LITT Spring 2006 Contemporary American Fiction (Post)Colonial American Fiction T/TH 12:30-2:20pm, K101

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1 LITT Spring 2006 Cntemprary American Fictin (Pst)Clnial American Fictin T/TH 12:30-2:20pm, K101 Instructr: Dr. Kristin Jacbsn Office phne: (609) Office Lcatin: J Please use ur WebCT Office Hurs: Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:30am-12nn; and by appintment Mailbx: Arts and Humanities, K-150 Curse Descriptin: This curse explres what cnstitutes the cntemprary American experience by surveying fictin (nvels and shrt stries) written in the last 10 years. Specifically we will be reading and analyzing fictin that (re)cnsiders American clnial, glbal, and/r transnatinal pwers. Like much American literature befre it, these fictins are deeply cncerned with what it means t be American. In ding s, they engage key cncepts such as hme, family, cmmunity, natin, security, brders, race, ethnicity, and sexuality. They als frequently emply experimental, genre-blurring techniques. They may challenge ur cnventinal ntins f high and lw cultural frms and ur understanding f what it means t be American. Our tasks will include reading, discussing, researching, and writing abut these texts in rder t better characterize and understand their literary, histrical, and cultural significance. This is a reading, writing, and discussin intensive curse. Plicy: 1. Use WebCT fr all curse-related crrespndence. 2. I check my each day in the mrning. Please plan yur questins accrdingly. 3. Visit my ffice hurs with specific questins abut curse material. I will nt respnd t questins abut class cntent if yu were absent; cntact a classmate with these queries and then visit ffice hurs if yu have questins. 4. I will nt discuss grades ver . Grades shuld be discussed in persn during ffice hurs r ther arranged meetings. Required Texts: The Pisnwd Bible, Barbara Kingslver The Dew Breaker, Edwidge Danticat Indian Killer, Sherman Alexie In the Shadw f N Twers, Art Spiegelman Empire Falls, Richard Russ Bdega Dreams, Ernest Quiñnez Mnkey Bridge, Lan Ca WebCT: If yu have questins abut using WebCT, cnsult a lab assistant r yur instructr during ffice hurs. See als: MLA Handbk fr Writers f Research Papers, 6 th Editin Additinal Resurces: Stcktn Libraries: Peridical Databases: Language and Literature links:

2 Jacbsn 2 Accmmdatin fr Students with Special Needs: Stcktn Cllege cmplies with Sectin 504 f the Rehabilitatin Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students with disabilities wh seek accmmdatins shuld cntact the Learning Access Prgram lcated in the West Quad Building, Suite 110 r by call Additinal infrmatin n the prgram may be btained frm Stcktn web site Academic Dishnesty: Dishnesty f any kind will nt be tlerated in this curse. Dishnesty includes, but is nt limited t, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating infrmatin r citatins, facilitating acts f academic dishnesty by thers, having unauthrized pssessin f examinatins, submitting wrk f anther persn r wrk previusly used withut infrming the instructr, r tampering with the academic wrk f ther students. Students wh are fund t be dishnest will receive academic sanctins and risk failing the curse. Other sanctins may als apply. Curse Requirements: Yu will be expected t: (1) Attend class meetings and be prepared. That means DO THE READING; this is a discussin-based class and if yu haven't dne the reading, yu wn't be able t cntribute and the class (as well as yur grade) will suffer accrdingly; a. Attendance yu are alltted fur absences during the semester fr fatigue, illness, burnut, ccktail flu, persnal reasns, malfunctining alarm clcks, etc. (Nte: I d nt distinguish between excused r unexcused absences. If yu miss fur days and then get the flu and miss anther day, yu will lse 5 percentage pints fr the fifth absence.) Fr each absence after yur first fur, yur final grade will be reduced five pints per additinal absence, dwn t and including "F." (2) Participate in large and small grup class discussins. This curse is what yu make f it and will wrk nly if everyne participates; (3) Cmplete all assignments. Passing the curse requires timely cmpletin f ALL f the assignments, lng and shrt, in-class and ut-f-class. N assignments will be accepted after the last day f class. Grades: Frmal Reading Jurnal 400 Final Paper Draft Wrk 200 Final Paper (8-10 typed pages) 300 Class Presentatin 100 Ttal: 1000 Grading Scale : A : A : B : B : B : C : C : C : D : D : D & belw: F Assignments: Frmal Reading Jurnal (400 pints ttal): Yu will keep a reading jurnal fr each day s assigned reading. Each entry shuld be abut 1-2 duble-spaced, 12-pint fnt, typed pages (apprximately 500 wrds) and specifically respnd t sme aspect r aspects f the day s assigned reading. While a thesis statement is nt required fr these entries, each shuld demnstrate a critical engagement with the assigned day s reading. Fr example, typical

