Dr. Jeanne Hamming
English 242: Representative American Authors

schedule (click here to view)

course.description

This course offers an introduction to the poetry, fiction, drama, and intellectual prose of representative authors in the American tradition.

course.goals

Students will learn to:

• read and thoughtfully discuss an eclectic range of representative American literary works;
• understand the history of the development of literary movements and their defining characteristics;
• distinguish between different modes and periods of American literature and identify their defining characteristics;
• identify and discuss relevant devices, techniques, tropes, and stylistic aspects of our course texts.
  

grade.breakdown

Exam 1 20%
Exam 1 20%
Exam 1 20%
Research Paper 20%; 5-7 pages; minimum of 4 scholarly sources plus primary text(s)
preparation and participation 20% (attendance, discussion, in-class writings, quizzes, etc)

All assignments must be completed in order to pass this course.

Note: While more difficult to quantify than other graded components, course preparation and participation (in class and out of class) is crucial to our having a fun, engaging, and enlightening experience. Figured into your p&p grade are reading quizzes, attendance, attentiveness to assignments, and attitude. The more you contribute in a positive way to the course, the better your grade will be. Please keep this in mind.

attendance

Please note the English Department Policy on Attendance: to be eligible to pass an English course, a student may miss no more than three times the weekly number of class meeting, regardless of the reason for these absences. This means that for classes like this one that meets three times a week, students who have in excess of 9 absences cannot pass the course. Frequent absences, even when they fall short of this absolute limit, will adversely affect your preparation and participation grade. Lateness to class counts as one half of an absence.

cellphones.laptops.iWhatevers

Cellphone use is not permitted or tolerated in this class. All cellphones are to be turned off (not vibrate) and stowed (ie not on your person). The penalty for using your cellphone in class is 1/2 of your participation grade (10%)

Bags or purses containing cellphones should be placed beside you on the floor. Laptops and iPads are permitted for the purpose of looking at online course materials (the syllabus, readings, assignments). There is a two-strike policy regarding inappropriate lapto/iPad use. The FIRST time I catch you surfing the web, playing games, or otherwise using your laptop/iPad inappropriately I will ask you to put it away and out of sight. The SECOND time I catch you, you will no longer be permitted to use your laptop/iPad during class.

texts

Baym, Nina, et al. Norton Anthology of American Literature Volume 2, 1865-present. Shorter 7th edition. Norton. ISBN: 978-0-393-93055-9
Williams, Joy. Honored Guest: Stories. Vintage. ISBN: 978-1400095520.

Selected handouts related to course readings will be made available to students through edmodo

schedule (click here to view)