SUNY Fredonia
Division of Arts and Humanities
ENGL 209: NOVELS AND TALES
Fall 2001
Section 7: Fenton 175, MWF 9-9:50
Section 8: Thompson E-316, MWF 11-11:50
Office: Fenton 240; MW 2-5, T 1-4, and by appointment; 673-3859
E-mail: bruce.simon@fredonia.edu
Web Page: www.fredonia.edu/department/english/simon/
About the Course Web Site
This web site is designed to help you get as much out of this course as possible--you can use it to find out how you will be graded, what reading and writing assignments are due and when, how to subscribe to the course listserv for your section, what books are on reserve for your use in Reed Library, and how to use the world-wide web for research. Please take the time over the weekend after the first week of classes to read this page carefully and to familiarize yourself with the other pages for this course. Please get in the habit of checking back to this web site to keep track of changes to the tentative schedule listed in your syllabus and to find advice on papers, as well as to surf the ever-expanding list of links to interesting web pages related to the course. And please contact me anytime (see above for my coordinates) if you have ideas about how to improve these pages or the course as a whole. I hope you enjoy taking this course as much as I enjoy teaching it!
I. Course Description
Study of long and short fiction of several kinds, including myth, fable, and realistic narrative, from a variety of places and times, and their relation to their different cultures. In these sections, we will read stories from different times and places that examine the experiences, consequences, and legacies of mass migrations. This is a core course for students in the English and Secondary English Education majors; for non-majors, it satisfies Part IIB of the General College Program (GCP), and, for all first-years entering in Fall 2001, it satisfies Part V in the new College Core Curriculum (CCC). Majors and concentrators may take this course for honors credit as part of the Honors Program in the English Department. If you are interested in doing this, please come to my office hours during the first two weeks of classes for more information.
II. Rationale
In ENGL 209, as in most courses offered by the English Department, students from a range of majors, minors, and concentrations interact, and the goals of the professional programs are integrated with specific course and CCC goals. Achieving these goals (described in Section IV below) will require us to foster academic skills and intellectual habits of reading closely and attentively, thinking critically and creatively, listening actively and carefully, speaking thoughtfully and concisely, and writing clearly and analytically--skills and habits useful to everyone, but of particular importance to future teachers.
III. Textbooks. The textbooks adopted for this course are:
As well, you should have access to a copy of the Bible. See the links page for on-line editions that you can download and/or print.
IV. Course Objectives and Outcomes
Courses in Part IIB of the GCP and Part V of the CCC are designed to present general ideas and ethical principles basic to the field of study (in this case, English) and to foster critical thinking and critical literacy. These sections of ENGL 209 set out to reach these goals by helping students (1) to appreciate and understand a variety of narratives in world literature, (2) to appreciate and understand a variety of modes of analysis of narrative, and (3) to appreciate and understand the role and significance of storytelling in different cultures and of migration in different societies and time periods. To achieve these goals, students will:
V. Instructional Methods and Activities
The methods used in the classroom will include lecture, in-class writing, guided discovery, open discussion, cooperative group work, and other discussion-oriented activities.
VI. Evaluation and Grade Assignment
A. Methods
Attendance/Preparation/Participation (15%). Regular attendance and thoughtful participation are crucial to your enjoyment of and success in this course. If there is absolutely no way for you to avoid missing a class, you are expected to contact me ahead of time or soon after your absence, preferably by email (see section VIII for more on attendance policies in this course). Even more important than showing up on time, of course, is coming to class prepared and focused. I expect you to read what has been assigned for a given date at least once (and preferably more than that!) by the time we begin to discuss it in class. This is a discussion rather than a lecture course, after all; although I will provide some context and background for our reading, the bulk of class time will be spent in small- or large-group discussions and activities. Since it's difficult to make good contributions to discussions about a literary work if you haven't read it carefully or thought about it extensively, how well you budget your time outside of class will to a large degree determine how well you do in this class in general and how well you do on this portion of your course grade in particular.
Your grade for this segment of the course will be based on a combination of your attendance, the quality of your participation in class and on the class listserv (described below), and your level of preparation over the course of the semester. As there are no tests in this course, think of my evaluation of your preparation/participation as a different but equally important method of assessing your overall performance in the course. Due to the importance of attendance and participation, barring emergencies more than two unexcused absences will hurt your preparation/participation grade and each absence after the fourth will lower your final course grade by one-third of a grade (e.g., with five absences a B+ will become a B; with seven, it will become a C+).
