COURSE APPROVAL DOCUMENT
Southeast Missouri State University
Department:
English_______________________________________
Course No. LI 309____
Title of Course: Studies in World Literature___________________________
Date: 8/1/16________
____________________________________________________
I.
Please check: x New
 Revision
Catalog Description (Credit Hours of Course):
This special topics course will have a different theme and focus each time it is offered. The content will draw
from the literatures of multiple nations, genres, and time periods with an emphasis on writers and works from
outside the United States of America.
II. Co- or Prerequisite(s):
Prerequisites: EN100, EN140 (or equivalents), and any 200-level literature course.
III. Purposes or Objectives of the Course (optional):
A.
B.
Add additional Objectives as needed
IV. Student Learning Outcomes (Minimum of 3):
A. Students should demonstrate knowledge of literary terms, devices, techniques, and narrative strategies as
assessed through quizzes, papers, and exams.
B. Students should demonstrate public speaking, critical thinking, and organizational skills through class
discussion, and the design and delivery of an oral presentation or similar project.
C. Students should demonstrate the ability to write a formal essay following the conventions of academic
writing in the field.
V. Optional departmental/college requirements: NONE
VI. Course Content or Outline (Indicate number of class hours per unit or section):
A. Primary works (novels, short stories, poems, etc.) (24)
B. Biographical readings (6)
C. Relevant criticism and scholarship (9)
D. Historical and cultural readings (6)
Please Attach copy of class syllabus and schedule as an example
Signature: ________________________________________________
Chair
Date: _____________________
Signature: ________________________________________________
Dean
Date: _____________________
Approved by Academic Council, April 1, 2014
Revision: April 1, 2014
LI309: Studies in World Literature
Professor: C.D. Mock ([email protected])
Fall 2015
MWF 10-11
GB313
Office: GB 309K Office hours: M-F 1-3
“The Travels of Sir John Mandeville”
Gulliver’s Travels
Persepolis
Catalog Description
This special topics course will have a different theme and focus each time it is offered. The content will
draw from the literatures of multiple nations, genres, and time periods with an emphasis on writers and
works from outside the United States of America. (3 credit hours)
Prerequisites: EN100, EN140 (or equivalents), and any 200-level literature course.
Introduction:
One of the most enduringly popular forms of storytelling is the travel narrative. From the ancient
heroic epics, to the travelogues of explorers, to the personal stories of immigrants looking for freedom in
a new land, the travel narrative has spanned the history of civilization and captured the imaginations of
audiences that compare the tales of adventure and descriptions of foreign lands to the conventions of
their own culture. Travel is not just about the journey itself, but about the different cultures and customs
the traveler witnesses and how they interact or clash. By studying the history of literary and visual
depictions of travel, we will chart the history of global consciousness. What exactly is global
consciousness? Veronica Box Mansilla and Howard Gardner explain:
We define global consciousness as the capacity and the inclination to place our self and the people, objects,
and situations with which we come into contact within the broader matrix of our contemporary world. An
individual exhibits global consciousness when she is attuned to daily encounters with world cultures,
landscapes, and products (e.g., through the Internet and other media and through migration); places such
encounters in a broader narrative or explanatory framework of contemporary global processes (e.g., the
traffic of people, capital, and ideas; shifting economic, demographic, and cultural interdependence); and
perceives herself as an actor in such a global context (e.g., acting locally on global issues, using channels of
transnational participation, resisting geopolitical change).
(Mansilla and Gardner 58)
Over the course of the semester, we will see an evolution over time in how the descriptions of foreign
lands and the peoples that inhabit them influence and inform the worldview of the culture that reads
these descriptions. For example, from studying the tradition of explorers like Marco Polo and Sir John
Mandeville describing the exotic and dangerous creatures purported to be living in the East and the
descriptions of its inhabitants as grotesque, monstrous half-humans, we will be able to notice similar ways
of describing and judging Native Americans in Columbus’ diary and colonized people in Africa in Joseph
Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. We will also look at a number of ways that these “others” have been
illustrated and how the lands themselves have been charted in maps that reveal worldviews that center
one’s own land and places others in the peripheries. As the class progresses we see the development of a
west v. east, occident v. orient worldview in which the definition of “self” becomes dependent upon a
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contrast with the “other”, Ultimately we will understand how our present global consciousness—our
modern problems with globalization, third world development, and immigration is informed by the legacy
of these accounts of travel.
