History of American Literature I
42.294.201 Spring 2011
Questioning and Expanding the
Canon
Dr. Bridget M. Marshall,
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Our survey will explore
texts from the beginnings of American literary history to the Civil War. Throughout the course, we’ll be
thinking about why certain texts make it into the canon of American literature,
and into this survey and other survey courses. We’ll read a variety of kinds of texts, including private
diaries, poetry, sermons, oral tales, short stories, letters, and other
genres. Why should we read these
texts? What insights do they
provide? What stories are we
missing? Why and how do editors of
anthologies choose which authors and texts to include and exclude? No one-semester survey of this
literature could be complete; however, I have attempted to give you a breadth
of authors, including both canonical works and voices from the margins that are
equally interesting and informative. By the end of the semester, you should have a firm grasp of the history
of major themes and currents in Early American literature. And hopefully along the way, you’ll
discover a few new writers that you will enjoy.
Class Meetings: Mondays and Wednesdays 2 –
3:15
Office Hours: Due to construction on the 4th floor of O’Leary, I’ll need to make appointments to meet with students. Please talk to me before or after
class, or e-mail me to set up a time and place to meet. I am typically available in our
classroom both before and after class for quick questions.
E-mail: bridget_marshall@uml.edu Web site:
http://faculty.uml.edu/bmarshall/
Required Texts: (available at the South Campus
Bookstore)
þ
American Literature Volume I ed. by William E. Cain, published
by Penguin Academics (Pearson-Longman) ISBN-10: 0321116232 ISBN-13: 978-0321116239
þ
Journey into Mohawk Country by George O’Connor, published by
First Second. ISBN-10: 1596431067 ISBN-13: 978-1596431065
þ
To
gain a working knowledge of major figures, texts, and movements in American
Literary History
þ
To
gain an understanding of canon formation – how and why works are included
(or not) in our history
þ
To
develop skills of close and careful reading
þ
To
practice writing, both formally and informally, in response to texts
þ
To
enhance discussion skills by participating in classroom discussion
þ
To
discover and research a primary source document in an online archive
Instructional Resources and
Disability Accommodations:
The
Centers for Learning and Academic Support Services provide many resources,
including tutoring in writing: http://class.uml.edu/. In accordance with University policy and the ADA, I will
provide accommodation for students with documented disabilities. If you have a disability, please
contact the Office of Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that their office has moved
to NORTH campus, Cumnock Hall C6, phone: 978-934-4574, e-mail:
Disability@uml.edu. This documentation is confidential.
A note on classroom conduct:
In this
class, and in all classes at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, students
are expected to exhibit professional and respectful behavior that is conducive
to a mutually beneficial learning environment in the classroom. Examples of inappropriate behavior include: text messaging, listening
to music, cell phone use (other than the campus alert system), late arrivals,
early departures, use of laptops for other than class purposes, disrespectful
comments or behavior, intentional disruptions, failure to follow faculty
directives. Students in violation of these standards may be asked to leave
class and/or be referred to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action.
University Cancellation Line: 978-934-2121
You are
responsible for all the readings and assignments listed on this syllabus.
Attendance
is required. You have two “freebies,” no questions asked. For every class beyond those two that
you miss, your final grade for the class will be lowered one level (A to A-, A-
to B+, and so on).
Good
classroom citizenship is required. Good classroom citizenship begins with being
prepared for class and goes beyond just “participation” in the sense of raising
your hand a lot. It includes sharing your thoughts and actively listening to
the comments of your peers. Please
be considerate of your classmates and make the classroom a space where everyone
can speak their mind. As a courtesy to everyone in the room, please turn off
your cell phone before class begins.
To make
sure that everyone keeps up with the required readings, and to encourage class
participation in discussions, during every class session a group of students
(approximately 1/4th of the class most days) will be responsible for
writing up one page of thoughts and questions about the reading. I’ll provide more details on the
specifics on this assignment. The
“one pagers” are due at the beginning of class. You will be responsible for
writing four one-pagers.
There is
one midterm paper due during the semester. This is a focused essay of about 4 to 5 pages, illustrating
your knowledge of and interest in a particular text that we have read in the
class so far. I will provide more
details on the paper requirements in a separate handout. You must have a paper in class on the
day it is due in order to participate in the day’s classroom activities.
There is
one in-class essay exam towards the end of the semester. You will have choices about which
questions to answer, and we will have some practice in class on how to write
these kinds of essays.
