ENGLISH 230
Great Narrative Works
Syllabus and Policy Statement
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ENGLISH 230 Great Narrative Works |
Syllabus and Policy Statement |
Rebecca Whitus Longster,
Instructor
Office: Heavilon Hall 303c
Spring 2008
Phone: office 49-43730 -
(home) 765-884-8225
Class meetings: MWF 4:30-5:20
Heav 101
E-mail: RebeccaL@purdue.edu
Office Hours: MWF 2:30 - 3:30 & by appointment
Required Texts : available at Borders & via Amazon.com
Homer, The Odyssey: Revised Prose Edition , Penguin Classics, ISBN: 0140445560 |
Martel, Yann, Life of Pi, Harvest Books, ISBN: 0156027321 |
| King, Stephen, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (novella in the collection Different Seasons) Signet ISBN-10: 0451167538 | Haddon, Mark. the curious incident of the dog in the night-time. ISBN-10: 1400032717 |
| McCourt, Frank, Angela's Ashes, Touchstone/Simon Schuster ISBN: 068484267X |
Course pack available at Copymat by the end of week 2 |
link to 230 Schedule (http://icdweb.cc.purdue.edu/~rebeccal/lit/230s08/schedule.html)
top descriptionpoliciesattendance grading assignments
English 230, Great Narrative Works, is a course of study devoted to the reading and discussion of great narratives from Homer's Odyssey to contemporary works of fiction and literary non-fiction. We will be (as the course description says) "considering works from a variety of cultures and time periods in order to develop an understanding of their ideas, structures, styles, and cultural values" among other things.
After lengthy deliberation, I have selected texts which represent a variety of time periods; writers with clear and unique individual writing styles; works which illustrate the impact of the social and cultural contexts in which each is situated. All are rich in the essential elements of literature, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Our purpose is, among other things, to discover and illuminate that which makes each a "great" narrative (if, in fact, it is one), what "works" well in each, and what doesn't.
In two instances, we will bring consideration of a film version to bear upon our critical analysis of the narrative. We will consider and discuss what impact the translation to film has upon the narrative, the story, its "literary" qualities, and so on, and explore to what extent each version (print and film) is shaped by the limitations (or at least parameters) of the medium in which the tale unfolds.
 1.
Come to class |
2.
Keep up with reading assignments |
| 3.
Take an active and civil part in all class discussions |
4.
Turn work in on time |
| 5.
Keep a copy of everything you turn in |
6.
Do not plagiarize |
| 7. Be courteous: no ipods, cell phones, or laptops on in class
|
8.
If you don't understand something, ASK |
Regular attendance is required as class discussion will form a significant part of fulfilling the course objectives. Additionally, the success of the class is largely dependent upon your participation--and if you don't attend, you can't participate.
More than 5 absences will be considered excessive. Each absence over 5 will result in a loss of 5 points from your semester grade (which doesn't sound like much, but it is). If you know in advance that you have to miss class, please let me know, and in the event of an emergency, get in touch with me as soon as you can. If you do miss a class, you are still responsible for the material covered that day and for getting any assignments due during that class to me as soon as possible.
If you have questions or need to contact me for any reason, your best bet is to send me e-mail as I check it daily and respond immediately if possible (When you send email, please remember to include your class # in the subject line so I can find your message more easily.). Be sure to follow professional email etiquette outlined in http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/636/01/ on Purdue's OWL, as a matter of courtesy, if nothing else. Next best is to call me at home. If I'm not there, leave a detailed message and I'll return your call. As a last resort, you can leave a message with the English Dept. at the number above.
Note: Regular participation is also very important and will impact your final grade. Although I may not appear to be, I am acutely aware of how many people participate in class discussions. I find it easier to get to know you as a person, for example: remembering your name, when you participate in the discussion. Also, I rather rapidly come to recognize who is participating and who is not, so one cannot rely upon the same half dozen people to "carry" the discussions. If we have gotten several weeks into the semester and I can't come up with your name immediately, you're probably not talking enough. Likewise, if at the end of the term when I'm compiling grades I can't bring to mind any point in the semeser when you spoke up and contributed to the discussion, that can reduce your course grade by as much as 5 points (half a letter grade). While I realize that some of you may be shy or feel uncomfortable expressing your opinions, I encourage you to make every effort to do so. We are interested in what you have to say, all comments and questions will be treated with respect, and your contribution will add value to the experience, for you, for me, and for your classmates.
top descriptionpoliciesattendance grading assignments
Semester grades will be composed of the following:
Presentations 5 points Worksheets 5 points Quizzes (5) 25 points Short Papers (3) 15 points Midterm exam 25 points Final exam 25 points Total 100 points
90-100 = A 80-89 = B 70-79 = C 60-69 = D below 60 = F
In my classes, everyone begins with an "A" which, in this case, means 100 points.
