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English
3416 -- American Literature
Instructor:
Alan Bourassa
Time: WF 9:00 - 10:20
Office Hours: MW 12:30-1:30, WF 10:30-11:30 and by appointment
(Office ECH 121 )
Tel: 474-1882
e-mail: bourasa1@nb.sympatico. ca
Passionate desires
that explode and passionate desires that are restrained, wild obsession
with the past and history, fantasies that hold lives together, the uncanny
that explodes within the familiar, the fascination of the good with
the evil and the evil with the good: just some of the stories of American
Literature. In this course we will see a variety of American literature
- poetry, drama, short stories and novels from two centuries. We will
talk about history, memory, sexuality, social rules, obsession, racial
violence, redemption, comedy, good and evil. By the end of the course
we will be able to form our own conclusions about what makes American
literature special. Does it really have a common theme? Is it characterized
by its variety? At the end of this course I will ask you what conclusions
you have come to about American literature. I trust that you will have
some interesting answers.
Reading List
FALL 2004
The Color Purple Alice Walker
Franny and Zooey J.D. Salinger
The Bear (available in: Big Woods: The Hunting Stories of William
Faulkner) William Faulkner
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Edward Albee
Six Great American Poets : Poems by Poe, Dickinson, Whitman, Longfellow,
Frost and Millay (Dover Thrift Editions) (used for both semesters)
Short Stories of Flannery O'Connor
WINTER 2005
Rappaccini's
Daughter Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain
Uncle Tom's Cabin Harriet Beecher Stowe
Billy Budd and Other Stories (Penguin Classics) Herman Melville
Fall 2004
WEEK 1 Sept. 9-10
WEEK 2 Sept. 13-17 Poetry -- Frost
WEEK 3 Sept 20-24 The Color Purple Alice Walker
WEEK 4 Sept. 27-Oct. 1 The Color Purple Alice Walker
WEEK 5 Oct. 4-8 Short Stories of Flannery O'Connor
WEEK 6 Oct. 11-15 Franny and Zooey J.D. Salinger
Oct 11 - No Classes Thanksgiving
First Paper Due
WEEK 7 Oct. 18-22 Franny and Zooey J.D. Salinger
WEEK 8 Oct. 25-29 The Bear
WEEK 9 Nov. 1-5 The Bear
WEEK 10 Nov. 8-12 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf Edward Albee
Nov. 11 - No Classes Remembrance Day
WEEK 11 Nov. 15-19 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf Edward Albee
WEEK 12 Nov. 22-26 Poetry - Millay
Second Paper Due
WEEK 13 Nov. 29-Dec. 3
Winter 2005
WEEK 1 Jan. 3-7 Introduction
WEEK 2 Jan. 10-14 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
WEEK 3 Jan. 17-21 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
WEEK 4 Jan. 24-28 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
WEEK 5 Jan. 31-Feb. 4 Poetry -- Whitman
Feb 4 Chancellor's Day. No classes.
WEEK 6 Feb. 7-11 Rappaccini's Daughter Nathaniel Hawthorne
WEEK 7 Feb. 14-18 Rappaccini's Daughter Nathaniel Hawthorne
WEEK 8 Feb. 21-25 Billy Budd Herman Melville
WEEK 9 Feb. 28-March 4 Uncle Tom's Cabin -- Stowe
Final Research Paper Due
WEEK 10 March 7-11 Mid-Term Break No Classes
WEEK 11 March 14-18 Uncle Tom's Cabin -- Stowe
WEEK 12 March 21-25 Uncle Tom's Cabin -- Stowe
March 25 - No Classes Good Friday
WEEK 13 March 28-April 1 Poetry -- Dickinson
March 28 - No Classes Easter Monday
WEEK 14 April 4-8 Review
Assignments and Evaluation
Your participation
grade will include not only attendance and participation in class, but
also in class assignments and participation in group work.
The papers are due at the beginning of class on the dates specified
(always the FIRST class of the week in which the paper is due. If the
first class is a Monday, the paper will be due Monday. If there is a
holiday then it would be due the first class of the week e.g. Wednesday).
Late papers will be marked down one grade per day (i.e. one day late
brings a B+ down to a B). If you have to hand a paper in late you must
tell me BEFORE the paper is due and we can negotiate. There are certain
good reasons for not handing in a paper: family problems, illness, going
out of town for school. There are certain reasons that won't fly: hangovers,
assignments for other classes, fatigue, just feeling like it. Just be
reasonable about handing in your assignments and I will be reasonable
if something unforeseen comes up.
You will be allowed four unexcused absences during the semester. After
that your final grade will be dropped one mark per extra absence (so
three extra unexcused absences drops you from B to C). Again, an unforeseen
crisis will excuse the absence. But if you miss several classes, even
with a legitimate reason, it will certainly reflect on your work and
therefore your grade.
Important
Note: Always keep extra copies of your papers, on floppy
disk, and make an extra hard copy of each assignment. I will be dealing
with hundreds of assignments this semester. One or two are bound to
get misplaced, so don't put yourself in an awkward position. Always
have a backup.
The Secret to
the Participation Grade: 20% of your total grade is for participation.
This 20% is, in effect, a gift. It is very easy to get an A in participation:
just participate. Speak in every class. Make me remember you. If you
participate a lot, I will remember. If, at the end of the semester,
when I am giving you your participation grade, I remember that you spoke
in almost every class, and that you did in-class assignments enthusiastically,
you will be on your way to a strong grade in participation. If I remember
you speaking a fair amount, you will get a B-range grade. If you just
sat quietly -- even if you showed up for all the classes -- I would
give a C or lower. Just talk, ask questions, make comments, give an
opinion, argue, come for extra help and you will get a good grade in
participation. Simple as that. Take advantage of the boost this policy
can give to your grade.
Grading
Fall 2004
Quiz 1 2.5%
Quiz 2 2.5%
Quiz 3 2.5%
Quiz 4 2.5%
Paper 1 10%
Paper 2 20%
Participation 10%
Winter 2004
Quiz 1 2.5%
Quiz 2 2.5%
Quiz 3 2.5%
Quiz4 2.5%
Paper 3 (Research paper) 30%
Participation 10%
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