English 472: Advanced British Literature Course Syllabus Spring 2016

1 If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers. Charles Dickens A man who makes trouble for others is also making trouble for himself. Chinua Achebe If only one could tell true love from false love as one can tell mushrooms from toadstools. Katherine Mansfield Texas A&M University-Texarkana English 472: Advanced British Literature Course Syllabus Spring 2016 Instructor: Dr. Doris Davis Office: 221 Office Hours: M 1:00-3:30; 5:00-6:00 W 9:30-12:00 TR 9:30-10:30; 2:30-4:00 Other times by appointment Phone: Office: (903) 223-3031 Email: doris.davis@tamut.edu Course Number: English 472 Course Title: Advanced British Literature Time: TR 1:00-2:15 Catalog Description: This course focuses on the development of British literature from 1900 to the present. Texts: The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 9 th. ed., Vol. F: The Twentieth Century and After (978-0-393-91248-7) The Handmaid s Tale by Margaret Atwood (any edition but the Anchor paperback is reasonable: 978-0385490818) Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Norton Critical Edition preferred: 978-0-393-93219-5) Dubliners by James Joyce (Dover Thrift Edition: 978-04862687) Student Learner Outcomes Students who complete this course successfully will be able to (1) understand the scope and variety of works in British literature in the twentieth century and beyond by reading representative works from the these periods and by explaining the historical development in assigned papers and exams (2) obtain and display knowledge of terminology by applying it in papers and on exams to the literature read and discussed (3) assess the style, theme, properties, and effectiveness of literary works by writing analytical and response papers on selected pieces of British literature (4) articulate an informed response to British literature by reading examples of the literature and by applying a critical approach to literature works in assigned papers

2 (5) develop an aesthetic appreciation for literature by reading highly regarded examples as measured by class discussions and written assignments. (6) understand works of literature as expressions of individual and human values in historical and social contexts by evaluating the importance of literary contextual issues in exams and papers. Requirements: A. Two tests. A test may be made up only if you have received permission for rescheduling prior to the test. B. Written papers as follows (1) Five written responses and five pop quizzes See description of response papers and pop quizzes for more details. (2) Analytical paper of 2000-2500 words (9 to 10 pages) plus works cited; must include secondary sources. See description of analytical paper for more details. You must submit all written work the 5 responses and major paper) to turnitin.com to receive a grade. The password for this class is eng472; course ID is 11490561. C. Participation grade: be present. You lose points when you are absent. Late Work Policy: The only work I will accept late is the major paper. You will lose points by turning it in late unless you ve received prior permission to do so. Generally a late paper loses a letter grade in the assessment process. Final Grade: The final grade is an average of the requirements as follows: Two tests = 40% of grade Paper = 40% of grade Class participation = 10% of grade 5 Responses & 5 pop quizzes = 10% of grade Bring your book to class. Do not leave class except for an emergency. Be on time. No phone calls. Be professional. If you bring a laptop to class, use it only for taking notes. Suggestions for achieving an acceptable final grade: If your goal is to make a grade of C or better in this class, I suggest that you (1) come to class regularly, (2) complete the readings when assigned, and (3) submit written work when assigned. Academic Honesty Statement

