Course Syllabus
Engl 100: INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE
Prof. Lamos Fall 2019
Off: Herring 127 Baker Hall 229
Hours 3:39-4:30 MWF 10-10:50
lamos@rice.edu 832-216-5512
Course Description
This course is a hands-on study of the three major genres of literature: fiction, poetry, and drama. Our focus throughout is on the nuts and bolts of texts, examining how they operate by means of intensive readings. You will also be introduced to concepts in literary theory and interpretation.
A primary aim of the course is developing your writing skills. Three short essays—two of which will be rewritten—in addition to ten, single-page, weekly textual analyses (ungraded)—will hone your ability to write an academic research paper. I will work closely with you on your writing. Our study of drama includes several in-class performances of plays. In collaboration with your classmates, you will have the opportunity to interpret drama dramatically.
The larger goal of the course is to teach you to be a judicious reader, an eloquent writer, and, at bottom, an astute thinker.
Textbooks
Kelly J. Mays, The Norton Introduction to Literature, Portable 12th edition. ISBN: 978-0-393-93893—7
Rafael Campo, Comfort Measures Only. ISBN: 9-1-4780-0021-1
Strunk and White, Elements of Style (any edition)
You are required to purchase these texts.
Requirements
- Two essays, at least 5 pages in length, requiring minimal research. Each essay constitutes 30% of your final grade. The essays will be rewritten, and your grade on the assignment is the average of grades on the first and final draft.
- An in-class, group performance of a scene from Hamlet, constitutes 30% of your final grade.
- Every week, for a total of 10 weeks, you will write a brief (about 1-2 page) analysis of one of the assigned texts for that particular day. Prepare to share it with the class orally, and hand it in to me at the end of class. Fulfillment of the assignment in a responsible manner will result in an “A” (10% of the course grade).
ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS
Each essay should be about 5-6 pages long and should analyze one of the texts in the Fiction and Poetry segments. I encourage you to choose one of the “extra reading” works in our textbook. The topic is your choice. Your essay should offer an interpretation of the text, making use of at least one scholarly resource (a critical article or book). Explain how it supports or conflicts with your ideas. Be sure to give the name of the author and the title of the article or book within your essay as well as in the footnote or endnote.
Your final assignment is a group performance of a scene from Hamlet. Your group will submit a “Playbill” (with copies for members of the class) that explains your choice of this scene, your interpretation of it, and its importance to the play as a whole.
The best way to find books or articles of potential use is to consult the MLA Bibliography, which is accessible through Fondren’s website under Indexes and Databases. You may then cross-reference the Bibliography with the Fondren catalogue to find the books or articles that you need. I strongly urge you to go into the library stacks and browse amongst its holdings on the author whom you are researching. You will likely discover resources of which you had no knowledge.
Your essay will be graded according to the following criteria as well as your research and the use you make of it. Make certain to document your scholarly or secondary resource properly by listing it on a “Works Consulted” page at the end of your essay. Consult the MLA Handbook (online) if you are unsure how to do so.
- Argument and Ideas: Do you have a clear thesis and have you supported it with a lucid argument and textual documentation? What is the question that this essay answers? Imagine the thesis of your essay as the answer to a question. Be sure not to overlook details of the text that don’t support your ideas and account for them.
- Prose:
- Proofread
- Be sure that your sentences are coherent. Sometimes while writing, you make changes in your sentences as you proceed but forget to harmonize the beginning of the sentence with its ending. One effective way to spot these syntactic inconsistencies is to read your paper out loud, preferably to someone else.
- Consult Strunk and White’s Elements of Style for advice on grammar, punctuation, and style.
- Regarding the trustworthiness of spellcheck, I offer the answer to an acrostic that appeared in a recent issue of the New York Times Magazine:
Both essays must be rewritten for the purposes of improving your writing and your grade. Your ultimate grade for the assignment will be the average of the grades on the initial version of the essay and on the rewrite.
Plagiarism
To avoid inadvertent plagiarism, be sure to distinguish clearly your ideas from those of others. All direct and indirect quotations from sources other than classroom lectures and discussions must be properly acknowledged by means of footnotes or endnotes. The format for documentation should be in the MLA style; consult the MLA Handbook for detailed information on the correct style for footnotes, endnotes, and bibliographies. Don’t forget to append a “WORKS CONSULTED” list at the end of your essay that includes works that you have read but not cited in your essay. I advise that you make reference to critical sources in the body of your essay: for instance, As Daniel Born observes in his article, “Private Gardens, Public Swamps,” Forster’s novel . . . . Plagiarism will result in a F on the essay and whatever other punishments the Honor Court decides to inflict, which are typically harsh. Finally, you are not permitted to collaborate and are only allowed to receive assistance from tutors in the Writing Center
Prospectus
You will write a 2- page prospectus for each of your essays in which you described, as specifically as you can, your intended thesis and explain how you will support it. Draft a tentative outline and provide and list of source(s) that you plan to consult. As time permits, we will break into small groups and discuss them in class. Bring 4 extra copies of your prospectus to distribute to members of your group. I will offer my advice to you individually at that time. If time does not permit, I will meet individually with you outside of class, by special appointment.
