ENG 203: Introduction to Literature |
Portfolio PresentationsI just became aware that someone has played a prank on our online forum. A couple of days ago, someone posing as me posted a message called "Clarification of final essay." Because we have no password protection on our online forum, anyone can pretend to be someone else. Until this semester, I had experienced no problems with this system, but now it appears that we will have to revise it to prevent pranks like this one. Someone, probably the same person, played a similar prank a few weeks ago by posting messages about the final exam--one supposedly from the director of the Writing Center and the other from me. I had those removed, and I have asked University Computing to remove this recent message, as well.I want to take this opportunity to praise and thank the many students who contributed positively to this course. Some of you wrote some outstanding essays and produced impressive Web pages. I encourage you to visit All American and view some of these materials. The glossary of literary terms, for example, contains many of your essays, and my editorial assistants and I have worked together to post some of the Web pages, including ones on Ambrose Bierce and H.P. Lovecraft. It may be a while before we have posted all of the pages that qualified for publication. You may want to check back every month or so. By the way, I have not graded all of the Web pages, but I plan to finish each student's page before he or she meets with me for the portfolio presentation. At that time, you will receive your grade and progress report. If you did not turn in one of your assignments or turned it in late and did not receive credit for it, I will allow you to turn it in late. You must send it to my e-mail address (canada@sassette.uncp.edu) no later than 8 a.m. Monday, May 1, 2000. Finally, let me say a few words about your final assignment. Instead of taking a traditional final exam in this course, you will give a portfolio presentation and answer questions about material we have covered. Please post your portfolio on the Internet by 8 a.m. Monday, May 1, 2000. To sign up for a time to give your presentation, choose one of the times at the right and send me an e-mail telling me that you would like to meet me at that time. The presentations will take place in my office, Dial 118. Please review the instructions on the syllabus for creating your portfolio, as well as the separate set of instructions for posting the portfolio on the Internet. Note that, during your presentation, you will show me your portfolio, talk about what you have learned, and answer questions designed to measure your success in meeting the objectives of the course. Some sample questions appear below:
|
May 8-10, 2000Monday, May 8
|
Renaissance: PoetryThis week, we enter a new unit: the Renaissance. As you will see when you visit the study guide, the Renaissance was a time when art and literature flourished. We will begin our exploration of this period's literature with a survey of several poems. As you read them, reflect not only on their meaning, but on their form. Your next writing assignment, a poetry explication, will give you the opportunity to explore the ways that form shapes meaning. Before you read the poems or write the explication, make sure you read Understanding and Explicating Poetry, which will help you to dissect a poem's various formal elements, such as rhyme, rhythm, and alliteration.Finally, I encourage you to attend a couple of optional sessions. First, at 10 a.m. Wednesday, February 23, in the Dial computer lab, I will present "How to Build a Web Page." If you are in my online course, this session will be your only opportunity to see a demonstration of building a Web site before you create your own site on an American author. If you cannot attend this session--or if you want extra assistance--you can see detailed instructions in "How to Build a Web Page." Second, a group of actors will present "Shakespeare's Staging Conditions" from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Thursday, February 24, on the third floor of the Givens Performing Arts Center. Coming as it does at the same time that we are beginning our unit on Shakespeare, this session is a unique opportunity to obtain useful contextual information about Shakespeare. If you would like to attend, please let me know by noon Wednesday so that I can notify the person who is organizing this event. I hope to see several of you there! |
February 21-25, 2000Reading Assignments
Writing Assignment
Optional Sessions
|
