Fall 1999, English 1C

English 1C

Section #038

Mon. & Wed., 8-9:15 a.m.

LA-14

Class Webpage

http://hal.ucr.edu/~cathy/f99-1c.html

Email: cathy@citrus.ucr.edu

Teacher: Cathy Decker Office: LA-7D

Phone: 909-941-2412 Mailbox: LA-10

Office Hours: Mon. and Wed. 9:30-11 a.m. ALSO Mon. 2-3 p.m.

Tues. and Thurs. 10-10:30 a.m. (no office hours 11/11)

FAX: 909-941-2632 (Chaffey)

FAX: 909-787-3985 (My UCR office--send to Dr. Decker c/o Dr. Burgess)

Go to Participation Points Chart

Go to Explanation of the Levels of Learning Terms

Go to Literary Rhetoric Page

Go to class schedule chart below
Go to grade scale below
Go to participation points rules below
Go to code of cooperation below
Go to course objectives below
Go to grade formula below
Go to class policies below

Dear Students,

Hi! Welcome to English 1C, Introduction to Literature. This is one of the few courses in which the goal is students developing the ability to enjoy something--in this case, literature. If you already love reading good books, then you are well on your way to success in this class! This is a very reading-intense class, so you will need to confront how you feel about reading and how you feel about reading artistic, literary writing. I hope you will see this class as an opportunity to expand not only your capacity to enjoy books, but also your ability to think critically and communicate complex ideas.

So many people in this world think that literature is irrelevant and unimportant to "real life." I hope that in this class you will seize the opportunity to explore the benefits of literature and the roles it can play in your life. The positive effects the study and enjoyment of literature has had on my life are many, and I'd be delight to talk about them with you in my office hours if you want.

Literature is designed to make us feel--to cry, to laugh, to rage--and will affect us differently. This class may be emotional at times. I hope you feel comfortable sharing how the literature makes you feel and respect the different feelings of others. I know that many poems and books that reduce me to tears do not move others--but often because they do not see the hidden symbols or themes in the pieces that I try to share with them. At other times, they simply have a different sense of art--and in trying to see each others' point of view, we learn more of our own relationship. We have a great opportunity ahead of us to learn from each other and to enjoy ourselves, amazingly, at 8 a.m.

With best wishes for a good semester,

Cathy Decker, Ph.D.

GRADING SCALE

F	D-	D	D+	C	C+	B-	B	B+	A-	A	A+
0-54	55-62	63-67	68-73	74-77	78-80	81-83	84-86	87-89	90-92	93-95	96-99

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to do the following.

1. Explain the critical skills and the rhetoric of practical criticism.

2. Use these analytical and critical skills to discover the distinction between the kinds of writing which are a source of permanent satisfaction and those which are merely ephemeral.

3. Acquire the ability to communicate his or her interest in literature to others, both orally and in writing.

4. Explain the influence of various literary types and traditions upon one another and upon the societies from which they developed.

5. Develop an appreciation of literature which will make future and advanced study more enjoyable and rewarding.

The Grade Formula

Prose Writing Assignments Average	65%
Other Assignments Average	20%
Participation Points	10%
Final Exam	5%
Total	100%

What Are Participation Points?

During our first class we will determine what we will give participation points for. When this policy is finalized, I will give a copy to each class member. Basically I will keep a running tab of the maximum number of points a person can get. Because the maximum will be indicative of giving 110%, that number will equal 110% (11 points out of a possible of ten)! I will then calculate what number of participation points earns a 100%. What percent of these points that you have is your participation-point grade. Feel free to email me or come to office hours to clarify this!

Participation Points

Students earn a point for each of the following.

