Goals: If you finish EN235, you ought to be able better to converse and write about written art, in particular art written in or near America between 1492 and 1865. Course readings should bring to light the character of art itself and written art’s place in the larger historical moment. Given the position of this course within a liberal arts curriculum, students finishing EN235 should, by the end, exhibit to a greater extent those characteristics and habits of mind fitting a free person. Because of Emmanuel’s dedication to writing across the curriculum, your written work should demonstrate an adherence to the conventions of standard written English and to the documentation standards of the MLA.
Expectations: This should go without saying, but I do expect you to attend all class sessions. Moreover, you should read carefully all of the texts assigned for each class period and have on hand the texts discussed.
Your grade will be based on a 100-point scale, and these items will be your chances to earn this many points:
Class Participation 15
Short Paper 10
Presentation 15
Close Reading Paper 20
Final Paper 20
Final Exam 20
Short papers will be 500-750-word treatments of literary pieces not covered in class, chosen with the instructor’s approval. If a student writes more than one short paper, the instructor will count the higher grade and add half a point to the grade for each additional paper.
The presentation and the two longer papers will come to light as assignment sheets come out. The final will be explained in good time. |
Absences: As per Emmanuel College’s official attendance policy, a student missing one quarter of the semester’s classes will not receive credit for the class.
Honor Code: Students are expected to meet rigid academic standards for ethical conduct related to all work done for credit and grading. The following statement must appear in writing along with a student’s signature on all exams: “Upon my honor, I have neither given nor received any unacknowledged aid on this test.” (signature)
Paper Assignments
For each written or presented assignment, I will distribute an assignment sheet at minimum one week before its due date.
Text:
The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 6th ed. Volumes A and B. Baym, et al, eds. (A and B)
Other photocopies and materials to be distributed by instructor
Web readings as assigned by instructor
Contact Information
I will conduct all official out-of-class communications on Emmanuel College’s email system. If you need to see me outside of class or immediately after class, do not hesitate to talk to me or email me and set up an appointment. I do not have an office on campus, but I am willing to work with you.
My official Emmanuel email address is
ngilmour@emmanuelcollege.edu. |
DAILY SYLLABUS
Jan. 4 (T)
What is Literary Art?
What are the Liberal Arts?
Introduction to the Class
Questionnaires
Distribute and begin work on group presentations
Jan. 6 (R)
Read: “Iroquois Creation Story” (A 21)
“A Brief and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia” (A 81)
“Contemplations” (A 253)
Class: Discussion: Native Americans?
Readings of short Bradstreet poems and discussion of Bradstreet
Group time
Jan. 11 (T)
Read: “A Divine and Supernatural Light”
(A 477)
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (A 498)
Class: Discuss Jonathan Edwards
Group Time
Distribute Close Reading Paper Assignments
Jan. 13 (R)
Read: “The Way to Wealth” (A 523)
“Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America” (A 534)
“The Declaration of Independence” (A 726)
“The Federalist No. 1” (A 739)
Class: Discussion: Founding Fathers
Group Time
Jan. 18 (T)
Read: “Rip Van Winkle” (B 980)
Class: Group Presentations
Discussion of Irving
Distribute Tendency Paper Assignments
Workshop time for Close Reading paper
Jan. 20 (R)
Read: “The American Scholar” (B 1135)
“The Divinity School Address”
(B 1148)
Class: Discuss Emerson
Workshop time for Close Reading
and Tendency Papers
Jan. 25 (T)
Read: “Self-Reliance” (B 1160)
“Resistance to Civil Government”
(B 1792)
Class: Discuss Transcendentalism
Workshop on Close Reading Papers
Distribute Final Paper Assignment |
Jan. 27 (R)
Read: “The Birth-Mark” (B 1289)
“The Minister’s Black Veil”
(B 1280)
Class: Close Reading Paper Due
Discuss Hawthorne
Workshop time for Final Papers
Feb. 1 (T)
Read: “The Purloined Letter” (B 1575)
“Ligeia” (B 1525)
“Annabel Lee” (B 1524)
“The Philosophy of Composition” (B 1597—skim)
Class: Discuss Poe
Workshop on Final Paper
Feb. 3 (R)
Read: “Preface to Leaves of Grass”
(B 2131—skim)
“When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” (B 2219)
“Beat! Beat! Drums” (B 2219)
Whitman Poems on the Web
(from handout)
Class: Discuss Whitman
Workshop on final papers
Feb. 8 (T)
Read: “Bartleby the Scrivener” (B 2330)
“185” (B 2505)
“449” (B 2516)
“465” (B 2517)
“1129” (B 2532)
Class: Discuss Melville
Discuss Dickinson
Workshop on tendency Paper
Feb. 10 (R)
Read: “Address Delivered at the Dedication of the Cemetery at Gettysburg”
(B 1616)
“Second Inaugural Address”
(B 1616)
Uncle Tom’s Cabin Chapter 7
(B 1676)
“Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” Chapter 1 (B 2097)
Class: Discuss the Civil War
Workshop on tendency papers
Feb. 15 (T)
Read: Begin studying for final exam
Class: Capstone Discussion
Course Evaluations
Workshop on tendency papers
Feb. 17 (R)
FINAL EXAM: Bring a writing utensil, your notes, your Norton Anthology, some loose leaf paper, and a brain full of good material
Tendency Papers Due |