Subject Area/Course No.: ENGL-230 Units: 3 Course Name/Title: Thinking and Writing Critically about Literature Discipline(s): English

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1 New Course Existing Course Instructor(s)/Author(s): English Dept. JoAnn Hobbs, Tess Caldwell, Scott Warfe Subject Area/Course No.: ENGL-230 Units: 3 Course Name/Title: Thinking and Writing Critically about Literature Discipline(s): English Pre-Requisite(s): English 100 Co-Requisite(s): None Advisories: None Catalog Description: This course continues the development of students college-level skills in reading, critical thinking, writing, and research, focusing on critically analyzing and writing about poetry, drama, fiction, and literary non-fiction texts. Essays written for the course (6,000 words minimum) draw from the readings and secondary sources to present carefully reasoned arguments. Schedule Description: Is there truth in fiction? Every well-rounded, educated person needs to be familiar with some of the great works of literature short stories, poems, plays, novels and this course gives you that opportunity, while continuing to develop your skills in critical reading, thinking, writing and research. Enjoy the pleasures of literature while satisfying your G.E. and transfer requirements too! Hrs/Mode of Instruction: Lecture: Scheduled Lab: HBA Lab: Composition: 54 Activity: Total Hours 54 Credit Credit Degree Applicable (DA) Grading Pass/No Pass (P/NP) Repeatability 0 Credit Non-Degree (NDA) Letter (LR) 1 Student Choice (SC) 2 3 Last date of Assessment: Cohort #: 2 Please apply for: LMC General Education Requirement(s): Arts and Humanities Transfer to: CSU UC IGETC Area 1B CSU GE Area C2 C-ID Number ENGL 120 Course is Baccalaureate Level: Yes No Page 1 of 10

2 Signatures: Department Chair Librarian Dean/Sr. Dean Curriculum Committee Chair President/Designee CCCCD Approval (Board or Chancellor's Office) For Curriculum Committee Use only: STAND ALONE COURSE: NO FOR OFFICE OF INSTRUCTION ONLY. DO NOT WRITE IN THE SECTION BELOW. Begin in Semester Catalog year 20 /20 Class Max: Dept. Code/Name: T.O.P.s Code: Crossover course 1/ 2: ESL Class: Yes / No DSPS Class: Yes / No Coop Work Exp: Yes / No Class Code A Liberal Arts & Sciences SAM Code A A A A A A ApprenticeshipRemediation B Basic Skills B Developmental Preparatory NBS Not Basic Skills NBS Not Basic Skills C Adult/Secondary Basic Education C Clearly Occupational D Personal Development/Survival D Possibly Occupational E For Substantially Handicapped E* Non-Occupational F Parenting/Family Support F Transfer, Non-Occupational G Community/Civic Development Additional criteria neededadditional criteria needed H General and Cultural 1 One level below transfer I Career/Technical Education 2 Two levels below transfer J Workforce Preparation Enhanced 3 Three levels below transfer K Other non-credit enhanced Not eligible for enhanced Course approved by Curriculum Committee as Baccalaureate Level: _Yes / No_ LMC GE or Competency Requirement Approved by the Curriculum Committee: Page 2 of 10

3 Institutional Student Learning Outcomes General Education SLOs (Recommended by GE Committee) At the completion of the LMC general education program, a student will: 1. read critically and communicate effectively as a writer and speaker. 2. understand connections among disciplines and apply interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving. 3. think critically and creatively 4. consider the ethical implications inherent in knowledge, decision-making and action. 5. possess a worldview informed by diverse social, multicultural and global perspectives. None of the Above Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOs) Degree in English for Transfer 1. Independently read, comprehend, and analyze literature and non-fiction, using critical thinking strategies. 2. Respond coherently to texts in critical, creative and personal ways. 3. Write logical, coherent, well-developed academic essays about literature and non-fiction. Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes (CSLOs): At the end of the course students will be able to: 1. Read, discuss and think ethically and critically about literary texts from a wide variety of cultural perspectives, using the traditional literary elements and critical approaches (GESLOs 1, 3, 5; PSLOs 1,2) 2. Critically analyze the structure of arguments in literature, expository texts and literary criticism. (GESLOs 1, 3, 4; PSLOs 1, 2, 3,) 3. Write thesis-driven, critical essays that employ strategies such as analysis, interpretation, explication, synthesis, persuasion and evaluation, and which are documented according to MLA academic standards. (GESLOs 1, 3; PSLOs 1, 2, 3) 4. Research and analyze secondary sources and incorporate relevant and valid supporting evidence in essays. (GESLOs 1, 2, 3; PSLOs 1, 3) Page 3 of 10

