Spring 2007
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:35-11:50, Bryan 406
Dr. Donna Campbell
Avery 357; 335-4831; campbelld@wsu.edu
Office Hours: T Th 12-1:30
and by appointment
Virtual Office Hours: Send an
instant message at any time to drcampbell6676@hotmail.com,
drcampbell6676@aol.com, or drcampbell6676@yahoo.com.
Course materials available at http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/engl481/index.html
Required Texts
Baym, Nina, et al. Norton Anthology of American
Literature. 6th ed. Vol. C. W. W. Norton, 2003. ISBN 0-393-97899-0.
Chesnutt, Charles W. Tales of Conjure and the
Color Line. Dover, 1998. ISBN 0-486-40426-9
Clemens, Samuel L. (Mark Twain). The Complete Short Stories of Mark Twain. Bantam,
1981. ISBN 0-553-21514-4
Jewett, Sarah Orne. Country of the Pointed Firs. Dover
Publications, 1994. ISBN 0486281965
Johnson, James Weldon. The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man. Dover Publications, 1995. ISBN 048628512X
Frederic, Harold. The Damnation of Theron Ware. Modern Library, 2002. ISBN 0375760350
Recommended Text
Harmon and Holman, A Handbook to Literature (Prentice Hall, 9th ed.) (ISBN 0-13-012731-0)
Course Description
This course explores the implications of gender, race, and genre in a variety of literary texts published from 1855 to the beginning of World War I, with a particular focus on three key literary movements of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century America: realism, regionalism or local color fiction, and naturalism. In addition to questions of literary quality and canon formation, we will consider the ways in which these works addressed the cultural conflicts of their time: the rise in monopoly capitalism, industrialism, technological advances, and consumer culture; westward expansion and the appropriation of land belonging to native peoples; racism and violence directed against African Americans in the wake of Reconstruction; xenophobic reactions to increasing immigration and ethnic diversity; and changing gender roles. One response to what many saw as the threat of social change implied by such conflicts was to appropriate the ways of knowing what was "true"—and in literature, realism defined itself as a means of knowing and expressing "truth." We will investigate the ways in which such terms as "truth" and "American," both linked to realism, became redefined in an exclusionary manner as well as the ways in which literature from underrepresented populations resisted such definitions. In the process, we will discuss the processes through which certain authors, such as Henry James and Mark Twain, have been included in the canon while others have until recently been excluded, an examination that will also consider the privileging of certain genres (such as the novel) over those of the sketch and the short story cycle.
Schedule of Assignments
This schedule should be regarded as a tentative guide to the assignments; it may well be changed as the semester progresses. Because good, in-depth class discussion is more important than keeping up with the schedule, you should not be disturbed if some selections are omitted or if we appear to fall behind.
You should read each day's assignment carefully, including any headnotes or background material, and come to class prepared to discuss the reading. Most readings are in the Norton Anthology of American Literature, volume C (NAAL)'; if no volume is listed, you can assume that the reading is in there.
| Reading Assignments |
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| 1 |
1/9 |
Introduction |
|
| 1/11 |
The American Artist |
Sign up for weblog, report, or both | |
| 2 |
1/16 |
The Civil War |
|
| 1/18 |
Alcott, "The Brothers" |
Weblog post #1 | |
| 3 |
1/23 |
Western Writers and the East |
|
| 1/25 |
Harte, "The Outcasts of Poker Flat"
427-435 |
Weblog post #2 | |
| 4 |
1/30 |
American Artists and American Innocents |
Reports Proposal for Paper 1 |
| 2/1 |
James, "Daisy Miller" 468-506 |
Weblog post #3 | |
|
|
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| 5 |
2/6 |
Realism Howells, "Editha" (online .pdf file); excerpts from Howells's writings on realism (online) |
|
| 2/8 |
Twain, "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offences" NAAL, 412-420 |
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| 6 |
2/13 |
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| 2/15 |
Twain, "The Diary of Adam and Eve," CSSMT 273-295 |
Paper 1 due | |
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| 7 |
2/20 |
Trip to the MASC (depending on availability) |
|
| 2/22 |
Claiming a Place: Contesting Properties and Regions |
Weblog post #5 | |
|
|
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| 8 | 2/27 | Race and Region |
Reports |
| 3/1 | Chopin, "At the 'Cadian Ball" and "The Storm" 629-633 |
||
| 9 |
3/6 |
The "Foreigner" and the Community |
|
| 3/8 |
Jewett, The Country of the Pointed Firs XI-XXII |
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| 3/9 | Last day to use a regular withdrawal to withdraw from | a course | |
| 10 | 3/13-16 | Spring Break | |
| 11 |
3/20 |
Charles Chesnutt |
|
| 3/22 |
Chesnutt, "The Sheriff's Children" TCCL 32-46 |
Weblog post #7 | |
| 12 |
3/27 |
Naturalism |
Reports |
| 3/29 |
Crane, "The Blue Hotel" 927-947 Crane, "The Open Boat" |
Weblog post #8 |
|
| |
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| 13 |
4/3 |
Nineteenth-Century "Truths" |
Precis assignment due |
| 4/5 |
The Damnation of Theron Ware, Parts III & IV |
Weblog post #9 | |
| 14 |
4/10 |
Native American Autobiography |
Reports |
| 4/12 |
Zitkala-Sa, "Impressions," "School Days," and "Indian Teacher" 1006-1035 |
Weblog post #10 | |
| 15 | 4/17 |
Draft workshop for Paper 2 |
Bring draft of Paper 2 |
| 4/19 |
Johnson, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man |
Paper
2 due |
|
|
|
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| 16 |
4/24 |
Discussion |
|
| 4/26 |
No Class |
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| 17 | 5/2 | Final Exam Wednesday, May 2, from 10:10-12:10 | |
Attendance and Class Participation. Attendance is expected, as is class participation; both are essential parts of the course. You have four free absences (unexcused); a fifth absence means that you may fail the course, as will an excessive number of excused absences.
