English 17:American Literature: Beginnings to the Civil War Fall 2008

Section 021536, Room FM 206, TTH 11:30-12:55

Course Website:   http://www.redwoods.edu/Instruct/JJohnston/

 

 

Contacting your instructor: The best way for you to contact me is via email.  Doing so enables me to send to you any course documents handed out in class or Powerpoint presentations we discussed.  When you email me, be sure to put ENGLISH 17 in the subject heading so I don’t mistake your email for junk mail and delete it.

 

What you need for this course:

ü      Baym, Nina.  The Norton Anthology of American Literature 7^th ed.  Volumes A&B.  NY: WW Norton, 2007.

ü      Obsessive commitment to being on time and prepared.

ü      Burning curiosity.

ü      Boundless enthusiasm.

ü      An unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

ü      Steadfast dedication to your learning.

 

Course Description

For over 200 years, it has been very common for discussions of American literature, like the ones we’ll be having this semester, to center around a particular question: what attributes make some literature “American?”  In early America, the question was an especially pressing one since the country’s founders wanted very much to distinguish themselves culturally, artistically, and politically from England and knew that a country’s art and literature both reflected and powerfully shaped a distinct national character.  But think of the complexity of the problem early writers faced: Was there any culture on American soil that was distinguishable from European/English culture and was it even possible for emigrants schooled thoroughly in European/English literature to produce literature that looked any different?  As America grew in population and as transportation technologies became more sophisticated and accessible, the problem of “American” literature became increasingly complex.  Does “American” literature have to be written by American citizens on American soil, or is literature written by expatriate Americans “American?”  What about non-citizens living in foreign countries or in America who write about America and/or Americans?  Is that “American” literature?  What about literature written by American citizens in America that deals with non-American places and people and embodies distinctly non-American styles?  More recently, growing race and gender awareness and globalism have added yet more questions: Are transcriptions of songs and chants performed by pre-colonial Native American oral cultures “literature” and, if so, are they “American” literature?  And with such a global citizenry made up increasingly of immigrants from all over the world, can we identify a collection of problems, desires, fears, styles,  etc. that are somehow uniquely “American” that our literature can deal with?

 

While we explore some of these literary questions this semester, I’d also like us to try to ride the social/political waves of our time a bit and to engage some more fundamental questions, questions that, throughout America’s history, have come to the surface and demanded attention every time the US’s global military presence has intensified.  Specifically, I want us to consider what we mean by “America” and what it means to be an “American.”  Who are we and what is our relationship with our place on the planet?  Of course, to know who we are and where we are, we have to know who we’ve been and where we’ve been.  As the literature we’ll read and discuss makes clear, these, too, are not easily answered questions.  The relationships between people and the land, between people and God, between colonists and native peoples, between the people and the government, etc. are enormously and beautifully complex.  The hope is that by focusing on such basic questions, we will come to see American literature as not just a “thing” we produce and consume, but as an integral part of who we are.  

 

Assignments

Question Cards: You are responsible for bringing a 3x5 note card with one detailed, thoughtful question of your own that will serve as a prompt for class discussion.  Important: you must submit your questions on an actual 3x5 notecard, not on a sheet of notebook paper torn to approximately 3x5 and not a 5x7 notecard; it has to be a 3x5 card stock index card or I won’t take it.  The question on the card must include a brief explanation of what makes the question is important, what has prompted you to ask the question, or why the question interests you.  Please take note of the last two sentences; they are important.  To reiterate, a 3x5 card with one question and explanation.  Your question cards will be scored by how clearly and thoughtfully they engage the literature.  In other words, if you jot down something vague and obvious right before class (and believe me, it’s obvious when someone does this) or if you simply write a question with no explanation, you’re not likely to get many points for the question.  Finally, the idea of question cards is to allow you to guide the class conversation in the direction of your interests.  If you are more than 30 minutes late to class, if you leave more than 30 minutes early, or, obviously, if you’re not in class at all, your question card serves little purpose.  Therefore, you must be in class for at least 1 hour on the day the question card is due to receive any credit for it. 

