ENGL 2130-26H:  Survey of American Literature, TR 12:30-1:45, HUM 209

Dr. Josh Masters

Office: TLC 2244

Phone and Email: 678-839-4862 jmasters@westga.edu and mastersjosh@yahoo.com

Office Hours: Tues 10-12, Wed 11-12 and 1-5, Thurs 10-12, and by appointment.

 

Description

 

This survey of American literature traces the development of such themes as nature, nationhood, law, gender, race, and identity in our national culture, from first contact to the present day. The writers and texts we will examine speak to shared concerns that reach across American history, and we will imagine the writers engaged in a dialogue and exchanging ideas through their literary works. We will begin by looking at the invention of “America,” examining the idea of American nationhood from its Puritanical origins to its postmodern reformulations in the poetry and prose of William Bradford, Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, and John Berryman. We will then consider the legacy of slavery in the American imagination in our reading of an autobiography by Olaudah Equiano, a short story by Herman Melville, and the only novel written by Edgar Allan Poe. We will then leap forward into the twentieth century, with its emphasis on “identity”: as a racial category, as a thing we “quest” after, and as a territory or landscape we both explore and inhabit.

 

Required Texts

 

Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

Herman Melville, Benito Cereno

Edgar Allan Poe, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket

Nella Larsen, Passing

Leslie Marmon Silko, Ceremony

Scott Bradfield, The History of Luminous Motion (not available through bookstore)

Sean Penn, Into the Wild (film on reserve)

(Shorter works will be available on electronic reserve as PDFs.)

 

Requirements

 

Students are expected to complete the day’s reading assignment in advance and come to class prepared to participate in discussion. Students must maintain a reading-quiz average of 65% or higher and miss no more than four classes in order to pass the class. Other requirements include a series of short responses and process-based writing assignments, a five-page paper, an oral presentation, and a ten-page final project. Students in this class must complete the day’s reading assignment in advance and come to class prepared to participate in discussion. In order to participate, you must have the text under discussion in class with you.

 

Students with disabilities should meet with me at the beginning of the semester, and we will make any necessary arrangements.

 

 

Explanation of Course Requirements

 

Final Grade: To pass the course, students must turn in all assigned written work, have no more than four absences, and earn a passing quiz grade. If you average less than 65% on quizzes, you will not pass the course. Your final grade is comprised of the following: Final Paper (30%); Quizzes (20%); Process-Based Writing Assignments (20%); Midterm essay (15%); Midterm Exam (15%).

 

Essays: Your basic task for each paper is to produce a well-written, coherent essay whose central argument is both interesting and significant. Your essays will be thesis-driven, argumentative papers, and your grade will be determined by the complexity of your central argument, the structure of your paragraphs, the logic of your organization, and the strength of your prose (i.e. your writing). Your papers, especially your final research project, will also be evaluated in terms of their use of secondary sources and the originality of your scholarship. Emailed papers will not be accepted; you must turn in a hard copy of the paper, along with all process-based writing assignments, in a two pocket folder.

 

Late Essays: I will accept late essays, but always with a penalty. A paper will be considered one day late if I do not receive it at the beginning of (or before) class. For each weekday that a paper is late, 1/3 of a letter grade will be deducted from the final grade. For instance, if the paper is due on Tuesday and you turn it in before 5 p.m. on Wednesday, you will lose 1/3 of a grade (i.e. a C+ becomes a C). If you turn it in on Thursday, 2/3 of a grade is deducted (a C+ becomes a C-). Although I do not accept emailed papers, a student who needs to establish a date and time of completion can send an attachment. However, the student, not the teacher, is responsible for any computer or internet problems.

 

Reading Assignments: Consult the online syllabus for the schedule of reading assignments, which can be found on Dr. Masters’ website (http://www.westga.edu/~jmasters/). All reading will be due on Tuesday, and you can expect to read about 100-150 pages each week. All quizzes are open note (but not open book), so you should always assemble some reading notes once you’ve completed the assignment—names of characters, important events, central ideas, etc. (Slight changes and modifications are always a part of the semester, so plan to consult the online syllabus regularly. All changes will be announced in class.)

 

Quizzes: At the beginning of each Tuesday class, you will take a comprehensive, fact-based quiz on the week’s reading assignment. If you arrive late, you will not be allowed to take the quiz, and you must wait outside until the quiz is completed. If you are absent for whatever reason, you will not be allowed to retake a quiz. Under no circumstances will I give make-up quizzes. However, each student can arrange to take one quiz in advance. Each quiz is worth 10 points, and, at the end of the semester, assuming that you've earned the required 65%, I will drop your lowest quiz score when determining your quiz average. All quizzes are open note (but not open book), and you are encouraged to bring notes based on the reading to class.

