English 250.2 Professor Carol Loranger
The Study of Literature I: Poetry carol.loranger@wright.edu
A230CA 414 Millett; 775-2961
MW 5:10-6:50pm Hours: MW 4-5pm, F 1-3
and by appointment
REQUIRED TEXTS:
The Norton Introduction to Poetry, 7th ed. (Norton)
Abrams, A Glossary of Literary Terms, 7th ed. (Abrams)
Gibaldi, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 5th ed. (MLA)
ABOUT THE COURSE: English 250 is the first course of a two
quarter sequence designed to give you the reading and
writing skills you need for satisfactory completion of the
English major. This course focuses on improving your
reading and understanding (and, I hope, appreciation) of
poetry and on giving you a grounding in specialized
vocabularies and fields of discourse useful in writing
about poetry for the specialized, literary-critical
audience. Many of the skills necessary for understanding
poetry are applicable across, if not fundamental to, the
broad range of literature studies. We will also be giving
attention this term to perfecting your English language and
compositional skills, especially as they relate to the
conventions of academic writing within the English major.
ATTENDANCE: Our days in class will be roughly divided
between lecture/demonstration, discussion of literary works
and group work. It is imperative that you attend regularly
and attentively and keep up with the workload. To
facilitate this I have a strict attendance/participation
policy:
1. Some variety of ungraded work is due every day. If
the work is not turned in on time you will be
considered absent for the day. If you are absent for
the day, I will not accept the work. You are permitted
a total of three free absences and/or late submissions
without effect on your journal/participation grade--
which is 20% of your total grade. The only possible
grade for journal/participation is A (three or fewer
absences/missing journals) or F (four or more
absences/missing journals).
2. Students who are present in class but obviously
unprepared to participate may be considered absent for
the day.
MY FILES/YOUR FILES: Keep all graded work returned to you.
Make TWO copies of each journal entry as I will not be
returning your submissions to you and you need the material
in your journal entries in order to workshop and write your
essays. It's also a good idea to keep a copy of any major
assignments you turn in (i.e. the essays) in the rare event
that I misplace your work before recording its grade.
WARNING: English 102 or its equivalent is a prerequisite
for enrollment in this course. If you have not
satisfactorily completed English 102, please drop this
course. If you have passed 102, I make the following
assumptions:
1. that you have a grasp of the basic elements of a
college level essay and can organize your essays
around a coherent thesis statement supported by
significant arguments, details, inferences, etc.;
2. that you either have a grasp of the fundamentals of
English usage, grammar and mechanics or you know how
to use a grammar book or where the University Writing
Center is located;
3. that you have been introduced to the processes of
drafting, revising and polishing essays and are able
to work through all three processes BEFORE you turn in
your work.
The effect of these assumptions on your work is this:
1. I expect you to turn in work revised and polished
to the best of your abilities. If a course lecture or
paragraph assignment addresses some aspect of
composition, presentation, documentation or English
usage, grammar or mechanics, you are expected to
demonstrate your competence in all subsequent work.
2. Your essays will be drafted and revised to some
extent in class. While you are permitted to revise the
first two essays, you should be aware that merely
correcting mechanical and grammatical errors does not
constitute a revision. Revision implies significant
reworking (strengthening, improving) of the essay's
content. Revising an essay does not automatically
result in a higher grade. Grades for the original and
revised essay will be averaged.
WORKLOAD: The workload for this course is not heavy, but it
is continuous and can mount up if you don't keep abreast.
You will be reading four to seven poems, plus several pages
of explanatory material, for each meeting. NOTE: the
assignments from Norton include not only the poems but also
any discussion of the poems or poetry in the assigned text
pages. Although your are not required to write out answers
to the discussion questions, you should read and think
about them. Most poems, though short, should be reread
several times for comprehension. You will be doing some
form of writing (not all of it graded) for each meeting.
You will have one, cumulative, objective exam on the
explanatory material. You will be asked to do some
independent library work in preparation for some of your
writing. All reading and writing assignment due dates are
marked in the course calendar. All journal and paragraph
writing assignments are included in this handout. Graded
work will be weighted as follows:
Essay 1 10%
4 paragraphs 5%
Essay 2 15%
Essay 3 25%
13/16 journals 20%
Exam 25%
Total 100%
NOTE: ALL READING AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE
COMPLETED BY THE DAY INDICATED ON THE CALENDAR.
Calendar
Reading and Homework Schedule
Sept 15 Introductory Matters. Concept: Poetry as a
Way of Saying.
Homework due Sept 20:
1. Read Norton Appendix pp. A5-A17
2. Read Norton pp. 3-17 and poems "Sir
Patrick Spense" (Norton pp.237-8), "The
Road Not Taken" (537), "Skunk Hour"
(553-4), "[What lips my lips have
kissed, and where, and why]" (28), and
"Theme for English B" (547-8).
