American Literature
Tentative Syllabus
Spring 2006
Dr. Diane Drake
Office:  218
Office hours:  9-10 MWF; 10-11 TTH

 

Text:  The American Tradition in Literature, Eds. George Perkins and Barbara Perkins, 10th ed. Shorter ed.

 

Mon., Jan. 9—Introduction to the course and post-Civil War American literature.
Wed, Jan. 11—"Realists and Regionalists,” pp. 989-91. Realist PowerPoint.
Fri., Jan. 13—Twain, “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," 992-95; “The War Prayer.”  Sample response papers. Twain study questions.

 

Mon, Jan. 16—MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.’S DAY.  NO CLASSES.
Wed., Jan. 28—Howells, “Editha,” 1022-31.  Howells study questions.
Fri., Jan. 20—James, “The Real Thing,” 1073-89.  James study questions.

 

Mon., Jan. 23—Davis, "Anne," handout. Davis study questions.
Wed, Jan. 25— Harte, “The Outcasts of Poker Flats,” 1132-39.  Harte study questions.
Fri., Jan. 27—Harte, “The Lucky of Roaring Camp.”  Sample long paper.

 

Mon., Jan. 30—Jewett, “A White Heron,” 1162-68.  Jewett study questions.
Wed., Feb. 1—Chopin, “A Pair of Silk Stockings.”  Chopin, "Story of an Hour."    Chopin study questions.
Fri., Feb. 3—Freeman, “The Revolt of ‘Mother,’” 1255-65.  Freeman study questions.

 

Mon., Feb. 6—Chesnutt, “The Passing of Grandison,” 1266-77.  Chesnutt study questions.
Wed., Feb. 8—Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” 1278-89.  Gilman study questions.
Fri., Feb. 10—Wharton, “Roman Fever,” 1292-1300.  Wharton study questions.

 

Mon., Feb. 13—Test 1. First response paper due
Wed., Feb. 15—Test 1.
Feb. 17— Dreiser, “The Second Choice,” 1325-37.  Dreiser study questions.

 

Mon., Feb. 20— PRESIDENTS’ DAY.  NO CLASS.
Wed., Feb. 22—Crane, “The Open Boat,” 1308-23.  Crane study questions.
Fri., Feb. 24—London, “To Build a Fire,” 1339-48.  London study questions.

 

Mon., Feb. 27—“Literary Renaissance,” 1349-55.
Wed., Mar. 1—Cather, “Neighbour Rosicky,” 1367-86. Cather study questions.
Fri., Mar. 3—Anderson, "The Book of the Grotesque,” 1418-19; “Adventure,” 1419-23.  Anderson study questions.

 

Mon., Mar. 6—Robinson, “Richard Cory,” 1359; “Miniver Cheevy,” 1359-60; “Mr. Flood’s Party,” 1361-63; “New England,” 1364.  Robinson study questions.
Wed., Mar. 8—Frost, “Mending Wall,” 1390-91; “Home Burial,” 1391-93; “The Road Not Taken,” 1395-96; “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening,” 1407.  Frost study questions.
Fri., Mar. 10—Sandburg, all poems, 1414-16.  Sandburg study questions. Pound, “In a Station of the Metro,” 1429.  Pound study questions.

 

March 13-17 SPRING BREAK

 

Mon., Mar. 20—Stevens, “Sunday Morning,” 1497-99; "The Anecdote of the Jar," 1500; "The Snow Man," 1500.  Stevens study questions. Williams, “The Young Housewife,” 1509; “The Red Wheelbarrow,” 1515.  Williams study questions. 
Wed., Mar. 22—Test 2, Cather through Williams. Second response paper due.
Fri., Mar. 24—Test 2, Cather through Williams. First draft of paper due.

 

Mon., Mar. 27—“A Literature of Social and Cultural Challenge," 1541-48.
Wed., Mar. 29—O’Neill, The Hairy Ape, 1552-90. O’Neill study questions.
Fri., Mar. 31—O'Neill, The Hairy Ape, 1552-90.

 

Mon., Apr. 3—Fitzgerald, “Babylon Revisited,” 1611-25.  Fitzgerald study questions
Wed., Apr. 5—Hughes, “Feet Live Their Own Life,” 1607-09.Wright, "Black Boy," 1689-95.  Hughes and Wright study questions. 
Fri., Apr. 7—Hemingway, “Big Two-hearted River,” 1669-81.

 

Mon., Apr. 10—Faulkner, “Barn Burning,” 1655-67.  Faulkner study questions
Wed., Apr. 12—Porter, “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,” 1682-88.  Porter study questions
Fri., Apr. 14—"The Second World War and Its Aftermath," 1697-1705, and "A Century Ends and a New Millennium Begins," 1857-1867..

 

Mon., Apr. 17—O’Connor, “Good Country People,” 1842-55.  O'Connor study questions
Wed., Apr. 19—Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues,” 1821-41.  Baldwin study questions.
Fri., Apr., 21—Walker, “Everyday Use,” 2077-83.  Walker study questions. PAPER DUE. 

