SYLLABUS FOR ENGLISH 203 001
Survey of American Literature I
First Summer Term 2005, M-F 8-9:50 a.m., PA 207

Instructor: Todd M. Bunnell
Phone: 241-6235
Office/Hours: 411 Reneau, by appointment
E-mail address/web site: tbunnell@muw.edu; <www2.muw.edu/~tbunnell>

TEXTS AND MATERIALS:
*The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Sixth Edition -- Volume A/B
*Pudd'nhead Wilson, Mark Twain

COURSE CONTENT:
The aim of this course is to give the student an overview of American writers, literature, and literary trends from its colonial infancy to the Civil War. The readings will reflect political, religious, and artistic changes in American thought.

GOALS:
To promote the reading and comprehension of writings from the time period
To create an awareness of that part of a student’s cultural heritage found in the literature from the early American colonies to the American Civil War
To promote an appreciation for American literature and culture
To encourage critical thinking and exploration of ideas
To provide historic perspective on literature produced in this time period
To show how politics and religion affected social thought as seen through the literature of this time period To show the creation and development of writing as an art form and as a way of expressing the self
To create an awareness of the search for self that drove the writers and thinkers of this time period

1. Three tests. The first two tests will include multiple choice, short answers, quotation identifications, and brief essays. The final will include one section on paragraph responses on the third part of the class as well as a comprehensive paragraph response section. Missed tests can be made-up but will not be the same as administered in class. Make-up tests will usually be more involved and will be given at MY convenience. The student is responsible for meeting with me to arrange a make-up date.

2. A critical paper. One critical paper will be assigned concerning a question on one of the works already discussed in class or on the film that will be shown about Walt Whitman. I will hand out those topics at a later date. This paper will be due at the end of the semester. Late papers will be docked ONE LETTER GRADE for EACH DAY I have not received them. NO EXCEPTIONS!

3. In-class activities, homework, and quizzes. Any in-class activity or quiz CANNOT be made-up for any reason.

The final grade will be determined by the following:

*Three tests -- 80%
*Critical paper -- 15%
*Homework, quizzes, in-class activities -- 5%

ATTENDANCE:
Attendance is very important. Each student will be allowed to miss five (5) classes without penalty. On the sixth absence, the student’s final grade will be lowered five percentage points, and with each subsequent absence, the final grade will continue to be lowered by five percentage points. You are responsible for being aware of your own absences. I will not notify you of the number of absences you have, but you are welcome to check with me. Note: There is no difference between an excused absence and an unexcused absence. Also, please come to class on time and prepared. Excessive tardies will add up to an absence.

EXPECTATIONS:
This is a sophomore level literature class. A prerequisite of this class is that every student must have already passed English 101 with a grade of C or better and should be able to read difficult material and to comprehend complicated lectures concerning American literature. Each student should read ahead and should come to class prepared to discuss and evaluate the given material. Also, each student is expected to produce writing that is grammatically correct, coherently structured, and reasonably substantive.

PLAGIARISM:
Plagiarism is using someone else’s ideas or writing as your own without giving credit to that individual or source. Since the paper you will write in this class is a critical paper that needs no outside sources, you are not expected to use any source other than the movie or the work that you are addressing. Any outside source should be documented, though. When in doubt, ask me.

DISABILITIES:
It is the responsibility of students who have professionally diagnosed disabilities to notify the instructor so that necessary and appropriate modifications can be made to meet any special learning needs.

CELL PHONES
Please be considerate of your classmates and of the instructor by turning off all cell phones before entering class. If there is a special circumstance, please notify me in advance.

IMPORTANT DATES:
June 8 -- Last day to drop a course without receiving a grade of WP/WF
June 10 -- Last day a course may be dropped
June 24 -- Last day to withdraw from the university

JUNE 1 -- Introduction to course; Critical Paper Discussion. Puritanism; Early American Literature.

JUNE 2 -- SMITH, The General History of Virginia (Third Book, Chapter 2); BRADFORD, "Of Plymouth Plantation" (Book I, Chapter IX, X; Book II, Chapter XI); TAYLOR, "The Preface," "Upon Wedlock, and Death of Children," "Huswifery."

JUNE 3 – BRADSTREET, "The Prologue," "The Author to Her Book," "Before the Birth of One of Her Children," "To My Dear and Loving Husband," "Here Follows Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House"; EDWARDS, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."

JUNE 6 – The American novel; BROWN, Weiland; Revolution. FRANKLIN, Poor Richard's Almanack: "The Way to Wealth," "The Speech of Polly Baker," (handout).

JUNE 7 -- PAINE, "Common Sense," "The Crisis, No. 1"; Paine reader role-playing groups; FRENEAU, "The Wild Honey Suckle."

JUNE 8 -- Romanticism; IRVING, "Rip Van Winkle," "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"; COOPER, The Pioneers (Chapter III); Review.

JUNE 9 -- TEST 1.

JUNE 10 -- Romanticism continued; BRYANT, "The Prairies," "Thanatopsis," "To a Waterfowl," "The Yellow Violet" (handout); DOUGLASS, Narrative.

JUNE 13 -- Transcendentalism and EMERSON, Nature (Introduction, I, VIII), "Self-Reliance," "The American Scholar."

JUNE 14 -- THOREAU, Walden, "Resistance to Civil Government."

JUNE 15 -- POE, "The Sleeper," "The Raven," "Annabel Lee," "William Wilson," "The Cask of Amontillado," "Ligeia." Study of Ligeia in mixed media.

JUNE 16 -- HAWTHORNE, "Young Goodman Brown," "The Minister's Black Veil," "Rappaccini's Daughter"; "Rappaccini's Daughter" group work; Paper discussion; Review.

JUNE 17 -- TEST 2.

JUNE 20 -- DICKINSON, 67, 280, 324, 465, 712.

JUNE 21 -- MELVILLE, "Bartleby," Billy Budd.

JUNE 22 -- WHITMAN, "Preface to Leaves of Grass," "Song of Myself" (1881), "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd."

JUNE 23 -- MOVIE: BEAUTIFUL DREAMERS.

JUNE 24 -- Realism. TWAIN, Pudd'nhead Wilson.

JUNE 27 -- TWAIN, Pudd'nhead Wilson (continued).

JUNE 28 -- TWAIN, Pudd'nhead Wilson (continued).

JUNE 29 -- CRITICAL PAPER DUE; Review.