In what way does Rat Kiley’s letter to Lemon’s sister represent a catharsis? What other action represents his catharsis?
What is the connection between the beginning of “How to Tell a True War Story” (Rat’s letter to Lemon’s sister) and the end of the story?
If a “true” war story is characterized by an “absolute and uncompromising allegiance to obscenity and evil,” why does O’Brien describe Lemon’s death—at least much of it—in terms of beauty?
Why does the author open with the line: “This is true.”
Explain the paradox of Rat Kiley, as he is described “with those big sad gentle killer eyes.”
Why is Mitch Sanders’ story of the men in the mountains important? How does it relate to the point O’Brien makes at the end of this story?
How can this be more of a “love” story than a “war” story?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
PARADOX
Paradox – a situation in which 2 opposites exist at the same time.
LOOK for PARADOX in “How to Tell a True War Story”
Example: “War is nasty; war is fun. War is thrilling; war is drudgery.”
LOOK for PARADOX in “How to Tell a True War Story”
Example: “War is nasty; war is fun. War is thrilling; war is drudgery.”
Points of Concentration in The Things They Carried
REMINDER: Quiz the first day of next week over the entire novel, so be sure to READ.
Major Characters - Specifically:
Tim O'Brien (character/narrator needs to be distinguished from the author)
Jimmy Cross
Rat Kiley
Mitch Sanders
Henry Dobbins
Norman Bowker
Kiowa
Minor Characters - these "fill out" the novel and are involved with the revelations of the major characters the reader has:
Ted Lavendar
Curt Lemon
Mary Ann
Dave Jensen
Lee Strunk
Azar
Bobby Jorgenson
The Women--before, during, and after the war:
Martha
Mary Ann
Linda
Storytelling
Truth & Memory
The role/importance of women in the novel
Major Characters - Specifically:
Tim O'Brien (character/narrator needs to be distinguished from the author)
Jimmy Cross
Rat Kiley
Mitch Sanders
Henry Dobbins
Norman Bowker
Kiowa
Minor Characters - these "fill out" the novel and are involved with the revelations of the major characters the reader has:
Ted Lavendar
Curt Lemon
Mary Ann
Dave Jensen
Lee Strunk
Azar
Bobby Jorgenson
The Women--before, during, and after the war:
Martha
Mary Ann
Linda
Storytelling
Truth & Memory
The role/importance of women in the novel
Monday, August 23, 2010
Characters of Alpha Company
1. The author, Tim O'Brien takes personal experience and changes it for the sake of fiction, not unlike playwrights who take dramatic license to make a play more entertaining. In changing his experiences for the sake of fiction, O'Brien hopes to hold the readers' attention so as to better understand the emotions involved in the initial experience. In the story, "On the Rainy River" O'Brien's character had a gruesome (and deliberately symbolic) job during the summer, before he went to war. What was it? How might it be symbolic? If the character had done something else, would it have been as emotionally riveting to the reader? Explain
1. Note the dedication to the book. To whom has the author dedicated his book? Why? What do you believe it says about the author that he has dedicated his book to a company of fictional characters?
2. O'Brien (the narrator/character) reveals that he succumbed to pressure and fear of shame and that in so doing his brought to Vietnam. Do any of the other characters listed in the dedication respond to societal pressure or peer pressure in a similar way? Explain.
3. O'Brien speaks of his feelings of shame at the end of "Rainy River." How could his own feelings of embarrassment effect the manner in which he presents his companions of Alpha Company? Is he more or less sympathetic to them because of his own experience? Why? OR Why not?
4. In what way does Kiowa misinterpret Cross' reaction to Lavendar's death? How does Kiowa react to Lavendar's death? What is Norman Bowker's complaint to Kiowa?
5. What gesture does Martha make that suggests that she has experienced a traumatic experience that has changed her permanently?
6. Each man carries his basic gear and items which help him endure the Vietnamese tour of duty. What does Kiowa carry? Rat Kiley? What do their possessions reveal about each man?
7.
1. Note the dedication to the book. To whom has the author dedicated his book? Why? What do you believe it says about the author that he has dedicated his book to a company of fictional characters?
2. O'Brien (the narrator/character) reveals that he succumbed to pressure and fear of shame and that in so doing his brought to Vietnam. Do any of the other characters listed in the dedication respond to societal pressure or peer pressure in a similar way? Explain.
