English
201, Section 04 is a three-credit class that meets
twice a week for 75 minutes each class that has
English 101 as a prerequisite for the course.
A study of significant movements and
traditions in fiction and poetry by major western
writers such as:
the authors of the Old Testament,
Homer,
Sophocles,
Dante,
Cervantes,
Goethe,
Chekov,
Camus,
Garcia Marquez, and
Anna Akhmatova.
Readings will be selected to develop one or more
central themes of western literature such as:
the making of the hero or heroine,
the varieties of love,
the individual’s relationship to nature,
or
individual freedom and social
responsibility.
The theme for Section 04, Spring is: Heroic
Agony and Adversity. Agony is taken in its Greek
sense, suggesting strife and suffering; adversity
tests the mettle of the hero/heroine and provides a
challenge to his/her self-definition.
The goal of this course is to expand skills
in literary analysis and criticism through the
close reading of major works outside the American
and British traditions. Close reading includes
reading the work itself with understanding and
sensitivity, comprehending the personal and
historical context in which the work was written,
developing a critical perspective on the work and
what it communicates to our own time. You should
expect class preparation to require a minimum of
two hours per hour spent in class.
It is the student’s responsibility to
attend all classes with the assigned work
prepared. If a class is missed, lecture
information and assignment changes should be
secured from another student.
In this course, if more than 25% of classes
are missed, the student is subject to automatic
failure.
Written work submitted after the assigned
time will be penalized one grade level for each
late day. Exceptions to this policy may be
approved but only in extraordinary circumstances
and upon written request.
Longwood’s Honor Code, described in the
Student Handbook, affirms an important principle
of intellectual integrity. All assignments written
in and out of class must subscribe to this code by
placing the word “Pledged” and your signature
on the paper.
The student may use spell-checking computer
software, Learning Center resources, or the
assistance of friends in editing a paper, but the
final product must be your thoughts in your
language.
The accuracy and completeness of quotations
and lists of sources is the student’s
responsibility. In general, citations must follow
the format described in the MLA Handbook.
The student should also review the directions
in this manual regarding the introduction of
quotations [p. 41].
All draft notes and other materials must be
saved and submitted on request. & Policy on
written work: All papers written outside of class
for a grade must be prepared on a word
processor.
Submit work on white 8.5” X 11”
NON-erasable paper, double-spaced, with one-inch
margins on the left, right and bottom, and 1.5”
at the top. Paginate in the bottom center of the
page. Staple your papers; do not use paper
clips.
Each essay must have a title page
with the following information in the center:
Title of the Paper
Your Name
Course Name
Professor’s Name
Essay Due Date
Essay Number
In all written work, students must consistently
exhibit competency in the areas of
focus,
development,
organization,
style, and
grammar/mechanics (see the attachment
“Goals and Standards of Composition”).
N.B. An “A” or “B” paper will have the
following characteristics:
An introduction that provides a context for
the thesis and a sense of organization of the rest
of the essay. A biographical summary or a
statement by a critic is not a substitute for a
thesis.
Paragraphs should develop one main point or
issue. A transition should be provided from the
previous and to the subsequent paragraph.
Effective paragraphs keep the reader focussed on
the text under discussion. Show how ideas develop
and explain the work at hand. Work with short,
punchy quotations, and cite them in MLA format
described in the Longwood College Style Manual.
Much of the persuasive “tone” of a paper
arises from the selection and discussion of
evidence from the text. Discussion should
anticipate and answer questions the average reader
might have about the passage, including unusual
diction or characters.
Quotations from secondary sources are best
introduced and kept reasonably short. They support
or provide a contrast for the writer’s own
ideas. No more than 20% of your paper should be
quoted from secondary sources. The best papers
demonstrate the exercise of judgment in selecting
sources.
The conclusion should recall your
introduction and help the reader see how the idea
has made it easier to evaluate the work or author
discussed.
The essay has been proofread carefully.
Obvious spelling and grammar mistakes have been
corrected.
The trite and the trivial should be avoided,
e.g., “Homer burst upon the literary
scene….”
These are normally based on the reading
assignment for the previous day (s)— covered and
discussed in class. They will include short and
long identifications, fill-ins, multiple choice,
and/or brief commentary (short essay).
The lowest grade will be dropped.
No make-up quizzes are given; make-up
examinations are granted only in extraordinary
circumstances.
Students will choose a reading assignment and
prepare five (5) questions for the class to
answer, then field the class discussion of the
question and answer session (assisted by the
instructor).
You should begin with three (3) coherent
sentences on the text, then pose your questions;
or you may choose two/three identifications, or
three “thought questions” for the class to
ponder.
You should be prepared to turn in these notes
and they will be exploited for future quizzes and
exams.
These student-led discussion sessions will
last 10-20 minutes.