 

 

 

Short Analysis Papers

You will write 2 short essays (no less than 800 words, no more than 1000) that analyze aspects of the plays we read.  These will always be due after we’ve discussed the assigned play and watched some performance of it, so you will likely always have insights and ideas worth exploring in writing.  I’ll post a list of questions to choose from on our course web page at least two weeks before the analysis is due.  Also linked to our course web page is the grading criteria sheet.  You should check it out.

 

MLA Format: Your short analysis papers must be double-spaced, typed, and documented  in accordance with MLA guidelines (MLA format is described at the following website: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html#General and in the “MLA Citation Format Handout” linked on our course webpage).

 

Late Analysis Papers:  I will accept late analysis papers up to 5 days beyond the due date.  However, a late paper will be penalized 5 points for each day late (this includes non-class days and weekends).  On the 6^th day, I won’t accept it.  Late analysis papers must be submitted to me via email.    

 

www.turnitin.com: In addition to the stapled, hard copies of each of your five short analysis papers that you submit to me on the due dates, you will also submit electronically each of your papers to www.turnitin.com.  There is a handout with instructions and passwords linked to our course webpage.

 

Midterm and Final Exams

These exams will be given in class and will not be open book.  There will be identification, short-answer, and multiple choice/true-false questions.  We discuss what is to be on each exam before the test date.  Please see note below about makeups.

 

Makeup of Exams: If you know you are going to miss an exam, notify me ahead time so we can arrange for you to take the exam in the ASC.  If you miss an exam without notifying me ahead of time, you must present me with written documentation of a medical, legal, or family emergency in order to take a makeup. 

 

Punctuality: These are the easiest points to earn in this class.  Come on time, and you get the points—everyday.  How easy is that?  Come late, and you forfeit the points.  Habitual tardiness can cause your final course grade to drop two full letter grades. 

 

Attendance: In order to establish an atmosphere of community and camaraderie, everyone must be here regularly, on time, and prepared.  Each of you brings a unique perspective to this course, and you should be here regularly not just to do the work but to share your insights as well.  You can inspire us.  However, if you miss three classes in a row without contacting me or if you miss more than four meetings in the semester, I may stop accepting your work and/or drop you from the class.  Don’t depend on me to do this, though.  If you have missed three in a row or a total of four, it is your responsibility to protect your transcript and initiate an official withdrawal.  Any student who is not withdrawn is still enrolled, and final grades reflect a student’s current level of activity and achievement.  I cannot sign withdrawal slips after October 31, 2008 without documented extenuating circumstances (things like being in a coma and so forth), and I am required to issue grades for all enrolled students at the end of the semester.  Do not have your academic transcript blemished by an F for a class you stopped attending.

 

Plagiarism:  Offering someone else’s words or ideas as if they are your own (whether you do this intentionally or unintentionally) is plagiarism and will not be tolerated.  Any assignment with plagiarized material will receive an F.  Repeated plagiarism and/or cheating will result in an F for the course. 

 

Grading

Grading for the course breaks down as follows:

                                                                                                                                Points Earned                                      Course Grade

Short analysis essays                         40 points                                                100-94                                                             A

Question Cards                                    15 points                                                93-90                                                               A-

Midterm exam                                       15 points                                                89-87                                                               B+

Final exam                                              15 points                                                86-83                                                               B

Punctuality                                            15 points                                                82-80                                                               B-

                                                                                                                                79-77                                                               C+

                                                                                                                                76-70                                                               C

                                                                                                                                69-60                                                               D

                                                                                                                                59-0                                                                 F

 

 

Special Needs: If you have special needs due to a verifiable physical, psychological, or learning disability, you are legally entitled to appropriate accommodations.  The college offers a variety of services to support students with special needs, and you should talk with me as soon as possible if you would like my help with arranging accommodations to ensure your success in this course.  I’m eager to help in whatever ways I can.

 

English 17

Schedule: We may adjust the schedule as the semester progresses if the need to do so arises.