LIT 2000: Introduction to Literature
Spring 2012 (T/TH 11:00-12:15)
Instructor: Joy Sanchez
Office Location: BEH 102
Office Hours: T 2-3pm, TH 10-11am or by appointment
Email: [email protected]
Course Description: This course will focus on literature in its various forms: fiction, drama, and
poetry. Students will read a variety of literature from different authors, historical periods and
cultural contexts. Students will also learn tools for reading, interpreting and writing critically
about literature.
Introduction to Literature is part of the University of South Florida’s Foundation of Knowledge
and Learning Core Curriculum. It is certified as a Writing Intensive Course fulfilling the following
dimensions: Critical Thinking, Inquiry-based Learning, and Written Language Competency. This
course also meets the writing requirements of a Gordon Rule 6A Communications course;
students will write at least 4,500 words. At least one assignment will include a revision.
Students enrolled in this course will be asked to participate in the USF General Education
Assessment effort. This might involve submitting copies of writing assignments for review,
responding to surveys, or participating in other measurements designed to assess the FKL Core
Curriculum Learning Outcomes.
Course Objectives:
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To distinguish between various forms of literature and learn each genre’s distinct,
identifying factors. Students will write an analysis of several works of literature, showing
an awareness of a possible range of interpretations.
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To investigate the formal elements of literature such as plot, character, style, tone,
language, symbol, allegory, myth, imagery, figures of speech, themes and staging, and
their function in the creative process of producing prose, poetry and drama.
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To interpret and analyze literature that reflects a range of human emotional, intellectual
and cultural experiences, from authors of diverse historical periods and cultural
contexts.
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To examine how each piece of literature reflects its historical and cultural contexts.
Course Theme: This course will focus on literature of social action (literature in which the
author is making a strong point about a societal issue). The goal of this course is to demonstrate
through reading and writing that literature can inspire others to take action against injustices.
Required Text: Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie (Bookstore). All other readings will be
provided on Blackboard.
Supplementary Materials (recommended):
• Glossary of literary terms: http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0072405228/student_view0/complete_glossary.html
• MLA Handbook
• Perdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): http://owl.english.purdue.edu
Other Requirements:
• USB flashdrive
• Access to Blackboard/USF email address
Major Projects:
Project 1 —15%
Project 2—20%
Weekly Discussion Posts—20%
Homework/Quizzes—10%
Presentations—15%
Project 3—10%
Attendance/Participation—10%
Description of Major Projects:
Project 1: Students will write a 2-3 page essay (600-800 words) that uses 1-2 literary terms to
analyze a short story from a formalist perspective (this essay will be written in two drafts).
Project 2: Students will write a 4-5 page essay (1200-1500 words) analyzing a short story or
poem from a biographical, gender or historical perspective. A list of sources will be provided
(this essay will be written in two drafts).
Weekly Discussion Posts: The weekly discussion posts are an important part of the overall
course and are weighted heavily. Students will write one reader response post a week of at
least 250 words answering a specific discussion question for the week. Discussion posts must be
submitted on time for credit as we will be discussing the posts in class. There will be 10 total
posts throughout the sixteen week semester.
Homework/Quizzes: Includes all homework assignments that are not related to projects or the
weekly discussion board posts. Also includes 2 short quizzes on literary terms.
Presentations: Students will be required to help lead class discussion for one class of their
choosing (10%). Students will also present their project 3 writings to the class (5%).
Project 3: Students will have a choice of writing either a 4-5 page research essay or a collection
of creative writing with a 2-3 page discussion of their process of writing (either option is 10001200 words).
Attendance:
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Attendance is mandatory. This is not a lecture class. Class meetings will be spent
engaged in activities that will directly and immediately address your needs as a writer.
It is impossible to "make-up" missed days.
Unexcused absences on any day that one of the three Writing Projects is due will result
in one whole grade off per class day the paper is late.
Missing a scheduled conference with your instructor will be counted as two unexcused
absences.
Every three tardies will count as one unexcused absence. (For example, your third tardy
counts as one unexcused absence, your sixth tardy counts as a second unexcused
absence, etc.)
It is the student's responsibility to contact the instructor regarding information about missed
work. Assignments must be turned in on the day they are due, unless a student has an
excused absence. If a student must miss two or more consecutive classes, communication
with the instructor is vital. Also, please note that your grades as reflected in the Blackboard
gradebook may not reflect deductions that will be necessary to account for attendance.