Renaissance: DramaHaving studied some of the poetry of the Renaissance, we now turn to drama, another literary form that was extremely popular at this time. A number of dramatists, including Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson, wrote plays at this time, but the one whose work has been the most influential is William Shakespeare. As you read and view Othello, pay especially close attention to how Shakespeare develops themes such as race relations and human perception through his use of language. Also, note the ways that modern actors, directors, costumers, and others have used gestures, lighting, and other devices to convey their own interpretations of Shakespeare's rich and provocative play. In other words, read Shakespeare's play as you have read Inferno and other works, but also remember that, as a play, it is a different form of literature and was intended to be performed. Indeed, you will get the most out of this play if you both read it and watch a production of it. I highly recommend the 1995 movie version starring Lawrence Fishburne and Kenneth Branagh.You will have a chance to explore both the literary and the dramatic components of the play in your next essay, which is due the Monday you return from spring break. For details, see the online forum. |
February 28-March 3, 2000Reading Assignments
Writing Assignment
Meeting Place8 a.m. class: Please come to the AV Theatre on the first floor of the Dial Building for each class meeting this week. We will view scenes from a production of Othello.Online class: You are welcome to attend these showings, as well. If you cannot, please rent a video of the play and watch it at home. |
Enlightenment: NonfictionWhen reading fictional literature such as Dante's Inferno or William Shakespeare's Othello, it is relatively easy to appreciate the author's imaginative powers. Because "fictional" means "untrue," we know that the writer of a fictional work generally has had to invent characters, decide on a setting, and make up a story. One might wonder, then, how the authors of a nonfictional works can be considered imaginative. After all, they simply record what already has happened or express their ideas about a subject. Where is the artistry in such a process? Nonfictional stories and essays, however, leave a lot of room for imagination and can be quite artistic. For starters, while they do not have to invent characters or a story, the authors of these works do have to select which real people and incidents they will include in their work. If writing an autobiography, for example, an author must decide which relatives and acquaintances to describe, as well as which of the thousands of occurences in his or her lives to recount. Such decisions dramatically shape the tone and themes of a nonfictional work. An autobiography that focuses almost entirely on the loving relationships the author had with family members is very different from one that emphasizes a stressful life at the office. The writer of nonfiction also must decide how he will present his story or ideas--that is, he or she settles on a "voice" and a "style." He or she may decide to use humor and figurative language, for example, or may elect for a more serious, straightforward style. As you read the excerpt from Benjamin Franklin's autobiography, pay attention to how Franklin's choice of incidents, voice, and style affect the meaning of his nonfictional work. Also, please note that I have asked you to read my World Wide Web site on Franklin. The information you find here about Franklin's life and ideas will help you to interpret his autobiography.The students in my 8 a.m. class should bring photocopies, notes, and other materials on their author to the Dial computer lab Monday morning for a draft workshop. The students in my online course are welcome to attend this workshop, as well. We will look at a sample page, and I will answer your questions about the content and format of this assignment. Finally, now that you have seen your midterm grades, you have a rough idea of how well you are meeting the objectives of this course. Whether you are doing well or need to improve, I encourage you to commit yourself to making the rest of this course a success. The following tips may help:
|
March 13-17, 2000Reading Assignments
Writing Assignment
Meeting Place (8 a.m. class)Monday: Dial computer labWednesday: 149 Dial Building Friday: 149 Dial Building |
Romanticism: NovelThis week, we begin a new unit as we enter the literary era known as romanticism. We also will encounter our first novel this semester. As you read The Castle of Otranto, make a list of its characteristics and try to determine which of these characteristics make it a novel--as opposed to, say, an epic poem such as Inferno or a nonfiction narrative such as Benjamin Franklin's autobiography. If you have read other novels, such as romance novels or historical novels, consider what these works and The Castle of Otranto have in common. How are they different?This is also the last full week you will have to work on your World Wide Web page. I made this assignment way > Transfer interrupted!r and have devoted class sessions to researching and drafting it. On Friday this week, we will meet in the computer lab, and you will have an opportunity to proofread it. With all of this time and guidance, you should turn in a thorough, insightful, clear, and polished page that I then can post on All American for other people to use. As you enter this last week of work, I encourage you to review the sections of the syllabus that describe this assignment, the format for turning in assignments, and my criteria for grading them. |