3. O'Brien speaks of his feelings of shame at the end of "Rainy River." How could his own feelings of embarrassment effect the manner in which he presents his companions of Alpha Company? Is he more or less sympathetic to them because of his own experience? Why? OR Why not?
4. In what way does Kiowa misinterpret Cross' reaction to Lavendar's death? How does Kiowa react to Lavendar's death? What is Norman Bowker's complaint to Kiowa?
5. What gesture does Martha make that suggests that she has experienced a traumatic experience that has changed her permanently?
6. Each man carries his basic gear and items which help him endure the Vietnamese tour of duty. What does Kiowa carry? Rat Kiley? What do their possessions reveal about each man?
7.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Writing About Literature
Writing about literature is different from most essays that are assigned and written in English 1101. For one thing, the focus of the paper is on the analysis of the story, poem or play that has been assigned. Therefore, it is written in third person; there should be no first ("I") or second person ("you"). There are other important differences outlined below.
CONTENT
1. Always mention the title and author of the work(s) you are discussing early in your essay. Titles of books should be underlined or italicized; stories should be in quotation marks.
2. Mention characters' names whenever possible. Be specific about character identification; that is, when you first refer to a character, add a simple appositive phrase to identify him or her. It does not have to be long nor interrupt the “flow” of your writing. Example:
In Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried,” Kiowa, a soldier from Oklahoma, carries the New Testament and a hatchet, each representative of his mixed heritage.
3. Use illustrations, examples, and explanations to prove your assertions. Stick closely to the text of the work you are discussing. Read carefully and closely. Don't hesitate to quote briefly from the primary source for illustration -- a well-chosen quote can help to illustrate your point. However, be sure to use the quote as illustration -- not as the text of your essay.
4. Clearly state the central idea or thesis of your essay in the introduction. Be sure your essay has a thesis. Do NOT state your thesis by using writer-based phrases such as: The two poems I have chosen to write about are.... Rather, focus directly on your point: The snake is a potent symbol, often invoking fear, in Western mythology. Both Emily Dickinson and D. H. Lawrence invoke that fear in their poems, but with very different results.
5. Look up the definition of any word that you are not totally familiar with. Try to find the source of and understand any literary or historical allusion that the author uses.
6. Underline key passages, even key words, in the work you are studying, particularly those passages that have reference to your thesis. Be sure that any time you quote form an author's work, you quote exactly -- word for word and comma for comma.
7. In an essay about literature, it is most important to try to show your understanding of the work. Concentrate on writing a unified essay around a central thesis. Avoid going off on tangents. Stick to your main idea, develop it, prove it, deepen it by showing implications of your idea. Use class discussion as a springboard, but do not hesitate to go more deeply into the analysis. You may have been hesitant to speak in class, but do not be hesitant to incorporate your own thoughts and ideas into the paper.
8. Don't confuse the author with the narrator of the story or the voice of the poem.
WRITING CONVENTIONS – or How to write correctly about literature:
Double space all work, unless otherwise directed. Use a 12 point, non-italic, common font such as Times New Roman, Garamond, Courier, or Comic Sans. Center your title. Follow MLA Guidelines for essay set-up.
Titles of most long works, books, plays, newspapers, and magazines are italicized or underlined. Titles of poems, short stories, songs, articles, and titles that are parts of longer works are put inside "quotation marks." (EXCEPTION: the title of your own work should be neither underlined nor quoted).
When you first refer to authors, use their full names; afterwards refer to them by last names.
Use present tense verbs when writing about literature and maintain verb consistency.
Avoid using 2nd person “you.” In academic essays write in the 3rd person unless the assignment calls for 1st person.
Incorporate quoted material into your writing in one of 3 ways: (1) Interweave it into your own words: Poe’s use of the words “dark, “ ”dreary,” and “weary” suggests a somber mood (lines 11-13). (2) Introduce it with a “tag phrase” and comma: As Creon says, “The ship of state is safe” (I.8). (3) Introduce it with an explanatory sentence and colon: At the beginning of the play, Creon is concerned that the country is unified: “The ship of state is safe” (I.8).
Document poems by line number; document plays by Act, Scene, and Line; document short stories by page number.
When the quotation is followed by the parenthetical documentation, place periods and commas after the parenthesis. If the quote contains a question mark or exclamation point, it remains before the quotation marks, but a period (or comma) is still placed after the parenthesis.
