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Derek P. Royal Office: 131 Hall
of Literature Office Phone: ( |
Office Hours: TR 8:00 – 9:30, R 2:30 – 4:30, or by appointment |
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ENG 202 – Multi-Ethnic American Literature
Spring 2005
Course Syllabus
Required Texts
Prerequisites
ENG
Catalog Description
This course
is designed to give students knowledge of the ethnic diversity of American
literature at the same time that they improve their skills in reading and
interpreting literature and in writing. The course covers material from at
least three of the following ethnic groups: Native American, African American,
Hispanic American, and American Eskimo. Other ethnic groups may also be
included.
Course Objectives
What we will do throughout the semester is to read/view a variety of
texts that highlight the American multi-ethnic experience. That is quite a large area, especially when
the concept of “ethnicity” is viewed through such a broad and diverse
prism. This course will not focus only
on race or literatures of color; it is designed to explore the wide spectrum of
American ethnicity. As such, we will
look at literatures from non-European- as well as Eurpoean-American
authors. This semester we will closely
read a series of six books—some novels, some short story collections—from
various ethnic American perspectives.
And since this is a 200-level course, we will also deal with many of the
basic formalistic issues that one needs to approach literature
effectively. The objectives of this
course are to give students an introduction to the vast array of ethnic writing
that makes up much of American literature; to provide the opportunity to
explore the diverse nature of our literature; to help students develop a deeper
understanding of the ever-evolving issues involved in defining the American
canon and in the national discourses on both “race” and “ethnicity”; and to
encourage the reading of literature with a fine critical understanding and
aesthetic appreciation that a sophomore-level course should provide.
Attendance
Be here!
Much of your work will be done in class. Therefore, except in the most
extraordinary cases, you will be
required to attend all class sessions. If you know you have/will have an
excused absence from class, please see me about this as soon as you can. You still need to make up the work you may
have missed in class. And do arrive to class on time; tardiness can count as an
absence. Attendance and class participation will help determine your overall
course grade. More than three unexcused
absences can lower your course grade by at least one letter. Also, if you miss more than
Evaluation
The course grade is largely determined by performance on six major
exams (each one focusing on one of the texts we read) and a group presentation.
Grading Scale
A+=
The portions are weighted as follows:
6 Exams 90%
Group Presentation 10%
Unless there is an excellent excuse, the exams cannot be made up, so
please make sure you do the readings and don’t miss class.
American Disabilities Act (
Students
requesting accommodations for disabilities must go through the Academic Support
Committee. For more information, please
contact the Director of Disability Resources & Services,
Plagiarism and Cheating
- Department policy: The
Department of Literature and Languages adheres to the university definition of
“plagiarism” by the Council of Writing Program Administrators that can be found
at http://www.ilstu.edu/~ddhesse/wpa/positions/WPAplagiarism.pdf:
Plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately
uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge)
material without acknowledging its source. […] Ethical writers make every
effort to acknowledge sources fully and appropriately in accordance with the
contexts and genres of their writing. A
student who attempts (even if clumsily) to identify and credit his or her
source, but who misuses a specific citation format or incorrectly uses
quotation marks or other forms of identifying material taken from other
sources, has not plagiarized. Instead,
such a student should be considered to have failed to cite and document sources
appropriately.
- Royal’s addendum: To intentionally plagiarize is to steal
another’s words or ideas as if they were your own. Any student who blatantly
plagiarizes (i.e., intentionally and directly lifting whole or partial material
from any electronic or printed material) will automatically fail the course and
should expect disciplinary action by the college.
Student Conduct and Responsibilities
- University policy: All students enrolled at the University
shall follow the tenets of common decency and acceptable behavior conducive to
a positive learning environment.
- Royal’s
addendum: In order for
everyone to get the most out of this course, classroom conduct is of the utmost
importance. Therefore, you will be
required to create and maintain a productive classroom environment with little
in the way of disruption. Your overall
grade could be put in jeopardy if you demonstrate inappropriate classroom
behaviors. This includes the habitual
disruption of the class through chit-chatting and talking out of turn, doing
outside work during our classroom time, and bringing in active electronic
devices (such as cell phones and pagers).
Every day you enter the class, please turn off your cell phones and
pagers.
Schedule
We will
divide our schedule according to the thematic sections found in the Beaty and Hunter collection. Along the way will
periodically read one of the novels or devote ourselves
to one of the films. (Please note the weeks
where assignments are due.)
Course Introduction
How the
Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents
Week 2: January 24 – 28
How
the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, cont.
Week 3: January 31 – February 4
How
the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, cont.
Alvarez Presentation
Week 4: February 7 – 11
Exam 1
Stories
of an Imaginary Childhood
Week 5: February 14 – 18
Stories of an Imaginary Childhood, cont.
Week 6: February 21 – 25
Stories of an Imaginary Childhood, cont.
Bukiet Presentation
Exam 2
Week 7: February 28 – March 4
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
The
Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, cont.
Alexi
Presentation
Exam 3
Week 9: March 14 – 18
SPRING BREAK
Week 10: March 21 – 25
Bone
Week 11: March 28 – April 1
Bone, cont.
Ng Presentation
Week 12: April 4 – 8
Exam 4
Interpreter
of Maladies
Week 13: April 11 – 15
Interpreter of Maladies, cont.
Lahiri Presentation
Week 14: April 18 – 22
Exam 5
The
Known World
Week 15: April 25 – 29
The Known World, cont.
Week 16: May 2 – 6
The Known World, cont.
Jones Presentation
Course review
Week 17: May 9 - 13
Exam 6