 

Mon., Apr. 24—Bly, "Driving Toward the Lac Qui Parle River," 1877-78; "Driving to Town Late to Mail a Letter," 1878; "Watering the Horse," 1878; "The Executive's Death," 1878-79; "Looking at New-Fallen Snow from a Train," 1879.
Wed., Apr. 26—Morrison, from Sula, 1983-91.
Fri., Apr. 28— Roth, “Conversion of the Jews," 2001-11.

 

Mon., May 1— Updike, "Separating," 1992-99.
Wed., May 3—Mason, "Shiloh," 2067-76.
Fri., May 5—Erdrich, “The Red Convertible,” 2111-17.  Erdrich study questions.  Third response paper due.

 

The course will consist of a discussion of the material read; 3 tests, including the final; and 3 response papers, or one 5-7 page paper.

The response papers are 2-page, typed papers that are your response to the material you have read or to the class discussions. You may respond to only one author or piece, or you may respond to the entire unit that the paper covers. You may do further research on a topic or read unassigned material by an author and respond to that material. You may also do creative work utilizing a particular author's style or a particular topic. For example, you may want to explain how your sense of humor reflects Twain’s or another comic writer, or you may want to write five or more poems in a style similar to William Carlos Williams. The content of the papers is open, but it must connect with the material covered. If you use the book or other sources, you must document those sources using either MLA or APA citation format. However, if you are writing about a work from the book (not a biography or time period description), you need only cite direct quotations. Paraphrases do not need to be cited. I have given the citation format for two works from the book. If you have questions about citing other sources, see me. You may redo the first paper if you are not satisfied with the grade.  See sample response papers.

MLA citation entries for book—Follow these examples and insert the appropriate information for the author and work that you are writing about in your papers.

Using one of the sections about an author or a time period—no author listed

“Charlotte Perkins Gilman.” American Tradition in Literature. Ed. George Perkins and

            Barbara Perkins. 10th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2002. 1277-78.

Using one of the works from the text

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. “The Yellow Wallpaper.” American Tradition in Literature. Ed.

George Perkins and Barbara Perkins. 10th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2002. 1278-89.

As an option to the shorter response papers, you may do a longer, 5-7 page paper that would be a critical analysis of one of the works, authors, or time period. You may compare works, you may explain how the work is related to the author, or you may write on the social context for the work.  However, this paper cannot be a simple book report or biography.  If you want to write on an author, you must write on how the author writes or how she or he treats a particular theme.  If you use any sources outside your text, you must document your sources using MLA or APA citation format. If you want to redo this paper, you must turn in the paper by March 28.  See sample paper.

Your papers should be double-spaced, on one side of the paper only, with margins of one inch or at top and bottom, and one inch on each side. Please make sure the copy is dark enough to be easily legible. No odd fonts, please. No separate title page should be used. Place your name, the date, and the instructor's name in the upper left-hand corner of the first page. Place your title above the text on page one and double space beneath it. The title should not be underlined. Page one need not be numbered; all subsequent pages should be headed with your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. Fasten the pages with a paper clip or a staple in the upper left-hand corner (No plastic binders, please.)

There will be three tests. You are given two class periods to take each test which will be open-book, open-notebook. Good notes will be very helpful. You also may want to access the study questions on-line at my website as you read each work. The URL for the syllabus is http://www.northland.cc.mn.us/Drake/AmLit/2003%20AmLitII%20syllabus.htm

If you misplace your syllabus or need handouts, consult the website.  Whenever possible, I will try to transfer handouts to the website so that you can print them off.  If you miss class, consult the website for handouts and references to missed assignments.

Roll will be taken at each class.  No make-up will be allowed for work missed for unexcused absences. You must have an excused absence to be allowed to make up a test or to finish a test if you miss the first or second day of a test. Let me know personally or through email if you miss a class or will miss a class.

Grade breakdown:  Tests 50%, response papers 25%, and discussion/class participation 25%.

 Criteria for response and 5-7 page papers:

 A  The paper is a well-written response to the topic discussed. The paper makes a point that is discussed in a logical, well-organized manner. There are accurate references to the works discussed, and they are cited correctly. There are few or no mistakes in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. If a creative work, the paper is original, clever, and accurate.

B  The paper represents the writer’s feelings about the material covered. Although a point is never clearly established, the discussion focuses on a general point. There are some references to the works being discussed. The citation format is correct. There are some mistakes in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. If a creative work, the paper is original, but lacks artistic touch.

C  The paper is an adequate representation of the writer’s thoughts on the material. There is no clear point established, and the discussion is general. There are limited references to the material discussed, and the citation format is inaccurate or missing. There are errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar, although they are not numerous. If a creative work, the paper lacks originality, but reflects an attempt at the genre.

D  The paper lacks thought, detail, and organization. It is a vague discussion of the material. There are no references to the material discussed, and the citation format is inaccurate or missing. There are numerous errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar.  If a creative work, the creative work is clearly a rough draft and lacks any kind of finished quality.

F  The paper falls short of what is acceptable in college writing.