Sammy asks, “Who is that customer?” (36).
Granny Weatherall says, “Nonsense” (177).
When the quotation marks are not followed by the parenthesis, then commas and periods go before the quotation mark.
Use single quotation marks to quote a quotation within a quotation.
Use slashes ( / ) to indicate the end of a line of poetry when you run the lines together in your own writing: “My young brother’s house is filled / I go there to sing / We have not spoken of you/ but our songs are sad” (lines 13-16).
Papers should be free of grammatical, mechanical, and punctuation errors: avoid comma splices, fragments, fused sentences; make sure subject/verb and noun/pronoun agree in number; use correct spelling; follow conventions of punctuation and capitalization (especially apostrophes).
CONTENT
1. Always mention the title and author of the work(s) you are discussing early in your essay. Titles of books should be underlined or italicized; stories should be in quotation marks.
2. Mention characters' names whenever possible. Be specific about character identification; that is, when you first refer to a character, add a simple appositive phrase to identify him or her. It does not have to be long nor interrupt the “flow” of your writing. Example:
In Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried,” Kiowa, a soldier from Oklahoma, carries the New Testament and a hatchet, each representative of his mixed heritage.
3. Use illustrations, examples, and explanations to prove your assertions. Stick closely to the text of the work you are discussing. Read carefully and closely. Don't hesitate to quote briefly from the primary source for illustration -- a well-chosen quote can help to illustrate your point. However, be sure to use the quote as illustration -- not as the text of your essay.
4. Clearly state the central idea or thesis of your essay in the introduction. Be sure your essay has a thesis. Do NOT state your thesis by using writer-based phrases such as: The two poems I have chosen to write about are.... Rather, focus directly on your point: The snake is a potent symbol, often invoking fear, in Western mythology. Both Emily Dickinson and D. H. Lawrence invoke that fear in their poems, but with very different results.
5. Look up the definition of any word that you are not totally familiar with. Try to find the source of and understand any literary or historical allusion that the author uses.
6. Underline key passages, even key words, in the work you are studying, particularly those passages that have reference to your thesis. Be sure that any time you quote form an author's work, you quote exactly -- word for word and comma for comma.
7. In an essay about literature, it is most important to try to show your understanding of the work. Concentrate on writing a unified essay around a central thesis. Avoid going off on tangents. Stick to your main idea, develop it, prove it, deepen it by showing implications of your idea. Use class discussion as a springboard, but do not hesitate to go more deeply into the analysis. You may have been hesitant to speak in class, but do not be hesitant to incorporate your own thoughts and ideas into the paper.
8. Don't confuse the author with the narrator of the story or the voice of the poem.
WRITING CONVENTIONS – or How to write correctly about literature:
Double space all work, unless otherwise directed. Use a 12 point, non-italic, common font such as Times New Roman, Garamond, Courier, or Comic Sans. Center your title. Follow MLA Guidelines for essay set-up.
Titles of most long works, books, plays, newspapers, and magazines are italicized or underlined. Titles of poems, short stories, songs, articles, and titles that are parts of longer works are put inside "quotation marks." (EXCEPTION: the title of your own work should be neither underlined nor quoted).
When you first refer to authors, use their full names; afterwards refer to them by last names.
Use present tense verbs when writing about literature and maintain verb consistency.
Avoid using 2nd person “you.” In academic essays write in the 3rd person unless the assignment calls for 1st person.
Incorporate quoted material into your writing in one of 3 ways: (1) Interweave it into your own words: Poe’s use of the words “dark, “ ”dreary,” and “weary” suggests a somber mood (lines 11-13). (2) Introduce it with a “tag phrase” and comma: As Creon says, “The ship of state is safe” (I.8). (3) Introduce it with an explanatory sentence and colon: At the beginning of the play, Creon is concerned that the country is unified: “The ship of state is safe” (I.8).
Document poems by line number; document plays by Act, Scene, and Line; document short stories by page number.
When the quotation is followed by the parenthetical documentation, place periods and commas after the parenthesis. If the quote contains a question mark or exclamation point, it remains before the quotation marks, but a period (or comma) is still placed after the parenthesis.
Sammy asks, “Who is that customer?” (36).
Granny Weatherall says, “Nonsense” (177).
When the quotation marks are not followed by the parenthesis, then commas and periods go before the quotation mark.
Use single quotation marks to quote a quotation within a quotation.
