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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "EN 200"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to Literature"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring Semester 2012
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Ammary Silvia
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 16:00-17:15
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Course Description: presupposing no previous knowledge in particular of English literature, the course will deal in an intensive manner with a very limited selection of works in the three genres of fiction, drama and poetry. Students will learn the fundamental elements and major literary terms of each genre so that they are able to deal with literary texts critically by using the right approaches. Each genre will be dealt with separately, and so the course is divided into three sections: Fiction, Poetry and Drama. There is a fourth section that deals with criticism where students learn about the different critical approaches and perspectives.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Course Outline:

Week 1: Orientation, introduction to the course. What is Literature?

 

Week 2&3: Approaching Fiction: plot, character, and theme.

  1. The Parable of the Prodigal Son
  2. Ernest Hemingway: Cat in the Rain
  3. Kate Chopin: Desiree’s Baby, The Story of an Hour
  4. In-class essay (1 and 2)

 

 Week 4&5: Narrative Point of View, Allegory and Symbolism.                     

  1. Alice Walker: Everyday Use
  2. Edgar Allan Poe: The Cask of Amontillado
  3. In-class 3

 

 Week 6: Approaching Poetry

1. Langston Hughes: Harlem

2.John Keats: Ode on a Grecian Urn

 

                    Week 7 :Selections from Robert Frost’s poetry

                               In-class essay (4)

 

 Week 8: Tone, Figurative Language

1.  Robert Herrick:To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

2.  Thomas Hardy: The Man He Killed

3.  e.e.cummings: next to of course god America

4. Sylvia Plath: Metaphors

5. Alfred Tennyson: The Eagle

6.William Carlos Williams: The Red Wheelbarrow

7. Dickinson: Because I Could not Stop for Death

 

                  Week 9: Imagery and Symbolism, Irony

1.  Ezra Pound: In a Station of a Metro

2.  Percy Shelley: Ozymandias.

3.  Andrew Marvel: To His Coy Mistress

4.  John Donne: Valediction: Forbidding Mourning           

 

         Week10&11: Approaching Drama

Tragedy: Arthur Miller: Tragedy and the Common Man

Henrik Ibsen: A Doll’s House

        Week 12&13: Criticism

        Week 14: Things resolved and unresolved

                      Final Exam.

 

 

 

 

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Grading Criteria:

 

  1. Content: the clarity and interest of the central idea (thesis), the strength and appropriateness of the support and the depth of the student’s insight into the topic. The quality of the work decreases if the support is not convincing, or not exciting.
  2. Organization: it is the construction of the paper in terms of paragraphs. This includes paragraph unity and development, logical progression of ideas, and the effectiveness of the introduction and conclusion.
  3. Style: this includes sentence structure, tone, and word choice. Clarity of diction and syntax is essential. Good writing usually employs varied sentence structures and vocabulary to maintain interest. The tone should be consistent and appropriate.
  4. Mechanics: it includes grammar, punctuation, spelling and correct application of appropriate conventions. Sloppy mechanics discredit a writer and distracts readers from the ideas presented in the writing.
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
An Introduction to Literaturesylavan Barnet, edLongman0-205-63309-9     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
in-class essays: 40%
final:30%  
mid-term 20%
part. 10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

Assessment Guidelines for assigning main letter grades: A, B, C,D, and F.

A:  Work of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensiveknowledge 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.

B:  This 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.

C:  This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.

D:  This 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.

F: This 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:
No more than 5 absences are accepted.
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

Course Outline:

Week 1: Orientation, introduction to the course. What is Literature?

 

Week 2&3: Approaching Fiction: plot, character, and theme.

  1. The Parable of the Prodigal Son
  2. Ernest Hemingway: Cat in the Rain
  3. Kate Chopin: Desiree’s Baby, The Story of an Hour
  4. In-class essay (1 and 2)

 

 Week 4&5: Narrative Point of View, Allegory and Symbolism.                     

  1. Alice Walker: Everyday Use
  2. Edgar Allan Poe: The Cask of Amontillado
  3. In-class 3

 

 Week 6: Approaching Poetry

1. Langston Hughes: Harlem

2.John Keats: Ode on a Grecian Urn

 

                    Week 7 :Selections from Robert Frost’s poetry

                               In-class essay (4)

 

 Week 8: Tone, Figurative Language

1.  Robert Herrick:To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

2.  Thomas Hardy: The Man He Killed

3.  e.e.cummings: next to of course god America

4. Sylvia Plath: Metaphors

5. Alfred Tennyson: The Eagle

6.William Carlos Williams: The Red Wheelbarrow

7. Dickinson: Because I Could not Stop for Death

 

                  Week 9: Imagery and Symbolism, Irony

1.  Ezra Pound: In a Station of a Metro

2.  Percy Shelley: Ozymandias.

3.  Andrew Marvel: To His Coy Mistress

4.  John Donne: Valediction: Forbidding Mourning           

 

         Week10&11: Approaching Drama

Tragedy: Arthur Miller: Tragedy and the Common Man

Henrik Ibsen: A Doll’s House

        Week 12&13: Criticism

        Week 14: Things resolved and unresolved

                      Final Exam.