Peru State College
Syllabus for ENGLISH 326: AMERICAN LITERATURE
Section 000A
Meets Tuesdays & Thursdays -- 2:00 - 3:15 a.m. in Fine Arts 205
School of Arts & Sciences – Department of English
Dr. Dan Holtz Spring Semester 2014
Credit hours: 3 Prerequisites: None
Office: Fine Arts 206
Office Hours: 9:30 – 10:45 a.m.; 1:15 – 1:45 p.m.; and 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. on M & W
8:15 – 9:15 a.m. and 1:15 – 1:45 p.m.; and 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. on T & Th
Other times available by appointment
Office Phone - 872-2267
e-mail: [email protected]
Web page: http://www.hpcnet.org/peru/schoolartsandsciences/language/holtz
Required Textbooks:
The American Tradition in Literature—(12th ed. / Shorter Edition in One
Volume), George Perkins and Barbara Perkins, eds., published by McGraw-Hill.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, published by Riverhead Books.
Required Software: None
Course Description: This course is an historical survey of significant American writing
from the Colonial Period to the present era. Major writers receive chief emphasis. It
supports the College’s goals of instilling in students independent critical thought and
intellectual capacity for change and the ability to pursue intellectually, ethically, and
aesthetically rewarding lives. It also supports the English Department’s goals of
fostering critical reading skills and the clear expression of ideas, as well as the goal of
promoting students’ abilities to interpret and understand major literary works in a variety
of genres.
Prerequisites: None
Objectives:
Upon completion of this course you should:
Become acquainted or more familiar with some of the major American writers from the
Colonial Period to the present era and some of their salient themes, concerns, and
techniques.
Understand how these writers influenced or were influenced by the times in which they
lived.
Become more familiar with some of the classic works of American literature that are
appropriate to the abilities of adolescent readers.
Understand how the writers we are studying fit into the panorama of American literature.
Become more proficient in responding to literature through both writing and speaking.
Expectations & Instructional Approach
Classes will include lectures about the lives of the authors, their writing styles and
techniques, and historical backgrounds to the literature. More often, though, classroom
time will be devoted to whole-class or small-group discussion of the literature. You will
also view a number of videos that concern the writers and historical backgrounds to their
work.
Attendance and participation are vital to the learning experience. Consequently, I expect
you to be at each class having read the material and ready to participate in the day's
discussions and exercises. Please be in class on time. In order to foster a climate
conducive to learning, please join me in treating your classmates with respect. I
encourage you to ask questions, to seek my help when you need it, and to help your
classmates understand the material.
*Tentative Course Schedule:
*I reserve the right to modify any aspect of the course syllabus or content. Any
modifications will be communicated to you in advance.
First Half of the Semester (I will supply the second half of the semester’s schedule
during the last week of February.)
Date
Assignment
Jan. 14
None
Jan. 16
Anne Bradstreet, p. 69
and “The Prologue,” “The
Author to Her Book,”
“Before the Birth . . .,” and
“A Letter to Her . . .”
Edward Taylor, p. 105 and
“The Preface,” “Huswifery,”
and “Upon a Spider
Catching a Fly”
Cotton Mather, p. 118 and
From The Wonders of an
Invisible World “Enchantments Encountered,” “The
Trial of Bridget Bishop” and
Jan. 21
Activity
General Introduction/
Syllabus/Introduction to first
reading assignment
Comments on Bradstreet
and Taylor & discussion of
their poems.**
Comments on Mather and
Edwards & discussion of
their work.*
Take-Home Quiz over
“Sinners in Hands . . .”
Jan. 23
Jan. 28
Jan. 30
Feb. 4
Feb. 6
Feb. 11
Feb. 13
Feb. 18
Feb. 20
Feb. 25
Feb. 27
“A Third Curiosity”; pp. 12125 and Jonathan
Edwards, p. 162 and
“Sinners in the Hands of an
Angry God,” p. 168.
Benjamin Franklin, p. 190
and From “Preface to Poor .
