ENGL 1330:Introduction to Literature /|/ Spring 2016

[Section 04]
[Section 05]
T/Th 9:25-10:40am
T/Th 10:50am-12:05pm
Dr. James Arnett
Office: Holt 338-E
Email: james-arnett@utc.edu
Office Phone: 423.425.4602
Office Hours: Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday, 1-3pm
Course Description from Catalog:
Readings from poetry, fiction, and drama to demonstrate how the
writer selects from ideas, experience, and language and combines
these elements to speak of and to the human condition. On demand.
Better Course Description
In this class, well be looking at a wide range of texts that fall
under the category of literature, a variety of genres from Greek
comedy to Shakespearean tragedy, from a sly little novella to Kendrick
Lamar. As we read each text, well be honing in on, closer and closer,
the notion of politics in its various forms. This means well be running
alongside the 24-hour news cycle covering the US presidential election
of 2016. Accordingly, well read the news alongside our texts as we
explore a tremendous range of ideas about what politics are good for,
and how literature may seek to represent, critique, refract, or
challenge politics as a social force.
Required Texts
Childrens Lit
Clothes
Comedy/Drama
Tragedy/Drama
Novel
Novella
Prose Poetry
Song/Lyrics
Novel
Poetry
Birth

Burton & Andersen, The Emperors New

HMH Books; ISBN: 978-0618344208
Aristophanes, Lysistrata; Translator: Sarah Ruden;
Hackett PB; ISBN: 978-0872206038
Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
Folger Library; ISBN: 978-0743482745
Chinua Achebe, A Man of the People
Anchor; ISBN: 978-0385086165
Muriel Spark, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Harper Perennial; ISBN: 978-0061711299
Claudia Rankine, Citizen
Greywolf; ISBN: 978-1555976903
Various [Blackboard / YouTube]
Jos Saramago, Seeing
Harvest; ISBN: 978-0156032735
Warsan Shire, Teaching My Mother How To Give

[This class serves the General Education/Literature area, the objectives

for which are pasted below:
The goal of the literature subcategory is to promote critical
engagement with the written word through prose, poetry, and drama.
Students will acquire skills in the analysis and interpretation of texts
and deepen their knowledge of the ways in which figurative language
contributes to human thought and expression. Courses in this category
should promote college-level reading skills through an emphasis on
comprehension, building vocabulary, and exposure to a range of
literary expression. Students are encouraged to check the specific
requirements for their major for this category.
Upon completion of the required credit hours in this subcategory,
students will be able to:
Recognize and analyze figurative language.
Identify and discuss multiple levels of meaning.
Construct theses and logical arguments related to the meaning
or contexts of texts.
Arbitrate competing interpretations.
Articulate differences in genre (e.g. fiction, poetry, drama, etc.)
and sub-genre (e.g. short story, essay, epic, sonnet, etc.).
Address the influence of cultural and historical contexts on
literary texts.
Read and comprehend college-level literature.]
Grade Range:
A=89.5%-100%
B=79.5%-89.4%
C=69.5%-79.4%
D=59.5%-65.4%
F=below
Assignments
Attendance (10%) and Participation (10%)
Youll be expected to attend class per the collectively-determined
attendance policy decided on the first day of class.
** you can have three absences without penalty -- you do not
have to notify the professor of the reason for your absence, but it
would be good if you could email him if you know youre going to
be absent
** absence #4 attendance grade of B** absence #5 attendance grade of C
** absence #6 fail the class altogether.
Participation is another massive component of this class. I expect that
when youre here, you must have the assigned text with you. Its
imperative so that we can discuss and explore particular passages.

