If you would like (for some inane or perhaps insane reason), here is the course syllabus for your reading pleasure. Of course, I reserve the right to amend it, so please treat this as a guideline.

Hereafter you will find a reasonably detailed synopsis of the respective classes we will enjoy this term.

Thus, with no further ado, here are the three units with their total of 15 sessions.

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I refer here to the necessary background concepts that will underpin your understanding of the ensuing discussions. In a book such material is often called front matter, and we shall do the same. Our first two classes will deal with such front matter.

Session #1 (Tuesday, October 6) — Introduction; Definitions and Literary Devices 

As often happens on the first day of class, we'll be speaking in somewhat general terms about our course and some of the topics therein.

Should you not quite remember a particular literary device, here is an excellent webpage on literary devices.

In this course we will encounter a fair amount of homework, which will be assigned as shown here on our class webpage. The basic format is that the homework shown here is for the following week.

Homework:

Session #2 (October 13) — Genres; Literary Criticism 

What, Gentle Students, do we mean by genre? Tdoay we'll devote some time to exploring that as well as talking a bit about literary criticism.

Homework:

You might well be thinking that this reading is quite long. I grant you that it is not short, but then the English is not so difficult. As you're reading, don't check every new word, but try to guess from context.

Note: Next week I have to attend a meeting, so our next class will be on October 27.

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In a tradition curriculum, you might well study different categories or types of literature. While this set of types can include many more, in the next four classes we will address three: novels, short stories, and poetry.

Sessions #3-4 (October 27, November 10) — Novels, Part 1 

Today we will be discussing Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, a short novel written in 1952.

For our next class, please prepare the following.

Readings:

In the latter article you will have noticed

A bit tangential but nevertheless of interest, ...

Sessions #5-6 (November 17, 24) — Novels, Part 2 

Today we'll be reading some of a very important novel from 1949, which was a scant four years after the end of World War 2. To understand the gist of Orwell's 1984, bear in mind the images of that ghastly conflict and the actions of the National Socialist Party in Germany (which you likely know by another name).

Another facet of literature that you should bear in mind is that context is crucial to understanding a work. In the current instance, we should ask what was happening in the year 1949? Just for fun, we would also have a look at the development of the jet airliner, which we now take for granted but which was then a revolutionary development.

Homework:

Sessions #7-8 (December 1, 8) — Short Stories 

Today we'll be looking at a set of three stories. As you'll know from class last week, you're responsible for preparing just one of the three, and your helpful classmates will provide details about the remaining stories.

The image to the right is, as befits a black-and-white image, from the topmost story, which is set in the Far North (a land of considerable snow and ice in the colder months).

What exactly is a "short story" beyond being short?

Homework:

Session #9-10 (December 15, 22) —  Poetry 

This is a lesson that I particularly enjoy because we'll be spending much of it becoming more familiar with Robert Frost, a former poet laurate of the United States and certainly my favorite poet. Let us begin with a bit of schema-building since you likely are not so familiar with Mr. Frost by enjoying this mini-biography.

While I had long thought that The Road Not Taken had a rather straightforward meaning, David Orr has argued otherwise.

Homework:

To ths point we have looked some at different types of literature, but hereafter we will look at several types of literature in which the influence of a particular perspective is (likely) evident.

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In our final unit, we will be addressing literature from various groups, all of whom possess certain perspectives that inform their respective types of literature. I concede that this is very much a partial list, but I think it will provide some idea of the scope of literature from the US and, as you will note, from the Caribbean.

Session #11 (January 12) —  Othering 

We begin our look at perspectives with a cursory look at the ideas of the late Edward Said, the author of Orientalism and a host of other works. Professor Said is widely known for his Orientalism thesis, which he believed was the source of the many inaccurate cultural representations that form the basis of Western thought toward the Middle East. More succinctly, this thesis is that there exists "a subtle and persistent Eurocentric prejudice again Arabo-Islamic peoples and their culture" (Orientalism, p. ###). Moreover, Said argued that much of Western scholarship on Islamic civilization was actually meant for European self-affirmation rather than for objective research of Eastern cultures.

In the image to the left, we see the cover of Said's influential 1978 book titled Orientalism.

Homework:

More here.

Session #12 (January 19) —  Black Literature, Part 1 

To better understand some of the background of black literature, we need to know more about some of the major people. Your homework last week included a New York Times Magazine story about Toni Morrison. This is a fairly long piece, but I think you'll find it interesting and very thought-provoking.

More coming ...

Perhaps even more coming ...

Readings:

Session #-- (January 26) —  No Class Today 

Session #13 (February 2) —  Black Literature, Part 2 

This session will

Readings & Homework:

This evening we'll ...

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Session Extra (Someday) —  First Nation Literature, Part 1 

On this day we will be focusing on the aims: to understand the history of Native Americans (First Nation People) in the United States, and to begin reading the work of Sherman Alexie.

Session #Extra (Someday) — The Middle East in Diaspora 

A very interesting-looking syllabus titled The Middle East in Diaspora

Session #Extra (Somday) —  Caribbean Literature, Part 1 

In today's session ...

Session #Extra (Someday) —  Western Literature 

Sadly,

Session #Extra (Someday) —  Student Presentations 

Naturally, this class will showcase research that students have undertaken during the term.

Session #Extra (Someday) —  Student Presentations 

This class will be held as necessary to complete presentations.

1. Regular and active participation in class. I expect you to be physically present and mentally engaged. Questions? Always good, as are opinions, comments, and even random thoughts you have. (30%)


2. Reaction papers (40% total), which may be in the form of a blog or a Word document. In this you will include at least the following:


3. A presentation of an assigned topic from class. This will follow the recommended PowerPoint style, which will be explained in class. (10%)

For other things (my procedure regarding late assignments, for example), please speak with me directly.

Please be aware that I have to submit grades by February 16, so please plan accordingly and submit everything in a timely fashion. I will not be pleased if I receive a mountain of homework on that day.