DESCRIPTION:
This course will introduce you to a wide range of critical approaches. To that end, the readings are representative rather than
comprehensive; they are meant to acquaint you with general concepts, terms,
and figures of psychoanalytic criticism, deconstruction and poststructuralism, feminism and gender studies, marxism, historical
criticism, and cultural criticism. To ground the theoretical readings, we
will use Hitchcock's Vertigo (1957) and one novel as common texts to see how different theories work in practice, and how each approach shapes a text.
REQUIRED TEXTS/MATERIALS:
- Davis, Robert Con and Ronald Schleifer, eds. Contemporary Literary
Criticism, 3rd ed. New York: Longman, 1994. [NOTE: Get used copy]
- Recommended: St. Martin's 1992 casebook edition of Mary Shelley's
Frankenstein. [Used copy]
- An activated e-mail account
- Access to the website for this course
GENERAL NOTES
: I expect your preparation, presence, and active
participation in class. I do not accept late work and I do not give
incompletes. If you hit snags, let me know immediately (not at the
deadline). I am always available via e-mail, and I hope you will also
phone and/or stop by during office hours.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
- Short Critical Responses. Each week, in advance of the next week's
readings, I will pose questions that will ask you to explain key concepts
and/or apply specific critical methods. Your response, due the following
week when we are discussing the texts related to the questions, should be
about 500-750 words (2-3 pages). Since these responses will inform that
evening's discussion, please bring five copies: one for me and one for
four other readers. Due weekly.
- Three Extended Responses. Instead of a final paper, I'll ask you to revise and develop three of the short responses (of your choice). Extended
responses should be about 2,000-2,500 words each (8-10 pages). Each will
be worth 20%. Due 2/18, 3/18, 4/29.
- Review of Current Theory. Research, review, and comment on at least five
current essays from beyond the syllabus (5+ pages). 20%. Due 4/1.
GRADING
:Your final grade in the course will be based on the following:
- 20% of grade = 10 (out of 12) short responses (12 @ 2-3 pp. for a total
of 25+ pp. I'll drop the two lowest grades or you can choose to skip two
responses.)
- 60% of grade = 3 extended responses (each 8-10 pp; each 20%; 25-30 pp. total)
- 20% of grade = Review of current theory (about 5+ pages)
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT:
WVU is committed to social justice. I support that commitment and will work to create a positive learning environment based on open communication and mutual respect. I welcome suggestions to foster such an environment.
PLAGIARISM WARNING:
I assume that I will never have reason to doubt your honesty. But so we're clear on what I consider plagiarism for English 383:
plagiarism involves misrepresenting as your own work any part of work done by another; submitting the same paper or substantially similar papers to meet the requirements of more han one course without the written approval and consent of all instructors concerned; depriving another student of necessary course materials; interfering with another's work.
This is a serious offense and will be officially reported. Clear cases will result in an F and appropriate academic discipline. If you have any question concerning scholastic honesty, talk to me.