How many of those points you keep is up to you, so I encourage each of you to do your best.Late Work
Please do your best to turn work in on time, as late assignments lose points, and I find it extremely distasteful to have to reduce your grade simply because one or more assignments were late.
Assignments
Presentations: Individually or with 1 (or more) partner(s), you will be scheduled to briefly (5-10 minutes or so) lead an introduction to/discussion of the day's assigned readings. Presentations should focus on 2 or 3 topics/issues of interest to you and may be speculative rather than conclusive. You may use AV materials, role-playing, in-class exercises, etc. However, no "outside" materials are required. You will receive credit for your presentation for simply doing it. Points: 5Worksheets: It has been observed that no thought is really complete until it is fully articulated. Obviously the best means of achieving this completeness is to record various insights from your reading and class discussions in a notebook, and then search for patterns or larger connections therein. Your notes then provide material from which to develop your worksheets. You are required to hand in 5 worksheets--worth 1 point each--typed, double spaced and no more than 1 page in length. Think of your worksheets as maps by which you will navigate your way through the course, gather material for your short papers, and prepare yourself for the midterm and final exams. Learning is an active process and can be fun--you may be amazed at how delightful it is to discover an extended metaphor or make connections that you hadn't realized were there before--and worksheets are an excellent way of engaging and interacting with the readings and with our discussions. Again, the content of your worksheets may be speculative rather than conclusive, and you will receive credit for worksheets if you simply do them. Due dates are listed on the schedule. Late worksheets will not be accepted. Points: 5
top descriptionpoliciesattendance grading assignments
Short Papers: In terms of formality and coherence, these should be more developed than your worksheets but they need not be perfectly unified essays (although I'm always happy to see those too!). Each of these short papers must be about the assigned readings, but feel free to "play" with the content--perhaps, again, speculating about one or more issues of interest to you rather than coming to a particular conclusion. Feel free, also, to format your short papers to reflect your unique style and personality, and to incorporate current events, memories, experiences, and so on that more fully illustrate your observations and how/why you arrived at them. You will turn in 3 short papers worth 5 points each, 2-3 pages in length. I may occassionally copy and hand out worksheets or short papers (with your anonymity preserved) to your classmates as a springboard for further discussion. While I may (quite likely) point out mechanical, errors on these short papers, content and evidence of critical thought is what counts and, again, you will receive credit for the short papers if you simply do them. Due dates are listed on the schedule. Late papers lose 1 point per business day late. Points: 15
Quizzes: There will be 5 brief quizzes worth 5 points each. Quizzes are not meant to trick you or "stump" you in any way; they are intended only to ensure that everyone is keeping up with the readings. Quizzes will be unannounced, not listed on the schedule, but will generally be given on Wednesdays and Fridays. Missed quizzes cannot be made up. Points: 25
top descriptionpoliciesattendance grading assignments
Exams: You will have 2 exams for this class, a midterm and a final, each of which will be worth 25 points. Exams will be "take home" and will be in your hands at least 1 week before your responses are due. Because these are take home exams and you will have ample time in which to do them, your responses should be typed, double spaced, and generally organized by Q & A format. Naturally, your responses to exam questions are expected to be thoughtful, well developed, and coherent. While I, again, will quite likely point out mechanical errors, such will not generally count against you--unless the errors confuse me or get in the way of my completely understanding what you mean to say.
Final Note: Please feel free to consult with me at any time during the semester with any concerns you may have about your class performance, understanding of the material, and so on. If at any time you begin to feel lost, don't just disappear. Unforeseen circumstances can and often do "throw a monkey wrench" into the best of plans and intentions; however, such circumstances can often be dealt with to our mutual satisfaction if directly and immediately addressed. So do please see me if the need arises.
(Special thanks to Juan Nunez of Colorado State University, who's Masterpieces of American Literature syllabus provided a template for a significant portion of this syllabus.)
developed by Rebecca Whitus Longster, Spring 2002
page last updated: 01.06.08
corrections and suggestions to: RebeccaL@purdue.edu