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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "EN 315H"
COURSE NAME: "Selected Topics in American Literature -HONORS (This course carries 4 semester hours of credits. A minimum CUM GPA of 3.5 is required)"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Spring 2017
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Lewis Samuel Klausner
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
MW 11:30AM 12:45PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
60
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above.
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course explores in some depth a particular period, theme(s), or genre in American Literature. Students study the major historical and cultural contexts out of which the works grew. An important aim of the course is to deepen students' knowledge of a certain topic through a choice of representative writers and works.
May be taken more than once for credit with different topics.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
We will look at the poems of Emily Dickinson in the context of her life, her historical context, and the place she holds in literary history. The heart of the course will be close reading and analysis of her poems as works of poetry. This will include looking at some of the recurrent themes of her work, God, love, friendship, religion, nature, and so on, in terms of how her poems return to the same subjects but treat them in different poetic ways. This also means looking at her poems in terms of New England in the second half of the 19th Century. We will look, at times, as the writers who seemed to have mattered most to her, such as Emerson, Keats, Shakespeare, Milton, Watts, and others. We will look at other poets of her period whose poetry will help us highlight how differently she wrote from her contemporaries (Bryant, Longfellow, Tennyson, and so on.) Toward the very end of the course we will also look at poets influenced by Dickinson (such as Sylvia Plath and Wallace Stevens). But the heart of the course will be tracing the development of Dickinson as a poet, reading her poems in chronological order and developing our ability to read and interpret them.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will become able to read Dickinson's poetry with insight and understanding. Students will develop their ability to write about this writer in a way that enables them to contribute to the scholarly understanding of this writer.
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| First Paper | | 15 |
| Second paper | | 20 |
| Third Paper | | 20 |
| Midterm exam | | 15 |
| Final Exam | | 20 |
| class participation | | 10 |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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Week One:
Introduction to the course, poems selected from 1-25
Week Two:
Poems selected from 26-100
Week Three
short paper due
Poems selected from 101-200
Week Four:
Poems selected from 201-300
Week Five
Poems selected from 301-450
Week Six
Poems selected from 451-600
Midterm Exam
Week Seven
Poems selected from 601-750
Week Eight
Poems selected from 751-900
Second Paper due
Week Nine: Poems selected from 901-1200
Week Ten: poems selected from 1201-1400
Week Eleven: Poems selected from 1401-1550
Week Twelve: Poems selected from 1550-1775
Week Thirteen: Poems chosen by students
Week Fourteen; Poems chosen by students
Final paper due
Final Exam on day set by registrar
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