English 1B: Introduction to Literature

Spring 2006

Instructor: Jennifer McBride
Office Phone: 384-6376
Office Hours: Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 10:00 am.  or by appointment
Office:  IAC 239

Email: mcbride.j@mccd.edu

Course Description Required Texts Course Requirements
Essay Assignments Rough Draft Conferences Attendance
Grades Holidays Due Dates

Course Description

English 1B is a transfer-level literature course in which you will be reading and learning about the four major classifications of literature: short fiction, poetry, drama, and long fiction (or the novel). In addition, this class will concentrate on different literary schools of thought, terms, and styles.  Writing about literature is also essential to this course, so students will learn how to write essays that analyze literature.

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Required Texts

The Bedford Introduction to Literature, seventh edition

McTeague, Frank Norris, Signet Classic edition

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Course Requirements

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Essay Assignments

Essay assignments must be turned in at the beginning of class on the due date.  Turning in a late paper will result in a substantially lowered grade on that essay assignment.  In cases of emergency, please contact me as soon as possible.

All papers must be typed and double-spaced with one-inch margins on all sides.  All papers must conform to MLA guidelines as outlined in the Bedford Introduction (see page 2111).  Please staple your papers; do not use plastic covers.

Note: Academic dishonesty is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and the instructor will follow the procedures for dealing with such violations as adopted by the Merced College Faculty Senate.  For details, see the Student Handbook.

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Voluntary Rough Draft Conferences

One week before final drafts of essays are due, I will reserve time to read rough drafts.  I will pass around a sign-up sheet.  Sign your name next to the time that you would like to see me, and DON’T FORGET.  Once you sign up, I will reserve that time specifically for you.  During these sessions, I will answer questions, offer suggestions, help with grammar and MLA, and give insight into strengthening your writing.  I expect you to take notes; I will not edit your paper for you. 

These conferences are voluntary  and usually last 20 minutes.  Bring with you a typed rough draft of your essay, your book, and all outside sources. 

          

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Attendance

Attendance is mandatory.  If you do not attend class, you cannot do well.  I reserve the right to drop students due to excessive absences (five or more). Please note, I do not differentiate between excused and unexcused absences; an absence is an absence.  I strictly uphold this attendance policy.

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Grades

Your grade is based on the number of points you accumulate throughout the semester.  These points will be converted into a percentage which will give you a letter grade.  The percentage scale is a straight scale:  100-90%=A, 89-80%=B, 79-70%=C, 69-60%=D, and 59-0%=F.

Essays:        20 points each X 5
Journal:        35 points
Final Exam:  60 points

Total for Semester = 195 points

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Reading Journal

Journal entries are required for each day reading is due.  The minimum length is one page in a composition notebook.  If multiple reading selections are assigned for a day, the journal entry must reflect all readings assigned.  Entries will be signed by the instructor at the beginning of each class.  Please note, these journals are not private, and they may be shared with the class and instructor.  Late journals are not accepted.  In addition to serving as a base for class discussion and a continuous preparation for the final exam, your journal is also an attendance record.

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Due Dates

January 20:         Kate Chopin, "The Story of an Hour" 
January 23:         William Faulkner, "A Rose for Emily"
January 25:     Herman Melville, "Bartleby, the Scrivener"
January 27:     Instructor out for meeting--no class
January 30:     Stephen Crane, "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky"
February 1:     Flannery O'Connor, "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"
                       "O'Connor on Faith," page 470
                       "O'Connor on the Use of Exaggeration and Distortion," page 471
February 3:     Flannery O'Connor, "Good Country People"  
                       "O'Connor on Theme and Symbol," page 472             
February 6:     Flannery O'Connor, "Revelation"
                      A.R. Coulthard, "On the Visionary Ending of 'Revelation,'" page 475
                      Marshall Bruce Gentry, "On the Revised Ending of 'Revelation,'" page 477                      
February 8:     Hand out and discuss Essay Assignment #1
February 10:   Lincoln's Birthday--no class 
 

Feb. 13:                           Marge Piercy, "The Secretary Chant"
                           Robert Morgan, "Mountain Graveyard"
                         Gwendolyn Brooks, "We Real Cool"                          
Feb. 15:             Helen Farries, "Magic of Love"
                           John Frederick Nims, "Love Poem"
Feb. 17:             Essay #1 Due
                          Robert Herrick, "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time"
Feb. 20:             Washington's Day--no class
Feb. 22:            Andrew Marvell, "To His Coy Mistress"
                         Bernard Duyfhuizen, "To His Coy Mistress: On How a Female Might Respond"
Feb. 24:            John Keats, "Ode on a Grecian Urn"
Feb. 27:            E.E. Cummings, "l(a"                        
March 1:           William Shakespeare, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"
                         William Shakespeare, "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun"
March  3:          T.S. Eliot, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
                         Michael Baumann, "The 'Overwhelming Question' for Prufrock"
March  6:          Anne Bradstreet, "Before the Birth of One of Her Children"
                         Anne Bradstreet, "To My Dear and Loving Husband"
March 8:           Essay #2 (In-class)
March 10:         Langston Hughes, "Harlem"
March 13:         Phillis Wheatley, "On Being Brought from Africa to America", (located in the color insert)
March 15:         William Blake, "The Lamb"
                         William Blake, "The Tyger"
March 17:         Hand out and discuss Essay Assignment #3     

A Midsummer Night's Dream, William Shakespeare

March 20:       Act I
March 22:      Act II
 March 24:    Act III
March 27
March 29:    Essay #3 Due            
March 31:    Act IV
April 3:        Act V
April 5:        Hand out and discuss Essay Assignment #4
April 7:        Instructor out for meeting--no class
 

               Lecture on Naturalism
               Elements of Naturalism in McTeague
 



Note: This syllabus is subject to change at the instructor's discretion.  No modifications to points will be made that will affect the student's grade.  Modifications may include reading selections and due dates. 

 

 

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Last updated on January 16th, 2006 by Jennifer McBride