3. Review MLA 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.7.1,
2.7.3, 2.6.1, 2.6.3, 2.4.1-2, 5.4 (esp.
5.4.8), 3.1-3.6, 3.8, 6.6.1.
4. Journal 1: Write brief paragraph
outlining your initial understanding of
what poetry is/does based on today's
lecture and the assigned readings from
Norton.
Sept 20 Concept I: Conventions of Academic Writing.
Concept II: Dramatic Situation. In-class reading:
Handout "The Chambered Nautilus" and "To the
Fringed Gentian." In-class writing: Paragraphs 1-
2
Homework due Sept 22:
1. Polish and type paragraph
assignments 1 and 2.
2. Read Norton p. 33-43 and 61-9. Read
additional poems and discussion in
Chapter 2: "Soliloquy of the Spanish
Cloister," "A Certain Lady," "She Dwelt
among the Untrodden Ways," "The New-
Born Baby's Song," "We Real Cool," and
"[I celebrate myself, and sing
myself]."
3. Read Abrams, "Dramatic Monologue,"
and "Persona, Tone and Voice."
3. Journal 2: Which poem from the
assigned reading affects you most
strongly? Why?
Sept 22 Concept: Persona, Tone and Voice. Group
Work: Discuss assigned poem, prepare overhead for
in-class presentation today.
Homework due Sept 27:
1. Review Norton Appendix pp. A28-A32.
2. Read Abrams, "Setting."
3. Read Norton Chapter 3, pp.93-105.
Read additional poems and discussion:
"To His Coy Mistress," " Singapore,"
"Labor Day," "A Mongoloid Child . . . ,"
"Hubris," "As I Walked Out One
Evening," "Evening," "City Afternoon,"
and "I Am Not a Conspiracy.?"
4. Journal 3: How did your
understanding of the group work poem
differ from, agree with that of others
in your group? What, specifically, do
you think accounts for these
similarities/differences?
Sept 27 Concept: Setting. In-class reading: Handout
"I Shall Go Back" and "The Lake Isle of
Innisfree." Discuss assignment for Essay 1.
Homework due Sept 29:
1. Journal 4: Begin drafting Essay 1,
have worksheet, topic paragraph and
outline of strategy ready for group
work. Be prepared to discuss the
meaning of the poem, its dramatic
situation and your interpretive
strategies with your group.
2. Read Abrams "Ambiguity" and "Poetic
Diction."
3. Read Norton pp 140-165 and "My Last
Duchess" (431-2).
Sept 29 Concept: Language: Precision and Ambiguity.
Group Work: Compare and discuss drafts for Essay
1.
Homework due Oct 4:
1. Continue drafting Essay 1.
2.Read Norton pp. 166-197.
3. Read Abrams "Figurative Language"
and "Symbol."
Oct 4 Concept: Figurative Language. In-class
reading: "The Lamb" (365) and "The Tyger (502).
Homework due Oct 6:
1. Write paragraph assignment 3.
2. Polish, revise, proofread and print
Essay 1.
3. Read Norton pp. 225-49.
4. Read Abrams "Rhyme" and "Stanza."
Oct 6 Concept: Poetic Form--Internal Structure.
Homework due Oct 11:
1. Journal 5: Write a paragraph or two
describing the internal structure of a
poem of your choice from pp. 238-249.
2. Read Abrams "Meter," "Free Verse,"
and "Blank Verse."
3. Read Norton 253-70.
Oct 11 Concept: Metrics, Rhyme, Stanza Forms.
Handout and practice session: Scansion.
In-class writing, try to write a
sonnet.
Homework due Oct 13:
1. Journal 6: Polish your sonnet. Write
a one-page discussion of the problems
you faced writing metrically and the
solutions you found.
2. Read Norton 271-86.
Oct 13 Concept: Metrics, Rhyme, Stanza Forms. Essay
2 assignment discussed. Share and discuss
sonnets.
Homework due Oct 18:
1. Write paragraph assignment 4.
2. Journal 7: Begin drafting Essay 2 by
writing extensive notes on the poem(s)
of your choice.
3. Read Norton pp. 287-300 and Appendix
pp. A18-A27.
Oct 18 Concept: Approaching the Whole Text.
Homework due Oct 25:
1. Journal 8: Draft a strong thesis
statement for Essay 2. List strategies
for developing your thesis; scan your
poem or otherwise outline its form.
2. Review MLA 4.1-4.6.1 and 4.7-4.7.2.
Oct 20 Library Tour. Location TBA
Oct 25 Concept: Citation and Documentation in the
Academic Essay. Group work: workshop essay 2.
Homework due Oct 27:
1. Find a minimum of two library
sources--book, article or reference
work on poetic form and on the poem(s)
or poet(s) you are writing on for essay
2. Bring in a complete, correct
citation for the source and the source
itself if available. Total of 4
sources.
2. Read and take notes on the source
material you might use for your essay.
