Course
Objectives
This
course is designed to introduce you the basics for your future study
of English and American literature. Together, we shall experience,
analyze, and respond to the human cultural heritage in words. As a
member of the international community, we shall look and reflect upon
issues, opinions about human situations as presented in the three
major literary genres: Fiction, Drama, and Poetry. To help you become
critical and analytical readers, basic elements of these genres (such
as plot structure, narrative point of view, characterization, etc.)
and significant themes (such as initiation) shall be introduced. In
the first semester, we shall focus on the reading and analyses of
the elements of Fiction, Drama and Poetry. In the second semester,
we shall explore poetry of different time, read a novel and a tragedy
for more exposure of western literature. In addition to the training
of critical thinking, this course, above all, aims to HELP
YOU ENJOY READING LITERATURE. Therefore, try to respond
to the reading and share with the teacher and class both your difficulties
and enjoyment reading the assignment so that we shall have more fun
while learning together.
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Course
Requirements:
-
Finish
all the reading assignments before you come for class discussions.
-
In
small groups of five people, you will form study groups to
-
work
on vocabulary of the reading texts and
-
apply
the skills you have learned from the weekly focus on literary analysis
for in-class discussions and
-
hand
in analyses reports of the story/play/poem your group choose before
every exam.
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Grading
Policy: Criteria—ideas, ability to analyze literature
3
Group Analyses Reports—20% Exams—60%
Quizzes,
Attendance & Participation—20%
Your
ability to appreciate and analyze literature is the main criterion
with which the instructor grades you. Therefore, feel free to express
your ideas and ask questions about literature, do not worry about
your English too much, it shall be improved as you try to use it a
lot in reading and discussing about literature.
Required
Texts
Beaty,
Jerome and Paul Hunter. The Norton Introduction to Literature.
N.Y. Norton,1998
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