Policy on Religious Observances: Students who anticipate the necessity of being absent from
class due to the observation of a major religious observance must provide notice of the date(s)
to the instructor, in writing, by the second class meeting.
All excused absences (due to illness, emergency, religious holiday, etc.) need to be cleared with
your instructor.
Student Conduct Policy - Please observe common courtesies:
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Turn off your cell phone before class begins.
Laptops will only be allowed during lectures for note-taking.
Conduct yourself in a cooperative and orderly manner.
Though online writing often calls for a less formal approach than that in other contexts,
consider how your writing presents you as a writer and as a person. Excessive use of
Internet shorthand, for example, can give your readers an impression that you are less
adept at written communication than you perhaps are.
Edit online communications carefully for tone as well as for grammar, style, and spelling.
Posting deliberately inflammatory material to discussion forums or in emails is
unacceptable.
Disruption of Academic Process
Disruption of academic process is defined as the act or words of a student in a classroom or
teaching environment which in the reasonable estimation of a faculty member: (a) directs
attention from the academic matters at hand, such as noisy distractions; persistent,
disrespectful or abusive interruptions of lecture, exam or academic discussions, or (b) presents
a danger to the health, safety or well being of the faculty member or students.
Punishments for disruption of academic process will depend on the seriousness of the
disruption and will range from a private, verbal reprimand to dismissal from class with a final
grade of "W," if the student is passing the course, shown on the student record. If the student is
not passing, a grade of "F" will be shown on the student record. If any behaviors interfere with
instruction, the instructor reserves the right to ask a student to leave and mark the student as
absent for the day.
Disability Accommodations
Any student with a disability should be encouraged to meet with the instructor privately during
the first week of class to discuss accommodations. Students in need of academic
accommodations for a disability may consult with the office of Students with Disabilities
Services to arrange appropriate accommodations. Students are required to give reasonable
notice prior to requesting an accommodation. Contact SDS at 974-4309 or www.sds.usf.edu
Grading Scale:
A+ (97-100) 4.00 B+ (87-89.9) 3.33 C+ (77-79.9) 2.33 D+ (67-69.9) 1.33
A (94-96.9) 4.00 B (84-86.9) 3.00 C (74-76.9) 2.00 D (64-66.9) 1.00
A- (90-93.9) 3.67 B- (80-83.9) 2.67 C- (70-73.9) 1.67 D- (60-63.9) 0.67
Writing Center
USF's Writing Center offers assistance to any student who wants to improve his or her writing
skills. Rather than offering editing assistance, during a session in the Writing Center consultants
and students work together to enhance the organization, development, grammar, and style of
any type of writing across the disciplines. Students are encouraged to visit the Writing Center at
any stage during the writing process, from brainstorming and pre-writing to final polishing.
The USF Writing Center is conveniently located in the Library Learning Commons (first floor,
L107-109). Walk-ins are welcome dependent on availability, but students are encouraged to
make an appointment by visiting the Writing Center during office hours (M-Th 10-9, Fr 10-4,
Sun 1-4) or setting up an appointment online. The phone number is 813-974-2713.
Plagiarism and Academic Honesty
Plagiarism includes the use of a quotation, that is, the exact words of a text (interview,
lecture, periodical, book, or website) without quotation marks and documentation; the
paraphrasing of ideas or passages from a text without documentation; the inclusion from a text
of information not generally known to the general public without documentation; and the
following of the structure or style of a secondary source without documentation. View USF’s
Policy on Plagiarism from the Undergraduate Catalog:
http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/catdl.htm.
Schedule (subject to change—changes will be announced and posted on Blackboard):
Date
Class Activities
Homework
Week 1:
Course Intro, What is Literature?
Scavenger Hunt.
1/13
Reading literature. Active reading
strategies. Reader response reading.
In-Class Activity (What kind of
reader are you?). Discuss weekly
discussion posts.
Read Neruda’s “If You Forget Me” and
sections on Formalist and Biographical
criticism (Blackboard).
Week 2:
1/18
Interpreting Literature (What does it
mean?). Formalist vs. Biographical
criticism: Utilizing author
background and cultural context.
Discuss classroom presentation.
Week 2 Post Due 1/19 by 6PM.Responce due
1/19 by midnight. Read sections on Plot,
Character (protagonist/antagonist/narrator),
Setting and Theme. Read Faulkner’s “A Rose
for Emily” (Blackboard).
