Syllabus

World Literature I

Instructor: Marcia Little

E-mail: Use the Canvas messaging system. (Click on the "Inbox" link on the left side of the page.) If Canvas is unavailable, use mlittle@nctc.edu

Office Address: Online

Office Hours: 

Monday - Thursday: 8:30-9:30 am by Appointment WebEx calendar
More information to come

     

Course Description

A survey of world literature from the seventeenth century to the present. Students will study works of prose, poetry, drama, and fiction in relation to their historical and cultural contexts. Texts will be selected from a diverse group of authors and traditions.

Prerequisite:  ENGL 1301 or equivalent

Required Text

Norton Anthology of World Literature (Vol. A, B, and C) 4th edition

Time Requirement 

  • You will probably need to devote about 5 hours per week to completing the course requirements.

Computer Requirements 

  • A computer with an internet connection
  • Microsoft Word for writing the essay and bibliography
  • Adobe Reader (Macintosh OS 8/9, Windows systems) or Preview (Macintosh OS X)

Grading Policy

The final grade will be weighted as follows:

  • Thematic essay: 100 points
  • Explication essay: 100 points
  • Critical reflection essay: 100 points
  • Discussions: 10 points each
  • Commonplace Book assignments: 20 points each

Last day to Withdraw: Last day to drop a class with grade of “W” is October 30th.

Policies for Late Work:

    • Discussion Participation: No credit will be given for any work submitted after midnight on the due date.

Academic Integrity

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test or quiz, plagiarism, and collusion. See See Student Handbook “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct [FLB- (LOCAL)]” #18.Disciplinary Actions [Student Handbook, p. 164, #5] “When cheating, collusion, or plagiarism has occurred beyond any reasonable doubt, the instructor may give the student or students involved an ‘F’ on a particular assignment or in the course. [See Scholastic Dishonesty FLB (Local)] The instructor shall make a written report of the incident and of the planned action to his Department Chair. The Department Chair shall report the incident and action to appropriate instructional dean who shall review the case, notify the student and, if necessary, take further action. This may involve either probation or suspension of the student or students in question. If such disciplinary action is deemed necessary, the Dean of Student Services shall be notified, and the action shall be taken through that office.”  

Cheating includes taking quizzes or exams together with another student, as well as using someone else's notes to take an exam. Students are encouraged to study together prior to exams; however, during the actual exam, the student must use only his or her own notes. Exam responses that are overly similar in wording to responses from other students will be considered evidence of cheating. 

Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s work as one’s own, whether intentionally or not. 

Collusion is receiving unacknowledged help on an essay. Any help a person receives on a particular assignment should be described in writing and submitted along with the assignment. The person is encouraged to discuss ideas with others and to let others proofread essays; however, the actual wording of the essays should be the person’s own.

A person who cheats, plagiarizes, or colludes with another will receive a zero for the particular assignment, and may receive an F for the course. 

Course Assignments

  • One researched thematic essay 
  • One researched explication essay
  • One non-researched critical reflection essay   
  • Participation in weekly discussion forums 

 Learning Outcomes

 Students who successfully complete English 2332 will meet the following learning outcomes:

  1. Identify key ideas, representative authors and works, significant historical or cultural events, and characteristic perspectives or attitudes expressed in the literature of different periods or regions.
  2. Analyze literary works as expressions of individual or communal values within the social, political, cultural, or religious contexts of different literary periods.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of the development of characteristic forms or styles of expression during different historical periods or in different regions.
  4. Articulate the aesthetic principles that guide the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.
  5. Write research-based critical papers about the assigned readings in clear and grammatically correct prose, using various critical approaches to literature.  

 Core Objectives 

 (Foundational Component Area:  Language, Philosophy, and Culture)

  • Critical Thinking Skills (CT)- to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
  • Communication Skills (COM)- to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication
  • Social Responsibility (SR)- to include intercultural competency, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities
  • Personal Responsibility (PR)- to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making

Student Support Services

Disability Services (OSD)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-668-4209.