There is
a two-part Digital Document Assignment. It includes a brief oral presentation at an assigned point in the
semester and a final paper of about 6 pages in length. The paper is due during the exam
period; there is no final exam.
Grading
is my least favorite aspect of the course; however, grades are necessary, not
only to the University, but also in many cases in order to motivate
students. I note each day’s
attendance with a “check” in my grade book. You will get credit for all quizzes and short writing that
you complete and turn in to me. Particularly active class participation or strong short writing
assignments will earn a “check plus.” Following is the value of the major graded assignments for the course:
If you
have a concern about a grade or a question about your standing in the class, I
am happy to talk with you. This
type of conversation is best suited to an individual conference.
A final note on grades: If you are
determined to do only the minimal amount of work and get the minimum passing
grade, this much is nonnegotiable: you
are not eligible for a passing grade of D unless you have attended at least 11
of 14 weeks worth of classes, and completed 90% of the assignments.
All
University policies on academic dishonesty apply to all assignments in this
course. The information below comes from the University’s official policy,
which can be found online:
http://www.uml.edu/catalog/undergraduate/policies/academic_dishonesty.htm
Academic
dishonesty includes but is not limited to:
Cheating - use,
or attempted use, of trickery, artifice, deception, breach of confidence,
fraud, or misrepresentation of one's academic work.
Fabrication -
falsification or invention of any information or citation in any academic
exercise.
Plagiarism -
representing the words or ideas of another as one's own work in any academic
exercise.
Facilitating
dishonesty - helping or attempting to help another commit an act of
academic dishonesty, including substituting for another in an examination,
misrepresenting oneself, or allowing others to represent as their own one's
papers, reports, or academic works.
If you plagiarize or cheat on an assignment in this
course, you will receive an “F” for this course, and you are subject to other
discipline (including expulsion from the University) at the discretion of the
instructor and the University. Please keep in mind that even if you write some
part or even “most” of the paper, if some portion of the paper is copied from
another source without proper attribution, (i.e., if you “only plagiarize a
little”) you will still get an “F” for the course. Don’t plagiarize at all.
Unintentional
plagiarism is still plagiarism. You must cite all sources that you use, including online sources. Also, remember that “using” a source
includes DIRECTLY QUOTING, PARAPHRASING, AND USING IDEAS from any source. There is nothing wrong with “getting
help” from other writers, just be sure to acknowledge it by using quotation
marks or author/page citation appropriately. Please take the time to give proper credit to the work of
other authors. It is a matter of
respect – for yourself, for other authors, for your classmates, and for
me.
I know
that it is easy to find information and indeed whole papers on the
internet. You should know that it
is also easy for me to find these sources. If I suspect you’ve done this, I will take the time to find
the source, and there is every likelihood you will be caught. Please don’t waste your time or mine by
plagiarizing a paper. If you’re
having difficulty with a writing assignment, please talk to me before the day
it is due.
Semester Schedule: If you miss a class, you are still responsible for what
was due on the day(s) you missed and on the day you return. If the University closes, upon return
to class, the items for both the missed class and the day of return class are
due. In the case of an exam or
paper due on a day the University closes, the exam or paper is due on the day
we return to class. Please e-mail
me if you have questions about assignments due for missed classes.
Date
|
Due in
class (reading completed)
|
Monday 24 January
|
First
day Introductions; hand-outs
|
Wednesday 26 January
|
“Welcome: Suggestions for Students”
xii – xiv; “Letter to the Reader
– Contexts for Early American Literature”: 3 -33, and handouts
Bring a
one-page response (explained in class)
|
Monday 31 January
|
Christopher Columbus: 34 - 40
Bartolome de la Casas:: 41 -43
Iroquois Creation Story: 44 -48
|
Wednesday 2 February
|
John Smith: 49 -52
William Bradford: 53 – 66
John Winthrop: 67 - 83
GROUP 1
RESPONSE
|
Monday 7 February
|
Mary Rowlandson: 92 – 137 (long
assignment)
GROUP 2
RESPONSE
|
Wednesday 9 February
|
Anne Bradstreet: “The Author to her Book” 87
-88; “Before the Birth of One of Her Children” 88 -89; “To My Dear and Loving
Husband” 89
Edward Taylor: “Meditation 22” 139 – 140; “Meditation 38” 140
– 142; “Huswifery” 142
GROUP 3
RESPONSE
|
Monday 14 February
|
Cotton Mather: 143 – 159 plus handouts
Michael Wigglesworth: see handouts
GROUP 4
RESPONSE
|
Wednesday 16 February
|
Jonathan Edwards: 160 -161; “Sinners in the
Hands of an Angry God” 175 - 190
GROUP 1
RESPONSE
|
Monday 21 February
|
UNIVERSITY
CLOSED TODAY
[you should be reading for next class!]
|
Wednesday 23 February
|
Journey into Mohawk Country (all of it – please make
sure you save time for this!)
