syllabus

1. Week In-Class Activities Homework
Week 1
4/10
Class Work Homework
Essay #1
Class 1 v The Course Description and Details
v What is a Hybrid Class?
v Syllabus, Green Sheet, Website, and
Kaizena, and the QHQ
v The Lecture
a. What is Literature and
Composition?
b. What is literature?
c. What is Literary Theory?
d. What is New Criticism?
• Establish your username and explore the class
webpage
• Buy your books
• Read: Critical Theory Today: Chapter 1
Introduction 1-10
• Read: Critical Theory Today: Chapter 5 New
Criticism 135-164
• Post #1: QHQ: Literature, Literary Theory, or New
Criticism
Class 2 › Teams
› Review
› New Criticism
› The Formal Elements of New Criticism
› Paradox
› Irony
› Tension
› Ambiguity
› QHQs
› The Online Hour
• Review the readings and ideas we have covered
this week.
• Don’t forget to work through the online portion of
the class. You can find it under “Presentations,”
“Weeks 1-2” and “Class 3.”
Class 3
Online
• Figurative Language
• Poetry Reading:
• “My Papa’s Waltz”
• Critical Essay Reading:
• “‘My Papa’s Waltz’: A New Critical
Reading.”
• Post #2: Post a paragraph or two outlining your own
New Critical insights about “My Papa’s Waltz.” Then
write a paragraph discussing your agreement or
disagreement with the author of the New Critical
Essay. Consider thesis, figurative language, and
conclusion.
• Bring copies of “My Papa’s Waltz” and “My Papa’s
Waltz: A New Critical Approach” to class.
Week 2
4/17
Class 4 — Review: Formal Elements of Writing/
figurative language
— Group Activity “My Papa’s Waltz” and
“My Papa’s Waltz: A New Critical
Approach.
— Group Work: Identify and discuss
qualities of New Criticism as they are
(or are not) applied in this essay.
Provide specific examples from the
essay, the poem, or the
definition/description of New
Criticism.
— Scanning Poetry
READ
• “The Fish”
• “A Black Rook in Rainy Weather”
• “Memories of West Street and Lepke”
• “To His Coy Mistress”
• Choose one poem to scan (meter and rhyme)
• POST # 3: summarize the form (slides 19- 20 for
help).
• Choose two you might want to write about. Print
them both and bring them to class.

2. Class 5 • Review scanning poetry
• New rhetorical strategies:
• Using the new critical lens to analyze
• Introduction to essay #1
• In class writing
–
• Post # 4: Answer 7 of the 9 questions on slide 27
• Bring your notes to our next meeting
Class 6
Online
¨ Analyze your poem
¨ Write your thesis
¨ Begin to gather support for your thesis
¨ Post #5
n Title of your essay
n Your thesis statement
n A general outline
¨ Bring your outline (and a copy of your poem) to
class Monday
Week 3
4/24
Class 7 The Writing:
• The Thesis
• Introductions
• The Argument
• Conclusions
The Technical Details:
• The works cited page
• MLA formatting
Ø Post #6: Your introduction with your thesis; your
conclusion
Ø Draft your essay
Ø Bring two complete copies of your draft to our
next class.
Class 8 Writing Workshop
The Technical Details:
• Integrating quotations
• In text citations
Finish your essay.
Submit essay #1 through Kaizena by Saturday,
Week 3 at noon.
Class 9
Online
¨ An Introduction to Feminist Criticism
¨ Read: Tyson’s Feminist Criticism
¨ Re-read “To His Coy Mistress”
¨ Read “‘To His Coy Mistress’: A Feminist
Reading.”
¨ Homework
¨ Post #7: What is the primary focus of feminist
criticism and theory? Or, how do feminist critics
and theorists regard the role of women in
literature? Or QHQ Feminist Criticism
¨ Post # 8: QHQ: “To His Coy Mistress,” or ‘To His
Coy Mistress’: A Feminist Reading.”
¨ Bring: Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress”
and “To His Coy Mistress”: A Feminist Reading.
Week 4
5/01
Essay #2
Class 10 ò New Teams
ò Literary Theory: The Extrinsic Lens
ò Feminist Criticism
ò Andrew Marvell “To His Coy Mistress”
ò Group Activity: Using Feminist
Criticism
ò Read: Lois Tyson: Chapter 2 “Psychoanalytic
Criticism” pages 11-49
ò Reread: Bishop’s “The Fish”
ò Read: Elizabeth Bishop’s “The Fish”: A
Psychoanalytic Reading (“Course Readings” and
“theory texts.” Bring copies of both texts.
ò Post #9: What is the purpose of psychoanalytical
criticism? OR QHQ on the Tyson reading

