ENG 230: INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE - IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

A reading and writing course that introduces students to the art of close reading and analytical writing about literature.  Through a series of writings, discussions, and creative projects students investigate how writers use literature and literary forms to express important ideas about the human experience.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Love, sex, freedom, money, travel, justice, mercy. This course is a journey into what writers and thinkers consider essential to pursuing and finding happiness.  This class explores a wide variety of writings, from plays to short stories, graphic novels to film. What does it mean to be happy?  How can you pursue happiness during times of war? Under slavery? In the face of injustice or loss?  What is the relationship between happiness and freedom?  Happiness and love?  Happiness and wealth or property?  Come join us as we read and write together in the hunt to find happiness.

This course is writing intensive, which means that students will write a lot of informal assignments in addition to formal essays. Therefore, a significant portion of class time will be devoted to the writing process, critical reading, developing arguments, structuring literary analysis, and incorporating evidence.

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REQUIRED TEXTS

Books

Aristophanes, Lysistrata (Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2003)

Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis (Pantheon, 2007)

Northrup, Solomon, Twelve Years a Slave (Norton Critical Edition, 2016) [this edition is required]

Coates, Ta-Nehisi, Between the World and Me (Random House, 2015)

Larson, Nella, The Complete Fiction of Nella Larsen: Passing, Quicksand, and The Stories (Anchor, 2001)

Austen, Jane, The Annotated Persuasion (Anchor, 2010) [this edition is not required but is highly recommended if you have never read Jane Austen’s work before]

The Broadview Pocket Glossary of Literary Terms (Broadview Press, 2013)

Films

(You will watch 2 of these over the course of the semester and will be responsible for renting them via Amazon Prime, iMovie, streaming via Netflix, or getting the DVD through the library.  Viewing in groups or with a friend is highly recommended.)

The Complete Persepolis (animated, 2007)

Chi-raq (directed by Spike Lee, 2015)

12 Years a Slave (directed by Steve McQueen, 2013)

13th (directed by Ava Duverney, 2016)

I am Not Your Negro (directed by Samuel L Jackson, 2016)

COURSE GOALS

As an introduction to literary studies, ENG 230 as three primary goals:

1. To acquaint students with a range of literary genres from different cultures and historical periods.

2. To hone essay-writing, general composition, critical inquiry skills.

3. To introduce students to the discipline of literary studies, including its vocabulary, critical reading strategies, and introductory literary theory.

MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS

Microtheme 1: 15% - Close Reading
Microtheme 2: 20% - Context
Microtheme 3: 25% - Compare and Contrast
Digital Project: 20%
Discussion/Quizzes/Canvas work: 20%

SELECTED ASSIGNMENTS

This is a sample of assignments from this course.

MICROTHEME 1-3

Microthemes are short, condensed essays with a clear thesis, supporting evidence, and a well-articulated argument.  A microtheme will not exceed 500 words and is written in response to an open-ended question about the text(s) under consideration in the class.  The goal of this assignment is for students to fully engage in the writing process by generating ideas and quality content which they edit down into a clear, precise argument.  Please note: while these essays will be roughly 2 pages double-spaced, writing with clarity and concision is difficult and requires significant work in advance of the final draft of the essay.  This assignment will be preceded by multiple in-class writings and activities to prepare the student to make a skilled argument about literature.  While class work will prepare the student for the core skills need to write these assignments they should be prepared to do additional brainstorming, writing, and revision outside of class.  Additionally, a significant percentage (15-30%) of each paper grade will be allocated to showing engagement with the writing process.  This may include such things as showing proof of prewriting, revision from feedback, or editing for clarity.

FINAL DIGITAL PROJECT- TIMELINE

A digital timeline made using the online web app Tiki-Toki:  This project is the final research project and will be done in lieu of a formal written paper.  There are two options for the final timeline but both must include all the required markers of a formal research project, including appropriate diction, logical and thoughtful analysis, correctly formatted quotes and citations, and must be free from any typos and other signs of carelessness and lack of revision and editing.  For this project students can choose to a) create a timeline of a specific text (poem, essay, play, novel, etc) that puts it in historical context or b) create a timeline for a character in a novel or play highlighting scenes and events in the text that contribute to the development of the character over time.