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English Dept |
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In a sense, every time we read, we are being detectives,
trying to figure out what things mean, why things are the
way they are, and whether things are really what they appear
to be -- and we are reading all the time, not just when we
open a novel or a newspaper, but also when we "read" a
stranger's facial expression or "read" the geography of a
new place. And so, since being a good reader is always
somewhat like being a good detective, the final third of
this class will
focus on detective stories, and we will see if we can read other
kinds of fiction the same way.
But before that, we will
ask three of the most basic, yet still hard to answer,
questions: why fiction? what kinds of fiction are there? and
how does fiction work? To figure out answers to these
questions, we will read two novels, many short stories, and
a few essays. In the first unit, I want us to think about
what the practically and socially useful things that fiction
can do that other kinds of writing or communication can not
do. In the second unit, we will study the historical
developments of fiction, different forms and genres, and a
vocabulary for talking about literature. Finally, in the
third unit, we will focus on the genre of the detective
story.
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CLASS:
9:40 -
10:50 am even days
Quad
344
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TEXTS IN BOOKSTORE:
Great American Short Stories, edited by
Paul Negri (GASS)
Devil in a Blue Dress, by Walter Mosley
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Other Texts:
On-line linked to course website
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Expectations:
I have intentionally not assigned a lot of
reading, and therefore I do expect you to read all of it.
Come to class prepared to actively discuss the
readings. In these discussions, I expect you to engage not
only the reading and me, but also your classmates, in a
mature and respectful manner.
I expect you to come to class each day, and if
you miss more than three days or are chronically late for
class, I will consider lowering your overall grade.
I expect you to turn the assignments in on time.
Plan on discussing your essays with your classmates on the
days that they are due.
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EVALUATION:
Attendance and participation – 10%
“My Generation” essay – 10%
Critical Essay – 20%
Mid-Term Exam – 30%
Final Essay – 30%
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