SYLLABUS RURAL LITERATURE (ENGL. 356) Dr. William Conlogue  Course Objectives Our mission is to develop a critical understanding and an informed appreciation of selected pieces of American rural literature. To do so, we will investigate how we define and redefine what we mean by rural (and) literature. We will read works in several genres-the essay, drama, poetry, and the novel. In addition, we will examine our texts' literary and rhetorical strategies and techniques and their historical and cultural contexts. The texts explore some of the most important issues facing us as citizens of the United States and members of the world community: environmental degradation, gender inequities, class tensions, and race relations. Each treats these issues in the context of the lived experience of individual human beings. We may glimpse the material world through the sciences, and we might plumb human motivation through psychology and the social sciences, but only art offers us the experience of imagining our better selves. As an art, literature gives us worlds so that we might remember and renew our own. Requirements Reading the assigned work, thinking about it, and reacting to it are givens. Regular attendance is a must. Poor attendance on your part is an insult to the rest of the class. If you are absent more than two times, your final grade will be lowered. Being late for class (i.e., coming after class has started) is frowned on. Coming late twice counts as one absence. If you are absent, you are responsible for missed work: you must be prepared when you return to class. Along with attendance comes participation and commitment. The classroom is a community, and the other members of that community are your colleagues. Come to class well prepared. Be attentive and as responsive as you can be to each of your peers. Remember that your active participation in class discussions drives this course. And during our debates, be courteous-wait for your colleague to yield the floor before responding. Refrain from talking while someone else is. This way, everyone will be heard. Four typewritten reaction papers (2 pages+) are also required. At least two are due before the middle of the semester. Various other written exercises (group projects, library research work, for example) may be assigned. Everything must be handed in on time. Late papers will be penalized one letter grade per day, unless you get my approval of an extension beforehand. You will receive a handout describing the requirements for the reaction papers. No rewrites. No extra credit work. Yes, there will be a cumulative final exam. The exam will be mainly essay questions, though some objective questions may be included. Anything from class discussions, lectures, and any assigned readings is fair game for the exams. We will discuss the content of the exam in more detail just before you take it. As you know, responses to essay questions must be clear and complete, with the essay's main claim supported with good reasons and evidence from the text. Unannounced quizzes will be given on the assigned readings. No quizzes will be made up. At least two will be dropped. Each quiz will test your knowledge of very specific aspects of the text. Texts Willa Cather, O Pioneers! William Conlogue, Working the Garden Ernest Gaines, A Gathering of Old Men Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God Jane Smiley, A Thousand Acres John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath Luis Valdez, Early Works various handouts Grades Grades are meant to reflect the quality of the work you do. Small adjustments will be made for extraordinary work in any of the course requirements. Final grades will be computed as follows: four reaction papers: 25 each presentation: 100 exam: 100 class participation: 100 quizzes and "various written exercises": 100 TOTAL: 500 points Points to letter grades A: 480-500 C: 360-379 A-: 460-479 C-: 340-359 B+: 440-459 D+: 320-339 B: 420-439 D: 300-319 B-: 400-419 F: 0-299 C+: 380-399 Plagiarism Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you knowingly pass off someone else's work as your own, expect no mercy. See Marywood's Academic Honesty Policy. Note well The syllabus may change due to day-to-day classroom dynamics. All written work must conform to the standards of good English. See Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. Refer to the most recent MLA Handbook for proper bibliographic citation of sources. The classroom is a formal environment dedicated to learning. Students are expected to behave in a courteous and respectful manner. A student with a disability may request an adjustment in meeting course requirements. Week one introduction to the course and course procedures  Week two Cather: part one Cather: part two Cather: parts three, four, five Week three Steinbeck: chaps. 1-6 Steinbeck: chaps. 6-11 Steinbeck: chaps. 12-15 Week four Steinbeck: chaps. 1-18 Steinbeck: chaps. 19-20 Steinbeck: chaps. 21-22 Week five Steinbeck: chaps. 23-26 Steinbeck: chaps. 27-end Valdez: pps. 1-13 and Dos Caras Week six Valdez: Vietnam Campesino Valdez: Vietnam Campesino workshop for presentations Week seven presentations presentations presentations Week eight Hurston: chaps. 1-5 Hurston: chaps. 6-9 Hurston: chaps. 10-14 Week nine Hurston: chaps. 15-18 Hurston: chaps. 19-end no class-Fall Break Week ten Smiley: chaps. 1-9 Smiley: chaps. 10-17 Smiley: chaps. 18-23 Week eleven Smiley: chaps. 24-30 Smiley: chaps. 31-38 Smiley: chaps. 39-end Week twelve Gaines: pps. 3-57 Gaines: pps. 58-110 Gaines: pps. 111-167 Week thirteen Gaines: pps. 168-end role playing poems-handout Week fourteen poems-handout no class-Thanksgiving no class-Thanksgiving Week fifteen Conlogue: chap. 3 Conlogue: chap. 6 Conlogue: "Postscript" The Registrar's Office will schedule the final exam. EACH SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Contact us at: 570-348-6219. E-mail: English@marywood.edu.

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Last update February 13, 2007
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