University of Waterloo, Department of English Language & Literature
English 101A: Introduction to Literary Studies
Fall 2019
Instructor: Prof. D.A. Hadfield
Email: dhadfield@uwaterloo.ca
Office: HH 270
Office Hours: T/Th 1-2pm, or by appointment
Class Times: T/Th 11:30am-12:50pm in HH 150
Course Description (from the calendar):
An introduction to the study of literature, covering such areas of enquiry as literary history, genre, criticism, analysis, and theory.
Course Overview and Objectives:
There are many ways to “study literature.” Most of these approaches cohere around the close focus on a text, but…How do we know which texts to focus on? What we are looking for? And, how will we know when we find it? Why do we have to write essays about it? This course will attempt to address these questions and more about the discipline and practice of “Literary Studies.” The course will introduce you to a selection of writings in poetry, prose, and drama, and to some of the key terms, concepts, and methods in contemporary literary studies. Assignments and class activities will give you opportunities to develop your ability to critically interpret texts, and clearly organize and communicate your ideas.
Required Texts:
Abrams, M.H. and Geoffrey Galt Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Wadsworth, 10th ed. (2011) OR 11th ed. (2015).
Stevenson, R.L. Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Edited by Martin A. Danahay, 3rd edition, Broadview, 2015. *you must have this specific edition of the text.
Shaw, G.B. Major Barbara. Any edition is acceptable. The bookstore has a few copies of the Dover Thrift edition; also available free online through Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive (links in LEARN).
Other readings will be assigned in class and/or posted on LEARN. You must have access to LEARN for this course.
Formal assessment and evaluation:
In-class activities: 15%
Close Reading: 15%
Page and Stage Analysis: 20%
Essay: 25%
Final Exam: 25%
Instructions for Assignments/Essays/Tests
In-class activities (15%): There will be approximately one in-class activity per week resulting in an individual or group submission during the specified class. Instructions will be provided in class. The emphasis on these activities is mainly on stimulating critical thinking and generating ideas about the work under discussion, so there are no makeup opportunities, but only your best 8 activity submissions will count towards your grade.
Close Reading Assignment (15%): You will create a short (750-1000 word), tightly focused close critical reading of a short poem or section of prose, analyzing how the specific word choices, literary devices, metrical techniques, etc. in the text create or convey meaning. Texts for the close reading will be identified in class and on LEARN. To be submitted in hardcopy at the start of class on the due date.
Page and Stage Analysis (20%): For either Blood Relations or Major Barbara, find images of set or costume designs from at least 2 different productions. Using evidence from the text of the play, evaluate which design is more suitable, or explain how the different designs influence a reading of the play. Or, you can design your own set(s) or costume(s) and explain how they contribute to an appropriate reading of the play. Either way, your 1000-1200 word analysis should include the images you are using, properly cited. To be submitted to the appropriate LEARN dropbox before the start of class on the due date.
Essay (25%): If Edward Hyde is the embodiment of everything that should be kept in the shadows, what exactly are Victorians most afraid of? Your 1200-1500 word analysis should be based on evidence from the text, supported by appendix material from the Broadview edition, and at least one additional research article. All relevant sources, including primary and secondary texts, must be documented properly according to MLA format. To be submitted in hardcopy at the start of class on the due date.
Final Exam (25%): The final exam will take place during the exam period (TBD). More specific details about the format of the exam will be provided in class before the end of term.
Late policy:
All assignments are due at the date and time specified. However, you can have up to 7 extension days (total) to use however you wish throughout the term for major written assignments (close reading, page and stage analysis, essay). You don’t need to ask permission or provide documentation (other than a brief note with your submission stating how many days you are using), and there will be no late penalties assessed for using them. If you will require assignment extensions beyond those 7 days, please come see me to discuss an appropriate plan. These extension days do not apply to in-class activities, but there are more opportunities for those activities than will count towards your final grade, so you can miss some without penalty.
Accommodations:
If you have specific needs that require accommodation, I’d like to work something out with you or your AccessAbility Services counselor. I am committed to ensuring that this class provides everyone with a fair opportunity to succeed.
Correspondence:
Students using email to contact me must include the course number (ENGL 101A) in the subject line of the email, which should be sent from your @uwaterloo acccount. Make sure you include your first and last name in the signature of your email. Remember that your emails to professors take place in a professional context, and use appropriate language. If your emails address me as “Hey, Prof” or any of “Ms/Miss/Mrs. Hadfield,” I will weep for your lack of contextual selfawareness, but I will otherwise not respond.
UW Policies and Information
Final Exam
The final exam schedule will be released Friday, September 27. Students are solely responsible to make themselves present for their final exams, or make alternate arrangements with the instructor. University policy specifies that elective arrangements (such as travel plans) are not considered acceptable grounds for granting an alternative examination time.
Academic Integrity
In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. Check the Office of Academic Integrity website (https://uwaterloo.ca/academic-integrity/) for more information.
Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity to avoid committing an academic offence, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course instructor, academic advisor, or the undergraduate associate dean. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline (http://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat/policies-procedures-guidelines/policy-71). For typical penalties check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties (http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/guidelines/penaltyguidelines.htm).
Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4 (http://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat/policiesproceduresguidelines/policy-70). When in doubt please be certain to contact the department’s administrative assistant who will provide further assistance.
Appeals: A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70, Student Petitions and Grievances (other than a petition) or Policy 71, Student Discipline may be appealed if there is a ground. A student who believes he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72, Student Appeals (http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy72.htm).
University Resources for Accommodation and Support:
AccessAbility Services (https://uwaterloo.ca/accessability-services/), located in Needles Hall, Room 1401, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with AccessAbility Services at the beginning of each academic term.
Mental Health Support
All of us need a support system. The faculty and staff in Arts encourage students to seek out mental health supports if they are needed.
On Campus
- Counselling Services: counselling.services@uwaterloo.ca / 519-888-4567 ext 32655
- MATES: one-to-one peer support program offered by Federation of Students (FEDS) and Counselling Services
- Health Services Emergency service: located across the creek form Student Life Centre
Off campus, 24/7
- Good2Talk: Free confidential help line for post-secondary students. Phone: 1-866-925- 5454
- Grand River Hospital: Emergency care for mental health crisis. Phone: 519-749-433 ext. 6880
- Here 24/7: Mental Health and Crisis Service Team. Phone: 1-844-437-3247
- OK2BME: set of support services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning teens in Waterloo. Phone: 519-884-0000 extension 213
- Full details can be found online at the Faculty of ARTS website
- Download UWaterloo and regional mental health resources (PDF)
- Download the WatSafe app to your phone to quickly access mental health support information
Territorial Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are living and working on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (also known as Neutral), Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land promised to the Six Nations that includes 10 kilometres on each side of the Grand River.
Class Schedule of Readings and Assignments
The following schedule is tentative and may change. Additional readings may be assigned in class. Except for Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, which you have in the Broadview edition, all readings can be found on the LEARN course site. All critical terms listed are defined in A Glossary of Literary Terms, eds. Abrams and Harpham. Additional terms may be added throughout the semester; these will be announced in class. Some terms might not constitute a separate entry, but be part of a larger entry, and you will need to use appropriate reference methods to find them.
Literary criticism, like any skill, develops best through practice. Regular participation in class discussions is crucial for maturing your ability to develop and communicate your understanding and insights. You are expected to come to class having read the assigned material before class starts and be prepared to take part in classroom discussions. Class meetings will not summarize the readings; you are expected to be familiar enough with the material to be able to discuss, apply, and evaluate the methods and ideas under consideration.
Note the due dates for assignments in this course and check them against the assignment due dates for your other courses to help you manage your time more effectively.
| Date | Topics/Readings/Assignments |
|---|---|
| Sept. 5 |
Course introduction terms: close reading; criticism |
| Sept. 10 |
Shakespeare, Sonnet 18 (BIL); Sidney, “Who Will in Fairest Book of Nature Know” terms: sonnet; meter; figurative language |
| Sept. 12 |
Shelley, “Ozymandias”; Namjoshi, “Look, Medusa” terms: irony |
| Sept. 17 |
Browning, “My Last Duchess” terms: dramatic monologue; enjambment |
| Sept. 19 |
Tennyson, “The Lady of Shalott” terms: ballad; courtly love |
| Sept. 24 |
Auden, “Musee des Beaux Arts”; Atwood, “Siren Song” terms: mythology; epiphany |
| Sept. 26 |
Ali, “The Wolf’s Postscript to ‘Little Red Riding Hood’”; Dumont, “The Devil’s Language” terms: postcolonial studies Close Reading Assignment Due (in class) |
| Oct. 1 |
Pollock, Blood Relations terms: drama; allusion; flashback; symbol |
| Oct. 3 |
Pollock, Blood Relations terms: gender criticism |
| Oct. 8 | Research Methods: Finding sources |
| Oct. 10 | Research Methods: Citation and Referencing |
| Oct. 14-18 | Thanksgiving and Reading Week Break |
| Oct. 22 |
Shaw, Major Barbara terms: morality play; problem play |
| Oct. 24 |
Shaw, Major Barbara terms: character and characterization; setting; realism and naturalism |
| Oct. 29 | Shaw, Major Barbara |
| Oct. 31 |
Shaw, Major Barbara Page and Stage Analysis Due (on LEARN) |
| Nov. 5 |
Chopin, “Story of an Hour” terms: short story; plot |
| Nov. 7 |
Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde terms: point of view |
| Nov. 12 |
Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde terms: allegory |
| Nov. 14 | Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde |
| Nov. 19 | Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde |
| Nov. 21 | Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Appendix G: The Stage Version |
| Nov. 26 |
Leacock, “The Mariposa Bank Mystery” (LEARN) terms: naïve hero; unreliable narrator |
| Nov. 28 |
Leacock, “The Mariposa Bank Mystery” (LEARN) terms: persona, tone, and voice; detective fiction |
| Dec. 3 |
Course Wrap-up and Reflection Essay Due (in class) |