You should come to class prepared to discuss each day's reading, and your well-informed, enthusiastic participation will help everyone to discuss the material effectively.
Statement on Disabilities. I am committed to providing assistance to help you be successful in this course. Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. Please visit the Disability Resource Center (DRC) during the first two weeks of every semester to seek information or to qualify for accommodations. All accommodations MUST be approved through the DRC (Admin Annex Bldg, Rooms 205). Call 509 335 3417 to make an appointment with a disability counselor. www.drc.wsu.edu.
Papers
Formal Papers. Students in this class will write two formal papers, a short (5-7 pages) analytical interpretation of fiction or poetry, and a longer analytical paper (10-12 pages) that will require some research.. A list of paper topics will be handed out well before the papers are due.
Format. Papers must be neatly typed and carefully proofread. Citations should follow MLA style as outlined in the MLA Handbook, Bedford Handbook, or other such guides.
Electronic Version. You will need to turn in a computer-readable version (as a Word or .rtf attachment) of your paper by e-mailing it to me in addition to, or instead of, turning in a paper version. Your paper will not be graded and you will not receive any credit for the paper until I receive the electronic version.
Late Papers and Extensions. Late papers are penalized at the rate of one letter grade (10 points) per class day late; a paper that would have received a "B" on Monday will receive a "C" if handed in on Wednesday.
If no paper is turned in within 4 class days (due date plus three more days), no credit will be given and a 0 will be averaged in as 15% (Paper 1) or 25% (Paper 2) of your course grade..
You have one 48-hour extension in this class. This extension means that your paper will be due on the next class day, which could be more than 48 hours if the next class day is a Monday, without penalty.You must request the extension ahead of time, and you should save it for a true emergency, since no other extensions will be granted for illness, funerals, weddings, or any other reason.
Plagiarism Policy. Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of someone else's words or ideas. This definition includes not only deliberately handing in someone else's work as your own but failing to cite your sources, including Web pages and Internet sources. Penalties for plagiarism range from an F on the paper or the course to suspension from the university.
For a first offense, any paper plagiarized in whole or in part will receive an "F" (0 points), and the incident must be reported to the WSU Office of Student Conduct. You will NOT be allowed to rewrite the plagiarized paper for a better grade.
WSU Statement on Academic Integrity. As an institution of higher education, Washington State University is committed to principles of truth and academic honesty. All members of the University community share the responsibility for maintaining and supporting these principles. When a student enrolls in Washington State University, the student assumes an obligation to pursue academic endeavors in a manner consistent with the standards of academic integrity adopted by the University. To maintain the academic integrity of the community, the University cannot tolerate acts of academic dishonesty including any forms of cheating, plagiarism, or fabrication.
Exams
The midterm and final exams in this course will consist of objective (multiple choice, short answer, matching) and identification questions and an essay. Exams cannot be made up without a doctor's note. If you want to complete a weblog AND a report, you have the option not to take the final exam. The midterm is not optional.
Other Work
Quizzes. Frequent, unannounced quizzes over the reading will be given in this class. They cannot be made up, but the lowest quiz grade will be dropped. Quizzes are usually given in the first 10 minutes of class; if you come in late and the quiz is in progress, you will not be able to take the quiz.
In-class writing and short assignments. Short, typed responses to the reading may be assigned from time to time, as will short pieces of in-class writing. One of the out-of-class assignments will be to write a precis of a journal article and critique it.
Reports and Weblogs
Students in this class will either present a brief oral report to the class or keep an online journal (weblog) of their reading this semester. Both options will should involve about the same amount of work, but with the weblog option, you'll be spreading the work out over the entire semester. Those who choose both to present a report and to keep a weblog will not have to take the final exam.
- You'll sign up for a report or a weblog in class. See the Reports and Weblogs pages for more details.
- To make the schedule updatable and available to all, it will be posted at the link above with your names on it. Weblogs will also be linked from our main page, which will contain the names of class webloggers. Because the point of the weblog is to share your thoughts with others in the class, our main class site will contain a link with your name as part of the requirement.
- If you have any privacy concerns (under FERPA) about having people know that you are in this class or do not want your name posted anywhere on our class site, you should choose the Reports option instead; you'l also need to write to me (on paper) requesting that your name be omitted from the Reports page.
Grade Distribution. Note: Because of FERPA and privacy issues, no grades will be discussed or transmitted by e-mail or instant messaging. You can check all of your grades (except the grade for class participation) in WebCT.
| Exams (15 percent each) | 30 percent |
| Paper 1 | 15 percent |
| Paper 2 | 25 percent |
| Report or Weblog | 15 percent |
| Quizzes, class participation, group presentations, short writings (including precis), and in-class writings | 15 percent |