English 250: Great American Books MWF 12:30-1:20 (HEAV 108) http://greatamericanbooks.weebly.com Instructor: Elyssa Tardif Office Hours: M, W 11:30-12:30 and by appointment (HEAV 325F) Email: [email protected]Description This course interrogates what it means to be a “great” American book. Instead of turning to the well-worn texts of the American literary canon termed “great” by literary scholars, this course looks to texts that were popular – some wildly so – at the time of their publication. What about these texts garnered so much attention? What can these texts’ popularity reveal to us about the political, social, economic, and religious contexts in which they were produced and so eagerly received? This course will cover selected works of American literature ranging from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. It is designed to provide an introduction to both the literary qualities of individual texts and the variety of thematic concerns and social tensions that make such works culturally significant. Among these concerns are: race relations; gender issues and the roles of men and women in the public and private sphere; as well as struggles over the construction of a national identity (i.e. what does it mean to be an “American”?). Required Texts The texts are available at Von’s but may also be purchased online (Amazon.com, half.com, etc.). If you do purchase them somewhere other than Von’s, please make sure to seek out the specified edition of each text as the editor’s introduction may be assigned reading. o Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Norton Critical Edition. o Dennis, Patrick. Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade. Broadway Press. o Morrison, Toni. A Mercy. Vintage International (paperback) o Rowson, Susanna. Charlotte Temple. Oxford Paperbacks. o Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Penguin Classic. We will also study various other shorter texts, all of which will be made available to you electronically on the class website. Class Requirements Participation [15%] Paper 1 [10%] Paper 2 [25%] Midterm Exam [25%] Final Exam [25%]
Transcript
English 250: Great American Books MWF 12:30-1:20 (HEAV 108) http://greatamericanbooks.weebly.com Instructor: Elyssa Tardif Office Hours: M, W 11:30-12:30 and by appointment (HEAV 325F) Email: [email protected] Description This course interrogates what it means to be a “great” American book. Instead of turning to the well-worn texts of the American literary canon termed “great” by literary scholars, this course looks to texts that were popular – some wildly so – at the time of their publication. What about these texts garnered so much attention? What can these texts’ popularity reveal to us about the political, social, economic, and religious contexts in which they were produced and so eagerly received? This course will cover selected works of American literature ranging from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. It is designed to provide an introduction to both the literary qualities of individual texts and the variety of thematic concerns and social tensions that make such works culturally significant. Among these concerns are: race relations; gender issues and the roles of men and women in the public and private sphere; as well as struggles over the construction of a national identity (i.e. what does it mean to be an “American”?). Required Texts The texts are available at Von’s but may also be purchased online (Amazon.com, half.com, etc.). If you do purchase them somewhere other than Von’s, please make sure to seek out the specified edition of each text as the editor’s introduction may be assigned reading.
o Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Norton Critical Edition. o Dennis, Patrick. Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade. Broadway Press. o Morrison, Toni. A Mercy. Vintage International (paperback) o Rowson, Susanna. Charlotte Temple. Oxford Paperbacks. o Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Penguin Classic.
We will also study various other shorter texts, all of which will be made available to you electronically on the class website. Class Requirements Participation [15%] Paper 1 [10%] Paper 2 [25%] Midterm Exam [25%] Final Exam [25%]
Participation This grade reflects your attendance, your participation in class discussion, occasional in-class writing assignments or quizzes, and your support of other students’ contributions, which includes respecting and responding civilly and thoughtfully to views that may not coincide with your own. Although I do not have a formal attendance policy, I will pass around daily sign-in sheets. From time to time I will give you short in-class assignments or quizzes. These cannot be made up at a later date, and their evaluation will figure into this grade. To get an A for this portion of the course, I expect consistent attendance as well as frequent and thoughtful contributions to class discussion. (Keep in mind that perfect attendance with no class contribution will not earn an A). Fairly consistent attendance and infrequent contributions to discussion will garner a B, and so on. Analytical Papers You will be asked to write two academic essays on a topic of my choosing (Paper 1) and of yours (Paper 2), both of which engage with texts and themes explored in the course. The first paper will be a traditional academic essay (one text will be chosen, and you will be asked to consider and analyze one of its major tropes). Paper 1 will be 4-5 pages in length. The second paper will involve one of the texts studied in class, as well as one of own choosing. I will ask that you consider the course theme of “popularity” and choose a text which, in your opinion, reveals beliefs, trends, or ideas that are popularly held at our present moment and which logically pairs with a text from class. The text that you can choose can be anything within reason, except a novel, short story, or poem; you might consider a website, a film, an album, a graphic novel or even a performance of some kind – there are varied possibilities, and I am happy to discuss any other ideas you envision). The second paper will be 6-7 pages in length. Midterm and Final Exams These exams will consist of essay questions which allow you to demonstrate your engagement with the texts discussed in class as well as your ability to apply the analytical skills developed. Important Reminders Plagiarism (the use of another’s words or ideas as one’s own or without citation, including a paraphrase that is too close) will result in an F for the course, and I refer all cases of plagiarism to the dean’s office. If you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism, I urge you to see me during office hours or consult a Writing Lab tutor immediately. In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines, and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances. You will be able to access information about changes in this course: via the course website (http://earlyamericanbookspurdue.weebly.com) or by email ([email protected]).
