English 2300: Practical Criticism

October      November

Back to Course Policies

Introduction to the Practice
August
15
 Introduction to course, policies, etc.




17
 What do we mean by "literature"?

Reading: Heaney, "Bog Queen" (WebCT); Culler, Literary Theory - Chapter 2 (p.18-28)

Dobie, "Reading as a Formalist" (p.34-41) and Reading Poetry guide




22
 Professional Readers

Reading: Internet Resources on Heaney; Culler, Literary Theory - Chapter 2 (p.28-41)

Introduce Paper #1




24
 Formal Breakdown

Reading: Propp, "Morphology of the Folktale" (WebCT)

Writing Workshop




29
 Poetry as Word and Act

Reading: Culler, Literary Theory - Chapter 5 (p.73-81)

*Bring at least one paragraph of your draft to class

Quiz #1


31
 Theory Trouble

Reading: Culler, Literary Theory - Chapter 1 (skip section, "Derrida on Writing")

Paper #1 Due


September
5
 Whose story is this?

Reading: Culler, Literary Theory - Chapter 6 (p.84-90)

Screening: Adaptation (Jonze, 2002) 




7
 Adaptation and Identity

Reading: Culler, Literary Theory - Chapter 8 (p.108-116)



The Critical Turn of the Screw
12
 Introduction to The Turn of the Screw

Reading: James, Turn of the Screw (read at least to the end of Chapter 9, p.68)




14
 Bait for "Honest Criticism"

Reading: James, The Turn of the Screw (the whole thing); "Preface" to 1908 Edition (p.179-86)

Quiz #2




19
 Psychoanalytic Criticism

Reading: "What Is Psychoanalytic Criticism?" (p. 254-65)

Introduce Paper #2




21
 Psychoanalytic Definition

Reading: Freud, "The Uncanny" (p.219-226)

Writing Workshop




26 Analyzing The Turn of the Screw

Reading: Renner, Stanley, "'Red hair, very red, close-curling': Sexual Hysteria, Physiognomical Bogeymen, and the 'Ghosts' in The Turn of the Screw" (p.271-89)

Discussion Presenters/Leaders #1




28 Midterm Exam


October
3
 		Gender Trouble

Reading: "What is Gender Criticism?" (p. 290-301)

Peer Review - Paper #2 draft due




5
 Madwomen and Literature

Reading: Gilbert and Gubar, "The Madwoman in the Attic" (WebCT)

Discussion Presenters/Leaders #2

6th = LAST DAY to withdraw with grade of W




10 FALL BREAK - No classes




12
 Gender and Haunting

Reading: Walton, Priscilla, "'He took no notice of her; he looked at me': Subjectivities and Sexualities in The Turn of the Screw" (p. 305-16)

Discussion Presenters/Leaders #3




17
 Introduction to Marxism

Reading: "What is Marxist Criticism?" (p. 317-29); Gramsci, "Hegemony"

Paper #2 Due






19
 The Use-Value of a Governess

Reading: Robbins, Bruce, "'They don't much count, do they?':The Unfinished History of The Turn of the Screw" (p. 333-46)

Discussion Presenters/Leaders #4

Quiz #3

Introduce Paper #3




24
 Introduction to Poststructuralism & Deconstruction

Reading: Saussure, "Nature of the Linguistic Sign" (WebCT)

Screening: Memento (Nolan, 2000)






26
 Abitrary Memory

Recommended Reading: "What is Deconstruction?" (WebCT)

Peer Review - Paper #3 draft due




31
 Who killed the author?

Reading: Barthes, "The Death of the Author" (WebCT); begin reading Morrison's Beloved ("Foreward" & 1st two chapters)



Research Project

November
2
 		The Primary Text

Reading: Morrison, Beloved (p.124)

Quiz #4

Introduce Research Project 




7
 Critical Reading and Investigation

Reading: Morrison, Beloved (p.235)

Paper #3 Due




9
 Finding the Critical Discourse

Reading: Morrison, Beloved (end)

Recommended Reading: Morrison, "Romancing the Shadow" (WebCT)

Writing Workshop - Meet in TLC 1110 (computer classroom)




14
 Presentation of Sources




16
 Proposal Due

Presentation of Sources




21
 Draft of Research Paper Due (with preliminary bibliography)

Peer Review




22-24
 THANKSGIVING BREAK (no class)




28
 Exam Review and Revision Processes (bring partial draft to class)

Reading: "Heroic Computer Dies to Save World From Master's Thesis"  The Onion




30
 LAST DAY OF CLASS

Research Paper and Annotated Bibliography Due


December
5
 Final Exam - 5:30-7:30 pm