LI 256 Variety of Literature                   Satisfies University Studies Literary Expression requirement

Dr. Harvey Hecht                 Grauel 314                  Office Phone:  2500            E-mail:  hhecht@semo.edu              

Office Hours:  M, W, F:  9:00-10:30; T & Th, 11:00-11:30 and 2:00-3:00; and by appointment

     In this class you will be expected to learn and/or improve your understanding of:
(A.)  The major  techniques of poetry, short fiction, and drama and to recognize those techniques in your reading;

(B.)  How those techniques are used to convey meanings and ideas (themes);

(C.)  How to analyze, discuss and write critically about the literature. 

A major goal will be to recognize that the ideas or themes of art (in this case, literature) are relevant and applicable today even if the sex, race, time and setting of the author or the work is totally different from yours.   It is hoped, of course, that you will develop and/or increase your appreciation of these literary forms.       

Grade Components  

A. Class Participation          50 pts                                     E.  Pop Tests**                    10 each*
B.  First Paper*                     50                                            F.  Journals***                     50
C.  Second Paper*              100                                            G. 3 Hour Exams                  100 each

D.  Third Paper*                  100 

Grading Scale on all assignments:  A—100-90%; B—90-80%; C—80-70%; D—70-60%, 

*You will be given guidelines for each paper.

**Pop tests are not made up; if you have a legitimate absence, a missed test will be x-ed (not count against you).  At the end of the semester the low pop test will be dropped.

***The journals will be submitted via the Drop Box option accessible from the link on the course web page.  One "page" (a “full screen,” single spaced), a week, starting the second week of classes. Entries will discuss and/or react to any reading or discussion from the class. The submissions for a given week must be filed by midnight Saturday evening to count for that week.  

REMEMBER--Any part of this or the reading assignments on the reverse may change at any time.  Any changes will be announced in class, of course; but it is your responsibility to keep up with any changes.  Questions???   ASK!!!

I will occasionally send messages to the class; those messages will be sent to your SEMO e-mail address and it will be your responsibility to keep up with those messages.

UNIVERSITY, DEPARTMENT, AND CLASS P0LICIES AND DEADLINES

ACADEMIC HONESTY:    The official statement about academic honesty, including plagiarism, may be accessed at: http://www.semo.edu/bulletin/pdf/2006Bulletin.pdf.  Understand that violation of these regulations may range from a zero grade for the assignment to a failing grade for the course.

ATTENDANCE:    University policy states, “Students are expected to attend all classes and to complete all assignments. If an absence is associated with a university-sanctioned activity, the instructor will provide an opportunity for assignment make-up. However, it is the instructor’s decision to provide, or not to provide, make-up work related to absences for any other reason.” (The statement is derived from the Undergraduate Bulletin and may be accessed at: http://www.semo.edu/bulletin/pdf/2006Bulletin.pdf).  Pop tests will not be made up; if you have a valid absence, the test will be x-ed (not count in your average).  Your low pop test score will be dropped.

CELL PHONES ETC:  Students will turn off all cell phones and any other communication devices that would interrupt the class and keep distracting devices such as iPods, Palm Pilots, Blackberries and the like stored out of sight.

CIVILITY:  Students will adhere to University Policy on civility (See University Bulletin & Student Code of Conduct), will respect other class members & not intrude upon their right to an atmosphere conducive to learning.

Disabilities:   If you are physically or learning disabled or challenged, please let me know of your special needs. All those requiring special accommodations should obtain official information about disabilities from Learning Assistance and Disability Support Services, located at: http://www.semo.edu/cs/services/lec.htm

IMPORTANT DATES:  March 7-16:  Midterm grades will be available; April 8--last day to drop a full semester class; April 23--last day to withdraw form the University without failing grades.

The Professor reserves the option to dismiss students from class for behavior that interferes with the students’ or the professor’s work in class.

LI 256-05              Variety of Literature

January  20—Introduction, Elements of Fiction.

22—Pp. 3-10; Bambara, “The Lesson,” p.  136; Hawthorne, “Young Goodman Brown,” p. 82

27—Joyce, “Araby,” p. 102

                29—Hemingway, “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,” p. 107

February  3—O’Connor, “Good Country People,” p. 120

  5—Pp. 11-19; Dickinson, p. 1387; Owen, p. 1394

                 10—Hardy, p. 158; Hopkins, p. 159; Housman, p. 161; Graves, p. 166; Cullen, p. 169

                 12—First PaperFerlinghetti, p. 172; Meineke, p. 174; Jordan, p. 177; Catacalos, p. 179; McAlpine, p. 185; Gioia, p. 186

                 17—Pp. 19-27; Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun, p. 815

                 19—A Raisin....

                 24—First Examination 

 26—Culture and Identity:   Faulkner, “A Rose for Emily,” p. 696; Achebe, “Marriage is a Private Affair,”

         p. 1277

March       3— Erdrich, “The Red Convertible,” (Download here)      

                   5—Walker, “Everyday Use,” p. 742; Dunbar, p. 787; Lowell, p. 789;   

                  10—Reed, p. 798; Holman, p. 799; Sexton, p. 800; Knight, p. 803; Cofer, p. 810; Dove, 811

                  12—Second Paper--Conformity and Rebellion:  Wordsworth, p. 474; Dickinson, p. 477; Hughes, p. 489;

Sorrels, p. 490; Wilbur, p. 493

 
 24—Piercy, pp. 499-500; McPherson, “A Loaf of Bread,” p. 439

 26—LeGuinn, “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” p. 423; Ellison, “’Repent, Harlequin…,’” p. 429

 31—Sophocles, Antigone, p. 514|

April          2--Antigone

 

                   7—Second Examination

   9—Love and Hate:  Chopin, “The Storm,” p. 992; Munro, “How I Met My Husband,” p. 1023

14—Carver, “What We Talk About....,” p. 1037; Cummings, p. 1111         

                16—Third Paper; Shakespeare, “Sonnet 18,” p. 1095; Burns, p. 1105; Millay, p. 1110;; Roethke, p. 1113-14;
                        Hayden, p. 1115

                21--Szymborska, p. 1117; Kizer, p. 1119; Rich, p.    ; Lorde, p.    ;  Clifton, p. 1127

                23—Pope, p. 1130; Musgrave, p. 1137; Soto, p. 1138; Karr, p. 1142; The Presence of

                         Death-- Silko, “The Man to Send Rain Clouds,” p. 1372                     

                28—Porter, “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,” p. 1346; Donne, p. 1382; Shelley, p. 1382

30—Malamud, “Idiots First” (Download here); Robinson, p. 1390; Frost, “Nothing Gold,” p. 1392 & “Design,” p. 1394

May          5—Cummings, “Nobody Loses...,” p. 1395; Sexton, p. 1403; Kumin, p. 1411; Oliver, p. 1414; Cruz, p. 1419

                  7—Allen, Death Knocks, p. 1430; Barthleme, “The School” (Download here)