Overview

Syllabus

FOUNDATIONS OF LITERATURE AND WRITING I

CURRICULUM CYCLE 2008-2009

TERM I (28 August– 17 November):

Individual in Society

Major Works :

Sophocles, Oedipus the King , Bedford , p. 1426

Henrik Ibsen, A Doll House , Bedford , p. 1713

Stories :

Kate Chopin, “The Story of an Hour,” Bedford , p. 15

Stephen Crane, “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky,” Bedford , p. 308

John Updike, “A&P,” Bedford , p. 753

Jamaica Kincaid, “Girl,” Bedford , p. 719

May-Lee Chai, “Saving Sourdi,” Bedford , p. 130

Poems :

Stephen Crane, “A Man Said to the Universe,” Bedford , p. 931

Edwin Arlington Robinson, “Richard Cory,” Bedford , p. 927

Walt Whitman, “When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer,” Bedford , p. 1352

Theodore Roethke, “My Papa's Waltz,” Bedford , p. 999

Lisa Parker, “Snapping Beans,” Bedford , p. 811

TERM II (18 November – 23 February):

Relationships and Decision-Making

Major Works :

Anonymous, Beowulf

George Eliot, Silas Marner

Stories :

William Faulkner, “Barn Burning,” Bedford , p. 499

Katherine Mansfield, “Miss Brill, “ Bedford , p. 317

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, “Clothes,” Bedford , p. 273

Poems :

Marge Piercy, “Barbie Doll” (handout)

Janet Mirikitani, “Recipe,” Bedford , Border Crossings section

Langston Hughes, “The Negro Speaks,” Bedford , p. 1162

Langston Hughes, “The Weary Blues,” Bedford , p. 1170

Langston Hughes, “Poet to Bigot,” handout

Langston Hughes, “Theme for English B,” Bedford , p. 1250

TERM III (24 February – 22 May):

Moral and Ethical Dilemmas

Major Works :

William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Julia Alvarez, In the Time of the Butterflies

Stories :
Bessie Head, “The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses,” Bedford , p. 686

Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Birthmark,” Bedford , p. 416

Z.Z. Packer, “Brownies,” Bedford , p. 358

Poems :

William Wordsworth, “The World is Too Much With Us,” Bedford , p. 1009

Gerard Manley Hopkins, “God's Grandeur,” Bedford , p. 962

Robert Frost, “Out, Out-,” Bedford , p. 1137

William Shakespeare, “When in Disgrace With Fortune and Men's Eyes,” Bedford , p. 1344

Diane Burns, “Sure You Can Ask Me a Personal Question,” Bedford , p. 993

                                                    Course Expectations

I expect you to engage in literature and writing that could inspire you to think in ways that perhaps you hadn't before. The specific areas I describe later will help stretch your mind to think more reflectively and analytically. Of course I cannot prescribe passion, yet in many ways I believe that passion stirs us to our best work

   Reading
Read actively. Read with a pen. As you're reading, consider how the text develops plot, character, and theme. Make notes in the margin to capture your reactions to particular moments. We will have daily reading assignments; complete the daily reading assignments to avoid the crunch of reading a lot of challenging material all at once. Arrive to class with the text so we can refer to specific passages and hear them read aloud.

Writing
We will develop our voice in writing through several exercises throughout the term. Pursue the full process of writing: brainstorming, drafting, peer critiquing, and revising. In order to take advantage of that process, all writing assignments should be completed on time. Late assignments will be penalized one third of a grade per day.

   Speaking and Listening
“The classroom is the drama with speaking parts for everyone.” Express your thoughts and feelings on our texts; the writers we explore did not produce their material because someone told them they had to—they produced these works because they felt something powerfully that moved them to write about it. Listen with care and respect to the seemingly outlandish perspective, whether it comes from one of the writers or one of your classmates. Class participation will be a part of your grade.

Assignments

Greek Theater Notes

Doll House Essay

Mock Heroic Epic Assignment

Announcements

Links

FIsyllabus 08-09

Ben Bagby reading Beowulf

"Barbie Doll"

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