4 Assessments: Shorter Written Assignments (Journals, Responses, Summaries) CSLO 1 CSLO 2 CSLO 3 CSLO X 4 Page 4 of 10 Quizzes / Exams Oral Report / Class Discussions Essays Midterm / Final Essays X X X X X X X X X X CSLO 1: Read, discuss and think ethically and critically about literature from a wide variety of cultural perspectives, using the traditional literary elements, and critical approaches. In shorter written assignments, quizzes/exams, oral reports/class discussions and essays, students will: A. Analyze, synthesize and evaluate ideas found in a variety of works. B. Differentiate between fact and opinion in literary criticism. C. Identify and analyze: a. the literary elements in the various genres: characterization, plot, setting, figurative language, tone, theme, and analyze and explain how these elements generate meaning and interpretation of the text b. the structure of arguments used in critical texts c. universal themes as well as specific concerns while reading texts depicting various cultural backgrounds d. the ethical implications inherent in the texts; analyze the decision-making, thoughts and actions of characters and authors, and how this affects the text as a whole e. how specific concerns in the work relate to universal themes D. Apply a variety of critical approaches to interpreting literary texts such as feminist, historical, psychological, gender and queer theory, reader-response theory, Marxist and biographical approaches. E. Make worldview connections and comparisons related to concepts of race, power, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, etc. Sample assignments: 1. Little Bee by Chris Cleave features two narrators, a young Nigerian girl and a British woman whose lives collide in very tragic ways. In an essay explain the significance and the context of the following quote and connect and/or relate it to one of the larger themes within the novel. In your essay, clearly express the most powerful theme of the text and then illustrate how the writer supports and develops the theme by examining critical points and junctures within the text. "It was beautiful, and that is a word I would not need to explain to the girls from back home, and I do not need to explain to you, because now we are all speaking the same language" (266). X X X

5 2. Before reading Everyday Use, by Alice Walker, free write about the value of education. Why did you choose to attend college? What alternatives did you have? Do the goals of your parents match your own? Read the story which makes a claim about the value of education and tradition that counters commonly held assumptions. Then write a reading journal that explains the story s position on education and your reaction to the position. --from Instructor Resources for Reading Literature and Writing Argument James and Merickel CSLO 2: Critically analyze the structure of arguments in literary works, expository texts and literary criticism. In shorter written assignments, quizzes/exams, oral reports, class discussions, essays, midterm and final essays, students will: A. Distinguish between denotation and connotation B. Differentiate between fact, opinion, inference, judgment, evaluation and interpretation C. Recognize rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos and logos D. Evaluate the pattern of reasoning present in a literary argument including social commentary, satire, allegory, etc. E. Identify and evaluate the unstated premises and hidden assumptions in literary texts and critical writings and investigate the social, historical, moral, cultural, psychological, aesthetic or gender-based contexts from which they arise F. Identify and evaluate inductive and deductive patterns of reasoning present in a literary text or critical argument G. Employ principles of inductive and deductive logic to support and develop ideas H. Identify common logical fallacies of language and thought such as ad hominem, hasty generalization, false cause, false dilemma, either-or fallacies, circular reasoning in literary works, literary criticism and/or student essays. Sample assignments: 1. Taking into account your reading and class discussion of Andre Dubus' short story "Killings," evaluate the arguments that Matt Fowler makes for killing Richard Stout, in terms of the logical fallacies discussed in class. Fowler is struggling with an ethical dilemma. Does he make the right choice for his family, for himself? Why or why not? 2. This assignment will require you to first read this "Excerpt from Laughter" by Henri Bergson. Then, analyze a short story using the analytical framework developed by Bergson. To do this, we'll broaden his discussion of laughter to encompass satire. As we do so, we can begin to understand satire as that which identifies the flaw in logic of the comic "thing" and corrects that flaw through public ridicule (or the shared laughter of the satirist's audience). This is often what makes satire so difficult. That is, the identity of the thing being ridiculed is often obscured in the form of a symbol/image/stereotype/etc. Identifying those and what they represent is important. Equally as important is the correction the author suggests. We should note that Bergson suggests laughter, and satire, are society's attempts to force its members to live well. The author of your satire will be giving similar advice, I'm sure. You will need to determine what exactly that is, though. Page 5 of 10