3. Journal 9: What effect, if any, has
the library material had on your
thinking about the poem(s) for Essay 2?
Oct 27 Concept: Writing for the Academic or
Lettered Audience. Group work: Compare, edit and
discuss strategies and drafts for Essay 2. In-
class writing: continue drafting Essay 2.
Homework due Nov 1:
1. Finish drafting, revise, polish and
print Essay 2.
2. Journal 10: Evaluate your essay.
Stand back from it and try to
articulate what you hope you have
accomplished with it.
3. Read Norton 316-34.
4. Journal 11: Answer Question 1 or 2
(pp.333-4).
Nov 1 Concept: Context--Life, Works, Views. Essay
2 due. Group work: Go over discussion questions.
Discuss essay 3.
Homework due Nov 3:
1. Read Norton pp. 335-60.
2. Journal 12: Respond to any statement
made by Rich on pp. 352-9 that you find
especially provocative or thought-
provoking. How does Rich's statement
affect your reaction to her poems?
Nov 3 Concept: Context--Life, Works, Views.
Homework due Nov 8:
1. Read Norton 362-85.
2. Journal 13: Write a haiku or an
epigram to share with the class.
Comment briefly on the experience of
writing it.
Nov 8 Concept: Context--Literary Tradition. In-
class reading: TBA.
Homework due Nov 10:
1. Read Norton 459-490.
2. Journal 14: What do you make of the
multiplicity of responses to Plath's
poem?
3. Begin drafting essay 3,
incorporating materials as appropriate
from the previous four class periods
and your other reading for this and
other relevant courses.
Nov 10 Concept: Context--Critical Discourse.
Homework due Nov 15:
1. Journal 15: Draft a strong opening
statement for Essay 3. List strategies
for developing your thesis.
2. Read Norton 432-456.
Nov 15 Concept: Context--History and Culture. Group
Work: Discuss and compare draft statements and
strategies for Essay 3.
Homework due Nov 17:
1. Journal 16: Continue drafting Essay 3.
Nov 17 Evaluation day, please bring a pencil.
Review for exam. In-class and group work: Revise
and discuss Essay 3.
Nov 22 Exam.
Nov 29 Essay 3 due
PARAGRAPH ASSIGNMENTS
GENERAL ASSIGNMENT: All paragraphs will be typed and
proofread for errors. These are mainly intended to check
your grasp of material from the MLA or Abrams' and class
discussions of technical matters and terms. Paragraphs WILL
be graded for overall technical and compositional
correctness rather than content, though content will carry
some small weight. At the end of your paragraph, give the
word count, NOT COUNTING QUOTED MATTER, in parentheses.
Paragraphs also count as attendance chits, but only if
turned in on the day due. Keep the returned, graded
paragraphs in your notebooks.
Paragraph 1: Write a paragraph of no more than 150
words commenting on any aspect you like from one of
the poems from the handout. Whatever you write about,
your paragraph must include 1.) a RELEVANT quotation
of NO MORE THAN THREE CONSECUTIVE LINES, correctly
placed and punctuated and SMOOTHLY INTEGRATED INTO A
SENTENCE OR PHRASE OF YOUR OWN; 2.) mention of the
title of the poem, correctly punctuated and
capitalized; 3.) TWO mentions of the author's name,
according to MLA convention; 4.) parenthetical
documentation of line numbers for lines quoted.
Paragraph 2: Write a paragraph of no more than 150
words discussing some the argument in one of the poems
from the handout. Whatever you write about, your
paragraph must include 1.) a RELEVANT quotation of
MORE THAN THREE CONSECUTIVE LINES, correctly placed
and punctuated and SMOOTHLY INTEGRATED INTO A SENTENCE
OR PHRASE OF YOUR OWN; 2.) mention of the title of the
poem, correctly punctuated and capitalized; 3.) TWO
mentions of the author's name, according to MLA
convention; 4.) parenthetical documentation of line
numbers for lines quoted.
Paragraph 3: Write a paragraph of no more that 150
words discussing a metaphor or symbol (its function
and its effect on the meaning of the whole poem) in
any one of the poems from a recent reading assignment.
In your paragraph you should quote no more than you
have to to establish the content of the metaphor under
discussion; paraphrase anything else you need to
include. Identify the tenor and vehicle of the
metaphor and indicate how it contributes to the poem's
overall meaning. All punctuation, quotation,
capitalization, convention and citation requirements
from Paragraphs 1 and 2 must be correct; in addition
you must correctly use relevant terminology for the
discussion of metaphor and figurative language, as
given in Abrams and lecture material.
Paragraph 4: Write a paragraph of no more that 150
words in which you accurately identify and describe
the form and meter of any poem from a recent reading
assignment. Additionally, comment briefly on the
effective relationship between these structural
elements and the poem's topic/content/theme.
Requirements from Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 are still in
effect; in addition you must correctly use relevant
terminology from the discussions of metrics, form and
rhyme in Abrams and lecture material.
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