Reports should be well organized, coherent,
and informative. You should present specific
information focused on one or two main
points.
Expect to provide a summary at the conclusion
of the presentation.
Reports are to be scheduled for the days when
the class will be discussing subject matter
related to the matter of the report. (No questions
on Homer while the class is reading/discussing
Molière!)
Reports will be evaluated for:
Quality of information researched and
presented;
Organization, focus on major ideas,
coherence; and
Delivery: clarity, articulateness, eye
contact, voice projection, and so forth.
This assignment is designed to develop
literary research and writing skills.
The goal of the project is to develop a close
reading of the work(s) chosen leading to your own
critical conclusion(s) about the topic.
You should support your
reading/interpretation with appropriate secondary
sources, such as essays, letters, biographies, or
works of criticism—BUT quotations from secondary
sources must NOT exceed 20 per cent of your
paper.
Note: the assignment length (8-10 pp.) does
not include the required “Works Cited” page.
& Tutoring. Structured group tutoring may be
available for this course at the Learning Center.
Review sessions or a drop-in lab format can be
created, as needed, for quizzes, exams, etc.
Upon request, tutorials will be arranged for
essays in the Writing Lab. (Longwood tutors are
paid and work scheduled hours during the
semester.) For more information, phone X2392 or
email
slissner@longwood.lwc.edu.
Spring semester hours are M-R 8:30 a.m.-7
p.m. (until 5 p.m. on Friday) & Disability
questions? Any student who believes that s/he may
need accommodations based on a disability should
make an appointment to see the instructor during
office hours.
Alternately, you may send an email to that
effect (address as above).
This chart defines some standards
used throughout the semester to evaluate student
writing. Such college writing standards apply to five
basic categories:
Focus,
Development,
Style, and
Grammar/Mechanics.
Each category is described in terms of excellent
writing, competent writing, and poor writing.
To earn a “C” in the course, your writing
must be at least Competent in each category.
Poor Writing (12-15/20) “0-6” = D-F
Competent Writing
(16-17/20)“7-8”=C-D
Excellent Writing(18-20/20) “9”=A-B
FOCUS
Writing lacks unity; its purpose is vague
and/or it strays from its main idea.
Vague introduction.
Missing topic sentences.
Writing is unified; it has a clear thesis
which is maintained throughout the essay.
A general introduction.
In addition to being unified, writing is
insightful and absorbing, showing that the writer
has achieved a fresh understanding of the
subject.
Strong.
DEVELOPMENT
Writing is inadequate in achieving its
purpose; its supporting detail is
insufficient—sketchy and unconvincing –and/or
its supporting detail is inappropriate to the
audience and purpose.
Rambling.
Unintentionally “fuzzy logic.”
Writing adequately achieves its purpose; it
uses supporting detail that is sufficient and
appropriate to the audience and purpose.
Topic sentences relate to the thesis but are
weaker than desirable or inconsistent in
incorporating transitions.
Beyond sufficiency and appropriateness,
writing uses supporting detail that is lively,
informative, and engaging.
Logical
ORGANIZATION
Writing lacks coherence; the relationships
among the ideas in the essay are not clear, a
result of ineffective arrangement and/or
inadequate transitions.
Inconclusive conclusions.
Writing is coherent; the relationships among
the ideas in the essay are clear; each paragraph
functions as a logical unit within the whole
essay; suitable transitions help the reader follow
the order of the ideas.
Writing achieves a coherence that does not
seem mechanical or imposed; it incorporates a
variety of transitional strategies on all
levels—sentence, paragraph, and essay—that
work together to create a smooth and logical flow
of thought.
Concrete.
STYLE
Style is unclear and/or inappropriate;
sentences are difficult to understand and word
choice is consistently weak, clichéd; or
immature; sentence structure and level of diction
are unsuitable to the audience and purpose.
Style is clear and appropriate; sentences are
understandable and word choice often goes beyond
automatic to words that are more precise and
effective; sentence structure and level of diction
are suitable for the audience and purpose.
In addition to being clear and appropriate,
style is inventive; sentences incorporate a wide
variety of structures, and word choice is concise
and compelling, just right for audience and
purpose.
Vivid.
GRAMMAR/MECHANICS
The kind and number of grammatical and
mechanical errors seriously impede the progress of
the reader and undermine the credibility of the
writer.
Reader is not impeded by grammatical and
mechanical errors.
Writing consistently demonstrates mastery of
standard written English.
Writing has virtually no problems with
grammar and mechanics.
1. Text Information (Author, Title,
pages in MNA, Translator; general significance).
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
9. Structure of the Literary Text.
___________________________________________________________________
10. Literary Knowledge and
Critical Clues (elements or devices used by the
author/ narrator to help the reader interpret the
story or content; includes metaphors, similes, points
of view, tone, connotations, etc.).
