Course Goals	Required Texts	Course Requirements	Computers
Attendance	Grades	Class Etiquette	Academic Integrity
Writing Tutors	Final Words

Timelines of American history between 1860 and 1920 document great dissent, tumult, and ironically, progress. After the war that ended slavery, Americans faced the rise of the middle class, increased immigration, urbanization, technological and scientific revolutions, a new millennium (sound familiar?). Then they faced a war incomparable to the one the previous  generation had experienced. Although Americans theoretically established a level of peace and supposedly equality, they continued to wage civil "uncivil" wars amongst and within themselves as they moved from one century into the next? How do authors explicitly or implicitly address issues in their contemporary moment?  What do you think they attempted to achieve in doing so?

We will sped this semester exploring these issues as they appear in the literature of the time. Granted, we cannot read everything that has been written; therefore, I have chosen some "representative samples" (and some of my favorites) to spur your thinking. I hope that the above questions prompt you to ask more questions that will help us analyze these texts and the environment that shaped them in meaningful and exciting ways.

To make this course enjoyable and thought provoking, we must all work together and diligently.  I will lecture briefly at times; however, we will spend class in discussion.  Enthusiastic participation is a must! This course will demand your time and brain cells. I expect you to spend at least three (3) hours preparing for each class [reading, THINKING, locating patterns, formulating questions, writing]. Group and class discussion, papers, quizzes, etc. will all help you to achieve the following:

Course Goals
Gain a fuller understanding of the American novel and the society that influenced it. You will be able to:

• identify recurrent themes
• identify the social, political, and cultural undertones of the time
• understand major literary movements: realism, regionalism, naturalism, early modernism
• understand the purpose(s) of the literature

• use appropriate critical vocabulary (setting, theme, climax, ambiguity, narrative perspective)
• annotate a text and suggest the significance of important passages
• identify patterns and details that may uncover meaning
• explore and speculate about textual ambiguities
• express well-reasoned opinions about the quality of a work based on textual evidence
• discuss how different critical approaches (new critical, cultural, feminist, African-American and psychoanalytical) expose added insight and complicate interpretations

• share your insights with your groups and the class to develop individual, original interpretations as well as to arrive at some general consensus about a work
• learn to locate secondary materials (book reviews, criticism, history, art, and audio-visuals) to reconstruct the historical, political, and cultural forces which may have influenced or shaped an author and his or her work
• evaluate critical articles (a critics argument, shortcomings, insight, oversight)
• employ critical articles to support your views, but also to explore overlooked ideas

Spend at least three (3) hours preparing for each class by practicing the three Rs.
 
Read and re-read carefully.
• Re-reading will increase your comprehension, help you to see new and interesting ideas you missed during the first reading, and  facilitate paper-writing.


Record

• Circle & underline patterns and important images, lines, scenes etc.
• Take notes as you read.
• Write a paragraph summarizing the story or novel chapter's main ideas.


Respond

• THINK about what your are reading.
• What is going on? Why? How does the author present the story? What is ambiguous in the story? Why?
• Take a stand: do you agree or disagree with the author's point?
• How does this story apply to real life?
• Formulate questions for discussion
• On your index card (which you will submit), jot down your questions.  At least one must be "open ended" (suitable for discussion / debate).
  To pass, you must:
 
• submit all major writing assignments and meet their minimum requirements
• submit all homework / index cards
• demonstrate satisfactory attendance
• demonstrate that you read and thought about the reading assignments
• participate during group work, writing workshops, and class discussions.
• come to Office Hours each time you receive LESS than a "B."  You must come even if I do not remind you. All visits count as "effort" in your participation grade.
• see a Writing Tutor each time you receive LESS than a "B."  You must go even if I do not remind you.  All visits count as "effort" in your participation grade.

• The Class Listserve
• We will use these to post announcements and any other important information.
• Everyone will receive these messages.  So, practice courtesy and respect.
• You should not use this site to complain or post private information designed for my eyes only.  Email me separately.
• Your web page
• Create a personal web page to which you can link the work for this course.
• Post your work for this class. . . papers, links (would make a good study guide site for you and your classmates.
• Please give me your address so that I can add it to the student web page list.
• If you do not know how to create a web page, consult the directions on my web site, ask a friend, or take a free course at Academic Computing Services (753-1830)

You have three (3) misses. On the fourth, you automatically fail the course.

I will add 10 points to your final participation grade if you have perfect attendance.

Your group depends on you for your participation and insight; therefore, attendance and promptness is mandatory.  Please arrive on time. If you arrive more than five (5) minutes, I will mark you ABSENT.

Not coming to a required Office Hour counts as an absence.

If you anticipate an absence, please submit a letter (email is fine) at least 1 week in advance.

If you have one of the following "excused" absences, you must submit the certified letter no later than one week after the absence.

your hospitalization (NOT a doctor's visits)– certified by the attending physician
an athlete who must attend a competition – certified by the Athletic Department
your required court attendance – certified by the Clerk of Court.

If your absence does not fall into one of the three categories, do NOT ask or beg me to excuse the absence.  Simply count it as one of your "three."  This policy may sound severe, but I've heard every excuse! If I make exceptions for one, I have to make exceptions for all.

• Top 10 excuses that are NOT EXCUSED:
 
10. my sister/brother died (you do not HAVE a sister/brother) [Someone actually used this excuse!]
9. I "broke up" with my significant other.
8. my alarm clock did not sound
7. infected, pierced body part
6. the fire alarm went off, AGAIN
5. erupting wisdom teeth
4. natural disasters
3. the flu, mono, a "cold," or a "stomach bug"
2. hospitalization of (grand)parents [but please let me know]
1. death [but please let me know]
•  You must make-up all missed work. Consult the syllabus and a classmate for missed assignments.

• Consult the Writing & Participation Rubrics
• Late work: I will not accept it.
• Grading Scale:

 

A = 10	B = 7	C = 4
A- = 9	B- = 6	C- = 3
B+ = 8	C+ = 5	D+ = 2

• Grade Breakdown:

• Do not monopolize the discussion. Self-monitor so the quieter students can share their thoughts.
• To establish a safe environment, any personal information, "stories," or anecdotes  must remain confidential.
• Listen respectfully.
• No "zaps" (put-downs that insult or discourage anyone from participating)
• Do not read the newspaper, your Spanish notes etc. during our class.
• Punctuality.  "If you can't be on time, come early."
• Do not walk out of class unless it is an emergency.  (Go "potty" ahead of time. Bring tissues if you have a cold.)
• No distracting dress, headgear, etc.
• Please put your bookbag close to your seat so no one has to jump hurdles.