3 Academic honesty is expected of students enrolled in this course. Cheating on examinations, unauthorized collaboration, falsification of research data, plagiarism, and copying or undocumented use of materials from any source constitute academic dishonesty are grounds for a grade of F in the course and disciplinary action. The student is responsible for reading and understanding the University Policy on Academic Integrity. Plagiarism consists of using someone else s words or ideas without acknowledging the source in a citation within the paper. Do not copy material from the internet or any other source without documentation. This act constitutes plagiarism. Please be advised that I will report any academic dishonesty. Disability Accommodations Students with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations through the A&M Texarkana Disability Services Office by contacting Carl Greig: 903-223-3062. E-Mail Statement: After applying to and being accepted into a program by Texas A&M University-Texarkana, an individual will receive an A&M-Texarkana e-mail account. Instructors and university officials will deliver official university correspondence to this account. Each individual is responsible for information sent and received via his or her university e-mail account, and each individual must check his or her official A&M-Texarkana e-mail account completely and frequently. Faculty members and students must use their university e-mail accounts when communicating about coursework. University Drop Policy: To drop this course after the 12 th class day, a student must complete the drop/withdrawal form, located on the University webpage or provided by the Registrar s Office. The student must submit the completed form to the instructor of each course indicated on the form to be dropped for his/her signature. The form must be submitted to the Registrar s Office for processing; submit in person, or via email (Registrar@tamut.edu), mail (P.O. Box 5518, Texarkana, TX 75505) or fax (903-223-3140). Drop/withdrawal forms missing any of the required information will not be accepted by the Registrar s Office for processing. It is the student s responsibility to ensure that the form is completed properly before submission. If a student stops participating in the class (attending and submitting assignments) but does not complete and submit the drop/withdrawal form, a final grade based on work completed as outlined in the syllabus will be assigned. Reading Schedule Prepare for class by reading the following works by the day they are listed January 19 The Twentieth Century and After Thomas Hardy (1840-1928): Hap, p. 1932; Neutral Tones, p. 1932; Drummer Hodge, p. 1933; The Darkling Thrush, p. 1933, The Ruined Maid, p. 1934; Ah, Are You Digging on My Grave? p. 1942; In Time of The Breaking of Nations, p. 1946.

4 January 21 Thomas Hardy: On the Western Circuit, p. 1916. Housman (1859-1936): Loveliest of Trees, When I Was One and- Twenty, To an Athlete Dying Young, Terence, This Is Stupid Stuff, pp. 2012-2014; January 26 Jan. 28, Feb. 2, 4 Voices from World War I: Rupert Brooke (1887-1915): The Soldier, p. 2019. Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967): They, p. 2023, The Rear- Guard, p. 2024, Glory of Women, p. 2025; Wilfred Owen (1893-1918): Anthem for Doomed Youth, p. 2034, Dulce Et Decorum Est, p. 2037, From Owen s Letters to His Mother, p. 2041, Preface, p. 2042; Robert Graves (1895-1985) from Goodbye to All That, pp. 2045-2048. Joseph Conrad (1857-1924): Heart of Darkness, pp. 1951-2011; Chinua Achebe (b.1930): from An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad s Heart of Darkness, (handout) Response due on Heart of Darkness: Feb. 4 February 9 William Butler Yeats (1865-1939): The Lake Isle of Innisfree, p. 2087, When You Are Old, p. 2088; Adam s Curse, p. 2090, Easter, 1916, p. 2093, The Wild Swans at Coole, p. 2095, The Second Coming, p. 2099, Leda and the Swan, p. 2102, Sailing to Byzantium, p. 2102, & Among School Children, p. 2103. February 11 D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930): The Horse Dealer s Daughter, p. 2496 and Odour of Chrysanthemums, p. 2483. ; Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923): The Daughters of the Late Colonel, p. 2568; The Garden Party, p. 258. POP QUIZ 16, 18, 23 Virginia Woolf (1882-1941): Mrs. Dalloway, p. 2155-2264. Response due on Mrs. Dalloway: February 23. Feb. 25, Mar 1,3,8 March 10 March 15-17 James Joyce (1882-1941) Dubliners. Response due on Dubliners: March 8. Test I SPRING BREAK March 22 T.S. Eliot (1888-1965): The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, p. 2524, The Hollow Men, p. 2543, Journey of the Magi, p. 2546, Selection from Tradition and the Individual Talent, p. 2554; Stevie Smith (1902-1971): Not Waving but Drowning, p. 2598; George Orwell (1903-1950): Shooting an Elephant, p. 2605.