Observations/Discussion Questions (15%). There will be a course listserv for each section (engl20907@listserv.fredonia.edu for Section 7 and engl20908@listserv.fredonia.edu for Section 8). This listserv will be your space; I will keep my own input to a bare minimum. Although you may use the listserv in any number of ways, you must use it in the following way: once each week, no later than 6 pm the day before we meet in class of your choice, you must post to the course listserv at least one observation and three questions that you believe would spark discussion for that class meeting (e.g., you may post questions either on Sunday for Monday's class, Tuesday for Wednesday's class, or Thursday for Friday's class).
In general, your questions should "look ahead" to the next class's discussion, not recycle the previous class's discussion. However, you may ask questions that "look backward" in the sense that they make connections between past and upcoming texts, topics, issues, or discussions. Click here for further advice on generating observations and discussion questions. See Section VIII, below, for instructions on joining the listserv or click here for differently-worded directions and a troubleshooting guide in case you run into difficulties joining or using the listserv.
Your grade for this segment of the course will be determined by the number of on-time sets of observations/questions you post to the course listserv. Since there are fourteen weeks when discussion questions are due in the semester, and since you are allowed four missed weeks without penalty, 10 or more sets of observations/questions=A; 9=B+; 8=B; 7=C+; 6=C, 5=D; 4 or less=E. The quality of your observations and discussion questions will be factored into your preparation/participation grade (see above).
Critical Essay (30%). Students are required to write a five-to-seven-page analysis of the narrative strategies of a particular writer and work from the first half of the semester. Please use MLA format for citations and bibliography in this paper. For further information on this assignment, click here.
Your grade for this segment of the course will be determined by the coherence and validity of the paper's arguments, the effectiveness of the paper's structure in conveying your ideas and convincing your audience, and the quality of the paper's prose (including grammar, syntax, and punctuation).
Final Research Project (40%). You must choose one of the following two options for your final project:
Students should choose which option they want to pursue and begin research on possible topics by the beginning of October. Whichever option is chosen, each student must turn in a 2-4-page research-based proposal by the beginning of November that lays out a compelling justification/rationale for pursuing the project. This will be graded and returned to students before Thanksgiving Break during a conference with the instructor. Please use MLA format for citations and bibliography in both the proposal and the relevant portions of the projects themselves.
Your grade for this segment of the course will be based on the strength and persuasiveness of the rationale/justification for the project offered in the proposal; the degree of intellectual and analytical development from proposal to project. In addition, for those who choose the first option, when grading the project itself I will consider (1) what the story and author's note reveal about what you've learned in the course about migrations and migration narratives, (2) the quality of the goal or purpose of the story that you've chosen to tell and how inventively it relates to both the Salgado photograph and your research--how well the story you tell allows you to put the scene depicted in the photo in some sort of social/historical context, (3) the relevance of the narrative strategies and literary techniques that you've used to accomplish your goals/purposes and how creatively and provocatively you've drawn from or responded to writers we've read in the course through the form and structure of your story. Or for those who choose the second option, when grading the project itself, I will evaluate (1) the quality of the connections you draw between what you've found out about your family's migration history and what you've been reading, thinking, talking, and writing about in the course, (2) the quality of your reflections on the connections you've found--how thoughtful and interesting your reflections on the "new perspective" they've given you on your family or community are--and (3) the effectiveness with which the structure of the essay or web site helps tie the project together and convey your connections and reflections.
B. Grading. All work during the semester will be graded on a letter basis (A=outstanding, B=good, C=average, D=bad, E=awful) and converted into a number for purposes of calculating final grades. I use the following conversion system (the number in parentheses is the "typical" or "normal" conversion, but any number in the range may be assigned to a given letter grade):
A+=97-100 (98); A=93-96.99 (95); A-=90-92.99 (91); B+=87-89.99 (88); B=83-86.99 (85); B-=80-82.99 (81); C+=77-79.99 (78); C=73-76.99 (75); C-=70-72.99 (71); D+=67-69.99 (68); D=63-66.99 (65); D-=60-62.99 (61); E=0-59.99 (55)
Your final grade is determined by converting the weighted numerical average of the above assignments into a letter grade, according to the above scale.
C. Portfolio. English and Secondary English Education majors should be aware of the English Department's guidelines for ongoing portfolio submissions.
VII. Bibliography. The following works may be found on reserve at the circulation desk in Reed Library:
A. Contemporary References
B. Classic References
C. Key Journals
VIII. Course Schedule and Policies
A. Tentative Course Schedule. The following course schedule is subject to revision--please refer here regularly for updates to this schedule, notes on the texts, and suggestions for further reading. Please recall that you need to submit 10 sets of observations/discussion questions to earn an A for that segment of your final grade (see Section VI).
