English 103A Syllabus (Kathryn Dolan, Summer 2005)
From UCSB English Department Knowledge Base
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[edit] Contact information
Instructor: Kathryn Dolan
Class Time: MTWR 3:30-4:35
Location: Girv 1119
Email: kcdolan@umail.ucsb.edu
Office: South Hall 2432K
Office hours: TW 2:30-3:30pm
Mailbox: South Hall Sankey Room
[edit] Required Texts
(Available at UCen)
- Kate Chopin, The Awakening and Other stories
- Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
- Herman Melville, Billy Budd and Other stories
- Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass
- Reader (available at the Alternative)
[edit] Grades
- Writing Assignment: 15%
Due: 7/6/06 (end of 2nd week)
- Midterm 1: 20%
Due: 7/13/06 (end of 3rd week)
- Midterm 2: 20%
Due: 7/27/06 (end of 5th week)
- Final Essay: 30%
Due: 8/4/06 (Friday of 6th week)
- Participation: 15%
[edit] Course Goals and Expectations
[edit] Goals
In this class, we will look at the changing American nation from its beginnings through the end of the 19th century, evaluating the influence of race, gender, nation, and empire on a wide range of American authors. Throughout this course, we will evaluate the methods authors use to understand their changing nation, and we will question their assumptions and identify their motivations in discussions and in our own writing.
[edit] Read
Purchase the required texts immediately and always bring them to class with you. Do the readings before coming to class. You will waste your own time if you are unable to follow or participate.
[edit] Attend
Be on time. Attendance and in-class writings often occur at the beginning of the hour, and lateness is disruptive and disrespectful. You are responsible for catching up on anything you might have missed in a manner that does not disrupt class.
[edit] Participate
Bring materials for in-class writings and notes. Be ready to give your opinion, which is important and will be expected. Part of speaking is listening to your classmates carefully and then contributing intelligently, not just making declarations. Be receptive, be critical, and always be respectful. Participation is worth 20% of your grade!
[edit] Write
Papers must conform to MLA guidelines: double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12pt font, and Works Cited page. See Hacker's A Writer's Reference for details.
[edit] Late Papers
Papers may be turned in late; however, late work will be penalized 10% per day, including weekends. Therefore, late work need not be turned in after 10 days. Classroom assignments will not be accepted late.
[edit] Plagiarism
Plagiarism may lead to failing the course and probation or expulsion—see UCSB policy.
[edit] In-class behavior
Participation involves respect. Cell phones, PDAs, and other electronic devices must be turned off in class.
[edit] Email
Email is definitely the best way to get in touch with me. I try to check my email within 24 hours during the work week.
[edit] Special needs
If you are a student with a disability and would like to see me to discuss special academic accommodations, please contact me during office hours or after class.
[edit] Contact information
[edit] Class Schedule
Schedule is tentative and subject to change
June 26: Introduction to the Class & Review syllabus
Readings: In Class
June 27: American Transcendentalism
Readings: Emerson, "Self-reliance," (reader)
June 28: American Transcendentalism
Readings: Emerson, "The Poet" (reader)
June 29: American Transcendentalism con't
Readings: Thoreau "Civil Disobedience," selections from Walden (reader)
July 3: Slave Narratives
Readings: Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
July 4: NO CLASS
July 5: Narratives con't—women in slavery, narrative as fiction
Readings: Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
July 6: Narratives con't—TBD
Readings: Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE
July 10: American Romanticism—The Gothic
Readings: Poe "Fall of the House of Usher," "Murder in the Rue Morgue," (reader)
July 11: American Romanticism part 2
Readings: Hawthorne "Minister's Black Veil"
July 12: Melville—Race, class, and the sea
Readings: Billy Budd, also introduction
July 13: Melville con't
Readings: Billy Budd 2nd half
1st TAKE-HOME MIDTERM DUE
July 17: American Poetry—Introduction, question of form
Readings: Poe “Philosophy of Composition” and selected poems (reader)
July 18: Spirituality in American poetry
Readings: Dickinson selected poems and letters (reader)
July 19: Spirituality in American poetry
Readings: Whitman, Leaves of Grass, “Song of Myself,” “The Sleepers”
July 20: Gothic American poetry
Readings: Whitman—selection tbd (book)
July 24: Regionalism in America--California
Readings: "Haole and Kanaka," "The Bear Flag Party," from The Shirley Letters, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" (reader)
July 25: Golden State in Crisis—The Donner Party
Readings: from What I Saw, selection from Life Among the Piutes (reader)
July 26: Twain in California
Readings: selections from Roughing It, “Disgraceful Persecution” (reader)
July 27: Twain beyond California—Issues of race in dialect
Readings: "True Story," "Sociable Jimmy” (reader)
2nd TAKE-HOME MIDTERM DUE
July 31: Regionalism—Southern Literature after the Civil War
Readings: Chesnutt, "The Dumb Witness" (reader); Chopin, "Désirée’s Baby" (book)
August 1: Local Color
Readings: Chopin, The Awakening, also introduction
August 2: Fin de Siècle
Readings: Chopin, The Awakening cont
August 3: TBD
August 4: FINALS ESSAYS DUE in the Sankey by 4 pm.