5 March 24 W. H. Auden (1907-1973): As I Walked Out One Evening, p. 2683, Musee des Beaux Arts, p. 2685; The Unknown Citizen, p. 2688; Dylan Thomas (1914-1953): The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower, p. 2698, Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night, p. 2703; ; Doris Lessing (1919-2013): To Room Nineteen, p. 2759.Nadine Gordimer (1923-2014), The Moment before the Gun Went Off, p. 2790. March 29 Alice Munro (b. 1931): Walker Brothers Cowboy, pp. 2843-2853. Harold Pinter (1930-2008): The Dumb Waiter, pp. 2816-2836. POP Quiz March 31 Margaret Atwood (1939-): Death by Landscape, p. 2969; J.M. Coetzee (b. 1939) from Waiting for the Barbarians, pp. 2984- Eavan Boland (b. 1944): The Dolls Museum in Dublin, pp. 2998- POP Quiz April 5, 7, 12 Chinua Achebe (b. 1930): Things Fall Apart Response due on Things Fall Apart: April 12. April 14 V.S. Naipaul (b. 1932): One Out of Many, pp. 2856- Ian McEwan (b. 1948): from Enduring Love, p. 3013- Hanif Kureishi (b. 1954): My Son the Fanatic, p. 3034 POP Quiz April 19, 21 Margaret Atwood (1939-): The Handmaid s Tale Response due on The Handmaid s Tale: April 21. April 26 Kiran Desai (1971-): The Sermon in the Guava Tree, p. 3047 Zadie Smith (1975-): The Waiter s Wife, p. 3058. POP Quiz April 28 Paper due; sharing of papers in class; be prepared to read your opening paragraph (s) and discuss how you developed your thesis. May 3 Ted Hughes (1930-1998): Wind, p. 2808, Theology, p. 2812, Daffodils, p. 2813; Seamus Heaney (b. 1939): Digging, p. 2953, The Forge, p. 2953, The Grauballe Man, p. 2954, Punishment, p. 2955. May 5 Carol Ann Duffy (b. 1955): Warming Her Pearls, p. 3042, Medusa, p. 3043, Mrs. Lazarus, p. 3044; Salman Rushdie (b. 1947): The Prophet s Hair, pp. 3002-3011.

6 Saturday, May 7 10:30-12:30 Final Exam (TEST II) Response Papers You will prepare a typed response (350-450 words ( about one and a half to two pages) on selected texts as outlined in the syllabus. The due dates are as follows: February 4 and 23; March 8, April 12 and 21. The responses must be written in paragraphs. The first paragraph provides a brief summary of the text and includes the title of the work, the author s full name, the publication date, and the type or genre of the literature. The other paragraphs consist of your response to the reading. While the writing style is less formal than that expected on the major paper, you should adhere to requirements of standard written English. Because these responses focus on longer works, after the first paragraph, narrow your focus in the paper to a specific section of the text, indicating how this part is significant to the whole. Be sure to include references to the work s theme(s). These papers are due when you come to class. Bring a hard copy then. I will not accept these responses at a later date unless you have my prior approval. As a general rule, however, if you are absent on this date, you lose the points on the response. Pop Quizzes Since these quizzes are announced, they are hardly pop. I m warning you in advance to read the assignments on these selected days in preparation for a quiz. The dates are as follows: February 11, March 29, March 31, April 14, and April 26. If you are absent, you will not be able to take a makeup quiz. Analytical/Term Paper This paper allows you to focus on any literary work listed on the syllabus. For this paper, you must include secondary sources from the library: at least two books AND two academic articles. (Notice the sources listed in the back of your text. Although we will not have all of those texts in our library, you can obtain what you need through Inter-library loan if you begin early enough. You may also use the introductory sections to authors in our textbook as secondary sources and for critical ideas (but our text does not satisfy the requirement of a book ). You will need to apply one of the critical approaches in the paper. This assignment should be 2000-2500 words (9 to 10 pages) in length plus the works cited page. I will accept this paper late, but you will lose points unless you have my permission to submit the paper after the due date. General Information on Papers The papers assigned for this class (analytical and response) offer you the chance to write about selections on the syllabus that interest you. Papers demand that you think critically and organize your ideas clearly and effectively. While you will use secondary sources on the final paper (including those in our text and beyond), above all papers should reflect your own ideas and responses to the literature. I strongly urge you to think for yourself and base your papers on your own analysis. (Consider using the library