 

Process-Based Writing Assignments: At the beginning of each week, I will post Thursday’s writing assignment at the bottom of the online syllabus. All writing in this class submitted for credit must be typed and turned in via a two-pocket writing folder. Your papers for this class will be written over a period of weeks rather than in one, long sleepless night. Expect Thursday assignments to be fairly involved affairs that take you through the process of writing a thesis-driven, critical essay. These assignments will be graded on a ten- or twenty-point scale (depending on how involved they are), and the grade will be based on their level of completeness and the degree to which they follow my directions. Late assignments will be penalized three points for each weekday that they are late.

 

Discussion and Preparation: Students are expected to attend every class and arrive on time, prepared, and eager to discuss the day’s reading. You are expected to demonstrate genuine engagement with the material, actively contribute to discussion topics, show adequate preparation for each class, and respect the ideas of your classmates. You must bring the text under discussion to every class, including a print-out of any reserve reading.

 

Cellphones and Sleeping: Don’t ever, ever fall asleep in this class, and I never want to see a cellphone. As soon as you see me, get the thing out of sight. If you fall asleep or use your cellphone in class (such as text-messaging and/or message checking), you will be asked to leave class and considered absent for that day.

 

Email: All official email correspondence must take place through UWG accounts; however, I will also be establishing a class list using your preferred email address for other forms of communication. Your emails should be proofread and written in full sentences.

 

Tardiness and Leaving Early: If you arrive at class late or have to leave early, it counts as ½ of an absence. On Tuesdays, after quizzes are collected, the doors will be opened and late arrivals will be allowed to find a seat. If you are more than three minutes late, you will be marked as tardy.

 

Absences: I understand that illnesses and emergencies are a part of life, and therefore you are allowed to miss four classes. However, there are consequences for missing more than one class, such as missing quizzes or having assignments counted as late. (Note: Thursday writing assignments can be sent to me in advance to avoid a late penalty, and I will allow each student to take one quiz early, but remember, no make-ups.) I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences unless the absence is due to participation in an official University activity (such as band, sports, debate, etc.). Students will be administratively withdrawn from class based on the following attendance policy. Once a student exceeds four absences—even if that occurs at the end of the semester—the student will be withdrawn. If the withdrawal occurs prior to the withdrawal date (March 2), the student will receive a grade of W. If the withdrawal occurs after the withdrawal date, the student will receive a grade of WF.

 

* If you add the class after the first day of class, you will not be counted as absent. However, you are responsible for contacting me and being prepared for the next class.

 

My Plagiarism Policy: If a student is caught plagiarizing (and this includes short writing assignments) or cheating on a quiz, he or she will automatically fail the course. No exceptions. Also, I consider Cliffnotes, Sparknotes, and other similar “resources” out of bounds. You must complete the reading on your own and do your own thinking in the class. Quizzes will be designed in such a way that these “sources” will be of no use to you.

 

Departmental Plagiarism Policy: The Department of English and Philosophy defines plagiarism as taking personal credit for the words and ideas of others as they are presented in electronic, print, and verbal sources. The Department expects that students will accurately credit sources in all assignments. An equally dishonest practice is fabricating sources or facts; it is another form of misrepresenting the truth. Plagiarism is grounds for failing the course.

 

Reporting Procedures for Plagiarism:
Each incidence of plagiarism is subject to review and consideration by the instructor, and is subject to a range of penalties including but not limited to failing the assignment, failing the course, and referral to the disciplinary review board (which may ultimately result in the expulsion, suspension, or disciplinary removal of the student from the university). In order to facilitate the prevention and detection of plagiarism the Department of English and the University of West Georgia will maintain records of plagiarized assignments and those who prepare and/or submit them.

 

Course Goals

 

Program Goals

1. To develop the ability to recognize and identify achievements in literary, fine and performing arts;
2. To have an appreciation of the nature and achievements of the arts and humanities; and
3. To develop the ability to apply, understand, and appreciate the application of aesthetics criteria to "real world circumstances.


 

 

Schedule (Subject to Revision)

1/6: Introductions and the Syllabus

 

1/11: “The American”: Excerpts from William Bradford, Anne Bradstreet, Ben Franklin, Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, John Berryman, and Yusef Komunyakaa. There will be a quiz.

1/13: See online syllabus for writing assignment.

 

1/18: Chapters 1-5 in Olaudah Equiano.

1/20: See online syllabus for writing assignment.

 

1/25: Finish Equiano (113-236).

1/27: See online syllabus for writing assignment.

 

2/1:  Read all of “Benito Cereno” up to the court documents, which begin, “I, Don Jose…”

2/3:  Finish Benito and see online syllabus for writing assignment.

 2/4: Paper Proposal for first essay due via email.

 

2/8:  Mountain of Notes due.

2/10:  Outline and Annotated Bibliography entry due.

 

2/15: View Part One of Into the Wild.

