Great Works of Literature II

ENG 2850 / Section KTRD / Class Code 54717

Fall 2023: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:55 – 4:35 pm EST / Room: B-Vert 12-140

Instructor: Emma Loerick

eloerick@gradcenter.cuny.edu

Office Hours: By appointment

(held via Zoom: https://gc-cuny-edu.zoom.us/j/4161310526)

Course Description

In this course, we’ll be engaging with literary works from the 17^th century until the present, from a wide range of geographic locations and cultural backgrounds. Through these works we’ll be exploring the various cultural contexts in which they were produced, as well as what makes a work “great,” and other questions about canonicity. Additionally, we will explore themes and issues that are seen repeatedly in these “great works,” including the roles of women and marginalized people/cultures in the different time periods and cultural contexts explored.

Course Learning Outcomes:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Interpret meaning in literary texts by paying close attention to authors’ choices of detail, vocabulary, and style
• Identify meaningful textual details and analyze them in terms of a text’s broader formal and thematic concerns
• Situate a text within the historical and cultural context it was produced
• Cooperate in a small group to present complicated ideas
• Write critical essays employing:
  • Strong claims
  • A logical flow of argument
  • Appropriate supporting evidence and textual citations

Course Requirements, Assessment, and Grading

Reading for and participation in class discussions, pop quizzes, a presentation, one short paper, and one longer, final paper.

This class balances some shorter readings with some longer ones. I have done my best to organize these so you will have ample time to complete the readings. You are expected to do all assigned readings for this course. The vast majority of class time will be spent discussing the readings.

Assignments

All written work is to be typed (double-spaced, 12-point font size, Times New Roman) and submitted as a Word document file (.doc or .docx) with your last name and the assignment in the file name (e.g., Smithgreatworksfinal.docx) by email by 11:59pm on the day listed in the Course Schedule. Papers should include your last name and page numbers (e.g., Smith1) in the upper right-hand corner as a header. Check the MLA Formatting and Style Guide for further information. If you use an online word processor e.g., Google Docs, please send me a downloaded copy of your assignment (not a shared link). Please check the syllabus before emailing me with questions.

Late assignments will be subtracted 5% per day. However, if you consult with me beforehand, late submissions may be accepted without losing grades (under appropriate circumstances). 

Evaluation/Grade Breakdown

Participation	15%
8 (Easy) Pop Quizzes	20%
Personal Response Paper	10%
Adaptation Presentation	20%
Final Paper (3 stages)	35%
TOTAL	100%

Evaluation of Participation 

Your participation will be graded per session based on your engagement, questions, and comments. (E.g., attending the class, but not commenting in class falls into the category of low participation—If you are anxious about speaking out during class, please reach out to me after class to make arrangements with you to facilitate your participation). If you are absent, please contact me to discuss an alternative metric of your participation, otherwise, your participation grade will be 0 for the session missed (even for excused absences). 

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

Required Texts 

All readings will also be available on Blackboard. Please read texts carefully and come to class prepared with your own thoughts and questions to discuss the assigned texts for the day. 

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory in English 2850. Much of the learning in this course happens through your engagement with me and your peers in class via class discussion and group interaction. Since our class will be largely discussion-based, there is no way to “make up” a missed session. For this reason, I expect you to attend all class meetings. Missing class also risks missing the pop quizzes that count for a significant amount of your grade. If you miss more than four classes, you will receive a grade of 0 on participation.

Having said that, I understand that life happens, and if you need to miss a class, let me know ahead of time and I will make a note of that. I do not offer the option to Zoom into class – if you need to miss class for health reasons, use that time to rest, and I’ll see you as soon as you’re able to come back to class in person.

Class starts promptly at 2:55 pm. Multiple late arrivals will lead to lowering your participation grade. Lateness will also result in missing pop quizzes.

Academic Integrity 

Plagiarism will not be tolerated in this course. Per Baruch College’s statement on academic honesty, plagiarism is defined as:

“… the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research or writing as your own. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Copying another person’s actual words without the use of quotation marks and footnotes.

• Presenting another person’s ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging them.

• Using information that is not considered common knowledge without acknowledging the source.

• Failure to acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignments.

• Purchase and submission of papers from ‘paper mills,’ internet vendor sites, and other sources.”

The first instance of plagiarism on any assignment will result in an F for that assignment. The second instance will result in an F for the course. All instances of plagiarism will be reported to the Office of the Dean of Students.

Text Generated by Artificial Intelligence

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is strictly prohibited in all coursework and assignments. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of AI-generated text, speech, or images, as well as the use of AI tools or software to complete any portion of a project or assignment. Any violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including a failing grade for the assignment or course. Our goal is to encourage critical thinking and creativity, and the use of AI detracts from this objective. Students are expected to use their own knowledge, research, and analysis to complete coursework.

The preceding paragraph was written by the ChatGPT AI Engine using the prompt, “write a syllabus policy statement forbidding the use of AI.” AI is an emerging powerful tool whose full utility has yet to be grasped. However, this course has been structured around how YOU feel about these texts, what YOU think about them, and how YOU do and do not identify with people from different times, places, and cultures. Presumably, you do not need a machine or separate intelligence to tell YOU how YOU feel.

Accessibility

Please let me know about disability-related academic accommodations or resources you may require. We can schedule a time to discuss them in one-on-one zoom meeting. See the Baruch Student Affairs website for further information: https://studentaffairs.baruch.cuny.edu/student-disability-services

If you would like writing assistance, the Writing Center is a great resource on campus. Further information can be found here: https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/writingcenter/

Classroom Culture and Participation

Our goal is to cultivate a space that feels safe enough for everyone to contribute. We can all make mistakes, but we should take care of each other.

Please always keep in mind: it never hurts to ask a question. If you do not understand, many of the class may not, either. You are not alone. If you feel like you are falling behind or are confused about expectations, talk to me. Otherwise, I assume all is well. 

Reach out to me via email whenever you want to communicate with me about your academic needs, and I will get back to you within two business days. Please remember this is professional correspondence. Proofread and sign your emails, include a subject line, and use an appropriate greeting. Make sure you check your Baruch email account for course updates and communication. Additionally, I encourage you to take advantage of my office hours, and—if you have not done so already—to take advantage of all of your professors’ office hours.