6 In short, figure out what flaw in logic is being outed by the author. Then, determine what the author is suggesting as a corrective. 3. Read the following poems, stories, and essays/speeches: In Response to Executive Order 9066 by Dwight Okita The Black Walnut Tree by Mary Oliver The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Major Sullivan Ballou s Last Letter to His Wife by Sullivan Ballou The Boy Died in My Alley by Gwendolyn Brooks Ethics by Linda Pastan The Lay of Thrym by Kevin Crossley-Holland Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961 by John F. Kennedy A Hanging by George Orwell Examine three of the above readings by writing responses to these questions; write in complete sentences and write out responses for each of the three selected pieces (four separate responses for each piece of literature): a.what is an implied claim on the subject of justice and ethical responsibility? [UNDERSTANDING] b.what evidence is offered in support of that claim? [ANALYZING] c.what rhetorical appeals(ethos, logos, pathos) move the reader toward acceptance of the claim? [ANALYZING] d.upon reflection, how might you defend, refute, and/or qualify each claim? [EVALUATING] --from Instructor Resources for Reading Literature and Writing Argument James and Merickel CSLO 3: Write thesis-driven, critical essays that employ strategies such as analysis, interpretation, explication, synthesis, persuasion and evaluation In essays, midterm and final essays, students will: A. Effectively and convincingly analyze, interpret, evaluate and synthesize B. Formulate a coherent working thesis (controlling idea/purpose) for their essays and refine/clarify it as they move through the writing process C. Construct logical arguments to support essay thesis statements D. Logically organize ideas through appropriate academic essay structure (introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion) that both guides their reader and further emphasizes the claim E. Select relevant examples, details and quotations from the source materials to develop arguments F. Correctly use MLA documentation G. Use engaging and authentic discourse in academic writing, e.g. creative thinking, going beyond standard paraphrases and superficial analysis to greater depth and significance H. Compose error-free, grammatically correct, syntactically mature sentences. Sample Assignment: 1. Flannery O'Connor says that exaggeration and distortion reveal something in her stories. What is the effect of such exaggeration and distortion in "A Good Man is hard to Find? What is revealed? Page 6 of 10

7 2. Final exam on Ibsen's A Doll's House For your exam, you will answer a total of three essay questions. You must answer Question 1. Then choose either Question 2 or 3. Make sure that your answers reflect your reading and understanding of the play. Use specific examples from the story to support your main points. 1. A Doll s House is full of references to dolls, puppets and playthings. Trace these references throughout the play while summarizing Ibsen s ideas about gender and societal roles. Are these issues still present today? Why or why not? 2. Many Ibsen critics argue that A Doll s House is not a feminist play, and is more about asserting self, regardless of gender. Yet Joan Templeton, English professor and Ibsen scholar disagrees, asserting that Make (Nora) a man, and the play becomes not only ludicrous, but impossible. What do you think? Is A Doll s House a play about feminism or humanism? Explain. 3. At the end of the play, Nora slams the door to the doll house and walks away. Yet she leaves Torvald with hope for the greatest miracle. Why did Ibsen write an ambiguous ending? Cite evidence from Nora s and Torvald s closing speeches to indicate what you believe to be the ultimate ending to this drama. CSLO 4: Research and analyze secondary sources and incorporate relevant and valid supporting evidence in essays In shorter written assignments, oral reports, class discussions, essays, midterm and final essays, students will: A. Engage in research utilizing on-campus and online resources to select literary criticism relevant to their writing topics B. Identify and critically analyze the structure of arguments in literary criticism and other scholarly sources C. Logically incorporate these secondary sources into their essays, adding development, support and analysis to their arguments Sample Assignments: 1. Critical Literary Essay - Secondary Source Assignment: You will: Use a literary database to find critical essays. Describe how secondary sources are used in critical literary essays. A. Access the database: Go to the Library s website: Click on A-Z Databases Click on Bloom s Literary Reference Online B. Find the essay: Type William Faulkner inside the Bloom s search box Choose the tab for Analyses and Criticism Choose On the Writings of William Faulkner C. Analyze the essay: a. Pick one of the secondary sources listed in the Notes at the end of the article. Choose an example of one written about Faulkner, not authored by Faulkner Page 7 of 10