Use slashes ( / ) to indicate the end of a line of poetry when you run the lines together in your own writing: “My young brother’s house is filled / I go there to sing / We have not spoken of you/ but our songs are sad” (lines 13-16).
Papers should be free of grammatical, mechanical, and punctuation errors: avoid comma splices, fragments, fused sentences; make sure subject/verb and noun/pronoun agree in number; use correct spelling; follow conventions of punctuation and capitalization (especially apostrophes).
Elements of Fiction
Plot
Customary outline:
introduction
rising action
climax
falling action
resolution/denouement
NOT ALL STORIES FOLLOW THE ABOVE ORDER--NOR ARE ALL NOVELS OR STORIES TOLD IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER Example: The Things They Carried
Conflict
5 most common:
Man vs. man - the simplest form of conflict; refer to the NFL, SEC or the like
Man vs. fate - one of the oldest conflict; consider the Iliad and the Oddessy
Man vs. nature/circumstance - Jack London's novels, stories or those in which the protagonist is set in a situation over which he has no control; example: "The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane
Man vs. society - sometimes coincides with man vs. man - as in Ibsen's Enemy of the People
Man vs. himself- Faulkner referred to it as "the heart in conflict with itself;" O'Brien called it "the heart under pressure"
Protagonist
Antagonist
Characterization:
Round Character
Flat Character
Stereotype
Static Character
Dynamic Character
DIRECT
INDIRECT – involves INFERENCE –based on author’s indirect information—what the character says, does, what is said about him AND your own knowledge and observation
Setting – time and place – the location
Irony
3 types:
Dramatic irony
Verbal irony
Irony of situation
Symbolism – a symbol is often an object, color, name, number or other device an author uses to suggest or represent MORE than it actually presents
Point of View
3rd person omniscient - the author/narrator (sometimes the same; sometimes NOT in THE THINGS THEY CARRIED) - is able to relate to the reader what the characters (specifically Jimmy Cross) is feeling and thinking
1st person - in the 2nd story, "Love," the narrator is part of the story and tells it from his perspective, using the personal pronoun "I"
PERSONA - a persona is a character the author creates and uses as a often his voice in the novel, but . . . he is NOT the author; Tim O'Brien, the author, creates the character of Tim O'Brien the soldier in Vietnam
CATHARSIS - a release of emotions on the part of characters OR the reader
THEME – is greater than the story itself – Theme reveals a truth about life—not just life in the story, but life in the real world, life in the present -- for instance . . . O'Brien uses war as a vehicle to say something about people in general. By placing his characters in the middle of a Vietnamese jungle, during the Vietnam conflict, he guarantees stress and pressure on each man; on one level, the novel deals with a group of innocent young men, facing daily conflict with the enemy (man vs. man), but on a deeper level, each man must deal with the pressure of war (or life) in his own way, successfully or unsuccessfully; it is a novel of initiation, but of more than that. It is a novel that questions what truth is, whether sacrifice for society is worth the sacrifice of self, and why storytelling is important.
Customary outline:
introduction
rising action
climax
falling action
resolution/denouement
NOT ALL STORIES FOLLOW THE ABOVE ORDER--NOR ARE ALL NOVELS OR STORIES TOLD IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER Example: The Things They Carried
Conflict
5 most common:
Man vs. man - the simplest form of conflict; refer to the NFL, SEC or the like
Man vs. fate - one of the oldest conflict; consider the Iliad and the Oddessy
Man vs. nature/circumstance - Jack London's novels, stories or those in which the protagonist is set in a situation over which he has no control; example: "The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane
Man vs. society - sometimes coincides with man vs. man - as in Ibsen's Enemy of the People
Man vs. himself- Faulkner referred to it as "the heart in conflict with itself;" O'Brien called it "the heart under pressure"
Protagonist
Antagonist
Characterization:
Round Character
Flat Character
Stereotype
Static Character
Dynamic Character
DIRECT
INDIRECT – involves INFERENCE –based on author’s indirect information—what the character says, does, what is said about him AND your own knowledge and observation
Setting – time and place – the location
Irony
3 types:
Dramatic irony
Verbal irony
Irony of situation
Symbolism – a symbol is often an object, color, name, number or other device an author uses to suggest or represent MORE than it actually presents
Point of View
3rd person omniscient - the author/narrator (sometimes the same; sometimes NOT in THE THINGS THEY CARRIED) - is able to relate to the reader what the characters (specifically Jimmy Cross) is feeling and thinking
1st person - in the 2nd story, "Love," the narrator is part of the story and tells it from his perspective, using the personal pronoun "I"