1/20
Reading Quiz. Discuss reading.
Read sections on Conflict, Point of view, Tone.
Read “The Ones Who Walk Away From
Omelas” (Blackboard).
Week 3:
Discuss Essay 1 Assignment. Discuss
reading.
Read Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour,”
(Blackboard) and sample student Essay 1.
Week 3 discussion post due 1/26 by 6PM.
Response due 1/26 by midnight. Review
literary terms for quiz.
1/27
Term quiz. Discuss essay 1 Rubric
and sample student essay.
Reading TBA. Complete project 1 ideagenerating questions.
Week 4:
Guest Speaker.
Essay 1 idea workshop 2/3. Week 4
Discussion Post Due 2/2 by 6PM Response
due 2/2 by midnight.
2/3
Workshop essay ideas. Writing
workshop: integrating
quotes/paraphrase.
Read sections on Speaker, Situation. Read
“Edwin Arlington Robinson’s “Richard Cory”
and Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz”
(Blackboard).
Week 5:
Discuss reading.
Essay 1 rough draft for conference due 2/10.
Post essays online 2/10 by midnight.
1/11
1/25
2/1
Response due 2/15.
2/8
2/10
Essay 1 Conferences.
Essay 1 Due 2/17. Read Sections on
Metaphor, Simile, and Imagery. Read “Barbie
Doll” and “Homage to my hips” (BB).
Week 6:
Essay 1 Due. Discuss readings.
Read: CHARLOTTE PERKINS GILMAN “The
Yellow Wallpaper,” “Why I Wrote the Yellow
Wallpaper” and selections on gender and
historical criticism No post. Response due
2/16 by midnight.
2/17
Discuss reading and project 2.
Read W. E. B. DU BOIS The Souls of Black Folk,
Langston Hughes “Theme for English B,”
Brook’s “We Real Cool” (BB) and sections on
rhyme, rhythm, meter. Complete Project 2
idea-generating questions.
Week 7:
Discuss reading.
Essay 2 ideas due 2/24. Week 7 discussion
post due 2/23 by 6PM. Response due 2/23 by
midnight.
2/24
Writing workshop: balancing
research and writing. Workshop
essay 2 Ideas.
Read Angelou’s “Still I Rise” and Dunbar “We
Wear the Mask” (BB). Review literary terms
for quiz.
Week 8:
Term Quiz. Discuss readings.
Project 2 outline due 3/3. Week 8 Post due
3/2 by 6PM. Response due 3/2 by midnight.
3/3
Writing Workshop: Organizing
Project 2. Workshop outlines.
Half of Rough Draft due at conference.
Week 9:
Midterm Conferences (3/8 and 3/9)
Read “Billingual/Billingüe”
2/15
2/22
3/1
(http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/175878)
3/8
and Laviera’s “My Graduation Speech.” Week
9 discussion post due 3/8 by 6PM. Response
due 3/9 by midnight.
3/10
Discuss reading. Writing workshop:
balancing research and writing.
Week 10:
No Class—Spring Break!
3/15
No discussion post.
3/17
No Class—Spring Break!
Consider reading at least first half of The Glass
Menagerie. Reading TBA.
Week 11:
Guest Speaker.
No post. Project 2 Due 3/23.
3/24
Project 2 Due. Discuss Project 3.
Read 1st half of “The Glass Menagerie” and
sections on aside, scene, and foreshadowing.
Week 12:
Reading quiz. Discuss reading.
Read second half of “The Glass Menagerie.”
Week 12 discussion post due 3/30 by 6PM.
Response due 3/30 by midnight.
3/31
Discuss reading.
Project 3 Prospectus Due 4/5.
Week 13:
4/5
Project 3 Prospectus Due. Writing
workshop: Avoiding wordiness and
finding your writing style.
Readings TBA/ Week 13 discussion post due
4/6 by 6PM. Response due 4/6 by midnight.
4/7
Open reading day.
Read section on allusion. T.S Eliot’s “The Love
Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and William Carlos
William’s “The Red Wheelbarrow” (BB).
Week 14:
Discuss reading.
Project 3 rough draft for peer-edit due online
(last online post).
3/22
3/29
4/12
4/14
Optional Project 3 Conference.
Week 15:
Literature Presentations
4/19
4/21
Project 3 Due. Literature
Presentations
Week 16:
Literature Presentations
4/26
4/28
Final Class—Grade Party!
Project 3 Due 4/21.