March 20-24, 2000Reading Assignments
Writing Assignment
Meeting Place (8 a.m. class)Monday: 149 Dial BuildingWednesday: 149 Dial Building Friday: Dial computer lab |
Romanticism: Short StoryContinuing our unit on Romanticism, we turn now to the short story, a genre that became extremely popular during this period, partly because of the explosion of American magazines in the 1830s and 1840s. Indeed, Edgar Allan Poe, one of America's best-known writers of short stories, worked as an editor for several magazines, including Burton's Gentleman's Magazine and Graham's Magazine, and published his work in these publications. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville, other American masters of this genre, also published short fiction in magazines in the decades before the Civil War. Later in the century, writers such as Henry James, Stephen Crane, and O. Henry picked up where their predecessors had left off, and the short story has been one of the most popular genres in American and English literature ever since. As you read "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Necklace," try to determine the conventions of a short story. What are Poe and Maupassant trying to do? How are their aims and products different from those of Horace Walpole and other novelists?Although we have covered a number of authors and historical periods, we have not paused for very long to examine any particular writer's life. During this unit, however, we will spend some time examining the life and art of Edgar Allan Poe. On Monday, my 8 a.m. class will meet in the Dial computer lab, where I will > Transfer interrupted!show I have given for my faculty colleagues here at UNCP. Please read "The Tell-Tale Heart" before coming to this presentation. Members of my online class are also welcome to attend this show.Finally, you will write an essay analyzing some aspect of Poe's work. For details, see the online forum. |
March 27-31, 2000Reading Assignments
Writing Assignment
Meeting Place (8 a.m. class)Monday: Dial computer labWednesday: 149 Dial Building Friday: 149 Dial Building |
Modern Era: Short StoryHaving looked at two major short story writers of the Romantic period, we now turn to short stories by two modern masters, Stephen Crane and Henry James. As you read "The Open Boat" and "The Turn of the Screw," consider the ways that each is different from the stories we read by Edgar Allan Poe and Guy de Maupassant. Use the questions on the study guide to analyze specific features of each story. |
April 3-7, 2000Reading Assignments
Meeting Place (8 a.m. class)Monday-Friday: 149 Dial Building |
Modern Era: PoetryThis week, we turn to modern poetry. Like the fiction and drama of this period, modern poetry shows a great deal of innovation. In addition to noting innovative characteristics, particularly the use of free verse, try to tease the meaning out of this poetry by considering the feelings and themes it evokes through the use of imagery, symbolism, alliteration, rhyme, and other formal elements.During the 8 a.m. class on Friday, I will provide some guidance on preparing your online portfolios. Please read the description of this assignment on the syllabus and begin to assemble the materials you would like to post on this portfolio. Save these materials on a diskette and bring the diskette to the computer lab on Friday. Students in my online class are welcome to attend this session, as well. Unless several people in this class express interest in a special session, I will not repeat it. Finally, I have finished posting your progress reports on the Web. To see yours, click on "Grades" in the index at the left, type your full e-mail address in the space provided, and then type your e-mail password in the appropriate space. If you are unable to see your progress report, please let me know, and I will be happy to give you a hard copy or send it to you as an e-mail attachment. |
April 10-14, 2000Reading Assignments
Meeting Place (8 a.m. class)Monday: 149 Dial BuildingWednesday: 149 Dial Building Friday: Dial computer lab |
Modern Era: DramaFrom modern poetry we turn to modern drama. While we will not view a production of Joe Turner's Come and Gone, you should read both the characters' words and the stage directions carefully and try to imagine how dramatic devices might shape our understanding of the play.Please note that your final essay is due on Monday, April 24. For details, see the online forum. Finally, you should continue to work on your online portfolio outside of class this week. In particular, if you would like to use a photograph in your portfolio, please scan it this week. Members of the Writing Center staff can help you. Next week, during one of the 8 a.m. class meetings, I will show you how to place an image on a page, how to change the size of the image, and how to post your page on the World Wide Web. |