Week 1: Here We Go!
W 8/29/01 Introductions, Set-up
African Diasporas
F 8/31 Agnes Sam, "Introduction," "The Story Teller," and "And They Christened It Indenture," Jesus Is Indian 1-13, 125-131; Genesis 24; Ruth 1-4
Week 2: Children, Mothers, and Point-of-View
M 9/3 Labor Day: No Class
W 9/5 Agnes Sam, "High Heels" and "Jesus Is Indian," Jesus Is Indian 14-33
F 9/7 Agnes Sam, "Jellymouse" and "Maths," Jesus Is Indian 107-124
Week 3: Students, Villagers, and Symbolism
M 9/10 Tayeb Salih, Season of Migration to the North 1-44; Genesis 1-4
W 9/12 Tayeb Salih, Season of Migration to the North 45-87; Joshua 1-14, 22-24
F 9/14 Tayeb Salih, Season of Migration to the North 88-133; Judges 1-21; Psalm 83
Week 4: Students, Villagers, and Allegory
M 9/17 Tayeb Salih, Season of Migration to the North 134-169; Genesis 6-9
W 9/19 Amitav Ghosh, In an Antique Land 1-60; Genesis 11
F 9/21 Amitav Ghosh, In an Antique Land 60-105--OPTIONAL, EXTRA-CREDIT CLASS
Week 5: Students, Villagers, and Metaphor/Metonymy
M 9/24 Amitav Ghosh, In an Antique Land 106-179; Genesis 12-16, 21; Psalm 78
W 9/26 Amitav Ghosh, In an Antique Land 179-237
F 9/28 Fall Break: No Class. During fall break, try to decide which option you are most interested in pursuing for your final research project, and what topic you want to pursue within that option.
Week 6: Slaves, Masters, and Metanarratives
M 10/1 Amitav Ghosh, In an Antique Land 238-288; Genesis 24-35
W 10/3 Amitav Ghosh, In an Antique Land 289-353; EMAIL of option and topic (or possible topics) for Final Research Paper due to instructor no later than 5 pm
F 10/5 Caryl Phillips, Crossing the River 1-70; Genesis 37-50
Week 7: Slaves, Masters, and Point-of-View, Revisited
M 10/8 Caryl Phillips, Crossing the River 71-94; Exodus 1-20
W 10/10 Caryl Phillips, Crossing the River 95-124; Numbers 20-25, 31-34; Esther 1-10
F 10/12 Caryl Phillips, Crossing the River 125-200; Deuteronomy 1-3, 28-33; complete DRAFT of Critical Essay due in class for peer review
Week 8: Witnesses
M 10/15 Caryl Phillips, Crossing the River 201-237; Ezekiel 11-12, 20-21; Psalm 137; CRITICAL ESSAY due no later than 5 pm
Portraits of Migrants, Legacies of Migration
W 10/17 V.S. Naipaul, A Way in the World 1-69
F 10/19 V.S. Naipaul, A Way in the World 70-161; "CLOSE READING" on back of copy of Salgado photograph chosen for the Photograph Research/Creative Writing Option due by 5 pm
Week 9: Pioneers
M 10/22 V.S. Naipaul, A Way in the World 162-211
W 10/24 V.S. Naipaul, A Way in the World 212-243
F 10/26 V.S. Naipaul, A Way in the World 244-351
Week 10: Exiles
M 10/29 V.S. Naipaul, A Way in the World 352-380
W 10/31 W.G. Sebald, The Emigrants 1-23
F 11/2 W.G. Sebald, The Emigrants 24-63; polished PROPOSAL for Final Research Project due no later than 5 pm
Week 11: Travelers
M 11/5 W.G. Sebald, The Emigrants 64-89
W 11/7 W.G. Sebald, The Emigrants 89-116
F 11/9 W.G. Sebald, The Emigrants 116-145
Week 12: Survivors
M 11/12 W.G. Sebald, The Emigrants 146-180
W 11/14 W.G. Sebald, The Emigrants 180-218
F 11/16 W.G. Sebald, The Emigrants 218-237
M 11/19 - F 11/23 Thanksgiving Break: No Classes. Thanksgiving Break is an excellent time to begin drafting your Final Research Project, in light of instructor feedback and suggestions on your proposal.
