Natasha Sajé, Ph.D.
Foster Hall 405 Office Phone: (801) 832-2376
Home phone: 474-3579 email: nsaje@westminstercollege.edu
Office Hours: Mondays
E311 Introduction to Literary
Studies (Fall 2002)
T/TH
Objectives:
This course prepares you for
further study in literature. It will give you the tools for close-reading
literature (and film) and applying various critical strategies to their understanding
and explication. I will also help you
learn how to conduct library research in literature and how to write a paper
for an English class. You’ll develop an awareness of
how theoretical assumptions shape reading and interpretation, become familiar with
contemporary theoretical issues and approaches, and apply insights from
literary theory to specific texts and questions. The word “theory” comes
from Greek, when “theors” were sacred envoys sent to perform some rite or duty.
A “theor” was also someone who traveled in order to see things, a spectator.
Let’s keep these origins in mind as we, too, travel in order to see things
outside our era and location. Most
important, we shall seek to appreciate literature for the space it provides:
space for imagining other ways of being and thinking.
Required texts:
Hannah Crafts, The Bondwoman’s Narrative
Toni Morrison, Beloved
Jonathan Demme, director, Beloved
(DVD) on reserve
Robin Becker, The Horse Fair
David Richter, ed. Falling into Theory (2nd
edition)
plus photocopied material
(All of these books are
available in the library.)
I have also put on reserve in
the library a copy of Scott Carpenter’s Reading
Lessons, which is a basic (and wonderfully readable) text of literary
theory.
Requirements:
If you have a documented
disability, please see me (and the
1) Regular class attendance,
careful reading, participation in class discussions, attending at least one
poetry reading (or viewing the videotape), and some in-class or informal
writing assignments. Some weeks the
reading load is heavier than others—plan ahead. Missing more than two classes
precludes an A; missing more than six means failing the class. Call me if you
must miss a class; you are responsible for finding out what you missed from a
classmate, and for keeping up with any changes in the syllabus. I will
distribute a class list of phone numbers. You’ll also meet with me in
conference three times during the semester—be sure to bring your papers. Very
Important: For each day of class, bring one discussion question on a piece of
paper with your name on it. These will be graded check, check plus, check
minus, for thoughtfulness. If you are distributing a one-pager that day, simply
type your discussion question at the bottom. 25% of grade.
3) Four one-page,
single-spaced, carefully focused and written and typed
response/application/analysis papers.
Make copies for the entire class. 28% of your grade. See the sample I’ll
distribute. You may hand these in whenever you like, as long as you hand in two
in September and two in October. Keep in mind that you should not merely repeat
what we’ve said in our discussions, and that it may be easier to distribute a
paper on the first day that we discuss the book because that way you have an
“open field.” One fun way to do these is in the form of letters, addressed to a
particular person in the book, the author, to a student in the class, or me.
You can also take on different personae in your letter, writing as if you were
one of the characters or an author. For instance, you might want to be Toni Morrison
responding to Hannah Crafts, or Robin Becker responding to Roland Barthes.
Another way to do these is to compare one (small) aspect of the book to its
treatment in film or stage or imagine one aspect of one book as a film. You can
also apply theoretical insights to the other books; for instance, do a
structuralist analysis of one of Robin
Becker’s poems. Or apply one of the handouts on genre and theory to one of the
texts, for instance using J. Hillis Miller's definition of narrative as a
template to explain Beloved. Or argue with one of the authors in Falling into Theory. Anything is
possible as long as it pays close attention to the text(s) and shows you
thinking.
4) One (one page,
single-spaced) abstract of a scholarly article. 5% of grade. Hand in one copy
of the article when you hand in your abstract to me, but make enough copies of
the abstract for everyone in the class. Various due dates in November on the syllabus.
5) One in-class presentation
on one of the topics or readings. You may work collaboratively, “teaching” one
of the texts as a team. Another option is to do more research on one of the
texts and present that information to us in an engaging manner. Do not simply
read a report. Think of some way to involve the class in applying the new
information. 5% of grade
6) Take home midterm exam
(details and sample follow): 5% of grade. Due October 22.