Course Expectations
We will explore many contemporary and controversial issues in this class. Therefore, I ask that
you remain respectful and courteous toward differing opinions and beliefs in our discussion. I encourage
open debate and defense of one’s opinions while keeping in mind that the goal of such discussion is not to
prove one’s self right or others wrong, but instead to gain greater insight into different perspectives on
these texts and themes through the free exchange of ideas.
I expect all students to show up on time and to be prepared in advance to discuss the assigned
texts. This means you must complete the week’s reading before class. I suggest that you spend about 5-10
minutes before class brainstorming a list of themes and issues from the week’s reading that you found
interesting or wish to explore more in depth. You must always come to class with your books.
As part of classroom etiquette, I ask that you turn off all cell phones and any other distracting
personal electronics during class. You may bring a computer device (laptop, tablet, etc.) for note taking
and for looking up pertinent information on the web, but please refrain from checking your facebook or
email, chatting online, and other non-class related functions.
Student Learning Outcomes
A.
Students should demonstrate knowledge of literary terms, devices, techniques, and narrative
strategies as assessed through quizzes, papers, and exams.
B.
Students should demonstrate public speaking, critical thinking, and organizational skills
through class discussion, and the design and delivery of an oral presentation or similar
project.
C.
Students should demonstrate the ability to write a formal essay following the conventions of
academic writing in the field.
Academic Honesty
Passing off the words and/or ideas of others—those of classmates, friends, professional writers, or web
sites—constitutes plagiarism. Even unintentional plagiarism is a serious offense, so make sure you
understand how not to do it. A plagiarized paper or assignment will receive a grade of zero. Check the
university’s official statement about academic honesty and plagiarism.
Accessibility Statement
Any student who believes that they may need an academic accommodation based on the impact of a
disability should contact the instructor to arrange an appointment to discuss their individual needs.
Instructors rely on the Learning Assistance and Disability Support Services for assistance in verifying the
need for academic accommodations and developing accommodation strategies. This course adheres to
Southeast Missouri State University's Accessibility Plan found on page one of the Undergraduate Bulletin.
Civility Statement
The University policy regarding civility in the classroom can be found here:
http://www.semo.edu/pdf/Conduct_Faculty_Resource_Guide.pdf
Questions, comments or requests regarding this course or program should be taken to your instructor.
Unanswered questions or unresolved issues involving this class may be taken to Dr. Susan Kendrick.
Assignments
Grading scale: 90+%=A; 80-89%=B’ 70-79%=C’ 60-69%=D; below 60%=F
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Revision: April 1, 2014
Midterm and Final papers 4-5 pages (20% Each)
For both the midterm and final papers, you will be given a choice of two prompts that cover the
readings up until that point. These essays should contain a central thesis and use evidence from the texts
as support for your arguments. I want you to think comparatively, meaning that you should compare and
contrast the how different authors treat similar themes in their works. I will distribute my handout for
college-level literature essays and outline my expectations for a solid paper in class. You are encouraged
to send me rough drafts ahead of time and consult me during office hours if you need help with
compositional matters.
Midterm Exam (15%)
The midterm will consist of short identification questions for key concepts of the course and a
short essay that will compare how multiple texts treat a common theme.
Final Exam (20%)
The final exam will have the same format as the midterm, but with an additional amount of
questions
Participation (15%)
Participation consists of two parts. The first part is your conduct in the classroom and your
attendance. Strong participation in class does not mean answering all the questions correctly or
frequently talking, but it is instead measured by the overall quality of your contributions. Students with
strong participation raise interesting and honest questions, volunteer their own perspectives, and
respectfully engage with others.
The second part of participation is the weekly posting on the online class message board. Every
week I will post a question related to the topic of the week in a manner that allows you to discuss the
issue in a contemporary light. This is your chance to voice your opinions and to relate the topic of the
week to your own studies and experiences.
Discussion Co-Leader (10%)
Each week will have at least one class period devoted to a wide discussion among the class on the
week’s readings and main topics. It is a chance for you to ask questions to gain clarity on the lectures and
to highlight portions of the text and related sub-topics that may not yet have been covered. You will each
sign up for one discussion period to co-lead with me. You will meet with me the week before and we will
brainstorm topics and together formulate questions or activities that can spark engaging and fruitful
discussions among your classmates. Creativity is encouraged!
