criticism
12- Psychoanalytic Theory The Metamorphosis Read Ch 1
13- The Metamorphosis Reading Day
14- The Metamorphosis Read the rest of Ch 2 HW: Read Ch 3
15- Q-Focus/ Socratic Seminar : Psychoanalysis in The Metamorphosis HW: Psychoanalysis of
The Metamorphosis
18- Structuralism Frankenstein Letters 1-3
19- Frankenstein Letter 4
20- Frankenstein Ch 1-2
21- Frankenstein Ch 3-4
22- Frankenstein Ch 5-6
25- Frankenstein Ch 7-8
26- Frankenstein Ch 9-10
27- Frankenstein Ch 11-13
28- Frankenstein Ch 14-15
October 2- Frankenstein Ch 16-17
3- Frankenstein Ch 18-19
4- Frankenstein Ch 20-21
5- Frankenstein Ch 22-23
10- Frankenstein Ch 24
11- Frankenstein Q-Focus Structuralism in Frankenstein HW: 2-3 Page Structuralism paper
on Frankenstein
12- Critical Race Theory: Background on “The Call of Cthulhu” by HP Lovecraft
13- “The Call of Cthulhu” Ch 1
16- “The Call of Cthulhu” Ch 2
17- “The Call of Cthulhu” Ch 3
18- “The Call of Cthulhu” Q-Focus and Socratic Seminar HW: Critical Race Theory Analysis
19- Background Info for Macbeth Historical Criticism
23- Macbeth Act I
24- Macbeth Act II
25- Macbeth Act III
26- Macbeth Act IV
27- Macbeth Act V
30- Monster Poetry/ Poetry Find HW: Macbeth Historical Criticism
31- Organize Essays HW: Read through other’s finds/ Comment
November 1- Writing Day
2- Peer Editing
3- Final Draft Due
6- Mark Twain Background The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Ch 1-3
7- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Ch 4-7
8- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Ch 8-11
9- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Ch 12-17
13- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Ch 18-23
14- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Ch 24-27
15- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Ch 28-30
16- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Ch 31-33
17- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Ch 34-38
20- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Ch 39- end
21- In Class Essay- Archetypes found in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Thanksgiving Break
27- The Poetry Essay HW: Poetry Essay “The New Colossus” and ______
28- Form Poetry
29- Write a Poem: Choose a Form
30- Share Poems/ Marxist Theory/ Fahrenheit 451 Ch 1
December 4- Fahrenheit 451 Ch 1
5- Fahrenheit 451 Ch 2
6- Fahrenheit 451 Ch 2
7- Fahrenheit 451 Ch 3
8- Fahrenheit 451 Ch 3 HW: Marxist Theory Analysis of Fahrenheit 451
11- Post-Colonial Criticism/ Intro to Ender’s Game
12- Ender’s Game Ch 1-4
13- Ender’s Game Ch 5-7
14- Ender’s Game Ch 8
15- Ender’s Game Ch 9-10
18- Ender’s Game Ch 11-12
19- Ender’s Game Ch 13
20- Ender’s Game Ch 14
21- Ender’s Game Finish the book
22- Ender’s Game Post Colonial Criticism
Winter Break
January 2- Historical Criticism Our Town
3- Our Town
4- Our Town
5- Our Town Intro to Short Story HW: Historical Criticism Essay
8- Short Story Writing: Getting Started
9- Short Story Writing
10- Short Story Writing
11- Short Story Writing
16- Peer Editing RD
17- Writing
18- Final Drafts of Short Stories Due: Share in Class
19- Share Stories HW: Read “Story of An Hour”
22- “Story of an Hour” Discussion/ Organize Quarter 2 Essay
23- Writing Day
24- Peer Editing Quarter 2 Essay
25- Writing
26- Final Draft Quarter 2 Essay
29- Intro to the Unreliable Narrator/ Intro to Autism
30- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Ch 2-31
31- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Ch 37-67
February 1- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Ch 71-97
2- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Ch 101-127
4- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Ch 131-151
5- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Ch 157-167
6- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Ch 173- 181
7- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Ch 199-223
8- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Ch 227- end
12- Formalist Paper on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
13- “The Yellow Wallpaper”
14- Q Focus “The Yellow Wallpaper” Psychoanalysis HW: Write Paper
15- Confessional Poetry Defined/ Google Slides Find a Poem
16- Share Poems on Google Slides
Mid-Winter Break
26- Death of a Salesman
27- Death of a Salesman
28- Death of a Salesman
March 1- Death of a Salesman
2- Death of a Salesman
5- Create Your Own Critical theory
6- Share Theories HW: Death of a Salesman paper using your theory
7- Fight Club New Criticism
8- Fight Club
9- Fight Club
12- Saving Private Ryan
13- Saving Private Ryan
14- Saving Private Ryan
15- Saving Private Ryan HW: Formalist Essay on Saving Private Ryan
19- Slaughterhouse Five Ch 1
20- Slaughterhouse Five Ch 2
21- Slaughterhouse Five Ch 3
22- Slaughterhouse Five Ch 4
23- Slaughterhouse Five Ch 5-6
26- Slaughterhouse Five Ch 7
27- Slaughterhouse Five Ch 8
28- Slaughterhouse Five Ch 9- 10
29- Slaughterhouse Five Writing Day Post Modern Critique
Spring Break
April 9- War Poetry “In Flander’s Fields” Google Slides on other poems
10- Poems- Organize the Essay
11- Writing Day
12- Peer Editing Rough Draft Of Quarter 3 Paper
13- Final Draft Due
16-“Birches” by Robert Frost
17- Nature Poetry Find
18- Nature Poetry Share
19- Poetry Essay
20- Rubrics/ Grading of Poetry Essay
23- “Tintern Abbey”
24- Multiple Choice Stems- Create Multiple Choice Questions
25- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 1- annotate for devices
26- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 1 Q Focus and Discussion
30- AP Essay discussion Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 2 annotate for the essay
May 1- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 2- Write AP essay
2- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 3 Read and Annotate
3- Multiple Choice Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 4
4- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 5
7- Exam Prep
8- Exam Prep
9- AP EXAM
10- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 6
11- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 7
14- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 8
15- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 9
16- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 10
17- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 11
21- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Chapter 12
22- Into the Wild HW: Write Your Own Chapter
23- Into the Wild
24- Into the Wild
25- Organize Nature Essay HW: Rough Draft of Nature Essay
29- Peer Editing Nature Essay
30- Writing
31- Final Draft Nature Essay
June 1- Final Essay Requirements
4- Writing
5- Writing
6- Writing
7- Peer Edit Rough Draft
8- Writing
11- Last Day of School- Final Drafts Due