7) Research paper: 5-10 page
paper arguing a specific point about one of the assigned texts (Morrison,
Crafts, or Becker). OR a project involving one or more of the texts such as a
syllabus for a high school literature class or an overview of the use of
specific anthologies in
COLLECT ALL PAPERS TO BE HANDED IN AT THE END OF THE CLASS AS A PORTFOLIO
Grades are based on your work
as described above, but how much you improve will also be taken into
account when I determine your final grade. I will grade the one-pagers check,
check plus, check minus, but will give you a midterm grade and write a
paragraph about your work at midterm. Here are the guidelines I use for grading
papers (Adapted from Adelstein and Pival, The Teaching Commitment). Note
that a paper must earn its grade: it starts with a "0" and works its
way up.
1. Organization (10 points)
A.
Is the paper about the assigned subject?
B.
Does it have a clear, logically developed plan unified around a central thesis?
C.
Is the subject adequately limited?
D.
Is the paper written from a consistent viewpoint?
E.
Does the paper have an effective introduction, conclusion and transitions?
F.
Are the paragraphs organized around a topic sentence?
2. Support of Generalizations (10 points)
A.
Are relevant examples, illustrations, facts, or other forms of evidence used?
B.
Would an intelligent reader accept the evidence used?
C.
Are abstract words defined or illustrated?
D.
Is the support of generalizations as complete as the time allotted for the
assignment will allow?
3. Mechanics/Usage (10 points)
A.
Is the paper free of spelling errors? Is it generally free of others?
1.
punctuation
2.
fragments/comma splices/run on sentences
3.
subject-verb agreement
4.
pronoun-antecedent agreement
5.
errors of case (him for he, etc.)
6.
dangling or misplaced modifiers
4. Content (50 points)
A.
Is the paper interesting? Do the ideas reveal some maturity of judgment, some
insight and critical perception?
B.
Has the writer analyzed the subject accurately and thoroughly?
C.
Have the writer's conclusions been developed from an objective, logical,
comprehensive examination of the subject?
D.
Has the writer gone beyond the obvious?
5. Language (10 points)
A.
Is it appropriate for the purpose, audience and subject?
B.
Are words used accurately and defined where ambiguous?
C.
Has the writer avoided cliches and unnecessary repetition?
D.
Is the language concrete and clear?
6. Style (10 points)
A.
Are unnecessary words eliminated?
B.
Is the tone appropriate to the audience, subject and purpose?
C.
Does the writer appear to be sincere, reasonable and unbiased?
D.
Are sentences varied in length and type? Is passive voice used only where
necessary? Is subordination used to signal intended relationships?
Standards for paper grades:
(the "B" and "D" papers fall in between)
The A paper not only fulfills the assignment but does so in a
fresh and mature way. (It teaches me something!) Every paragraph has a clear
purpose. Evidence is detailed, and the organization gives the reader a sense of
the necessary flow of the argument. Prose is clear, apt and occasionally
memorable. It contains few errors.
The C paper follows the assignment but does so either
conventionally or superficially. (I've heard it before.) Adequate evidence is
provided, but the reasoning is predictable and/or occasionally flawed. Sentence
structure is generally correct, but not very interesting: the writer fails to
use subordination, sentence variety, and modifiers to achieve emphasis.
Note: Papers that earn C, D,
and F grades tend to have underdeveloped paragraphs.
The F paper could be off the assignment, could fall seriously
short of minimum length requirements, or could be plagiarized. The thesis is
unclear. Evidence is scarce. Organization is haphazard or arbitrary. The paper
may contain numerous errors of grammar, spelling, punctuation, diction or
syntax which hinder communication.
Assignments are due on the
date next to which they appear. We'll fill in the presentation due dates early
in the semester and the abstracts later.
Thursday 29 August
Introductions; 4 Theories of
Art
Discussion of the forms of
literature. One of Aristotle’s contributions is the central idea that art
possesses form, and unlike life, has a structure in which every part is related
to the others.
Introduce concepts of
structuralism, New Criticism, formalism.
Term of genre and mode: story, song; prose (comes from L prosus, direct); verse
(comes from L vertere to turn); verse, novels, short stories, prose, odes,
epics, elegies
Hand out Codrescu and
Tuesday 3 September
Read Introduction, Falling into Theory
Read Introduction, Henry
Louis Gates, to the Bondswoman’s
Narrative
Thursday 5 September
Topic: Why We Read
Read Simon During, “Teaching
Culture” FIT p. 96
Read Richard Ohmann, “The Function
of English at the Present Time” FIT p.89
Tuesday 10 September
Discuss The Bondswoman’s Narrative
(first half)
Thursday 12 September
Bring Codrescu poems for
discussion.