3. Class 11 Lecture/Discussion: Psychoanalytic
Criticism
Group Activity:
Bishop’s “The Fish” and Elizabeth Bishop’s
“The Fish”: A Psychoanalytic Reading.
Post #10: Identify and discuss qualities of
psychoanalytic criticism as it is applied in this essay.
Provide specific examples from the essay, the poem,
or the definition/description of Psychoanalytic
Criticism.
Class 12
Online
¨ Author Introductions
¨ James Joyce
¨ Anton Chekhov
¨ Read “Araby” by James Joyce
¨ Read “The Bet” by Anton Chekhov
¨ Post #11: Choose one
¤ Identify and discuss one or more of the
numerous religious symbols in the “Araby.”
¤ The narrator of "Araby" moves from innocence
to experience through his epiphany. What has
he learned by the end of the story?
¤ Write a short psychological profile of the
narrator of “Araby” based on a passage from the
story.
¤ QHQ “Araby”
¤ Write a short psychological profile of either the
lawyer or the banker in “The Bet” based on a
passage or two from the story.
¤ Has the lawyer been traumatized or
enlightened? Why do you think so?
¤ QHQ “The Bet”
Week 5
5/8
Class 13 § Short Story Discussions:
o “Araby”
o “The Bet”
§ Historical Content
§ Literary Style
§ Questions
§ QHQ
Read “The Story of an Hour”
Post #12: Choose one
v Discuss Mrs. Mallard as a sympathetic character
or as a cruel and selfish character. How might
your own gender, age, class or ethnicity influence
your response?
v Do you think Chopin's critique of the institution of
marriage, as expressed by Louise, is applicable
today?
v Discuss the story through one critical lens
v Discuss Trauma: who suffers it and why?
v QHQ
Read: “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”
Post #13: Choose one
v Speculate on the identity of the “old man.”
v How does the manner in which Garcia Marquez
treats the traditional idea of angels in "A Very Old
Man with Enormous Wings" compare with the
way angels are represented or interpreted
elsewhere?
v Discuss the story through one critical lens
v Discuss Trauma: who suffers it and why?
v QHQ

4. Class 14 v Author Introductions:
v Kate Chopin
v Gabriel García Márquez
v Short Story Discussions:
v “The Story of an Hour”
v “A Very Old Man with Enormous
Wings”
v Historical Content
v Literary Style
v Questions
v QHQ
No homework
Class 15
Online
u Introduction to Essay #2
u Read the Essay #2 Prompt
u Read both responses to “Araby”: Crane
and Ratinov
u Look under “Essay Prompts” and
“Essay 2.”
u Writing a response to literature
u Post # 14
u Homework
1. Post #14: Answer the questions on Slide 13
2. Choose the short story on which you will write
your essay.
3. Print it and bring it to class.
4. Print the Crane and Ratinov essays and bring
them to class.
Week 6
5/15
Class 16 • Essay #2 Prompt
• Writing about Literature
• Review: Crane and Ratinov
• Basic Features
• Annotating and Analyzing your story
• Writing your thesis
• Outlining your essay
• Reread and analyze your story
• Post #15: Tentative thesis and essay outline
• Bring a hardcopy or your device to class as we will
be working on essay # 2
Class 17 • Essay #2:
• The Prompt
• Reviewing and revising your thesis
• Ways to Proceed
• Introductions
• Review for Exam #1
Ø Study for exam #1
Ø Post # 16: Your introduction, thesis, and best
body paragraph.
Ø Work on Essay #2
Class 18
Online
¨ Draft Paper #2
¨ Study for exam #1
¨ Begin Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank
Redemption
¨ Exam #1 is at our next meeting
Week 7
5/22
Class 19 Exam #1 Poetry, Short Stories, New,
Feminist and Psychoanalytic Criticisms
¨ Finish Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank
Redemption
¨ Finish a draft of essay #2
¨ Bring: Two complete copies of your draft (At least
4 pages) for an in-class writing workshop

