Diversity in Literature
Ethnic and Minority Literature in the
I am at once no one of the races and I am all of them. I
belong to no one of them and I belong to all. I am, in a strict racial sense, a
member of a new race. This new race, of which I happen to be one of the first
articulate members, is now forming perhaps everywhere on earth, but its
formation is more rapid and marked in certain countries, one of which is
America. . . . Heredity and environment will combine to produce a race which
will be at once interracial and unique. It may be the turning point for the
return of mankind, now divided into hostile races, to one unified race, namely,
to the human race. . . . Jean Toomer is an American.
There is no other name in general use which covers with equal exactitude the
facts of my heredity and the facts of my environment. In so far as a race and
nationality are concerned, I wish to be known as an American.
--Jean
Toomer
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Instructor |
Assistant
Professor, Dr. Joel Peckham—Ph.D. in English with a Dissertation on American
Literature from The |
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Office
Location |
272B Snyder |
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Office
Hours |
M,W,F 8:45-11AM |
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Office
Phone Number |
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Email
Address |
Joel_peckham@yahoo.com |
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Homepage |
http://www.joelpeckham.com |
Course Description
Using fiction, non-fiction, drama,
poetry and when helpful for context, film, music, history and art, this course
will seek to explore our diverse literary heritage and equally diverse culture
through the lens of authors who, by nature of their racial, ethnic, religious,
and sexual identification, have operated from a unique and often marginalized
and hyphenated position in American culture and society. We will explore African American, American
Jewish, Middle-Eastern American, Asian American, Latino, and Native American
literatures as well as writings from the homosexual community and works written
by economically and politically disenfranchised voices. These texts will
provide a foundation for examining what it means to be an “American” and how
multi-cultural literature in
Throughout the semester I'd like us to consider two issues in particular: (1)
questions about the "self" (where does the self come from? how does a
writer construct a self? to what extent does an ethnic community shape a sense
of self?) and (2) the problems and possibilities of difference. We will also consider the ways ethnic
differences participate in the construction of an “American” identity.
Student Learning Outcomes
When they finish this course students should
--Demonstrate familiarity with
selected literary works by
--Explain the importance and significancce off those works to American culture
and American literary history.
--Draw on relevant cultural and historiccal kknowledge
to analyze and interpret the literary works studied.
--Communicate in clear and persuasive
--Verbally communicate in an effective <manneer
insights, interpretive positions, questions, and information about the literary
works studied.
--Think independently and critically aboout iissues of
identity, race, ethnicity, nationality, multiculturalism, difference, prejudice
and discrimination, language, imagination, and literary style within an
American cultural context.
--Speak and write self-reflexively aboutt onee's own
identity and experiences in the
ENGL 2?? builds upon the writing skills
learned in our 100-level composition sequence.
Required Texts
Jeane Toomer, Cane
Sherman Alexie,
The Business of Fancy Dancing
Sandra Cisneros, The House on
David Rakoff,
Fraud
Li-Young
Lee, The Winged Seed
Saul Bellow, Collected Stories
Naomi Shihab
Nye, Never In a Hurry
Adrienne Rich, (Handout)
Middle-Eastern American Poetry
(Handout)
James Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues”
(Handout)
Native-American Poetry (Handout)
American Jewish Poetry (Handout)
African American Poetry (Handout)
Course Work: What You Are Expected to Do
Participation
in Class and on Discussion Board. There
will be a class discussion board and one of your first responsibilities after
reading the syllabus will be to join that discussion board and begin answering
questions posted there. Class
participation is not about being in class (the chairs have excellent attendance
as well), but actively answering and posing good questions about the readings.
Written
Work and Examinations. The writing in our course will consist of:
1) a few in-class writing assignments (various dates)
2) paper 1: an autobiographical sketch
3) paper 2: a close reading exercise
4) paper 3: a short paper on one of the authors from the syllabus
5) a Final Exam with short answer and essay questions
Throughout the semester, I will distribute handouts explaining these
assignments in more detail. I will also ask you to take a midterm examination
and a comprehensive final examination.
Grades. In
determining final grades, each course requirement carries the following weight:
Final Examination
......................................................................30%
Paper 3
……………....................................................................20%
Paper
2.........................................................................................20%
Paper 1.........................................................................................10%
Class
Participation.......................................................................20%
Administrative Procedures:
A.
Completion of the drop/add process
and the withdrawal process is the responsibility of the student.
B.
Absence Policy: Absences will damage your grade, particularly because I do
not allow students to make up pop quizzes and because class participation is a
substantial portion of your grade in the course. Don’t miss classes.
C.
Tardiness. If you are late at all, you will find the door closed. Do not open it. The only thing I dislike more than a student
who misses classes is one who is so disrespectful as to show up late for one.
D. Policy for make-up work. Students are responsible to complete any work they miss
during an absence. Missed work can only be made up if the student has a
legitimate excuse for missing the class and provides supporting
documentation. Legitimate excuses include illness, serious family
obligations, and sanctioned college activities for which absence is
required.