DISABILITY STATEMENT
If you have a documented disability that will affect your performance in this class, please contact me to discuss your needs. Additionally, you will need to register with the Disability Support Services office in the Ley Student Center.
TEXTBOOKS, LAPTOPS, & FOOD
Here are the ground rules for our class:
- Use physical textbooks. You will learn much better.
- Buy them from the Campus Bookstore, if possible. Doing so will ensure that you have the correct edition and that you have the book when you need it.
- Turn off your phone and electronic devices during class. Stow them away.
- Don’t eat in class. You may drink anything you like. \
SUBMISSION OF ESSAYS
You should submit hard copies of your essay, either in class (midterm) or in the basket outside the door of my office (Herring Hall 237). If necessary, you may submit the final paper to me electronically as a Word document or PDF.
SPRING 2019 ENGL 100 READING SCHEDULE
WEEK I
August 26- 30 Introduction
WEEK II
September 4 Norton, chapter 1 (Plot), 59-109;
6 chapter 1, Culler, chapter 2 (What is Literature?)
WEEK III
Sept 9 Norton, chapter 2 (Narrative & Point of View), Culler, “Narrative”
11 Norton, chapter 3 (Character). Substitute Archer, “You’ll Never Live to Regret It,” for Wallace, “Good People”
13 Norton, chapter 4 (Setting). Substitute Crane, “The Open Boat,” for all of the stories in the section.
WEEK IV
Sept 16 Norton, chapter 5 (Symbol and Figurative Language). Substitute Foer, “A Primer for the Punctuation of Heart Disease,” for Danticat
18 Chekhov, “Ward No. 6,” pp. 177-216
20 Chekhov, “Ward No. 6,” pp. 217-232, Hemingway, “A Day’s Wait”
Sometime this week: on your own, read chapters 17-19 (Writing about Literature) to familiarize yourself with the genre of literature essay-writing.
WEEK V
Sept 23 one-on-one meetings to discuss your Prospectus for first paper. (additional meetings will be scheduled on Tuesday.
One your own: read Norton, chapters 20, 20 and 21 (Literature Research Paper) if you need help researching your essay.
25 Sontag, “The Way We Live Now,” and excerpt from Sontag, AIDS and its Metaphors
27 Woolf, “On Being Ill”; excerpt from Sontag, Illness as Metaphor, and Scarry, The Body in Pain.
WEEK VI
Sept 30 Narrative Essay Due. Bring copies to class to distribute to members of your rewrite group. Norton, Introduction to Poetry
Oct 2 Norton, chapter 7 (Speaker)
4 Norton, chapter 8 (Situation and Setting)
WEEK VII
Oct 7 Rewrite group meetings to discuss narrative paper.
9 Norton, chapter 9 (Theme & Tone)
11 Norton, chapter 10 (Language), 556-76. Culler, chap. 5 (Rhetoric, Poetics, and Poetry)
Midterm Recess
WEEK VIII
Oct 21 Narrative Rewrite Due. Norton, chapter 11 (Imagery and Figures of Speech)
23 Norton, chapter 12 (Symbol)
25 Norton, chapter 13 (Sounds)
WEEK IX
Oct 27 Norton, chapter 14 (Internal Structure) and Chapter 15 (External Form)
29 The Sonnet: An Album
Nov 1 Campo, Comfort Measures Only, pp. 1-74
WEEK X
Nov 4 Campo, Comfort Measures Only, pp. 75-end
6 Poetry paper prospectus due. One-on-one consultations in class and others scheduled for Friday
8 Norton Introduction to Drama section, Glaspell, “Triffles,”
WEEK XI
Nov 11 Norton, chap 16 (Elements of Drama). Poetry essay due. Bring copies to class to give to members of your rewrite group. Schedule one-on-one meetings if requested.
13 Hamlet, Act I; formation of Hamlet performance groups and discussion of assignment
15 Hamlet, Acts II & III
WEEK XII
Nov 18 Hamlet, Acts IV & V
20 On your own: Hamlets groups meet to plan performance, choose scene, memorize lines, and so forth.
22 On your own: Hamlets groups meet to plan performance, choose scene, memorize lines, and so forth. Poetry rewrite due
WEEK XIII
Nov. 25 On your own: Hamlets groups meet to plan performance, choose scene, memorize lines, and so forth.
27 On your own: Hamlets groups meet to plan performance, choose scene, memorize lines, and so forth.
WEEK XIV
Dec 2 Hamlet performance
4 Hamlet performance
6 Hamlet performance
December 11: meetings for evaluation of performance & grade. [tentative]
Course Summary:
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