Mondays 4:30-6:30 PM
In this course, students will read and analyze texts from a variety of literary forms and periods. The student will engage with multiple approaches to determine literary meaning, form, and value through the application of various critical perspectives, including multiple literary theories.
Course Alignment
General Education Outcomes are the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that students are expected to develop as a result of their overall experiences with any aspect of the college, including courses, programs, and student services, both inside and outside of the classroom. The General Education Outcomes specifically learned in this course are:
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
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Faculty Contact Information
I respond fastest to email or text.
rblank@mpsk12.org
Robyn Blank
Course Information
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Define key literary terms (i.e. literal and figurative language, metaphor, trope, imagery, allegory) and the elements of literature (plot, character, setting, theme, point of view)
- Analyze how the elements of literature work together to create meaning and affect reader interpretation
- Articulate how the elements of literature work within multiple literary genres, including fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fiction
- Discuss and write responses to literature utilizing various critical perspectives
- Define both literary theory and literary criticism and distinguish between the two terms
- Use the methodologies of specific literary theories to analyze the themes, values, and viewpoints in a literary text
- Relate the themes present in multiple texts to the personal, social, political, ideological, etc. aspects of life, both within the historical context of the text and within contemporary culture
- Reading Skills
- Close reading, annotation, active reading and engagement
- Writing Skills
- Writing distinct literary arguments
- Organizing ideas
- Using textual evidence
- Citing literature
- Literary Terms and Devices
- Common devices: simile, metaphor, imagery, symbolism, flashbacks, motif, trope, allegory, etc.
- Literary Elements
- Plot, narrative, and story; Freytag's Triangle
- Characters, protagonists, antagonists, dynamic/static, flat/round, foils, direct v. indirect characterization
- Setting: description, importance to narrative
- Point of view: narration and narrators, perspective, unreliable narrators, naïve narrators, various narrative povs
- Theme: moral of the story v. issues addressed and arguments made
- Interpretation
- How the elements work together to create meaning
- Using critical perspectives to analyze literary works
- Literary theory versus literary criticism
- How literature reveals reality
Poetry available online:
Edmund Spenser Sonnet Series: Sonnets 1, 35, 75
Nighttime Poetry: "Elegy in a Country Churchyard" -Thomas Gray and A "Nocturnal Reverie" - Anne Finch
King James Bible: Parable of the Prodigal Son and Psalm 23,
Carpe Diem Poetry: "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" - Robert Herrick, "To His Coy Mistress" --Andrew Marvell, "Song" --John Suckling
War Poetry: "Dulce Et Decorum Est" --Wilfred Owen, "The Soldier" --Rupert Brooke, "In Flander's Fields" Col. John McRae
Plays: The Glass Menagerie --Tennessee Williams
Novels: The Awakening --Kate Chopin and The Convenience Store Woman --Sayaka Murata
Attendance 10%
Final: 30%
Classwork: 20%
Paper One --Poem Analysis 15%
Paper 2--Novel/Play Paper 15%
Discussion Posts--10%
Liberal Arts & Sciences
Dean, Jennifer Huggins; 815-802-8484; R310; jhuggins@kcc.edu; Division Office- W102; 815-802-8700
Attendance for an 8 week class is incredibly important. It is a lot of material in a very short amount of time so you are expected to be at every class. I will take attendance for a grade every time we meet. I understand we all have busy lives, but this is a commitment you have made. If you have to miss class all the due dates remain the same. No extensions will be granted. Please let me know if you will be absent, but still expect to lose points for that day's attendance.
An eight week course is very fast paced and there is no time to make up work or get extensions on work. The due dates are posted on the calendar. Please give yourself plenty of time to do the work. It is 16 weeks worth of material in 8 weeks, so there is a lot to do in a little amount of time. Pay close attention to the due dates and due times. I will not grade work that is turned in past the due date and time.
Classwork and discussion posts are expected to be your own work. Any plagiarism on any of the work we do will be subject to the disciplinary action according to the KCC rules of academic integrity.
For Discussion Posts:
- Write two original responses per week. Each response should be at least 100 words and include cited evidence from the text to support your post.
- Write two responses to other students posts as well. These responses need to be at least 50 words each and off an in depth response, not just I agree, good job, good thinking. These responses are expected to be well thought out and intensive. You may cite the text for these 2 responses as well, but it is not a requirement.
Week One: Monday 10/12
- Review Syllabus
- Poetry Unit One
- Classwork and Discussion Posts due for Unit One Sunday 10/18 before midnight
Week Two: Monday 10/19
- Discuss Unit 1 Poetry
- Begin Unit 2 Poetry
- Classwork and discussion posts for Unit 2 due Sunday 10/25
- Assign Paper 1 Due Thursday 10/29 by 10:00 PM
Week Three: Monday 10/26
- Discuss Unit 2 Poetry
- Paper 1 Due Thursday--Poem Analysis
- Read Part One of The Awakening for next week
- Classwork and Discussion Posts due Sunday 11/1
Week Four: Monday 11/2
- Discuss Part 1 of The Awakening
- Read rest for next week
- Classwork and Discussion Posts due Sunday 11/8
- Assign and discuss Paper 2 due Tuesday 11/24 by 10:00 PM
Week Five: Monday 11/9
- Discuss Part Two The Awakening
- Read Glass Menagerie for next week
- Classwork and Discussion Posts due Sunday 11/15
Week Six: Monday 11/16
- Discuss Glass Menagerie
- Read Convenience Store Woman for next week
- Classwork and Discussion Posts due Sunday 11/22
Week Seven: Monday 11/23
- Discuss Convenience Store Woman
- Paper Two due Tuesday 11/24
- Discuss Final Exam
Week Eight: Monday 11/30
- Final Exam
College Policies, Resources and Supports
For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide.
KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:
- Clubs and organizations
- Counseling and referral services
- Office of disability services
- Student complaint policy
- Transfer services
- Tutoring services, etc.
The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at https://kcc.libguides.com/copyright.
|Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.