Arriving at class at 8 AM ready to go (check-in sheet will record this)
Out-of-class group work done by email--email that involves work towards any of our class objectives--discussing works of literature, sources, etc. not just class business. (this is kept track of by sending a copy or "cc-ing" mail to cathy@citrus.ucr.edu)
Out-of-class group library study sessions (to get credit have everyone there sign-in on a sheet with day, time, and topic worked on; then turn in the sheet in the next class)
Office hour visits that involve work towards our class goals
Presentations in class or extended and/or useful comments in class (recorded on role sheet of day, verify at 9:15 at end of class)
Nominations for exceptionally cooperative and helpful class participation (done at 9:15)
Bring in extra information for the class or do a service for the class (check to see if your point has been recorded at next class)
Attend college book events (see me at the event and sign my "participation point" sheet)
Attend a play or literary performance (bring ticket, paperwork, brief description of event to class)

The formula for calculating participation points is number of points multiplied by 110 divided by the maximum number of points.
Maximum number of points as of 8/25: 6

Our Code of Cooperation

We the students of English 1C declare we will follow this Code of Cooperation.

1. We will not talk or interrupt (unless offering brief affirmative comments) when other people are talking.

2. We will respect other people's opinions.

3. We will offer constructive, not destructive, criticism.

4. We will avoid things that cause allergic reactions, like heavy perfumes.

5. We will avoid loud noises, like gum snapping, shouting (unless requested), cell phones ringing, pagers ringing, etc.

6. We will be here at 8 AM and ready to work.

7. We will not sleep in class.

8. We will avoid derogatory comments and loud outbursts.

9. We will acknowledge people's indications that they wish to speak and allow them time to speak ASAP.

10. We will encourage open discussion and participation.

11. We will exchange phone numbers and email if we feel comfortable doing so.

12. We will follow the food and drink policy and be careful with our water.

Required Supplies

Barbara Kingsolver’s The Bean Trees

Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacob's Literature, compact ed.

Folders and/or 3-Ring Binder for Portfolio, Class Handouts, Charts, Schedules, Calendar

Three-hole punch lined paper

IBM-formatted disks

Scantron Sheets as announced in class (available at the College Bookstore in the Quad)

Good Things We Want in This Class . . .

Plan Ahead * Support Others and Reward Excellence * Be Cooperative and Polite

Be on Time * Listen * Be Assertive in Solving Problems *Work with Others* Water OK

Things that I Avoid and that I’d Like the Class to Avoid . . .

Silent Anxiety--Ask! * Brutal Questions * Leaving Others Out in the Cold * Hostility

Finger Pointing * Cell Phones and Pagers * Playing Games * Breaking Food/Drink Policy

Policies

Expect that work turned in on time will be graded in two weeks.

Expect that I won’t return most weekend phone calls until Mon. and will take a few days to respond to email, snail mail, faxes, and phone calls.

Expect that plagiarized work gets zero credit; repeat plagiarizers fail the class with an F.

Expect that tests, quizzes, oral work, and such one-time things will not be rescheduled.

Expect that when I don’t get work at the due date, I enter a zero in the grade book.

Expect that if you stop coming to class and don’t drop yourself, you will get an F.

Expect that I will make mistakes on occasion and that copies and records of your work will be helpful in these instances.

Chart to Track the Class Schedule

As the class determines assignments and due dates, we will fill in this chart.