PERSONA - a persona is a character the author creates and uses as a often his voice in the novel, but . . . he is NOT the author; Tim O'Brien, the author, creates the character of Tim O'Brien the soldier in Vietnam
CATHARSIS - a release of emotions on the part of characters OR the reader
THEME – is greater than the story itself – Theme reveals a truth about life—not just life in the story, but life in the real world, life in the present -- for instance . . . O'Brien uses war as a vehicle to say something about people in general. By placing his characters in the middle of a Vietnamese jungle, during the Vietnam conflict, he guarantees stress and pressure on each man; on one level, the novel deals with a group of innocent young men, facing daily conflict with the enemy (man vs. man), but on a deeper level, each man must deal with the pressure of war (or life) in his own way, successfully or unsuccessfully; it is a novel of initiation, but of more than that. It is a novel that questions what truth is, whether sacrifice for society is worth the sacrifice of self, and why storytelling is important.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
1102 Syllabus & Policy Statement
Instructor: Mrs. Sharon Aiken, H/SS 248
Office phone: 478-471-2893
Office hours: M/W: 10 a.m.- noon and by appointment (I will be happy to work with you to arrange a convenient time for a conference. There are no office hours posted for T/Th because I will be at the WRC.)
Email: sharon.aiken@maconstate.edu
Best means of contact: email. I check and respond to my email regularly and expect you to do the same, as there may be class announcements. Please use your Macon State email when you contact me; otherwise, I may not open it. If you have not already established your email, and need assistance, please see the support personnel at the ARC (Academic Resource Center) in the library.
Required Texts and Materials:
A collegiate grammar text such as Lunsford, Andrea A. The St. Martin’s Handbook
O’Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried
Polonsky, Marc. The Poetry Reader’s Toolkit
Shanley, Patrick. Doubt
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible
Pocket folder, binder, or notebook of your choice to be submitted at the end of the semester with all drafts, revisions, quizzes, final drafts
Blue or black pens (NO hot pink, neon orange, lime green) for in-class writings; NO pencils
Class Description: This is a composition course that develops writing skills beyond the proficiency required by English 1101; English 1102 emphasizes interpretation and evaluation based on an introduction of fiction, drama, and poetry, and incorporates a variety of more advanced research methods. An oral communication component is also required.
Class Goals: By the end of the course, student s will:
Be able to research a work of literature using the Web and traditional library resources
Gain further experience using MLA citation methods
Be able to write a clear, in-class explication of a poem
Be able to write an effective analysis of a work of fiction and a work of drama
Gain further experience in using Web-based course assignments
Extend their communication skills to a brief oral presentation accompanied by technology
Increase their familiarity and use of the web as a tool for communication
Class Policies:
NOTE: You must have passed English 1101 with a “C” to be enrolled in this class.
1. You can miss two class days without penalty—unless an in-class essay has been assigned. Normally students fail the class after four absences. (If you have a medical condition and see that you will be missing a number of days, be prepared to present a doctor’s excuse. If a member of your immediate family has a health condition requiring your absence from class, remember: that is still an absence. English 1101 and 1102 have been known to cause sprains, eczema, pregnancy, dandruff, seizures, hospitalizations, broken bones, accidents, whooping cough, and even death. Students and their families are most susceptible one to two days before a paper deadline. Plan ahead and protect your loved ones.)
2. Please be on time. Again, if you drive a distance to get here, plan accordingly. There are times we are all tardy, but being in class, ready to work says a great deal about your serious attention to this class and does not go unnoticed.
3. Assignments are to be handed in on time, typed. There will be both in-class and out-of-class essays. Title all assignments and use MLA format, outlined in your handbook, on the Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab), and the class blog. Also follow the conventions of writing about literature, found on the class blog.
4. Do NOT hand in a late assignment. There has been a problem in the past with students who wanted to email me their papers. If you know you will be absent when a paper is due, email the paper to me BEFOREHAND; I will accept those, without penalty. If a hard copy of the paper is not handed in on time, in class, the date that it is due, you may email a copy of the paper, with penalties: a) you will automatically forfeit a letter grade off the paper; b) that essay may not be graded until the end of the semester, which is when I grade all late work.
