English 251A: World Literature 

Required texts

Paul Davis et al., eds. The Bedford Anthology of World Literature, vols. 1-6. New York: Bedford-St. Martin’s, 2004.

Note: these books are available in two bundled “packs” to reduce costs. You may buy them in these packs or you may buy each volume separately.
Pack A: ISBN 0-312-40480-8
Pack B: ISBN 0-312-40482-4

Recommended texts

A good writer’s reference for grammar, punctuation, and citation styles.

Course description

The goals of World Literature are to promote familiarity with and understanding of the literatures of the world from antiquity to the present in order to build an understanding of the many dimensions of human experience. Texts are selected to represent the breadth and diversity of the literatures of the world and to foster a greater understanding of the ever-changing nature of our developing literary canon(s).

In addition to literary history, genres, and terminology, World Literature emphasizes close reading, analysis, and interpretation of texts. Students in this course will engage individual literary works in the context of their cultures, eras, literary traditions, and styles. Readings will represent diverse cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles. Among these readings are fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

All works to be studied are written in English or in English translation, from countries other than the United States or the United Kingdom.

Objectives

The main objective of World Literature is to promote the intellectual development of students through the careful consideration of the character and diversity of literature and literary interpretation.

In this class, students are expected to develop and demonstrate

• familiarity with individual texts, authors, literary periods, and genres;
• critical reading and thinking skills;
• interdisciplinary and comparative approaches to the study of literature; and
• awareness of the common and different values, forms, and ideals of the various literatures of the world.

Instructional Methods

Student learning will occur through a combination of reading; reading evaluations; in-class discussion; written analysis; and examinations.

Requirements

Students will be expected to

• attend all class meetings, prepared (see attendance policy, below)

•  participate in class discussions;

• write ten short (2-3 pages) analyses of readings, in response to questions provided for each weeks’ readings;

• complete a midterm exam and a cumulative final exam, each of which will include short answer and essay questions;

•  submit all work in person and on time (at the beginning of class on the day it is due; late papers will be docked one letter grade per day, including the day it is due, if turned in after the beginning of class, unless you get my approval for an extension before the due date).

Attendance

This course engages a community of learners, and there can only be community when people are present, both physically and intellectually. Therefore, your attendance and your participation are required. To plan for success in this course, you must abide by the following guidelines:

Absences for any reason totaling more than 15% of the scheduled class periods (MWF=6; TTh=4) are considered excessive; so if you miss 7 or more in MWF or 5 or more in TTh classes, you will receive an “FA” (Failure because of Absences).

• This policy applies to absences for any reason, including sanctioned College activities. Therefore, you must plan accordingly if activities require class absences.
• The only exceptions to this rule will be judged on a case-by-case basis. These might include, for example, an extended illness that keeps you out of school for several class days consecutively (in such case you must provide medical documentation within a week after your return), a documented death in the family, or unavoidable and verifiable transportation problems.
• If you are absent from class, you are responsible for material covered on the day(s) missed, including handouts, and for assignments due for future classes.
• If you leave class early without permission, the instructor may mark you absent and not allow you to return to class that day.

Three tardies equate to an absence.

• If you miss more than 15 minutes of class, you will be marked absent.
• If you are tardy to class, it is your responsibility to request immediately after class that day that your absence be changed to a tardy.

You are expected to conduct yourselves professionally; consequently, disruptions to the learning environment will not be tolerated.

• If you interfere with instruction, you will be dismissed from class and will receive both an absence and a zero for that day.
• Before class, you must turn off personal electronic equipment, such as cellular telephones and pagers—and keep it off throughout the class. Failure to do so will result in forfeiting this equipment to your professor.

In order to be an active participant in your learning, you are expected to be prepared for class.

• If you are not prepared to participate, or if you are otherwise engaged during class (e.g., you are sleeping, texting, doing a crossword puzzle, or completing homework for another class), you may be asked to leave and you may be counted absent.

• Written assignments are due at the beginning of the class period. 

• Late papers and projects will not be accepted except at the discretion of your professor as explained above under “Absences.”

Evaluation

Your grades in this course are determined by performance on the following assignments. The relative weight of each assignment is as noted:

English Department numerical equivalents for computation of final grades:

A         = 93-100  
B+       = 90-92          
B          = 85-89  
C+       = 80-84 
C         = 75-79          
D+       = 70-74 
D         = 65-69          
F          = 0-64

Academic Honesty

Newberry College and your professor deal severely with cheating and plagiarism.  Students who cheat on assignments or tests, who knowingly use another’s ideas or words without proper documentation, or who submit another’s work will receive the maximum penalty:  failure of the course and a report to the Dean for Student Affairs.  See the Student Handbook for details on college policies on cheating, plagiarism, and academic honesty. It is available online at http://www.newberry.edu/documents/documents/50.pdf

Students with Special Needs

If you are a student with a documented learning disability who requires special accommodations, it is your responsibility to contact the office of Disabilities Support Services (located in Holland Hall, suite 200, ext 5110) to make such arrangements. Following a confidential interview, the Director of Disabilities Support Services will contact your instructors to inform them of your special needs. Note: your instructors are not permitted to discuss your disabilities with you until you have registered with the office of Disabilities Support Services. For further information, please visit the following website: http://www.newberry-college.net/dss

Conferences with Your Professor

All students are welcome and encouraged to meet with me outside of class. If you have any concerns, questions, or comments regarding your performance in this class, please arrange to meet with me sooner rather than later. If we address problems early, we can often work out suitable plans of action.

You are also welcome to meet with me even if you are not experiencing problems in this class! Please, never hesitate to stop by office hours or to make an appointment with me.

This syllabus is a contract between the professor and students. If you choose to remain in the class, you agree to know and abide by the policies stated herein.