. .” and “The Way to
Wealth:; pp. 225-231;
Thomas Jefferson, p. 250
and “The Declaration of
Independence”
Thomas Paine, p. 233 and
From “Common Sense,” pp.
235-244
Washington Irving, p. 307
and “The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow, ” p. 321, and “The
Adventure of the German
Student” (photocopy)
Edgar Allan Poe, p. 376
and “The Raven,”
“Ulalume,” and “Annabel
Lee” and “The Cask of
Amontillado”
Herman Melville, p. 504
and chpts. 1 – 3, 5 – 9, and
11-12 from “Billy Budd,
Sailor” – starts on p. 532
Herman Melville - “Billy
Budd, Sailor,” chpts. 18 –
22 and chpts. 25 – 26 and
29 and “The Portent,” p.
531
Nathaniel Hawthorne – p.
433 and “Rappaccini’s
Daughter” and John
Greenleaf Whittier, “The
Song of the Kansas
Emigrants” and “Marais des
Cygne” (photocopy)
First Test
H. D. Thoreau, p. 700 and
“Where I Lived, and What I
Lived for,” from Walden pp.
743-752
R. W. Emerson, p. 587 and
“Self-Reliance,” pp. 642658
Walt Whitman, p. 916 and
Practice Writing Epigrams
and Aphorisms
Study guide on “Common
Sense”
Quiz over one or both of
these stories – be
prepared for either.
Video on Poe
Quiz over “Cask of
Amontillado”
Filmstrip or video on
Herman Melville.
Quiz over Rappaccini’s
Daughter
Video on Thoreau
Slide presentation on
Concord Writers
Video on Whitman
March 4
March 6
Song of Myself, starts on p.
933 (Stanzas 1, 2, 3, 5, 6,
7, 15 and 16) and “When
Lilacs Last in the Dooryard
Bloom’d,” p. 987
Abraham Lincoln, p. 856
and “Second Inaugural
Address,” p. 861 and
Frederick Douglass, p.
886 and “Learning to Read
and Write,” p. 889 and “Mr.
Covey,” pp. 893
Edwin Arlington
Robinson, p. 1413 and
“Luke Havergal,” p. 1415
and “Miniver Cheevy,” p.
1416 and Carl Sandburg,
p. 1461 and “Fog,”
“Nocturne in a Deserted . .
.,” and “Monotone,” pp.
1414
Video on Frederick
Douglass
**The activities for all class
periods (except test
periods) will also include
discussion of the literature
and my comments on the
authors and/or history of
the times.
FINAL TEST – Tuesday, May 6, from 1 – 3 p.m.
Assessment and Grading
Tests: Two unit tests and a final, which will, in part, be comprehensive. The only
acceptable reasons for failing to take a test or quiz during the scheduled period are
illness, a legitimate emergency situation, or another college-sponsored activity. If you
know you must be absent for another college-sponsored activity during the time for
which a test or quiz is scheduled, you must let me know at least a day in advance if you
expect to be able to make arrangements to make up the test or quiz. Otherwise, you will
not be allowed to take the test or quiz.
Quizzes: There will be a number of quizzes (about 10 to 12) during the semester over
the material you are reading. If you miss the day of a quiz and don’t have an excused
absence, you may not make up the quiz.
One “quiz” will involve your in-class recitation, from memory, of a poem (or part of a
poem) and then your brief explanation of that poem. The poem may be one by Emily
Dickinson or one by another American writer included in our main anthology. You must
recite at least eight (8) lines from your poem.
Analytical Paper: This paper must be a minimum of four full pages, typed and doubledspaced (one-inch margins, top, bottom and sides -- point size no larger than 12). The
paper must consistently examine a single critical question (in other words, it must have a
thesis which it discusses throughout). It must concern a writer or writers you were
assigned to read for this course, and it must incorporate effectively a minimum of two
outside sources, including at least one work of literary criticism and one biographical
source (not an encyclopedia nor an internet site). You must document your sources
correctly using MLA style.
Grading Scale
Grades: You can earn a maximum of 500 points for this course. Your final grade will be
based upon the following criteria:
The three tests count for 300 points—100 points for each of them.