5. I will NOT accept a research paper via email.
6. FYI: If you use Ms Works or other word processing program out of class, save your paper as an .rtf (Rich Text Format) file. Your paper cannot be opened, cannot be read, cannot be printed if it is saved as a Microsoft Works document.
7. If you miss a daily assignment, you may NOT make it up; if you miss a major assignment, your grade will result in a zero. You MUST complete all major assignments to pass the class.
8. I give letter grades for essays; if you have a questions about a grade, drop by my office or make an appointment to see me after class; if you wish to challenge a grade, do so in writing, no sooner than a day after getting your paper back, and no later than three class days after I return that assignment. 9. If you plagiarize an assignment, that grade will result in a zero. If you cheat on a test, you will get a zero. Plagiarism occurs when a writer uses the ideas, wording, organization, etc., of another writer without proper citation, whether intentional or unintentional. This includes having someone “help” you write the paper, buying the paper online, or lifting ideas, sentences, and/or paragraphs from another text. Keep an electronic copy of all assignments and be prepared to send it to me immediately if asked. Please go to the MSC Library site for further information on avoiding plagiarism. Students should know that failing this course is the common penalty for plagiarism.
Note:
A plagiarism prevention service is used in the evaluation of written work submitted for this course. As directed by the instructor, students are expected to submit their assignments, or have their assignments submitted, through the service in order to meet the requirements for this course. The papers may be retained by the service for the sole purpose of checking for plagiarized content in future student submissions.
10. POLICY ON ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT: “As a Macon State College student and as a student in this class, you are responsible for reading, understanding, and abiding by the MSC Student Code of Conduct. The Student Code of Conduct is included in the MSC Student Handbook and is available online at: http://www.maconstate.edu/studentlife/studenthandbook.pdf”
11. POLICY ON DISABILITY ACCOMODATIONS: “Students seeking academic accommodations for a special need must contact the MSC Counseling and Career Center (478-471-2714) located on the second floor of the Student Life Center on the Macon Campus.”
12. If you have a D average based on the major assignments, no participation or daily grade average can bring that average up to a C. (Division Policy)
13. In all class policies, I expect common sense and courtesy. Turn your phones on “manner mode” if you must keep them on. Do not text when I am teaching, when we are engaged in peer review or class discussion, or when students give a presentation. I have a fairly thick hide, and I don’t like to embarrass students, but sit in the back, with a cap pulled down over your face, laptop open, with little eye contact with me, or little engagement with the class, and you may be asked to summarize the day’s class. Ignore someone giving a presentation or “surf” on the web during a presentation and you will be asked to leave the class & receive a zero for that day’s work. Work on assignments for other classes elsewhere. With 168 hours in a week, this class asks only two and a half hours of your undivided attention.
14. Please do not distract others who are working or paying attention in this class. I respect your right to fail this class, but not your right to infringe upon others who may want to pass. No one needs to be distracted—I can usually provide enough distraction for everyone, including myself.
15. It is the policy of this department that I keep your initial drafts, revisions, and final drafts for at least one semester. Therefore, should you want these returned, please see me at the end of Spring Semester 2011.
16. The final exam in English will be a two-hour, in-class essay over Doubt.
Please refer to the hard copy of your syllabus for a list of graded assignments and important dates.
Tentative Schedule:
Week 1- 08/16: Syllabus reviewed; class blog available; elements of fiction
Week 2 – 08/23: First of two quizzes over The Things They Carried; students should have read: “On the Rainy River,” “The Things They Carried,” “Love,” “Spin,” “Enemies,” “Friends,” “How to Tell a True War Story,” and “The Dentist;” the first story to be discussed in class will be “On the Rainy River,” followed by the remainder of the stories, respectively.