3 Jacbsn 3 F/D-level respnses: These readings frequently rely t heavily n plt summary r simply list reasns why the authr liked/disliked/did nt understand the reading. Such respnses d nt mve much beynd summary, praise, r cmplaint. They frequently d nt fcus clearly n the assigned reading and may be a jumble f sentences that skip frm tpic t tpic. The respnses frequently cntain grammatical and spelling errrs that inhibit clarity, may be t shrt, and may be written as large paragraphs withut a clear structure. Missing entries will als result in a D-level evaluatin. Students missing several entries risk failure. C-level respnses: These readings clearly explain sme aspect(s) f the reading. They clearly fcus n each day s assigned reading. The authr prvides evidence fr his/her reactin t the readings. The entries use clear tpic sentences and emply lucid prse. B-level respnses: These respnses nt nly clearly fcus n the assigned reading, but they als craft a clear analysis f the reading that bridges individual and wider audience s cncerns. The respnses explain r explre significance beynd the authr s wn individual imprtance, frequently expanding and develping class discussin. Clear evidence is prvided fr each piece f the analysis and reflectin. The authr s prse clear and engaging. A-level respnses: This authr cnsistently ges the extra mile. Fr example, s/he might nt nly craft clearly written and persuasive respnses t the reading assignments, but s/he als incrprates utside research. Such entries are rarely written ff the cuff. Rather, they demnstrate sustained thught and deep engagement in the curse material. They take discussin in new r unexplred directins and d s with grace and elquence. I frequently will prvide suggested tpics in class fr yur entries; hwever, yu are nt required t write n these suggested tpics. Yur entries shuld be cmplete befre yu arrive t class. Yu will write 26 entries fr a ttal f abut 26 typed pages. I will cllect the jurnals fur times during the curse f the semester fr frmal evaluatin. Please label each entry and keep them in a flder r staple them tgether t pass in n the assigned cllectin dates. Jurnals that are nt typed r therwise cllected haphazardly will be penalized 10 percentage pints. Class Participatin & Final Paper Draft Assignments (200 pints ttal): In additin t yur daily class participatin, this categry evaluates yur cmprehensive apprach t the rugh draft, peer review, and revisin prcess. T receive a C r better participatin grade yu are required t attend at least ne f the Visiting Writers readings. (See Syllabus fr dates and times.) See Final Paper Assignment Descriptin fr mre infrmatin abut each stage in the draft prcess. Final Paper (8-10 typed pages, 300 pints): This research paper will fcus n sme aspect f clnialism r pstclnialism and ne r tw f the cntemprary wrks frm the semester s reading. The paper may, fr example, examine ecnmic, dmestic, r natinal issues raised by the fictin. The paper must incrprate at least tw peer reviewed jurnal articles r bks. Peer-reviewed articles and bks are available in the library stacks, via the MLA bibligraphy, and JSTOR. See Assignment Descriptin fr mre infrmatin. Class Presentatin (100 pints): This presentatin will infrm the class abut an assigned literary, histrical, r cultural element significant t ur understanding f the assigned reading. Yu may sign up in a grup f 2 students r d the presentatin by yurself. Each presentatin must use sme type f visual aide (fr example, a PwerPint presentatin and/r handut) and prvide t the class and instructr with a bibligraphy f at least 3 surces n the tpic. All grup members shuld speak during the curse f the minute presentatin.