2/17:  First Essay Due. View Part Two of Into the Wild.

 

2/22:  Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, Chapters 1-12.

2/24:   See online syllabus for writing assignment. (Discuss Paper Revisions and Midterm Exam.)

 

3/1:  Last day to Withdraw with “W.” Finish Pym (including final “Note”). 

3/3:   Midterm Exam.

 

3/8: Spring Break

3/10: Spring Break

 

3/15: Read all of Passing.

3/17: Revision of First Essay Due (voluntary).

 

3/22: Ceremony to page 128 in the blue edition or 138 in the orange edition

3/24: See online syllabus for writing assignment.

 

3/29: Finish Ceremony.

3/31: See online syllabus for writing assignment.

 

4/5: The History of Luminous Motion, Chapters 1-16 (1-136 in most editions).

4/7: Cultural artifact assignment (instructions forthcoming).

 

4/12: Finish The History of Luminous Motion, Chapters 17-28 (137-274).

4/14: Prospectus for final research paper due.

 

4/19: Mountain of Notes due, at least four single spaced pages.

4/21: Annotated Bibliography.

 

4/26: Evaluations and Workshop.

 

5/3: Final Papers Due by 5 p.m.

 

 

Assignment for Thursday, January 20th

 

Write a "Mountain of Notes" entry on a single passage from Equiano's slave narrative that resembles the ones we started in class today. Identify a thematic element that interests you and select a passage that allows you to explore it (or, select a passage that interests you and identify a thematic element in it). Type out the quotation (try to limit the passage to fifty words), cite the page like I showed you in class, and then come up with at least five different thoughts, ideas, and insights into it. When possible, examine specific words and phrases in the passage.

 

(Note: I wasn't able to save the document we created, so the sample below is from a class last semester.)

 

Passage

"I did not, when a slave, understand the deep meaning of those rude and apparently incoherent songs. I was myself within the circle; so that I neither saw nor heard as those without might see and hear. They told a tale of woe which was then altogether beyond my feeble comprehension; they were tones loud, long, and deep; they breathed the prayer and complaint of souls boiling over with the bitterest anguish. […] Those songs still follow me, to deepen my hatred of slavery, and quicken my sympathies for my brethren in bonds" (8-9).

 

Context

Frederick Douglass reflecting back on songs that he heard as a six or seven year-old near the beginning of his narrative.

 

Possible Meanings, Ideas, and Questions

-The songs show the negative points in the slaves’ lives, despite what whites think.

-Hears the songs from both the slave's point of view and white point of view. Whites miss the slaves’ unhappiness.

-Not his own songs, can’t quite identify with them, not quite real, not quite one of these singing slaves. And yet, the songs "follow him" and continue to define him.

-Songs help him to realize the evils of slavery, because they keep the slaves from breaking, their only way of speaking back to the masters.

-Welcoming death with open arms, a future home away from this reality. Emphasizes the slave's "soul" to show they are not brute objects but spiritual beings.

 

Writing Assignment for Thursday, January 27th

 

Keeping in mind our discussion of "thematic elements," citing textual evidence, and analyzing evidence (Mountain of Notes style), for Thursday you will be turning in two assignments (worth 20 points total). First, you will need to identify a thematic element that interests you in Equiano's text, then you will need to identify a passage from this week's reading that speaks to that element (or, you can reverse the process and start with a passage that really interests you and then identify the thematic element contained within it). You will then construct a "mountain of notes" entry about the passage. Typos, fragments, half-baked ideas, and minor epiphanies are all acceptable. The key is to investigate the language of the passage, seek out connections, and push yourself towards some conclusions. The entry should be typed and single-spaced and should ideally be at least a half a page.

 

Next, you will construct a paragraph based on your notes. Begin with a complex, original opening claim that introduces an argument about your thematic element. (Note: Avoid referring to it as a thematic element, i.e. "The thematic element I have chosen is x, which is significant because y." Just jump right in: "In his narrative, Equiano idealizes the sea as a..." "While Equiano begins his narrative by celebrating his African heritage..." "On land, Equiano's status is x, but at sea it seems to be y because..." "The acquisition of literacy in Equiano's narrative...")

 

Your paragraph must be typed and double-spaced and meet the following guidelines: 1) Make sure you keep it to one paragraph, and that you put some thought into its structure and organization. 2) Open the paragraph with an idea, argument, or interpretive position of your own design that explains the significance of your thematic element within OE's narrative. 3) Introduce and then cite your passage (not as a block quote) using MLA citation and punctuation rules (see "MLA Template" on my website, and go over pages two and three). 4) Analyze the passage in a way that backs up the paragraph's central claim.

 

So, plan to turn in two separate documents. Your "Mountain of Notes" entry (the passage quoted at the top; your notes, thoughts, ideas below) and your actual paragraph.