5. Class 20 › Writing Workshop: Essay # 2
› You need two copies of your essay
for this exercise.
› Introduction to Trauma Theory
Ø Work on Essay #2: Due Sunday, week 8 at
Noon
Ø Read Bloom’s “Trauma Theory Abbreviated”
Ø Read Balaev’s “Trends in Literary Trauma
Theory”
Ø Post # 17: QHQ Bloom or Balaev
Class 21
Online
¨ Author Introduction: Stephen King
¨ More Trauma Theory
¨ Historical Context
¨ Literary Style
¨ Finish Reading Rita Hayworth and
Shawshank Redemption
Edit Essay #2
Essay 2 Due Sunday, week 8 at Noon via Kaizena
› Post #18: Choose one
› Who is the narrator? How did the first-person
narrative affect the story? Why does the author
choose to tell the story through Red’s eyes and
not Andy’s? Is he reliable? Why or why not?
› Discuss one or more themes or symbols in the
story.
› Post #19 Choose one
› QHQ: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank
Redemption.
› Discuss trauma (Bloom and Baelev) as it
applies to any one character in Rita Hayworth
and the Shawshank Redemption. Use textual
support to make a case that the traumatic
incident has long term ramifications.
› Using a psychoanalytic lens, do a character
profile of any character in The Shawshank
Redemption.
Week 8
5/29
No Class
Catch up!
Class 22 ² New Teams
² Discussion:
² Trauma Theory
² Bloom
² Balaev
² Discussion: Rita Hayworth and
Shawshank Redemption
Start Kafka’s The Metamorphosis

6. Class 23
Online
¨ Read The Metamorphosis
¨ Author Introduction:
Franz Kafka
¨ Historical Context
¨ Literary Style
Read Kafka’s The Metamorphosis
Post #20 Answer one of the questions from slides 12,
13, or 14 in 200-300 words
Week 9
6/5
Class 24 × Novella Discussion:
× Final comments: Rita Hayworth and
Shawshank Redemption
× Begin The Metamorphosis
× Questions
× Themes and Characters
× Potential Theoretical Approaches
Read Night First half
Post #21 QHQ
Class 25 s Discussion:
s End: The Metamorphosis
s Begin: Night
s Author Introduction:
s Elie Wiesel
s Historical Context
s Summary
s QHQ
No Homework
Class 26
Online
Finish Night
s Themes
s Literary Style
s Tensions
s Theoretical Approaches
s Finish Night
s Post #22 QHQ Night: Focus on a close reading of a
passage (or passages) that you could use to do a
critical reading through a particular theoretical
lens. Consider New Critical, Feminist,
Psychoanalytic, or Trauma Theories. You may use
another theory with which you are familiar.
s
Week 10
6/12
Class 27 Finish Discussion
Ø Night
o Themes
o Literary Style
o Tensions
o Theoretical Approaches
o Introduction to Essay #3
Read Room: Chapter 1 “Presents”
Post #23: QHQ Room
We will meet in the library for class

7. Class 28 Library Visit:
v Research Methods for
Fiction
v Research Opportunity
v Post #23 in-class library
task
No Homework
Class 29
Online
Read Room: Chapters 2, 3, and 4:
“Unlying,” “Dying,” and “After”
¨ Read Room: Chapters 2, 3, and 4:
“Unlying,” “Dying,” and “After”
¨ Thinking about trauma
¨ Homework
Essay #3
v Post #24: While they are in the room, we see little
evidence of the trauma they are suffering. Why is
that? What kind of trauma might we expect to
see? Is it possible that “Old Nick” has not
traumatized them?
v Post #25 Choose one
v QHQ Room: “Unlying,” “Dying,” or “After”
v Explain the dynamic between Old Nick and Ma.
Why does the author choose not to tell us Old
Nick’s story?
Week 11
6/19
Class 30 § Author Introduction: Emma
Donoghue
• Literary Style
• QHQ Discussion
v Finish Room: Read “Living”
v Final Post #26: Choose One
1. QHQ Room Chapter 5, “Living”
2. Focus on a close reading of a passage (or
passages) that you could use to do a critical
reading through a theoretical lens. Consider
New Critical, Feminist, Psychoanalytic, or
Trauma Theories. You may use another theory
with which you are familiar.
3. What role do you think the media play in the
novel? How does the media contribute to the
trauma.
Class 31 — QHQ Discussion: Room
— Questions and Theories
— Close Readings
— Review of Prompt #3
— Homework Assessment
¤ Post your homework assessment as a
comment on Kaizena.
¤ If you need a copy of the homework you have
done, please email me. I will post your
homework on Kaizena.
Class 32
Online
¨ Essay #3
¨ How to Proceed
¨ Work on Essay #3
¤ How will you approach the essay?
¤ Write a tentative thesis.
¤ Outline the essay
¤ Find evidence to use.
Week 12
6/26

8. Final:
Wed.
9:15-
11:15
Final Exam: Comprehensive
Final Essay Due before class begins
Wednesday June 28th, 9:15 to 11:15
Essay #3 Due
Have a great Summer