Week 3 – 08/30: Second quiz over remainder of The Things They Carried; continued discussion over initial set of stories; beginning work on the Character Connection; in-class cooperative learning; Essay #1 in-class
Week 4 – 09/07: In-class, cooperative learning/discussion
Week 5 – 09/13: Revision of Essay #1 Due; in-class, cooperative learning/discussion
Week 6 – 09/20: Character Connection Due; in-class, cooperative learning/discussion
Week 7 – 09/27: In-class, cooperative learning/discussion; Complete Character Connections; Essay #3 – over entire novel – In-class
Week 8 – 10/04: Introduction of Poetry
Week 9 – 10/11: Student Presentations DUE
Week 10 – 10/18: Student Presentations DUE
Week 11 – 10/25: Essay #4: In-class explication of poem
Week 12 – 11/01: Quiz over The Crucible; in-class, cooperative learning/discussion
Week 13 – 11/08: In-class, cooperative learning/discussion
Week 14 – 11/15: Critical Research Essay over The Crucible DUE
Week 15 – 11/22: Begin study of Doubt
Week 16 – 11/29: Complete study of Doubt
Week 17 – 12/06: Week of FINAL EXAMS – refer to MSC schedule for date & time
Office phone: 478-471-2893
Office hours: M/W: 10 a.m.- noon and by appointment (I will be happy to work with you to arrange a convenient time for a conference. There are no office hours posted for T/Th because I will be at the WRC.)
Email: sharon.aiken@maconstate.edu
Best means of contact: email. I check and respond to my email regularly and expect you to do the same, as there may be class announcements. Please use your Macon State email when you contact me; otherwise, I may not open it. If you have not already established your email, and need assistance, please see the support personnel at the ARC (Academic Resource Center) in the library.
Required Texts and Materials:
A collegiate grammar text such as Lunsford, Andrea A. The St. Martin’s Handbook
O’Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried
Polonsky, Marc. The Poetry Reader’s Toolkit
Shanley, Patrick. Doubt
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible
Pocket folder, binder, or notebook of your choice to be submitted at the end of the semester with all drafts, revisions, quizzes, final drafts
Blue or black pens (NO hot pink, neon orange, lime green) for in-class writings; NO pencils
Class Description: This is a composition course that develops writing skills beyond the proficiency required by English 1101; English 1102 emphasizes interpretation and evaluation based on an introduction of fiction, drama, and poetry, and incorporates a variety of more advanced research methods. An oral communication component is also required.
Class Goals: By the end of the course, student s will:
Be able to research a work of literature using the Web and traditional library resources
Gain further experience using MLA citation methods
Be able to write a clear, in-class explication of a poem
Be able to write an effective analysis of a work of fiction and a work of drama
Gain further experience in using Web-based course assignments
Extend their communication skills to a brief oral presentation accompanied by technology
Increase their familiarity and use of the web as a tool for communication
Class Policies:
NOTE: You must have passed English 1101 with a “C” to be enrolled in this class.
1. You can miss two class days without penalty—unless an in-class essay has been assigned. Normally students fail the class after four absences. (If you have a medical condition and see that you will be missing a number of days, be prepared to present a doctor’s excuse. If a member of your immediate family has a health condition requiring your absence from class, remember: that is still an absence. English 1101 and 1102 have been known to cause sprains, eczema, pregnancy, dandruff, seizures, hospitalizations, broken bones, accidents, whooping cough, and even death. Students and their families are most susceptible one to two days before a paper deadline. Plan ahead and protect your loved ones.)
2. Please be on time. Again, if you drive a distance to get here, plan accordingly. There are times we are all tardy, but being in class, ready to work says a great deal about your serious attention to this class and does not go unnoticed.
3. Assignments are to be handed in on time, typed. There will be both in-class and out-of-class essays. Title all assignments and use MLA format, outlined in your handbook, on the Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab), and the class blog. Also follow the conventions of writing about literature, found on the class blog.
4. Do NOT hand in a late assignment. There has been a problem in the past with students who wanted to email me their papers. If you know you will be absent when a paper is due, email the paper to me BEFOREHAND; I will accept those, without penalty. If a hard copy of the paper is not handed in on time, in class, the date that it is due, you may email a copy of the paper, with penalties: a) you will automatically forfeit a letter grade off the paper; b) that essay may not be graded until the end of the semester, which is when I grade all late work.
5. I will NOT accept a research paper via email.
6. FYI: If you use Ms Works or other word processing program out of class, save your paper as an .rtf (Rich Text Format) file. Your paper cannot be opened, cannot be read, cannot be printed if it is saved as a Microsoft Works document.
7. If you miss a daily assignment, you may NOT make it up; if you miss a major assignment, your grade will result in a zero. You MUST complete all major assignments to pass the class.