7 early in the semester for academic sources and inspiration. It has a lot of books! Going there may be an enlightening experience.) The Success Center is also available to help you. Use MLA (Modern Language Association) style for documentation. To quote from the work itself the primary or secondary source place the page or line number in parentheses after the quote. Use page numbers for prose, line numbers for poetry. For example: In Life in the Iron- Mills, Rebecca Harding Davis creates an atmosphere of gloom. As the story opens, the sky before morning is muddy, flat, immovable (2411). Place the author s last name in the parentheses if the source of the quoted material is unclear. For instance, Bell Hooks writes, To speak then when one was not spoken to was a courageous act (73). Or one theorist notes the following: To speak then when one was not spoken to was a courageous act (Hooks 73). In quoting poetry, use line numbers. For instance, Thomas Hardy ends his poem Hap with a caustic tone: These purblind Doomsters had as readily strown / Blisses about my pilgrimage as pain (13-14). Notice that the slash (/) indicates a change of line. Remember that quotations are most effective when brief and few. You should have a reason to quote. You should not quote long passages or material that would be just as effective in your own words. All secondary material including words and ideas must be documented. Documentation means putting quotation marks around words you are quoting and indicating whose words these are. (University policy mandates a failing grade for any plagiarized work whether it is in the form of phrases, sentences, paragraphs or ideas.) Each paper should have a controlling idea a thesis. A thesis statement should appear in the first or second paragraph. It need not be formally stated as in The purpose of this paper is to... but it should indicate what you intend to accomplish. Your paper should offer more than a plot summary. Finding a thesis The analytical paper allows flexibility in forming a thesis. The following comments reflect some general considerations about selecting a topic and thesis. First, select a piece of literature that interests you. (If you didn t like it the first time you read it, why spend time rereading it and reading about it?) Your paper will reflect a critical approach to the literature such as feminist, psychological, Marxist, or formalist. Whatever approach you take, you ll want to consider the theme(s) of the primary work (the poem, story, novel, etc. you re writing about). Your purpose in the paper is to contribute to the reader s fuller understanding of the literature possibly to offer an interpretation of the ambiguities and subtleties of literature and language but at any rate to point out something about the piece that interests you.

8 Try to avoid the obvious in developing a thesis. Consider the following: Frost often writes about nature in his poetry. This is not a good thesis because anyone reading the poems easily realizes this fact. It is not a claim that anyone would deny. It doesn t offer the reader any insight. But it s a beginning. The next step is to focus more narrowly. You may find it helpful to ask yourself some questions about the work. For example, What philosophical ideas do Frost s nature poems reveal? Or, How does Frost modulate his tone in the nature poems? Or, What use does Frost make of dialogue in the nature poems? Asking questions such as these will allow you to use what is self-evident to develop a more interesting thesis. The point is that good essays often don t start with intricate ideas, but develop through the writer s sensitive use of the obvious. Works Cited All papers should include the Works Cited Page. For example, to quote from the editor s introduction to a story, poem, or play, use the following format in the Works Cited. Ferguson, Mary Anne. Theory and Practice. Images of Women in Literature. Ed. Mary Anne Ferguson. 5 th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991. 18-20. Print. To quote from a story, use the following format in the Works Cited. Benson, Sally. Little Woman. Images of Women in Literature. Ed. Mary Anne Ferguson. 5 th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991. 23-28. Print. Poems are generally quoted by line numbers; plays, by act, scene, and line, if the play is numbered according. If not, then page number will suffice.