English 303 Course Guide

Oakland University

College of Arts and Sciences

Department of English

English 303: Fiction, Section 42646

Fall 2009 Syllabus

Name: Dr. Amy Spearman

Office Address: O'Dowd 143

Email Address: pollard@oakland.edu

Phone: (248) 370-2738

Office Hours: M,W,F 10:30-11:45am, and by appointment

Class Time: M,W, F 2:40-3:47pm

Class Location: SFH 272

This course satisfies the University General Education requirement in the Literature Knowledge Exploration Area.

Course Description: In this course we will explore the evolution of narrative fiction from the late 19th century to the late 20th century. The short story and novella forms will constitute much of the course, including works by authors such as Ernest Hemingway, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Ursula LeGuin, and Ray Bradbury. In addition we will read several novels in their entirety such as Lolita, The Color Purple, or Midnight's Children. Through these works we will be exposed to the many ways in which fiction can be used to tell stories ranging from the painfully realistic to the sublimely fantastic. To fully understand our stories, we will break down the relationship between narrative voice (our storyteller's persona) and framework (our story's structure). This course will consist of a great deal of reading, as well as regular reading quizzes, weekly short writing assignments, essays, and exams.

General Education Learning Outcomes: The student will develop the skills to read, comprehend, and evaluate works of literature as an art form as well as learn to understand and recognize the variety of literary devices and conventions. The student will discuss and express, in oral and written form, ideas, images, themes, motifs, techniques, and issues as presented by writers deeply rooted in their own culture. In addition, the student will develop and improve critical thinking and writing skills through interpretation and comparative analysis, as well as one's imagination and sensitivity.

General Education Cross-Cutting Capacities:

Critical Thinking

Required texts and supporting materials (available at the OU Bookstore):

Norton Anthology of Short Fiction (7th edition)

ISBN# 0-393-92611-7

Quizzes and Response Papers:

Quizzes will be given at every class meeting. They will typically be completed in the first five minutes of class and CANNOT be made up. The quizzes will cover reading material assigned for that day. One quiz will be dropped at the end of the semester. Responses will be assigned on a weekly basis. The goal of the response is simply to get students writing on a regular basis. The writing does not need to be technically perfect, but it should not be illegible either. Students will respond to a provided prompt with a brief, handwritten response (1-2 pages). Please write the responses on loose paper and collect each response in a folder as it is returned to you. Late responses may be turned in for half credit within a week of the original due date.

Essays:

Students will write two original essays. Papers should be typed double-spaced with Times New Roman font and traditional margins. MLA format, which can be found in any rhetoric handbook or online, must be followed. Be sure to include your name, course number and page numbers. Papers must be stapled prior to class and are due at the beginning of designated class period. I will not accept papers electronically!!! Late papers will receive a .5 grade reduction, and may not be accepted at all after one week.

The Writing Center:

Students are encouraged to utilize the writing center during the semester, and will be required to do so if necessary. The OU Writing Center is a free service to all students enrolled at OU and provides a range of services for writers at all levels. Trained consultants at the center work with students during individual sessions and serve as sensitive readers, while emphasizing writing as a process. The Writing Center is located at 212 Kresge Library (the Northwest corner of the main entrance level of the library), and can be contacted at (248) 370-3120.

Attendance: Students may miss no more than one class per semester. While I will not be taking attendance, quizzes and responses function as my attendance log. Excessive tardiness will not be tolerated and pop quizzes CANNOT be made up. In addition to attendance, students must actively participate in classes. Class participation does not necessarily mean talking the most in class, but it does demand that students actively participate in class at all times, which includes reading the assigned material, listening attentively and respectfully to peers, as well as asking questions and sharing individual opinions and ideas in order to promote class dialogue. Please be considerate and turn cell phones off and do not text message during class time.

Grade determination:

Quizzes 10%

Responses 10%

Shorter Essay 10%

Longer Essay 30%

Exams 20% each (x2)

Add/Drops: