ENGL 498

Seminar in English: The Modern Tradition

NOTE: This is representative of the syllabi for this course. It is not necessarily the syllabus being used in any one semester.

What follows are representative syllabi from two sections of this course.

Syllabus #1:

In this semester's capstone seminar for English majors, we will focus on a contemporary Australian novelist, Peter Carey, whom critics have variously labeled as "postmodern" or "postcolonial." Above all, he is a darned good storyteller. His most recent novel, The True History of the Kelly Gang, received front-page billing in the January 7, 2001, New York Times Book Review and later won England's prestigious Booker Prize for fiction.

We will read three of Carey's novels—Illywhacker, Jack Maggs, and The True History of the Kelly Gang—the second of these in conjunction with Charles Dickens's Great Expectations, upon which it is based. As we do so, we will wander along the highways and byways of Australia's cultural history during the past two hundred years or so. In addition, we will explore the impact of European imperialism on the so-called "dark continent" of Africa through the novel Things Fall Apart by the Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe.

At least once during the semester, you will be asked to serve as an expert on a particular topic. I will explain more about this obligation later.

Before the end of the semester, each of you will complete a major independent project. In most instances, this will be an interpretive paper, between 1500 and 2500 words in length, preferably dealing with a significant work of fiction—or possibly a body of poetry or drama—by an Australian writer other than Peter Carey, or by a postcolonial writer from another culture. If you are a creative writing major, you may choose to develop your own poetry or fiction inspired by themes addressed by the writers whom we read together but will also be required to write a paper at least 1500 words long which discusses how the work that you have created is related to the material covered in the course.

The last class meeting and the Tuesday evening of exam week will be devoted to ten- to fifteen-minute oral presentations about your projects. You must be present for both these meetings.

You are expected to attend class regularly and to participate in discussions. Though you will be asked to write several short, informal responses to the readings, your grade will be based primarily on class participation and the project. If you are absent (for any reason) for more than two class meetings, you will be required to write an additional, more formal essay on the material discussed when you were absent (one essay for each class beyond two that youÍve missed), and your performance on these papers will be taken into account when I determine your grade.

COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1

Time Past and Time Present

Film: The Last Wave (Peter Weir, director)

Weeks 2-5

Lies, Dreams, Dragons

Peter Carey, Illywhacker

Weeks 6-7

Transformations

Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart

Weeks 8-11

Visions and Revisions

Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Peter Carey, Jack Maggs

Weeks 12-13

Facts and Fictions

Peter Carey, The True History of the Kelly Gang

Weeks 14-15

Oral Presentations

Syllabus #2

Course Description

A close examination of literary works by a major twentieth-century writer (Willa Cather) and an exploration of their relation to works by other writers, focusing on similarities and differences in artistic vision, narrative form, and thematic concerns (exile and memory, home and journey, identity and transformation).

Texts

Virgil, The Aeneid (trans. Fitzgerald)

Willa Cather, My Antonia

Willa Cather, A Lost Lady

Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping

Cormac McCarthy, All the Pretty Horses

Bharati, Mukherjee, Jasmine

Expectations & Requirements

Regular attendance, thorough preparation, and active participation in class discussions are essential to the success of the Seminar. As there are no exams, you will demonstrate your understanding of the material through your contributions to class discussions and written responses to readings. It is important that you complete the assigned reading for each class and come prepared to engage in lively and thoughtful discussion.

If you miss more than two classes, you will be required to write an essay of 500 words on a topic (assigned by me) related to the material covered in the class from which you were absent. Essays compensating for absences will be taken into account when determining you final grade.

Everyone in the class will write six reading responses to material covered during the course (one response to each of the works read in the course). These reading responses (brief, informal ñessaysî of about 2-3 pages) are intended to provide opportunities for articulate reflection on the readings and for the development of your ideas. Reading responses should include some or all of the following: reactions to ideas brought up in class; observations and insights concerning particular aspects of the readings; questions that occur to you in the course of your reading; connections that you discern between or among works by the same author or by different authors; possible ideas for your seminar project as they evolve in response to the readings. Students may be asked to give brief oral summaries of their reading responses in class. All six of the reading responses will be graded, but only the four highest grades will count. See class schedule for due dates.

Everyone will complete a major project (a critical essay of approximately 8-10 pages), which will be due at the end of the semester. Throughout the semester, I will be discussing possible topics and strategies for developing your approach to the project. At some point during the course, you may be asked to explain to the class your proposed topics or plans and respond to other students' proposed topics.

