English 206 Syllabus

English 206: Applied Literary Criticism
3 credits
Winter 2003--#62575--Independent Study

Instructor:
Nancy Knowles
Office: Loso 146--(541) 962-3795
E-mail: nknowles@eou.edu
Course home page: http://www2.eou.edu/~nknowles/winter2003/engl206w03.html
Office hours: TR 12-12:50, W 10-10:50, and by appointment

Catalog Description: Study of selected critical approaches to literature, with emphasis on writing critiques of literary works.

Prerequisite: WR 121 or 131, and any 100-level English course.

Learning Outcomes (Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to...):

Understand literary theory as occurring in all literary interpretation
Identify, explain, and apply theoretical concepts orally and in writing

Means of Assessment:

Participation in meetings and e-mail discussions (10%). Extra credit will be awarded for documented Learning Center tutorial sessions.
Two short analyses of the use of theory in published criticism (20%)
Two long analyses applying theory in the analysis of literature (50%)
Final examination demonstrating the ability to identify, explain, and apply theoretical concepts (20%)

All grades assume a "C" represents satisfactory work.

A 92-100, A- 90-91, B+ 88-89, B 82-87, B- 80-81, C+ 78-79, C 72-77, C- 70-71, D+ 68-69, D 62-67, D- 60-61, F 59 and below

Required Texts:

Lentricchia, Frank and Thomas McLaughlin, eds. Critical Terms for Literary Study. 2nd ed. U of Chicago P, 1995.
Morrison, Toni. Paradise. New York: Knopf, 1998.
Printed versions of other readings available on reserve or online
Style manual including MLA format or access to online MLA materials at: http://webster.commnet.edu/mla/index.shtml

Rules and Guidelines:

According to the EOU Catalog, "Minimum elements of appropriate classroom decorum include: punctuality, courtesy, civility, purposefulness, and integrity." Hate speech is prohibited. Students who cannot behave appropriately will be asked to leave the classroom. Repeated infractions may result in disciplinary action.

All written assignments must be double-spaced and submitted in a word-processed format using a 12-point font and 1" margins. Because errors in formal writing influence readers' opinions of you as a writer, make sure to check grammar and spelling before printing a final copy. Final drafts of long assignments must be accompanied by earlier notes, outlines, and drafts demonstrating substantial revision, copies of all cited secondary materials, and a works cited page.

All students are responsible for adhering to EOU's Academic Honesty Code. Violations of this code will result in a grade of zero for the assignment and may result in failing the course, suspension, or expulsion from EOU:

Collaboration is allowed only with express instructor permission.
Plagiarism, representing someone else's ideas or words as your own, is unacceptable. Use MLA citation format to cite all ideas or words belonging to others that you include in your own writing. Such citations may include ideas that occur in class discussion, as well as primary and secondary sources. Your work should significantly exceed the quantity of citations and build new ideas upon them. Contact me immediately with questions about plagiarism and/or MLA citation format.
No work from another course may be used for credit in this one without prior permission from both instructors.

Keep copies of all work until you receive official notice of your course grade.

If you have personal concerns about any aspect of this course, please contact me immediately. The sooner I know what is going on with you, the sooner I can begin to help.

Schedule:

Date	Discussion	Assignments Due
Week 1	Course introduction Introduction to literary theory Discuss Paradise	Paradise "Ruby," "Mavis," and "Grace" sections due

Week 2	Representation: what is artistic representation? Interpretation: what do we do when we read a text? Discuss Paradise	In Lentricchia "Representation" In Lentricchia "Interpretation" Paradise "Seneca," "Divine," and "Patricia" sections due

Week 3	Discuss Paradise Writing: how does art ("text") represent ideas? Structure: why is the structure of a text important to interpretation? Narrative: what are the effects of narrative structure?	In Lentricchia "Writing" In Lentricchia "Structure" In Lentricchia "Narrative"

Week 4	Figurative Language: what are the effects of figurative language? Author: should knowledge about the author influence interpretation?	In Lentricchia "Figurative Language" Read Paradise criticism #1 Submit short analysis #1 In Lentricchia "Author"

Week 5	Intention: should the author's intention affect interpretation? Unconscious: can meaning be unconscious (not intended)? Influence: how do authors deal with the influence of previous authors?	In Lentricchia "Intention" Submit draft of long analysis #1 In Lentricchia "Unconscious" In Lentricchia "Influence"

Week 6	Performance: how is interpretation like performance? Value/Evaluation: how should readers value literature? Canon: what are the values/problems with the canon?	Submit revised long analysis #1 In Lentricchia "Performance" In Lentricchia "Value/Evaluation" In Lentricchia "Canon"

Week 7	Popular Culture: how does popular culture resist the canon? Ethics: should ethics influence interpretation and/or evaluation? Determinacy/Indeterminacy: how do we deal with indeterminacy in interpretation?	In Lentricchia "Popular Culture" In Lentricchia "Ethics" In Lentricchia "Determinancy/Indeterminacy"

Week 8	Rhetoric: how is art rhetorical? Culture: how does culture relate to art?	In Lentricchia "Rhetoric" Read Paradise criticism #2 Write short analysis #2 In Lentricchia "Culture"

Week 9	How do gender, race, and ethnicity affect interpretation?	Submit draft of long analysis #2 In Lentricchia "Gender" In Lentricchia "Race" In Lentricchia "Ethnicity"

Week 10	How do class, ideology, imperialism, and nationalism affect interpretation?	Submit revised long analysis #2 In Lentricchia "Class" In Lentricchia "Ideology" In Lentricchia "Imperialism/Nationalism"

TBA	Final Examination

Last update 1/6/03.