Everyone:
Bring one-page writing assignment (detailed in class)
|
Monday 28 February
|
Benjamin Franklin: 191 - 205
J Hector St. John de Crevecoeur: 304 - 311
GROUP 2
RESPONSE
|
Wednesday 2 March
|
John Adams and Abigail Adams: 312 – 315 & handouts
Thomas Paine 316 - 332
GROUP 3
RESPONSE
|
Monday 7 March
|
Phillis Wheatley: 381 - 389
Philip Freneau: 377 – 380
Lydia Huntley Sigourney: 456 - 458
William Cullen Bryant: 459 - 466
GROUP 4
RESPONSE
|
Wednesday 9 March
|
Nathaniel Hawthorne: 557 -592
GROUP 1
RESPONSE
|
March 14/16
|
Spring
Break: No Class
|
Monday 21 March
|
Washington Irving: 424 - 442
GROUP 2
RESPONSE
|
Wednesday 23 March
|
Edgar Allan Poe: 786 - 813
GROUP 3
RESPONSE
|
Thursday 24 March
|
E-mail
me with selected digital document!
(this
is not a class meeting)
|
Monday 28 March
|
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: 779 – 785 plus handouts
GROUP 4
RESPONSE
|
Wednesday 30 March
|
Henry David Thoreau: 953 – 957 AND 977 -990
GROUP 1
RESPONSE
|
Monday 4 April
|
Ralph Waldo Emerson: 515 - 554 plus handouts
GROUP 2
RESPONSE
|
Wednesday 6 April
|
Emily Dickinson: 1304 – 1305 and selected
poems as assigned
GROUP 3
RESPONSE
|
Monday 11 April
|
Abraham Lincoln: 858 -862
Margaret Fuller: 863 -869
GROUP 4
RESPONSE
|
Wednesday 13 April
|
Rebecca Harding Davis: 1323 - 1357
|
Monday 18 April
|
UNIVERISTY CLOSED FOR PATRIOT’S DAY
|
Wednesday 20 April
|
Exam in
Class today
|
Monday 25 April
|
Harriet Beecher Stowe: 870 -884
|
Wednesday 27 April
|
Harriet Ann Jacobs: 885 -952
|
Monday 2
May
|
Herman Melville: 1103 -1106; 1114 -1147
|
Wednesday 4 May
|
Individual
Presentations on Digital Documents
|
Monday 9
May
|
Individual
Presentations on Digital Documents Continued
|
Monday 16 May
|
Final
paper due – Digital Document Assignment
|
General Advice to Students: Come to class prepared to work. This means several things:
1) You
should have completed the assigned readings, and any associated writing. You might even have notes in your book,
underlined passages, or page markers for interesting spots in the reading.
2) You
should be prepared to listen and talk in discussion. This means you shouldn’t come to our class and take a nap,
or sit sullenly, or complete your calculus homework.
3) You
should avoid distractions during class. Distractions include things like small pets, cell phones and text
messaging devices, notes to classmates, i-pods, or any other gadget that will
engage your brain in something other than the academic discussion in the
classroom. While you may think I
don’t notice, I do, and so do your classmates. It’s distracting for you, but also for those around you.
When you
don’t come to class (for whatever reason) it is your responsibility to find out
the work that was missed, including any handouts, in-class activities, or
changes to the syllabus. If you
can do this via e-mail before the next class meeting, that’s great. If you can’t, you should definitely
come speak with me before class, after class, or in my office hours. In any case, don’t try to
avoid me, hoping that I didn’t notice you were absent.
If you
need extra time for an assignment, for whatever reason, it is better to ask
early. I do not automatically give
extensions; however, I am a reasonable person, and you should ask for help or
time if you need it. Late papers are subject to a grade reduction. I do not provide comments on late
papers.