8 b. What is the main argument the author makes in the secondary source? c. Explain how the author used this source in his/her essay. What was the purpose of using this source in the essay? d. How did the information from this source contribute to my understanding of the essay? 2. Essay assignment on critical approaches: Choose and research three literary approaches such as feminist, historical, psychological, gender and queer theory, readerresponse theory, Marxist and biographical approaches and apply them to "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman to formulate your own interpretation of the story. Method of Evaluation/Grading Suggested weighting of assignments: Shorter Written Assignments (Journals, Responses, Summaries): 10% Quizzes / Exams 10% Oral Report /Class Discussions 10% Essays 60% Midterm / Final Essays: 10% A Note on Essays and Final Exam: Students must write a minimum of 6,000 words of formal writing, (not including drafts), and a minimum of three out-of-class essays. All essays must be 5-8 typed, double-spaced pages. In at least one of the essays, instructors will require students to incorporate outside research (beyond the assigned class texts) into their writing. Students midterm and final assessments may be achieved through essays, which are worth 10 20% of the final course grade. A-level student work is characterized by clear analysis and critical thinking which fully evaluates the literary work and any additional resource material. The work draws upon substantial research and insightfully synthesizes researched facts with the student s personal knowledge and experience. Oral and written presentations are clear, organized, coherent, accurate, and logical with comprehensive breadth and depth. Work shows considerable depth of analysis of the work itself and of the larger ethical implications. C-level student work is characterized by minimal but adequate analysis and critical thinking and makes a good faith attempt to evaluate the literary work and any additional resource material. The work draws upon research and attempts a basic synthesis of researched facts with the student s personal knowledge and experience, though this synthesis may lack astute insight, inference, and/or clarity. Oral and written presentations are competent, but may be lacking in clarity, organization, coherence, accuracy, logic, and/or breadth and depth. Work displays a basic, competent analysis of the work itself and of the larger ethical implications. Course Content: The content of this course should include a rich variety of texts that incorporate diverse social, multicultural and global perspectives. While the central focus of the course is examining literature, using non-fiction literary essays and speeches can help students to develop their understanding of logical concepts such as inductive and deductive reasoning, and identification of logical fallacies. This course may be taught thematically or by genre, but the following should be included: Page 8 of 10

9 Introduction to Literary Analysis: Literary elements for each genre; critical reading strategies; introduction to critical approaches and the ethical implications; judgments about the aesthetic, social, cultural and historical value of literary works Introduction to critical thinking and literary analysis through inductive and deductive reasoning; using internal evidence, such as connotative, denotative and figurative language to support arguments about literary works; distinguishing fact from opinion, judgment, evaluation and interpretation; formulation of arguments about literature, choosing effective rhetorical strategies and avoiding common logical errors Evaluating the strengths and weakness of the supporting reasons/evidence; locating and identifying any biases in the essay such as cultural, racial, political, or gender; evaluating the credibility of the source(s) of the argument ; identifying inductive and deductive reasoning; cause and effect; logos, ethos and pathos; recognizing common logical fallacies, such as hasty generalization, non sequitur, false analogies, either-or fallacies, circular reasoning, post hoc arguments; evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the writer s word choice and use of other devices such as analogy, metaphor, tone, voice, irony and satire Fiction Analyzing literary elements and ethical dimensions in fiction; analyzing the organizational patterns of stories, whether inductive or deductive; writing paragraphs and essays using literary analysis and critical approaches; using evidence effectively; inferring relationships between ideas in the stories to develop a synthesis or more complex analysis; introduction to literary research; application of different critical approaches to written work; incorporation and emulation of literary critiques and other scholarly sources Poetry Further development of literary analysis, with focus on connotative and denotative language, figurative language, rhythm, meter, sound, etc.; collaborating to analyze poems, focusing on identifying the premise, claim or argument of the poem; writing effective poetry explications. Drama Further development of literary analysis, with focus on dramatic elements such as plot, dialogue, character, theme, convention, genre and audience; evaluation/review of a live performance Literary Non-Fiction/Literary Criticism NOTE: This course may be organized thematically, blending different genres in each unit. Possible themes include: Individuality and Community, Crime and Punishment, Family and Identity. Page 9 of 10

10 Instructional Methods: Lecture Lab Activity Problem-based Learning/Case Studies Collaborative Learning/Peer Review Demonstration/Modeling Role-Playing Discussion Computer Assisted Instruction Other (explain) Textbooks (Choose one): James, Missy and Alan Merickel. Reading Literature and Writing Argument. Ed. 6 (2017) Pearson. Charters, Ann & Charters. Samuel: Literature and Its Writers: A Compact Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, 6 th Ed (2012) Bedford St. Martin's Meyer, Michael. Literature to Go 3rd Ed. (2017) Bedford St. Martin's Suggested Texts Novels: Cleave, Chris: Little Bee Guterson, David: Snow Falling on Cedars Morrison, Toni The Bluest Eye Plays: Ibsen: A Doll's House Williams, Tennessee: A Streetcar Named Desire Sophocles: Antigone or Oedipus Wilson, August: Fences Page 10 of 10