JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY COURSE CODE: "EN 310 H" COURSE NAME: "Selected Topics in World Literature - HONORS (This course carries 4 semester hours of credits. A minimum CUM GPA of 3.5 is required)" SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2024

SYLLABUS INSTRUCTOR: Alessandra Grego EMAIL: [email protected] HOURS: TTH 6:00 PM 7:15 PM TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45 CREDITS: 3 PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above. OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is an upper-level course designed to provide a thorough investigation of a limited number of texts or of a specific central unifying theme that can be chosen either from Western or non-Western literature. The course invites students to take a closer look both at the text or theme in question and at the world out of which the focal subject developed. Through the comparative analysis of literary texts from diverse cultures, students will come to see how cultural differences can influence such elements as narrative, structure, literary style, plot conventions, point of view, or the construction of character and voice. They will also be able to see how similar literary themes may be handled with different emphases by different cultures, or how cultural biases can result in different or even completely opposite moral conclusions. This is a reading and writing intensive course. Students in 300-level literature classes are required to produce 5-6,000 words of critical writing.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT: Dystopian novel: The term "dystopia" has a new currency and dominates the media. This course investigates the tradition of the dystopian novel and the contextual reasons for the genre's new popularity in the 21st century, taking into account the adaptations into different media and the way certain tropes from dystopian novels have become mainstream, such as "Big Brother," "doublespeak" or the political use of the red dress from the Handmaid's Tale. Reading a selection of 20th and 21st century dystopian novels by international authors, students will work on the relationship between literature and historical-political context, and the way in which art sublimates social anxieties.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will learn how to analyze a literary text critically, how to identify a genre and style of fiction, how to research a topic and write academic papers. Students will be able to evaluate the relationship between political and social anxieties and cultural products, identifying the historical events and social transformations that create an increasing readership for the dystopian novel.

TEXTBOOK: Book Title Author Publisher ISBN number Library Call Number Comments Format Local Bookstore Online Purchase Brave New World Huxley, Aldous Penguin Books 2008 978-1408274354           Blindness Saramago, Jose Vintage Classics 2013 ‎ 978-0099573586           Nineteen Eighty-Four Orwell, George Penguin Classics 2018 978-0241341650           Klara and the Sun Ishiguro, Kazuo Faber and Faber 2021 978-0571374892           The Handmaid's Tale Atwood, Margaret 978-1784873189 Vintage Classics 2017           The Parable of the Sower Butler, Octavia Hachette Collections 978-1472263667           Herland Charlotte Perkins Gilman Vintage 2015 978-1784870522

REQUIRED RESERVED READING: NONE RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING: NONE

GRADING POLICY -ASSESSMENT METHODS: Assignment Guidelines Weight Two research papers   30% Mid term exam   20% Presentation   10% Final Exam   20% Honors paper   20% -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.

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.

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.

SCHEDULE

Session Session Focus Reading Assignment Other Assignment Meeting Place/Exam Dates week 1 Introduction to the course. Utopia and Dystopia, literal meanings, connotations and cultural tradition       Week 2 Charlotte Perkins Gilman. "Herland" (1915) to Doris Lessing "The Cleft" (2007) Read FP Gilman's short story "Herland"     Week 3 The utopia of matriarchy Gilman, "Herland" continued     Week 4 Capitalism, class and popular culture Huxley, Brave New World (1932)     Week 5 Brave New World continued       Week 6 Against totalitarianism: Big Brother is watching you Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four (1948)     Week 7 Nineteen Eighty-Four continued   1st Home Paper Due   Week 8 Controlling women's bodies Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale (1985)     Week 10 The Handmaid's Tale ctd.   Research Biblical references in The Handmaid's Tale and the Reagan Administration   Week 10 The metaphor of contagion Saramago, Blindness (1995) 2nd Home Paper due   Week 11 Blindness continued   Research Climate change and social disruption   Week 12 Blindness continued   Research Foucault: Pestilence and contagion as a source of social control   Week 13 Artificial Intelligence and the problem of consciousness Ihiguro, Klara and the Sun (2021)     Week 14 Klara and the sun continued       Week 15     Final Exam