Week 13: Border-Crossers
M 11/26 Ursula K. LeGuin, The Dispossessed 1-62
W 11/28 Ursula K. LeGuin, The Dispossessed 63-90
F 11/30 Ursula K. LeGuin, The Dispossessed 91-153
Week 14: Revolutionaries
M 12/3 Ursula K. LeGuin, The Dispossessed 154-191
W 12/5 Ursula K. LeGuin, The Dispossessed 192-270
F 12/7 Ursula K. LeGuin, The Dispossessed 271-307; working ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY for Final Research Project due by 5 pm
Week 15: Discoverers
M 12/10 Ursula K. LeGuin, The Dispossessed 308-387
W 12/12 LeGuin and others; looking back; course evals
F 12/14 DRAFT of Final Research Project due in class for peer review; 6 pm: last meeting for section 8, Fenton 127 (English Reading Room)
I will be available for conferences on your final critical/theoretical essays on Monday and Tuesday of exam week during extended office hours.
M 12/17 6 pm: last meeting for section 7, Fenton 127 (English Reading Room)
W 12/19 FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT due no later than 5 pm (unless extension is sought by Friday of week 15)
B. Class Policies
1. Attendance. As stated in Section VI above, barring emergencies each absence after the fourth will lower your final course grade by one-third of a grade (e.g., with five absences a B+ will become a B; with seven, it will become a C+). Be aware that absences due to emergencies are the only absences that will not be counted toward your total for the semester. Emergencies include but are not limited to death in the family, hospitalization or major illness, and natural disasters; scheduled and unavoidable school-sponsored events (games, meets, performances, etc.) are also counted as emergencies for the purpose of this attendance policy.
2. Course Listserv. You are required to subscribe to your section's listserv and to read and think about your peers' observations and discussion questions before each class meeting. To subscribe to your section's listserv, compose an email message to listserv@listserv.fredonia.edu, leave the subject line blank, and write in the body of message: subscribe engl2090_ Your Name [fill in the blank with either a '7' or '8,' depending on your section number]. Please be sure to delete any signature or other text that may appear in the body of your message, as it will only confuse the very literal-minded machine that handles subscriptions. Very soon after sending this message, you should receive an email from the machine that handles listserv subscriptions asking you to confirm your subscription; please follow the instructions in this email carefully, as you are not subscribed to the listserv until you have done so. Soon after doing this, you should receive another email message from the machine that handles subscriptions informing you that you are indeed subscribed to your section's listserv and laying out basic information about the listserv. Save this message--it's very useful. Once you get this message, you will begin receiving messages from others who are subscribed to the listserv; you also will be authorized to send messages to them by composing a message to the machine that distributes messages to those who are subscribed to the listserv. To do so, simply send an email message to engl2090_@listserv.fredonia.edu [fill in the blank with either a '7' or '8,' depending on your section number]. It is highly recommended that you either save a copy of every message you send to the course listserv (many email programs automatically save all messages sent in a "sent mail" folder) or "cc:" yourself whenever you send a message to the listserv, as your listserv participation will be graded both quantitatively and qualitatively (see Section IV, above) and it is possible that technical or human error could result in your messages being lost in transit, accidentally deleted, misfiled, or miscounted. Please familiarize yourself with the college's "Computer and Network Usage Policy" (College Catalog 2001-2003, pp. 227-229), and remember this simple rule of thumb: check with me first before posting something to your section's listserv that is not directly related to the course. This information is repeated in slightly different form on the course listserv page, which also includes troubleshooting advice and an explanation of why we are using a listserv in this course.
3. Late Assignments. Late discussion questions and final projects will not be accepted or graded. Other assignments will be accepted and graded but will lose one-third of a grade per day late (e.g., a paper turned in two days past the due date that would have otherwise received an A- would be penalized two-thirds of a grade and thus receive a B). Only students who ask for an extension at least two days before the due date will be granted one; asking for an extension on the final project means that your final grade for the semester will be an incomplete (I), and that you must turn in your final project before the end of the following semester so that the I becomes a grade other than an E.
4. Make-up Work. There will be some opportunities for extra credit to make up for absences or missed discussion questions that would jeopardize your passing the course; however, this is a privilege, not a right, and can be undertaken only after consultation with me.
5. Plagiarism and Academic Honesty. To plagiarize is "to steal and pass off as one's own the ideas or words of another" (Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary). SUNY Fredonia strongly condemns plagiarism and takes severe action against those who plagiarize. Disciplinary action may extend to suspension from privileges or expulsion from college. See pages 216 and 226 of the College Catalog 2001-2003 for further information.
ENGL 209: Novels and Tales, Fall 2001
Created: 8/29/01 2:39 pm
Last modified: 12/12/01 9:22 am
See also the web site for my graduate course on American Migration Narratives.