Andrei Codrescu reads in
Jewett,
Great Salt Lake Book Festival
Weekend (I’ll distribute a schedule.)
Tuesday 17 September
Discuss The Bondswoman’s Narrative (second half)
Topic: conventions of the 19th
C sentimental novel and the slave narrative
Thursday 19 September
Meet at
Visit to Marriot Library,
Book Arts Studio, 5th Floor, for History of Book Presentation by
Luise Poulton. (585-6168)
Tuesday 24 September
The Bondswoman’s Narrative
Read Henry Louis Gates,
“Canon Formation…” pp.175-182 FIT
Read Janice Radway, “ A
Feeling for Books” FIT 199-210.
Thursday 26 September
Read Jane Tompkins,
“Masterpiece Theater” p.137-146 FIT
Topic: Shakespeare and Nahum
Tate’s versions of King Lear
Tuesday 1 October
Modes: romance, realism,
modernism, postmodernism
Read Eve Sedgewick, From
Epistemology of the Closet FIT 183-188
Read Edward Said, “The
politics of Knowledge” FIT 189-198
Thursday 3 October
Read John Guillory, “The
Canon as Cultural Capital” FIT 218-224
Read Harold Bloom, “Elegiac
Conclusion” FIT 225-233
Tuesday 8 October
View filmed lecture on Freud. (I will be out of town).
Thursday 10 October
Beloved (first third)
Read Falling into Theory,
“How We Read” pp 235-252 (Introduction to this section)
conferences this week and
next
Tuesday 15 October
Read Barthes, “The Death of
the Author” FIT pp.253-257
Discuss Beloved
Thursday 17 October
Finish discussion of Beloved.
Read handout of
Read
Read
Lucille Clifton reads,
Jewett,
19 October SATURDAY Option
Tuesday 22 October
Read Sandra Gilbert and Susan
Gubar, “The Female Swerve” FIT 290-295
And Toril Moi, “From
Sexual/Textual Politics” FIT 295-301
take home midterm due:
On one single-spaced page,
write four paragraphs about the theoretical frameworks we’ve been studying. You
may use the books as examples, but the focus should be on genre, theory, or
criticism. (I'll attach an example.) When you write these, remember that we are
interested in how you think, so don’t just copy a definition of psychoanalytic
criticism, for instance, onto the page, but rather, synthesize or question it.
Make copies for the whole class (10 copies).
1) about something you
understand completely
2) about something you more
or less understand
3) about something you’re
less sure of
4) about something that you
don’t understand at all (it’s ok to make this last one a question)
Thursday 24 October
Read everyone else’s midterm
and come with questions.
Brainstorm final
paper/project ideas.
Tuesday 29 October
Library session with Hildy
Benham: Meet in Computer classroom in Library. Come with some ideas about your
final research paper or project.
Thursday 31 October
Panel: Living as an English
Major: Jean Cheney, Felicia Olivera, Laura Manning, perhaps others.
(Option: Come dressed as a literary character.)
Abstracts
Tuesday 5 November
Read Toni Morrison, “Black
Matter(s)” FIT 310-322
Abstracts
Thursday 7 November
Second Library Research
Session: come with your topic.
conferences this week
Tuesday 12 November
Read Robin Becker’s The Horsefair.
Topic: poetry
Abstracts
Thursday 14 November
Robin Becker visits our class.
Robin Becker reads, 7 p.m.
Nunemaker (maybe Gore if we think there will be a crowd—I’ll keep you posted.)
Abstracts
Tuesday 19 November
Workshop outline and source
list due for research paper/project.
Abstracts
Thursday 21 November
Read
Tuesday 26 November
Draft workshop for research
paper. Bring 5 copies.
Happy Thanksgiving: Thursday
November 28
Tuesday 3 December
Read George Levine,
“Reclaiming the Aesthetic” FIT 378-389
Read Michael Bérubé, “Aesthetics and the Liberal Imagination” FIT
391-397
Thursday 5 December LAST DAY
OF CLASS: portfolios due (except research paper/project)
Write an overview of your
learning in the course, one page. This can be done in class or at home, if you
prefer. In class we’ll synthesize concepts
covered during the course.
Research paper/project due Tuesday December 10 in my office or my box.
Monday 16 December
Final Exam period