Quizzes, in total, count for 100 points.
The analytical paper counts for 100 points.
I will simply compile all the points you earned to arrive at your grade. The
grading scale for this course is the following: 450 points and Above=A; 425 to
449 points=B+; 400 to 424 points=B; 375 to 399 points=C+; 350 to 374
points=C; 325 to 349 points=D+; 300 to 324 points=D; Below 300 points=F
College’s Incomplete Coursework Policy
To designate a student’s work in a course as incomplete at the end of a term, the
instructor records the incomplete grade (I). Students may receive this grade only when
serious illness, hardship, death in the immediate family, or military service during the
semester in which they are registered prevents them from completing course
requirements. In addition, to receive an incomplete, a student must have completed
substantially all of the course’s major requirements.
Unless extenuating circumstances dictate otherwise, students must initiate requests for
an incomplete by filling out an Incomplete Grade Completion Contract, which requires
the signature of the student, instructor, and Dean. The Incomplete Grade Completion
contract cites the reason(s) for the incomplete and details the specific obligations the
student must meet to change the incomplete to a letter grade. The date by which the
student agrees to complete required work must appear in the contract. The Dean, the
instructor, and the student receive signed copies of the Incomplete Grade Completion
Contract.
Even if the student does not attend Peru State College, all incomplete course work must
be finished by the end of the subsequent semester. Unless the appropriate Dean
approves an extension and if the student does not fulfill contract obligations in the
allotted time, the incomplete grade automatically becomes an F.
College’s Academic Integrity Policy
The College expects all students to conduct themselves in a manner that
supports an honest assessment of student learning outcomes and the
assignment of grades that appropriately reflect student performance. It is
ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and comply with
instructions regarding the completion of assignments, exams, and other
academic activities. At a minimum, students should assume that at each
assessment opportunity they are expected to do their own original academic
work and/or clearly acknowledge in an appropriate fashion the intellectual
work of others, when such contributions are allowed. Students helping others
to circumvent honest assessments of learning outcomes, or who fail to report
instances of academic dishonesty, are also subject to the sanctions defined
in this policy.
Instances of academic dishonesty may be discovered in a variety of ways.
Faculty members who assign written work ordinarily check citations for accuracy,
run data base and online checks, and/or may simply recognize familiar passages
that are not cited. They may observe students in the act of cheating or may
become aware of instances of cheating from the statements of others. All
persons who observe or otherwise know about instances of cheating are
expected to report such instances to the proper instructor or Dean.
In order to promote academic integrity, the College subscribes to an
electronic service to review papers for the appropriate citations and
originality. Key elements of submitted papers are stored electronically in
a limited access database and thus become a permanent part of the
material to which future submissions are compared. Submission of an
application and continued enrollment signifies your permission for this
use of your written work.
Should an occurrence of academic misconduct occur, the faculty member may
assign a failing grade for the assignment or a failing grade for the course. Each
incident of academic misconduct should be reported to the Dean and the Vice
President for Academic Affairs (VPAA). The VPAA may suspend for two
semesters students found to be responsible for multiple instances of academic
dishonesty. The reason for the suspension will be noted on the student’s
transcript.
A faculty member need present only basic evidence of academic dishonesty.
There is no requirement for proof of intent. Students are responsible for
understanding these tenets of academic honesty and integrity. Students may
appeal penalties for academic dishonesty using the process established for
grades appeals.
Title IX Compliance Notice
Peru State College is an equal opportunity institution. PSC does not discriminate
against any student, employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, disability, religion, or age in employment and education opportunities,
including but not limited to admission decisions. The College has designated an
individual to coordinate the College’s nondiscrimination efforts to comply with
regulations implementing Title VI, VII, IX, and Section 504. Inquiries regarding
non-discrimination policies and practices may be directed to Eulanda Cade,
Director of Human Resources, Title VI, VII, IX Compliance Coordinator, Peru
State College, PO Box 10, Peru, NE 68421-0010, (402) 872-2230.
Students requesting reasonable accommodation and tutoring services should
contact the Center for Achievement and Transition Services (CATS).