ENGLISH 2130-91: Survey of American Literature

TTH 11:00 – 1:30

Newnan Campus, Room 1123

Summer 2009 (Session II)

Jennifer West Gordon

Office Hours: Before and after class; by appointment

Phone: 770.254.7280 (Newnan Campus)

Email: jwest@westga.edu                     Website:  www.westga.edu/~jwest

This class is a survey of the important works of American Literature.  You must have earned a C or better in ENGL 1101 and ENGL 1102 to receive credit for this course. 

DEPARTMENTAL COURSE GOALS:

·         Reflects the connections and disjunctions of American literary history by covering authors, texts, and critical paradigms from the colonial beginnings to the present;

·         Covers a variety of genres and modes of expression, including fiction (the novel and the short story), creative non-fiction (the autobiography, the slave narrative, and the essay), poetry, oral narratives, and drama;

·         Emphasizes the contested nature of American literature and culture by contrasting and comparing historically canonical/dominant literary traditions with commonly marginalized and/or multicultural voices that have challenged the mainstream canonical view of America;

·         Provides an introduction to major literary movements and paradigms of American literary history, including literature of contact and colonization, Puritanism and religious literature, Romanticism/Transcendentalism, Sentimentalism, Realism, Regionalism, Modernism, Harlem Renaissance, and Post-Modernism). Presentations should stress both the usefulness and limitations of such categories.

·         Balances complete texts with excerpts or selections;

·         Covers all periods within the literary history of the United States, including the colonial era, the era of the early republic, the romantic era, the age of realism, modernism (early twentieth century), post-modernism (late twentieth century), and the contemporary era (texts written within the past 30 years).

NB: the exact edition listed here is required. In other words, you may not participate in class without the required text.  You may purchase your books at the UWG bookstore, any bookstore of your choice, or on the web. 

·        Nina Baym, et al., eds.  The Norton Anthology of American Literature.  Shorter Seventh Edition.  New York: W.W. Norton, 2008.  ISBN: 978-0-393-93057-3 (paperback).

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:

Participation and Discussion: 15%
Written Analysis and Weekly Quizzes: 15%

Exam I: 15%

Exam II: 15%

Exam III: 20%

Out-of-Class Essay: 20%

LATE WORK:
All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the date assigned.  If you are absent on a due date, make the necessary arrangements to deliver the assignment on time. 

ATTENDANCE:
Since this class meets twice a week during a short summer semester, your attendance is absolutely essential.  Reading the assignments is only part of the experience.  Your discussion of the selected works in class will enable you to better understand what you have read and prepare you for the exams.  Choose your absences carefully as only two are permitted.  Absences beyond the allowed two will result in one letter grade being deducted from your final average for each additional absence.  I do not differentiate between excused and unexcused absences, and I do not provide notes missed during your absence.  Remember, absences from class do not excuse you from reading the selections.  No make-up work is allowed unless you have spoken with me in advance.  Please note that three tardies will equal one absence.

PARTICIPATION:
While I appreciate your attendance in class, it is only part of the equation.  The direction of the class is often set by you and the discussions you bring to the table.  Therefore, you need to read each selection carefully and thoughtfully before coming to class so that you can comment on the works in an insightful and informative manner. 

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR: Students will be dismissed from any class meeting at which they exhibit behavior that disrupts the learning environment of others.  Such behavior includes—but is not limited to—arriving late or leaving early for class, sleeping, allowing cell phones to ring, speaking disrespectfully to the instructor and/or to other students, and using personal audio or video devices. Each dismissal of this kind will count as an absence and will be applied toward the attendance requirements policy above.

SPECIAL NEEDS:  If you have a registered disability that will require accommodation, please see me at the beginning of the semester.  If you have a disability that you have not yet registered through the Disabled Student Services Office, please contact Dr. Ann Phillips in Parker Hall.