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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "EN 223"
COURSE NAME: "American Literature"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session I 2015
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Carlos Dews
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MTWTH 2:00 PM 3:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course deals with a chronological historical coverage of the development of American literature from the 17th century until modern times. Attention is given to the major historical, philosophical and literary movements that shaped American literature such as Puritanism, Transcendentalism, and American realism. Major canon American writers will be studied and analyzed.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course deals with a chronological historical coverage of the development of American literature from the 17th century until modern times. Attention is given to the major historical, philosophical and literary movements that shaped American literature such as Puritanism, Transcendentalism, and American realism. Major canon American writers will be studied and analyzed.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The course deals with a chronological historical coverage of the development of American literature from the 17th century until modern times. Attention is given to the major historical, philosophical and literary movements that shaped American literature such as Puritanism, Transcendentalism, and American realism. Major canon American writers will be studied and analyzed.

COURSE AIMS:

The course presents a broad overview of American literature from the early explorers’ narratives to those written during the 20th century. Major historical, cultural, intellectual, and political events which occasioned these writings will be discussed. Students will utilize various critical approaches and reading strategies as they examine important authors and themes of the period. Attention will be given to writers in the Puritan period and the early Republic, as well as the writers who contributed to American Renaissance, the rise of Realism and Naturalism and the writers who exhibited the ‘Lost Generation’. As they read, students are encouraged to discuss their thoughts with the teacher and with other classmates.

 

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Course Objectives

After completing the course, the students should be able to:

1. Identify characteristics of distinctive literary periods in American literature

2. Place literary works in historical context.

3. Analyze plot, characters, tone, style and theme in specific works.

4. Identify major American authors and their works.

5. Participate in exciting discussions of American authors and themes.

6. Apply various reading strategies to text in order to summarize, synthesize, analyze, interpret, and evaluate the literature.

7. Write a paper on a topic in American literature using MLA style and a variety of sources. The paper should show original thought, research, and an ability to assimilate and synthesize the ideas of others on the topic.


TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Midterm Exam 20
Term Paper 15
Presentation 15
Participation  10
Final Exam 40

-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:
Students are required to attend all scheduled class meetings and to participate in all classroom activities. Students are allowed only two absences (no questions asked, no excuses needed). Each additional absence beyond the two allowed will result in the reduction of the final grade for the course by 10%. Students with more than five absences will fail the course. Please refer to the university catalog for the attendance and absence policy.
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

The following list of topics and required reading is preliminary. The final list of topics and required reading will be provided to students at the first meeting of the class.

 

Week 1  Exploration and Settlement / Making a New World

 

Required Reading for the Week:  Christopher Columbus: from "Letter to Luis de Santangel Regarding the First Voyage," from "Letter to Ferninand and Isabella Regarding the Fourth Voyage"

 

Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca: The Relation of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca: "Dedication," "The Malhado Way of Life," "Our Life among the Avavares and Arbadaos," "Customs of That Region," "The First Confrontation," "The Falling-Out with Our Countrymen"

 

John Smith: from A Description of New England

 

William Bradford:  Of Plymouth Plantation, Book І, Chapter IX, Book І, Chapter X, Book ІІ, Chapter XI

 

Week 2: The Puritan World View / American Renaissance / Enlightenment: Franklin and Jefferson

 

Required Reading for the Week: Anne Bradstreet: "The Author to Her Book," "To My Dear and Loving Husband," "Here Follows Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House"

 

Jonathan Edwards: "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

 

Benjamin Franklin, from The Autobiography (Parts I and II)

 

Thomas Jefferson, from The Declaration of Independence

 

Week 3: The Early 19th Century / Transcendentalism: Preachers in the Garden / Narratives of Interpretation: Hawthorne and Melville

 

Required Reading for the Week: Washington Irving: "Rip Van Winkle"

 

Edgar Allan Poe: "Annabel Lee," "The Fall of the House of Usher”

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The American Scholar," "Self-Reliance"

 

Henry Thoreau, Walden, Chapters 1 & 2

 

Nathanial Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown"

 

Herman Melville, "Bartleby, the Scrivener"

 

Week 4: The Founders of Modern American Poetry: Whitman and Dickinson / Realism and Naturalism

 

Required Reading for the Week: Walt Whitman, "Song of Myself," "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," from "Drum Taps," "Memories of President Lincoln"

 

Emily Dickinson, selected poems.

 

Kate Chopin, "Desiree’s Baby"

 

Jack London, "To Build a Fire"

 

Week 5: Modernism and Postmodernism / American Literature Since 1945

 

Required Reading for the Week:  T. S Eliot, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

 

Sylvia Plath, "Lady Lazarus," "Daddy," "Child."

 

Flannery O'Connor, "Good Country People"

 

Billy Collins, selected poems.