Unless otherwise indicated, ALL assignments are submitted via Blackboard.

1. 8 (Easy) Pop Quizzes

Throughout the semester, I will randomly give 8 pop quizzes in class. These will be given promptly at the start of class. These quizzes do not require any studying aside from doing the assigned readings for that day. They will consist of straightforward questions about the reading assigned for that day. If you have done the reading, you should be able to answer all the questions. 

2.  Personal Response Paper

Students are required to write one paper of around 600 – 750 words (approx. 2.5 – 3 pages), focusing on analyzing their personal response to ONE of the texts we will be reading.  What elements of the work did they find impressive? What parts did they find lacking? These papers should be subjective, but formal and critical, and should address why the work should (or should not) be included in a “Great Works.” course. Students are expected to support their analysis with MULTIPLE citations from their chosen text. Students are left to their own discretion as to which ONE of the several works we are reading to respond to.

Due: Thursday, October 17

3. Adaptation Presentation

Students will choose one reading from the semester, and create the concept for a TV or movie adaptation of this story that changes the setting/context of the story (think: Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew into 10 Things I Hate About You, or Jane Austen’s Emma into Clueless). You will present your idea for an adaptation in a 5 minute presentation to the class. This presentation should use some kind of visual element (such as a powerpoint, video, slides, photos, etc). These presentations are graded on effort, creativity, and understanding of the text you chose. All of your choices must be explained and justified. Here are some elements you might want to address in your presentation:

• When and where does your version take place?
• How are the characters different from in the original? Are they the same age, same names, or are these changing?
• What is the overall storyline of your adaptation?
• Which actors will be in your version? (You can choose famous actors.)
• Why did you choose to adapt this story in this way? What does it add to the story?

4. Final Paper

Instead of a final exam, there is a final paper due on December 17th. Students will submit a 1,250-1,750 word (approx. 5-7 pages) final essay. There are two options for this final paper:

1. An essay analyzing two of the literary works assigned this semester. The student can choose what topic they would like to explore in their analysis, and topics must be approved by the instructor. This can be a comparative essay, though it does not have to be.
2. An essay analyzing one literary work of your choosing that was not on the syllabus for this course. This essay must analyse the text, explain the literary tradition and cultural context within which the work was written, and argue why this work should be considered a “great work of world literature.”

Students are expected to support their analysis with MULTIPLE citations from their chosen texts as well as at least one secondary source.

Part 1 – Proposal This is one paragraph describing the project you want to undertake. In it, you will explain what literary text(s) you have chosen, and what the general thesis of your paper will be. Due:

Part 2 – Detailed Outline A Detailed Outline is a 2-3 page outline that includes: a clear thesis, topic sentences, and detailed descriptions of the major points you intend to make in each paragraph. You can either write in bullet points or in paragraphs. Due:

Part 3 – Final Paper The paper is in lieu of your final examination and is therefore intended to demonstrate applied understanding of all of the material covered throughout the semester. Remember when using secondary texts to make sure to cite in MLA; otherwise, it is considered plagiarism! Due: December 17