Required Texts
Catalina de Erauso: Lieutenant Nun: Memoir of a Basque Transvestite in the New World
Voltaire: Candide
Joseph Conrad: Heart of Darkness
Marjane Satrapi: Persepolis
In the Course Reader Packet:
Casey Blanton: “Travel Writing: The Self and the World”
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Homer: The Odyssey Book 9
John Mandeville: The Travels of Sir John Mandeville
“Marvels of the East”
Rudolf Witkower “Marco Polo and the Pictorial Tradition of the Marvels of the East”
Marco Polo: The Travels of Marco Polo
Ibn Battuta: The Travels of Ibn Battuta
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Revision: April 1, 2014
Christopher Columbus: The Dairio of Christopher Columbus
Jonathon Swift: “A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms” from Gulliver’s Travels
Aimee Cesaire: “Discourse on Colonialism”
Rudyard Kipling: “The White Man’s Burden”
V.S. Naipaul: In a Free State
Reading Schedule
Week 1 Introduction: What is Travel Writing?
- Why has humanity been historically fascinated by accounts of travel?
- How has the description of travel been accompanied by images of travel?
- How does travel in a foreign land change the way we view our own?
Casey Blanton: “Travel Writing: The Self and the World” (Chapter 1)
Weeks 2 & 3 The Heroic Epic
- Why must ancient heroes go on a journey to become wise, educated rulers?
- What elements of the ancient heroic are present in modern stories of heroes?
- How do these heroes compare and judge civilizations to their own?
The Epic of Gilgamesh (reader)
Homer: The Odyssey Book 9 (reader)
Week 4 Fictions of the Other: Mandeville’s Myths of Monstrosities
- How do descriptions of the “Marvels of the East” dehumanize its inhabitants?
- Why were readers willing to believe these fabricated tales of monsters?
- In what way may Mandeville be commenting on his own land in comparison?
John Mandeville: The Travels of Sir John Mandeville (reader)
“Marvels of the East” (reader)
Week 5 Marco Polo’s 17 Year Journey
- Why did readers find Polo’s accounts less believable than Mandeville’s fiction?
- How do the illustrations of Polo’s account differ from what he actually wrote
and why would they draw monsters where there were not any?
- How does Polo’s description of the Khan reflect certain world views and values?
Rudolf Witkower “Marco Polo and the Pictorial Tradition of the Marvels of the East”
Marco Polo: The Travels of Marco Polo (reader)
Week 6 Travel Writing from Outside a European Context
- How does Battuta’s non-Christian background influence a different way of
describing his travels?
- How does being a scholar and a religious pilgrim influence his narrative?
Ibn Battuta: The Travels of Ibn Battuta (reader)
Paper # 1 Due (Friday 5 PM)
Weeks 7 & 8 Discovering and Claiming the “New World”
- How did reading Mandeville as factual influence Columbus’ expectations of
what he would find in the “New World”
- How do the descriptions of Native Americans illustrate ethnocentrism?
- Why did Erauso come to the “uncivilized” Americas to masquerade as a man?
Christopher Columbus: The Dairio of Christopher Columbus (excerpts in the reader)
Catalina de Erauso: Lieutenant Nun: Memoir of a Basque Transvestite in the New World
Midterm
Week 9 & 10 The Age of Enlightenment and the Travel Narrative as Satire
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Revision: April 1, 2014
- How does the use of travel as satire critique the assumptions about one’s
own culture that previous travel narratives never questions?
- How do Swift and Voltaire criticize European politics, philosophy, religion,
and economics by comparing them to fictitious other lands?
Jonathon Swift: “A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms” from Gulliver’s Travels
Voltaire: Candide
Weeks 11 & 12 Documenting and Criticizing Colonialism
- What elements of the earlier descriptions of Native Peoples do we see
repeated when illustrating the colonized person?
- How do supporters of colonialism use the mission to spread civilization as
a justification for their abuses?
Joseph Conrad: Heart of Darkness
Aimee Cesaire: “Discourse on Colonialism” (reader)
Rudyard Kipling: “The White Man’s Burden” (poem in reader)
Week 13 Post-Colonialism
- Although these nations are independent, what challenges do they face as
they attempt to modernize and industrialize?
- How are post-colonial nations and people still influenced by the power of their
former colonizers?
V.S. Naipaul: In a Free State (selections in reader)
Paper # 2 Due (Friday 5 PM)
Week 14 & 15 Immigration and Globalization
- How has the rise of globalization and international trade changed the way
borders, nations, and ethnic identities function in today’s society?
- How do immigrant populations face the pressures of assimilation and
multi-culturalism ?
- How does globalization affect us on a daily basis?
Marjane Satrapi: Persepolis
Film: “Paper Dolls”
Final Exam: Monday, December 11 @ 10:00
Approved by Academic Council, April 1, 2014
Revision: April 1, 2014