Grading

In determining your final grade for the course, I will weigh the various aspects of your performance as follows:

Class participation: 20%

Reading responses: 10% each = 40%

Project: 40%

Class Schedule

WEEK 1

Introduction to course

WEEKS 2-3

Virgil, The Aeneid

reading response due

WEEKS 4-6

Willa Cather, My Antonia

reading response due

WEEKS 7-8

Willa Cather, A Lost Lady

reading response due

WEEKS 9-10

Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping

reading response due

WEEKS 11-12

Cormac McCarthy, All the Pretty Horses

reading response due

WEEKS 13-14

Bharati Mukherjee, Jasmine

reading response due

WEEK 15

Project due




			ENGL 498 Seminar in English: The Modern Tradition NOTE: This is representative of the syllabi for this course. It is not necessarily the syllabus being used in any one semester. What follows are representative syllabi from two sections of this course. Syllabus #1: In this semester's capstone seminar for English majors, we will focus on a contemporary Australian novelist, Peter Carey, whom critics have variously labeled as "postmodern" or "postcolonial." Above all, he is a darned good storyteller. His most recent novel, The True History of the Kelly Gang, received front-page billing in the January 7, 2001, New York Times Book Review and later won England's prestigious Booker Prize for fiction. We will read three of Carey's novels—Illywhacker, Jack Maggs, and The True History of the Kelly Gang—the second of these in conjunction with Charles Dickens's Great Expectations, upon which it is based. As we do so, we will wander along the highways and byways of Australia's cultural history during the past two hundred years or so. In addition, we will explore the impact of European imperialism on the so-called "dark continent" of Africa through the novel Things Fall Apart by the Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe. At least once during the semester, you will be asked to serve as an expert on a particular topic. I will explain more about this obligation later. Before the end of the semester, each of you will complete a major independent project. In most instances, this will be an interpretive paper, between 1500 and 2500 words in length, preferably dealing with a significant work of fiction—or possibly a body of poetry or drama—by an Australian writer other than Peter Carey, or by a postcolonial writer from another culture. If you are a creative writing major, you may choose to develop your own poetry or fiction inspired by themes addressed by the writers whom we read together but will also be required to write a paper at least 1500 words long which discusses how the work that you have created is related to the material covered in the course. The last class meeting and the Tuesday evening of exam week will be devoted to ten- to fifteen-minute oral presentations about your projects. You must be present for both these meetings. You are expected to attend class regularly and to participate in discussions. Though you will be asked to write several short, informal responses to the readings, your grade will be based primarily on class participation and the project. If you are absent (for any reason) for more than two class meetings, you will be required to write an additional, more formal essay on the material discussed when you were absent (one essay for each class beyond two that youÍve missed), and your performance on these papers will be taken into account when I determine your grade. COURSE OUTLINE Week 1 Time Past and Time Present Film: The Last Wave (Peter Weir, director) Weeks 2-5 Lies, Dreams, Dragons Peter Carey, Illywhacker Weeks 6-7 Transformations Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart Weeks 8-11 Visions and Revisions Charles Dickens, Great Expectations Peter Carey, Jack Maggs Weeks 12-13 Facts and Fictions Peter Carey, The True History of the Kelly Gang Weeks 14-15 Oral Presentations Syllabus #2 *Course Description* A close examination of literary works by a major twentieth-century writer (Willa Cather) and an exploration of their relation to works by other writers, focusing on similarities and differences in artistic vision, narrative form, and thematic concerns (exile and memory, home and journey, identity and transformation). *Texts* Virgil, The Aeneid (trans. Fitzgerald) Willa Cather, My Antonia Willa Cather, A Lost Lady Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping Cormac McCarthy, All the Pretty Horses Bharati, Mukherjee, Jasmine *Expectations & Requirements* Regular attendance, thorough preparation, and active participation in class discussions are essential to the success of the Seminar. As there are no exams, you will demonstrate your understanding of the material through your contributions to class discussions and written responses to readings. It is important that you complete the assigned reading for each class and come prepared to engage in lively and thoughtful discussion. If you miss more than two classes, you will be required to write an essay of 500 words on a topic (assigned by me) related to the material covered in the class from which you were absent. Essays compensating for absences will be taken into account when determining you final grade. Everyone in the class will write six reading responses to material covered during the course (one response to each of the works read in the course). These reading responses (brief, informal ñessaysî of about 2-3 pages) are intended to provide opportunities for articulate reflection on the readings and for the development of your ideas. Reading responses should include some or all of the following: reactions to ideas brought up in class; observations and insights concerning particular aspects of the readings; questions that occur to you in the course of your reading; connections that you discern between or among works by the same author or by different authors; possible ideas for your seminar project as they evolve in response to the readings. Students may be asked to give brief oral summaries of their reading responses in class. All six of the reading responses will be graded, but only the four highest grades will count. See class schedule for due dates. Everyone will complete a major project (a critical essay of approximately 8-10 pages), which will be due at the end of the semester. Throughout the semester, I will be discussing possible topics and strategies for developing your approach to the project. At some point during the course, you may be asked to explain to the class your proposed topics or plans and respond to other students' proposed topics. *Grading* In determining your final grade for the course, I will weigh the various aspects of your performance as follows: Class participation: 20% Reading responses: 10% each = 40% Project: 40% *Class Schedule* WEEK 1 Introduction to course WEEKS 2-3 Virgil, The Aeneid *reading response due* WEEKS 4-6 Willa Cather, My Antonia *reading response due* WEEKS 7-8 Willa Cather, A Lost Lady *reading response due* WEEKS 9-10 Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping *reading response due* WEEKS 11-12 Cormac McCarthy, All the Pretty Horses *reading response due* WEEKS 13-14 Bharati Mukherjee, Jasmine *reading response due* WEEK 15 Project due home \| bs, corporate communication \| ba, english \| ma, publications design \| mfa, integrated design \| mfa, creative writing & publishing arts \| people \| portfolio \| facilities \| classes \| undergraduate applications \| graduate applications \| contact \| site index \| university of baltimore