Date --- Class Topic	Reading Assignments	Other Homework
8/23 Class Policies/Methods	NA	NA
8/25 Fiction/the Novel	Chap. 1	Go through Capacity Matrix and self-assess your current level of learning on all of the capacities.
8/30 More on Fiction	BT Chap. 2-3
9/1 Discussion of Critical Rhetoric Discussion of Reading Skills Presentations on Fiction terms	L pp. 1-3, 49-60
9/6 HOLIDAY!	Happy Labor Day!
9/8 Plot, Character Finish Presentations on Lit. pp. 56-60 Bean Trees Group Work	BT Chap. 4 L pp. 92-96, 134-140	Have all terms from pp. 49-60, 92-96, 134-140 mastered to the level of understanding and comprehension. Be prepared to do oral definitions of the terms in class. If necessary, prepare list of definitions to enable you to do this.
9/13 Point of View, Setting, Tone and Style	BT Chap. 5-6 L pp. 194-202, 240-243, 268-74 Class Leaders Mario Miller and Marion Cease	Be prepared for quiz on Chapters 5 and 6 of The Bean Trees.
9/15 Literary Rhetoric Catch Up	BT Chap. 7-8 Class Leaders Lettie Collier and Ryanne Spinney	Select one area of literary rhetoric from the following list: plot, structure, characters, point of view, setting, tone, style. Write and type up a paragraph that applies this literary rhetoric to The Bean Trees. The paragraph should explain and analyze any segment of the novel using this rhetoric. Try to use all the terms presented in the relevant section of our textbook, Literature.
9/20 Symbolism, Allegory, Theme	L pp. 318-323, 363-367 BT Chap. 9-10 Class Leader Matt McMilon	Write a letter to one of the following people or literary characters: your mother, your father, your spouse, your significant other, Cathy Decker, Barbara Kingsolver, Taylor Greer, or Lou Ann Ruiz. The letter should prove you can communicate an interest in literature using the informal format of a letter. If you chose to write to me, your parent, or your significant other do not discuss anything except literature. Select one or two significant things of interest about literature, and The Bean Trees in particular to discuss in the letter. (Note that The Bean Trees does not have to be treated as interesting to you, but only discussed as literature.) Use the literary rhetoric we have learned in the letter where appropriate, but also be sure to define any terms that would not be understood by your audience. If you write to your parent or significant other and he or she has not read The Bean Trees, you will need to include plot summary in addition to your discussion of interesting aspects of literature. Make the letter whatever length is appropriate to completely cover your ideas.
9/22 Class Cancelled--Instructor Ill	NA	NA
9/27 Video on Point of View	BT Chap. 11-12 Class Leaders Mayra Costa, Ulrike Krumrey, Leah Steele, and Shama Shamsudeen	Quiz (Take Home) on literary rhetoric Portfolio Due! This should contain your paragraph, letter, matrix, and any other exercises/writing to prove mastery of the capacities.
9/29	BT Chap. 13 Class Leaders Melanie Espinosa, Patty Magdalene, and Jazminaurora Pottorff BT Chap. 14 Class Leaders Theron Ponds, Arlene Garcia, and Danielle Shelton	Turn in portfolio if haven't done so already; turn in take-home quiz.
10/4	BT Chap. 15-6 Class Leaders Jenn Smith and Jon Tortoro	Select one of the following types of novel: (1) The Spanish Picaresque Novel, (2) The German Bildungsroman novel, or (3) the Gothic Novel. Research the term and write up a brief report on the term containing a definition, a list of three to ten examples of this type of novel, and a brief bibliography of three works on the topic (reference work entries, specialized dictionary entries, webpages, articles, or books).
10/6	BT Chap. 17 Class Leaders Leslie Rebolledo, Jason Zamora, and Christina Haring	Produce a list of the attributes of a novel that could provide enjoyment for hundreds of years to many different people. Try to cover as many aspects of the novel as possible--diction, plotting, setting, characters, theme, etc. Identify which of the attributes are the most controversial and explain why.
10/11 Novel Wrap-Up; Introduction to Short Fiction	Read "A Worn Path" (p. 116+); "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" (p. 203+); "The Shawl" (p. 258+)	Produce a list of the attributes of novels and short fiction that are not worth reading twenty years after their publication. Bring in an example of a novel or short story you see as "empheral" in satisfaction.
