English 360
Dr. Susanne George
Bloomfield
Spring 2004
“Home
& Family”
English 360 will
examine texts of American women writers selected from diverse ethnic
backgrounds, all centering on a theme of Home and Family. The class will
examine the choices women have made through generations, the influence of
grandmothers and mothers upon daughters, and the changes that have taken place
on issues of gender in the past and in contemporary society. The course will
also focus on the distinctive features of the various cultures in these works,
a comparison of their themes, symbols, characterizations, styles, narrative
techniques, and cultural significance, as well as their place in the American
literary tradition.
The educational goals of this course are
to help students:
1) appreciate the important American
heritage that has influenced the lives of those living in the
2) explore the diversity of women’s
creative, social, economic, spiritual, and political realities
3)
investigate the interrelationships between
class, race, ethnicity, and gender
4) identify and compare the major themes,
symbols, concerns and techniques of culturally diverse American writers;
5) increase their knowledge of the
individual, family, and community values portrayed in multicultural
literatures;
6) view American literature in a more
diverse context;
7) improve critical reading and oral
communication skills;
8) improve research and critical writing
skills;
9) and become an integral part of a community of scholars who share their insights, resources, and special abilities.
1. Students will be
expected to read the daily assignments from the following texts as well as
readings from Internet Sites located on the Class Home Page:
Waterlily by Ella Cara Deloria
Little
Women by Louisa May
Alcott
Family by J.
A
Lantern in Her Hand by
Bess Streeter Aldrich
The
House on
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
2. Grades will be
determined by four factors:
Students will be given a
mini-essay daily quiz over the reading assignment for that class period.
B.
Panel Discussion—30%
Students will choose one
book that we are studying in class, be placed into groups accordingly, present
a 20-30 minute panel discussion of that work, and write an 8-10 page
collaborative report. The discussion should include:
1.
Biographical background on the author
2.
Cultural and historical contexts
3. Critical
analysis on the text, including topics such as gender roles, sense of place,
sense of community, ethnicity, and western myths.
C.
Final Researched Critical Analysis—60%
A final critical paper, including at least three to four outside sources (in
addition to text or texts), will be due during finals week. It should be
approximately 8-10 pages long (2,000-2,500 words at @250 words per page); the
specificity of the thesis will determine the length. Students may analyze a
particular work or author that we have studied in class, or may choose to do a
comparative study of several works read in class during the semester, narrowing
the focus, of course, to a specific theme, idea, etc. The paper must include a
Works Cited page and must be typed according to MLA form. Correct organization,
style, and grammar will be considered in determining the grade. The paper and
all rough drafts must be submitted in a two-pocket folder. The Researched
Critical Analysis will count as 60% of the final grade.
D.
Attendance
Attendance is important. After TWO
ABSENCES, grades WILL
be lowered accordingly, usually at 1/3 of a grade increments for each
additional absence(A=A-, A-=B+, B+=B, etc.). Only
under exceptional circumstances will modifications be made. Six absences (three
weeks) are grounds for failing the course.
Papers and
panels will be given letter grades which will be translated numerically as
follows: A+=99; A=96; A-+92; B+=88; B=85; B-=82; C+=78; C=75; C-+72; D+=68;
D=64; D-60; F= 50.
D. Professor contact information
My office is 204
Thomas Hall and this semester my office hours will be from
Dr. Bloomfield's Home Page is
http://www.unk.edu/acad/english/faculty/bloomfields
The Home Page for the Class is
360Family/360Family.html