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
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
Liberal Arts & Sciences
Dean, Jennifer Huggins; 815-802-8484; R310; jhuggins@kcc.edu; Division Office- W102; 815-802-8700
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.