10/13	Read "The Fall of the House of Usher" (p. 334+) and "The Yellow Wallpaper" (p. 408+)	Bring in your sample work of empheral literature again. Select any short story in our textbook (or The Bean Trees) and write an argument that it is a work of "permanent" satisfaction. Give your criteria for being a work of permanent satisfaction and match your criteria to the text you are trying to prove is a work of permanent satisfaction. Justify your criteria by logic, examples of widely recognized works of permanent satisfaction (like Shakespeare's plays), or citing experts. You will probably need at least three pages to do a good job on this argument.
10/18 Short Fiction	Read the stories!!!	Continue work on writing projects and revisions of early portfolio items.
10/20 Poetry	Read Chapter 11, pages 445-467 and pages 468-476 of Chapter 12	Continue work on writing projects and revisions of early portfolio items. Fill out short story form handed out in class for "The Fall of the House of Usher" or "The Yellow Wallpaper."
10/25 Short Fiction Test (ten questions, closed book) Poetry	Chapter 16, pages 572-618	Portfolios Due
10/27 Poetry	Chapter 17, pages 619-656	Prepare oral report on one of the poems. Your report needs to include (1) point of view of the poem, (2) rhyme or rhythm scheme if any, (3) a paraphrase of the poem, and (4) a brief, general explication of the poem. Turn in a written form of your report in the next portfolio.
11/1 Poetry	Reread poems from Chapter 11 and Chapter 16 Mayra, "Sonnet 55" (460); Jon, "Sonnet 73" (597); Ryan, "The Sun Rising" (587); Patty, "Upon Julia's Voice" (589); Jazmin, "Daffodils" (603); Matt, "To Hear an Oriole Sing" (586); Ryanne, "God's Grandeur" (590); Melanie," Let America Be America Again" (590); Maurio, "Macavity: The Mystery Cat" (588); Jenn, "We Real Cool" (586); Ryan, "March for a One-Man Band" (602); Leslie, "Schoolsville" (445); Christina, "A Theory of Prosody" (593); Jason, "Eagle Poem" (458); Sarah, "Ogichidag" (460).	Define poetry terms for your portfolio and write sentences applying the terms to appropriate poems.
11/3 Poetry Finish presentations: Jon, Ryan, Leslie, Jason, Lettie, Marion Discuss Haiku, Sonnet, Lyric, Ode, Ballad	Reread Chapter 17	Write brief definitions of Japanese Haiku, Shakespearean Sonnet, Petrarchan sonnet, Western Lyric, Greco-Roman Ode, and English ballad. List one example of each. Document the sources that you use for your definitions.
11/8 Poetry Greco-Roman Myth Western Epic French romance	Read Chapter 19, pages 688-710 Reread section of Idylls of the King (601-2)	Work on revisions and writing projects.
11/10 Finish Poetry Poetry test	Study for test	NA
11/15 Drama; terminology and short plays.	Read Chapter 22	Write brief definitions of European comedy of manners, Western romantic comedy, European commedia dell'arte, Greco-Roman slapstick, and Greek Satyr play. Document the sources that you use for your definitions.
11/22 Drama; discussion of definitions and short plays.	Finish reading Chapter 22!	Write brief definitions of Western burlesque, European black comedy, European comedy of the absurd, British ballad opera, and Western musical comedy. Document the sources that you use for your definitions.
11/24	Act I of Midsummer Night's Dream	Write brief definitions of European cycle play, mystery play, miracle play, morality play, and Corpus Christi play. Document the sources that you use for your definitions.
11/29	Act II of Midsummer Night's Dream	Write brief definitions of Shakespearean problem play, Isben's problem play, Greco-Roman comedy, Greco-Roman tragedy, European revenge tragedy, and European well-made play. Document the sources that you use for your definitions.
12/1	Act III of Midsummer Night's Dream	Write brief definition of Renaissance, Neoclassism, and Romanticism. Document the sources that you use for your definitions.
12/6	Act IV of Midsummer Night's Dream	Write brief definitions of Modernism and Postmodernism. Document the sources that you use for your definitions.
12/8	Act V of Midsummer Night's Dream	Final Portfolio Check
12/13 Final Exam	Exam Time: 8-10:30 a.m.