4 Jacbsn 4 Late Assignment Plicy: I understand that life is full f surprises and smetimes thse surprises influence yur cursewrk and yur ability t cmplete assignments. As a cmmunity f learners, we als recgnize that we have a respnsibility t the grup, t ur instructr, and t urselves. We understand that every actin has a cnsequence even when circumstance may limit ur pwer t act. T balance individual and cmmunity needs, we have the fllwing guidelines fr late assignments. Papers: Papers are due at the beginning f class. Late papers will be dcked 5 percentage pints per day late. S, if a B (85%) paper due n Tuesday at 8:30am is passed in n Mnday at 4:30pm, the recrded grade wuld be B- (80). If it is passed in n Tuesday, the paper wuld earn a 75. And s n and s frth. Every student has ne but wait, this isn t real life it s cllege card. This card can nly be used nce and must be used befre the last day f classes. S say yur printer malfunctins, yu versleep, yur kids are sick, yu car breaks dwn, yur cmputer expldes, etc. and yu cme t my ffice r me yur paper at 4:30pm n Tuesday. Yu can use yur card nce and nly nce t bypass the first day s grade penalty. Of curse, this card will nly help students wh have drafted a paper and fllw the expected practice f backing up dcuments. Back up all yur files and yu will be a much happier and successful individual. Yu may nt be happy when yur cmputer expldes, but at least yu will nt be despndent. I als strngly encurage all students t keep a persnal cpy f every assignment and t keep all returned assignments with my feedback until the end f the term. Syllabus LITT 2109 Spring Week 1: Intrductins, Themes and Questins Jan 17: Intrductin t curse, assignments, students and instructr. Sign up fr Grup Presentatin. Jan 19: The Pisnwd Bible (Bk 1, pp. 1-82) Presentatin 1: Definitin f Pstclnial Fictin (Mdel Presentatin by Dr. J) Week 2: Pstclnial Hmemaking Jan 24: The Pisnwd Bible (Bk 2, pp ) Presentatin 2: Definitin f Pstmdern Fictin Jan 26: The Pisnwd Bible (Bk 3, pp ) Presentatin 3: The Belgian Cng Week 3: Pstclnial Hmemaking Jan 31: The Pisnwd Bible (Bk 4, pp ) Presentatin 4: White Privilege Feb 2: The Pisnwd Bible (Bk 5, pp ) Presentatin 5: Biblical References in The Pisnwd Bible Week 4: Secrets and Privileges Feb 7: The Pisnwd Bible (Bk 6, pp ) Presentatin 6: Critical Respnses t Barbara Kingslver s Wrk Feb 9: The Dew Breaker (pp. 3-68) Due: 7 Frmal Jurnal Entries (Jan. 19-Feb. 9) Presentatin 7: 1960s Haiti Week 5: Secrets and Privileges Feb 14: The Dew Breaker (pp ) Presentatin 8: Trture Feb 16: The Dew Breaker (pp ) Presentatin 9: Critical Respnses t Edwidge Danticat s Wrk 1 Class Schedule subject t changes with ntice. Readings and assignments are listed n the day they are due.

5 Jacbsn 5 Week 6: Pstclnial Identities Feb 21: Indian Killer (Part 1, Chapters 1-12, pp ) Presentatin 10: The Mystery Nvel Feb 23: Indian Killer (Part 1, Chapter 13-Part 2, Chapter 9, pp ) Presentatin 11: Native American Steretypes Week 7: Pstclnial Identities Feb 28: Indian Killer (Part 2, Chapters 10-26, pp ) Presentatin 12: Native American Literature Mar 2: Indian Killer (Part 3, pp ) Presentatin 13: Critical Respnses t Sherman Alexie s Wrk Week 8: Writing Pst-9/11 Mar 7: In the Shadw f N Twers (pp. 1-10). Discuss Final Paper Presentatin 14: Graphic Nvel Mar 9: In the Shadw f N Twers ( The Cmic Supplement ) Due: 8 Frmal Jurnal Entries (Feb. 14-Mar 9) Due: Final Paper Tpic Presentatin 15: Critical Respnses t Art Spiegelman s Wrk Spring Break Week 9: Literature f the New American Ecnmy Mar 21: Empire Falls (Prlgue-Chapter 5, pp ) Presentatin 16: Pst-Industrial American Ecnmy Mar 23: Empire Falls (Chapter 6-11, pp ) Presentatin 17: Realism and the American Nvel Week 10: Literature f the New American Ecnmy Mar 28: Preceptrial Advising (N Classes) Mar 30: Empire Falls (Chapter 12-17, pp ) Due: Anntated Bibligraphy Presentatin 18: American Masculinity Week 11: Literature f the New American Ecnmy Apr 4: Empire Falls (Chapter 18-26, pp ) Presentatin 19: American Dream Apr 6: Empire Falls (Chapter 27-Epilgue, pp ) Presentatin 20: Critical Respnses t Richard Russ s Wrk Week 12: Visiting Writer Tny D Suza Apr 11: Tny D Suza Visit. Handut f D Suza s New Yrker stry. Begin Bdega Dreams Apr 13: Due: Final Paper Rugh Draft Wrkshp (Bring 2 cpies f yur paper t class) Due: 6 Frmal Jurnal Entries (Mar 21-Apr 13) Week 13: Pstclnial Ethics Apr 18: Bdega Dreams (Bk 1, pp. 1-82) Presentatin 21: Spanish Harlem Apr 20: Bdega Dreams (Bks 2 & 3, pp ) Due: Final Paper Presentatin 22: Critical Respnses t Ernest Quiñnez s Wrk Week 14: Bridging Cmmunities Apr 25: Mnkey Bridge (Chapters 1-5, pp. 1-93) Presentatin 23: American Vietnam War Fictin Apr 27: Mnkey Bridge (Chapters 6-9, pp ) Presentatin 24: Vietnamese Family/Culture Week 15: Bridging Cmmunities May 2: Mnkey Bridge (Chapters 10-13, pp ) Due: 5 Frmal Jurnal Entries (Arp 18- May 2) Presentatin 25: Critical Respnses t Lan Ca s Wrk