Participation in this class may sometimes feel tricky, since what were
discussing is politics one of those things youre not supposed to
discuss in polite company. But we must be polite! It is imperative. We
are bound to disagree about politics because, to a great extent, they
represent models for how we live our lives. That said, we must respect
others beliefs.
Election Cycle Coverage Presentation (10%)
Each class period, someone will be responsible for finding an
interesting article covering the current presidential election,
summarize it for the class, explaining the authors possible bias, the
tone of the article, the information contained therein, and explain what
you think might be happening underneath the event. Ill perform two or
three of these before youll begin doing them. After that, a student will
be responsible for one per class period. These presentations are 6-8
minutes in length, allowing for a 5-minute discussion afterward. Be
prepared in your presentation to ask questions of the class.
Close Readings (6 x 10% = 60%)
These are low-stakes writing assignments in other words, no
big deal! For each of these, you will be given a prompt with four
passages (ranging from one sentence to one paragraph) from the
specified text. You will need to 1) print out the assignment sheet, put
your name on it, and indicate which passage youve chosen; and 2)
compose a [full] 1.5-page, thesis-driven explanation of the passage
youve chosen. You need to have an argument (thesis), which in this
case will communicate what you think the passage means and how
the author accomplishes that meaning. Other than that, its not really a
paper that is to say, youre only dealing, ever, with that one
passage. I will provide, in advance of the due date of the first one, an
example for the class.
Extra Credit (magic)
--the one extra credit opportunity you have this semester. The
themes, the presentation, the attendance and participation, as well as
the final exam, are all given roughly equal weight. Accordingly, if you
do a seventh theme, you can replace the lowest grade earned
elsewhere.
Final Exam Presentation (10%)
The final exam will be discussed toward the end of class.
Class Schedule
[date]
[reading]

[writing / projects]

Week One
Jan 12 // Tues Introductions, Syllabus,
Expectations
Jan 14 // Thurs Burton & Andersen, The
Emperor Has New Clothes
Week Two
Jan 19 // Tues Aristophanes, Lysistrata
Jan 21 // Thurs Aristophanes, Lysistrata
Week Three
Jan 26 // Tues Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
Jan 28 // Thurs Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
Week Four
Feb 2 // Tues Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
Feb 4 // Thurs Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
Week Five
Feb 9 // Tues Achebe, A Man of the People
Feb 11 //
Thurs
Week Six
Feb 16 // Tues
Feb 18 //
Thurs
Week Seven
Feb 23 // Tues

Shakespeare Close
Reading Due

Achebe, A Man of the People

Achebe, A Man of the People

MIDTERM EXAM

Spark, The Prime of Miss Jean

Brodie
Feb 25 // Spark, The Prime of Miss Jean
Thurs Brodie
Week Eight
Mar 1 // Tues Spark, The Prime of Miss Jean
Brodie
Mar 3 // Thurs Rankine, Citizen
Week Nine
Mar 8 // Tues Rankine, Citizen
Mar 10 // Rankine, Citizen
Thurs
Week Ten
Mar 22 // Tues Rankine, Citizen; Nina Simone,
To Be Young Gifted And
Black, Mississippi
Goddamn, Aint Got No/I Got
Life
Mar 24 // Public Enemy, Fight the

MIDTERM EXAM +
Achebe Close Reading

Spark Close Reading

Due

Rankine Close
Reading Due

Thurs Power!; Kendrick Lamar,

Hood Politics, Alright King
Kunta
Week Eleven
Mar 29 // Tues Saramago, Seeing
Apr 1 // Thurs
Week Twelve
Apr 6 // Tues
Apr 8 // Thurs
Week Thirteen
Apr 13 // Tues
Apr 15 //
Thurs

Lyrics Close Reading

Due

Saramago, Seeing
Saramago, Seeing
Saramago, Seeing
Saramago, Seeing
Saramago, Seeing
Warsan Shire, Teaching My
Mother How To Give Birth

Week
Fourteen
Apr 20 // Tues Warsan Shire, Teaching My
Mother How to Give Birth
Apr 22 // Warsan Shire, Teaching My
Thurs Mother How To Give Birth
FINALS
PERIOD
Final Exam Presentation
SECTION 04: 9:25am:
SECTION 05: 10:40am:

Saramago Close
Reading Due

FINAL EXAM
PRESENTATION
Thursday, April 28th;
8-10am
Tuesday, May 3,
10:30-12:30pm