8. I give letter grades for essays; if you have a questions about a grade, drop by my office or make an appointment to see me after class; if you wish to challenge a grade, do so in writing, no sooner than a day after getting your paper back, and no later than three class days after I return that assignment. 9. If you plagiarize an assignment, that grade will result in a zero. If you cheat on a test, you will get a zero. Plagiarism occurs when a writer uses the ideas, wording, organization, etc., of another writer without proper citation, whether intentional or unintentional. This includes having someone “help” you write the paper, buying the paper online, or lifting ideas, sentences, and/or paragraphs from another text. Keep an electronic copy of all assignments and be prepared to send it to me immediately if asked. Please go to the MSC Library site for further information on avoiding plagiarism. Students should know that failing this course is the common penalty for plagiarism.
Note:
A plagiarism prevention service is used in the evaluation of written work submitted for this course. As directed by the instructor, students are expected to submit their assignments, or have their assignments submitted, through the service in order to meet the requirements for this course. The papers may be retained by the service for the sole purpose of checking for plagiarized content in future student submissions.
10. POLICY ON ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT: “As a Macon State College student and as a student in this class, you are responsible for reading, understanding, and abiding by the MSC Student Code of Conduct. The Student Code of Conduct is included in the MSC Student Handbook and is available online at: http://www.maconstate.edu/studentlife/studenthandbook.pdf”
11. POLICY ON DISABILITY ACCOMODATIONS: “Students seeking academic accommodations for a special need must contact the MSC Counseling and Career Center (478-471-2714) located on the second floor of the Student Life Center on the Macon Campus.”
12. If you have a D average based on the major assignments, no participation or daily grade average can bring that average up to a C. (Division Policy)
13. In all class policies, I expect common sense and courtesy. Turn your phones on “manner mode” if you must keep them on. Do not text when I am teaching, when we are engaged in peer review or class discussion, or when students give a presentation. I have a fairly thick hide, and I don’t like to embarrass students, but sit in the back, with a cap pulled down over your face, laptop open, with little eye contact with me, or little engagement with the class, and you may be asked to summarize the day’s class. Ignore someone giving a presentation or “surf” on the web during a presentation and you will be asked to leave the class & receive a zero for that day’s work. Work on assignments for other classes elsewhere. With 168 hours in a week, this class asks only two and a half hours of your undivided attention.
14. Please do not distract others who are working or paying attention in this class. I respect your right to fail this class, but not your right to infringe upon others who may want to pass. No one needs to be distracted—I can usually provide enough distraction for everyone, including myself.
15. It is the policy of this department that I keep your initial drafts, revisions, and final drafts for at least one semester. Therefore, should you want these returned, please see me at the end of Spring Semester 2011.
16. The final exam in English will be a two-hour, in-class essay over Doubt.
Please refer to the hard copy of your syllabus for a list of graded assignments and important dates.
Tentative Schedule:
Week 1- 08/16: Syllabus reviewed; class blog available; elements of fiction
Week 2 – 08/23: First of two quizzes over The Things They Carried; students should have read: “On the Rainy River,” “The Things They Carried,” “Love,” “Spin,” “Enemies,” “Friends,” “How to Tell a True War Story,” and “The Dentist;” the first story to be discussed in class will be “On the Rainy River,” followed by the remainder of the stories, respectively.
Week 3 – 08/30: Second quiz over remainder of The Things They Carried; continued discussion over initial set of stories; beginning work on the Character Connection; in-class cooperative learning; Essay #1 in-class
Week 4 – 09/07: In-class, cooperative learning/discussion
Week 5 – 09/13: Revision of Essay #1 Due; in-class, cooperative learning/discussion
Week 6 – 09/20: Character Connection Due; in-class, cooperative learning/discussion
Week 7 – 09/27: In-class, cooperative learning/discussion; Complete Character Connections; Essay #3 – over entire novel – In-class
Week 8 – 10/04: Introduction of Poetry
Week 9 – 10/11: Student Presentations DUE
Week 10 – 10/18: Student Presentations DUE
Week 11 – 10/25: Essay #4: In-class explication of poem
Week 12 – 11/01: Quiz over The Crucible; in-class, cooperative learning/discussion
Week 13 – 11/08: In-class, cooperative learning/discussion
Week 14 – 11/15: Critical Research Essay over The Crucible DUE
Week 15 – 11/22: Begin study of Doubt
Week 16 – 11/29: Complete study of Doubt
Week 17 – 12/06: Week of FINAL EXAMS – refer to MSC schedule for date & time
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