E.
Harassment Policy: I see sexual and racial harassment as a direct attack not
only on the victim, but on the entire community. Harassment is any
behavior that would either threaten a reasonable person or inhibit that
person’s ability to learn or work by creating an uncomfortable
environment. Don’t say or do anything to a fellow student that you
wouldn’t say or do to your own mother, father, sister, or brother.
Sexual or racial comments made in the classroom, even if not directed at anyone
in particular and even if made in jest, will be considered harassment.
The presence of materials that demean others –inappropriate or offensive t-shirts or magazines for example—will also be
considered harassment. Such behavior will directly affect the offending
student’s grade for class participation and may result in dismissal from the class
for the day or even for the quarter.
F.
Dress Code: Though there is no official dress
code for this course, I encourage students to dress in a manner that reflects a
respectful attitude towards their peers, the professor, and themselves.
G. Late Assignments: I
do not accept late assignments. Assignments should be ready for
submission at the beginning of class on the day that they are due.
Because I understand that events may happen that are beyond a student’s
control, I allow for one 24 hour pass a semester. That means that
one time during the semester, for whatever reason you might have, or for no
reason at all, you may hand in an assignment 24 hours late. If an
assignment is due on a Friday, I expect you to send it to me over the e-mail by
attachment or as text by Saturday, 11am. If electronic submission is not
possible, contact me and I will arrange another method for you to hand in the
assignment on time. I urge students to use this option only when and if
they desperately need it. If a student must miss a class on the day an
assignment is to be turned in, the student must find another student to turn it
in for them or must send the assignment to me via e-mail by the beginning of
class on the day the assignment is due. I will make rare exceptions if I
have ample reasons. The 24 hour pass cannot be used for an exam, a pop-quiz, or
a term-paper. A late term paper or a missed final will assure
failure in the course.
Withdrawal dates
The standard
•W/F grade assigned to drops
beginning Oct. 11.
•As of the 22nd day of
the quarter, students will be able to withdraw on line. The Web Registration
site will remain active through the 58th day of the quarter - for
withdrawals only.
•Last day to withdraw (drop) with a
W or F is Nov. 17. After Nov. anyone who withdraws will receive a grade of UW,
which computes as a F.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious academic
offense. This is the University’s definition of plagiarism:
•Submitting another's published or
unpublished work, in whole, in part, or in paraphrase, as one's own without
fully and properly crediting the author with footnotes, citations or
bibliographical reference.
•Submitting as one's own original
work material obtained from an individual or agency without reference to the
person or agency as the source of the material.
•Submitting as one's own original
work material that has been produced through unacknowledged collaboration with
others without release in writing from the collaborators.
American with Disabilities Act
policy
The policy of the University of Cincinnati Clermont College requires students with
physical or learning disabilities to identify themselves to the coordinator of
disability services, Jennifer Radt, in the
Schedule of
Academic Calendar--Spring Quarter,
2008
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Classes Begin: Monday,
March 31 |
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Memorial Day: Monday, May 26 |
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Classes End: Friday, June 6 |
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Exams Begin: June 7 |
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Exams End: June 12 |
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Spring Quarter Ends: Saturday,
June 14 |
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Commencement: Saturday, June 14 |
49
Instructional Days(M-F)
Week One (March 31-April 6)
Introduction to the Course and
Syllabus
Join Discussion Board
Read and Discuss: Toomer (pages TBA) and
African American Poetry Selections
Week Two (April 7-April 13)
PAPER ONE IS DUE AT THE END OF THE
WEEK
Read and Discuss: Toomer (Finish) and
African American Poetry Selections
Week Three (April 14-April 20)
Read and Discuss:
Week Four (April 21-April 27)
PAPER TWO AND REVISION OF PAPER ONE
DUE AT THE END OF THE WEEK
Read and Discuss: Bellow, Collected Stories (pages TBA)
Week Five (April 28-May 4)
Read and Discuss: Finish Bellow / Begin Alexie
/ Film
Week Six (May 5-May 11)
Read and Discuss: Alexie, The Business of Fancydancing
MID-TERM EXAM ON THURSDAY, MAY 8
Week Seven (May 5-May 11)
Read and Discuss: Rakoff, Fraud, and Rich
Week Eight (May 12-May 18)
PAPER THREE AND REVISION OF PAPER
TWO
DUE AT THE END OF THE WEEK
Read and Discuss: Nye, Never in a Hurry (pages TBA) and
selected Middle-Eastern American Poetry
Week Nine (May 19-May 25)
Read and Discuss: Cisneros, The
House on Mango Street and supplementary materials from Judith Otiz
Cofer’s work
Week Ten (May 26-June 1)
Selections from Cisneros / Cofer /
Rodriguez
Week 11 (June 2-June 6)
FINAL EXAM PREPARATION