April 17-21, 2000Reading Assignments
Writing Assignment
Meeting Place (8 a.m. class)Monday-Wednesday: 149 Dial BuildingFriday: No class (university holiday) |
Modern Era: FilmLike fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama, film is a form of literature with its own set of conventions and formal features. This week in my 8 a.m. class, we will watch an episode of The X-Files and discuss how the writers, director, actors, and other people involved in this production create meaning through elements such as dialogue, lighting, gestures, and costumes. Students in my online class should watch an episode, as well, but they need not watch the same one we will view in the 8 a.m. class. The show comes on at 9 p.m. Sundays on the Fox network. It also is in syndication.Please note that your online portfolio must be posted on the Internet by Monday of next week. I have described the required elements of this portfolio on the syllabus; the design is up to you. For help posting your portfolio, see my instructions. I will demonstrate the posting process during the 8 a.m. class on Monday, April 24. |
April 24-28, 2000Reading AssignmentsViewing Assignment
Writing Assignment
Meeting Place (8 a.m. class)Monday: Dial computer labWednesday: 149 Dial Building Friday: A-V Theatre in Dial Building |
Portfolio PresentationsI just became aware that someone has played a prank on our online forum. A couple of days ago, someone posing as me posted a message called "Clarification of final essay." Because we have no password protection on our online forum, anyone can pretend to be someone else. Until this semester, I had experienced no problems with this system, but now it appears that we will have to revise it to prevent pranks like this one. Someone, probably the same person, played a similar prank a few weeks ago by posting messages about the final exam--one supposedly from the director of the Writing Center and the other from me. I had those removed, and I have asked University Computing to remove this recent message, as well. In fact, I have asked this office to remove the entire forum. I hope that this action does not inconvenience any of you.I want to take this opportunity to praise and thank the many students who contributed positively to this course. Some of you wrote some outstanding essays and produced impressive Web pages. I encourage you to visit All American and view some of these materials. The glossary of literary terms, for example, contains many of your essays, and my editorial assistants and I have worked together to post some of the Web pages, including ones on Ambrose Bierce and H.P. Lovecraft. It may be a while before we have posted all of the pages that qualified for publication. You may want to check back every month or so. By the way, I have not graded all of the Web pages, but I plan to finish each student's page before he or she meets with me for the portfolio presentation. At that time, you will receive your grade and progress report. If you did not turn in one of your assignments or turned it in late and did not receive credit for it, I will allow you to turn it in late. You must send it to my e-mail address (canada@sassette.uncp.edu) no later than 8 a.m. Monday, May 1, 2000. Finally, let me say a few words about your final assignment. Instead of taking a traditional final exam in this course, you will give a portfolio presentation and answer questions about material we have covered. Please post your portfolio on the Internet by 8 a.m. Monday, May 1, 2000 and e-mail the URL to me so that I can visit it before your presentation. To sign up for a time to give your presentation, choose one of the times at the right and send me an e-mail telling me that you would like to meet me at that time. The presentations will take place in my office, Dial 118. Please review the instructions on the syllabus for creating your portfolio, as well as the separate set of instructions for posting the portfolio on the Internet. Note that, during your presentation, you will show me your portfolio, talk about what you have learned, and answer questions designed to measure your success in meeting the objectives of the course. Some sample questions appear below:
|
May 1-5, 2000ScheduleTuesday10 a.m.: Stacey Singletary 10:30 a.m.: Jerry Taylor 1 p.m.: Jennifer Lance 1:30 p.m.: Monica Horne 3 p.m.: Crystal Burnette 3:30 p.m.: Becky Davis Wednesday 8 a.m.: Charla Cobbler 8:30 a.m.: Shana Locklear 10 a.m. Vonti McRae 10:30 a.m.: Deane Wells 11 a.m.: Victoria Henderson 12:30 p.m.: Stephanie White 1 p.m.: Kate Endriga 1:30 p.m.: Machella Caldwell Thursday 10:30 a.m.: Jacob Gersh 3 p.m.: Jennifer Winborne 3:30 p.m.: Ramon Gonzalez Friday 8 a.m.: Dawn Oxendine 8:30 a.m.: Robert Bean 10 a.m.: Andy Stamper 10:30 a.m..: Starlet Chavis noon: Khalil Shakeel 12:30 p.m.: Melanie Stephens |