North Central Texas College is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112).   http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices/Disabilityservices.aspx

Support Services

Counseling and Testing staff offer a variety of services to current and prospective students, such as College 101, placement testing, academic advising and course registration, transfer assistance, and College Success seminars (Time Management, Study Skills, Test Anxiety, Choosing a Major, Learning Style Strategies, Career Exploration), and much more.  http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/CounselingTesting.aspx

Student Success offers academic coaching, tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, free 24/7 online tutoring through Grade Results and assist new students acclimate to college by providing computer lab services for prospective students.   First generation students can also participate in TRIO which offers specialized support services.

http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices.aspx

Financial Aid offers financial resources for students that qualify, visit the financial aid offices for more information.  http://www.nctc.edu/FInancialAidHome.aspx

Early Alert/CARES

The NCTC Early Alert program has been established to assist students who are at risk of failing or withdrawing from a course. Your instructor may refer you to this program if you are missing assignments, failing tests, excessively absent, or have personal circumstances impacting your academic performance. If submitted as an Early Alert you will be notified via your NCTC e-mail address and then contacted by a Counseling and Testing advisor or counselor to discuss possible strategies for completing your course successfully.

The NCTC CARES (Campus Assessment Response Evaluation Services) Team addresses behavior which may be disruptive, harmful or pose a threat to to the health and safety of the NCTC community-such as stalking, harassment, physical or emotional abuse, violent or threatening behavior, or self-harm. As a student, you have the ability to report concerning behavior which could impact your own safety or the safety of another NCTC student. Just click the NCTC CARES Team logo posted on MyNCTC, or send an e-mail to CARESTeam@nctc.edu.  As always, if you feel there is an immediate threat to your own safety or welfare (or to another student), please call 911 immediately.

Unit One Reading Calendar

Week One: Course Overview

Assignments due before midnight on Monday, 8/31

Read Course Information pages

Discussion: Introductions

Unit One: Ancient Literature (1900 to 100 B.C.E.)

Week Two: Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Literature

Assignments due before midnight on Monday 9/2

Read Intro, pages 3-8

Read Epic of Gilgamesh, Introduction, 89-93; tablets VIII through XI, 126-145

Read Hebrew Bible, Introduction, 145-147; Noah and the Flood 156-161

Discussion
Commonplace Book

Week Three: Ancient Greece

Assignments due before midnight on Monday, 9/7

Read Intro, 8-9

Read Odyssey, Introduction: "Historical Contexts," 216-217, "The Odyssey," 220-223

Read From The Odyssey, Book 10, 427-440

Read Aesop's Fables Introduction and all fables, 603-612

Discussion

Week Four: Ancient India

Assignments due before midnight on Monday, 9/14

Read Introduction, 1113-1121

Read From Ramayana, 1137-1159

Discussion

Week Five: Ancient India continued

Assignments due before midnight on Monday,9/21

Read From Ramayana, 1159-1183

Watch Sita Sings the Blues at https://www.sitasingstheblues.com/watch.html (Links to an external site.)

Week Six: Ancient China

Assignments due before midnight on Monday, 9/28

Read Intro, 1305-1313

Read Classic of poetry intro and selected poems, 1314-1321

Read Confucius, Analects intro and selected passages, 1326-1333

Read Daodejing intro and all selections, 1340-1345

Cultural/Thematic Essay Due on 10/5

Unit Two Reading Calendar

Unit Two: World Literature, 100-1400 C.E.

Week Seven: Christianity and Islam

Assignments due before midnight on Monday, 10/12
Read Introduction, 3-11

Read New Testament Introduction, 18-20; selections, 21-32

Read Qu'ran Introduction, 73-75; Mary, 93-106

Discussion/Commonplace book

Week Eight: Medieval Europe

Assignments due before midnight on Sunday, 10/19

Read Introduction, 11-17

Read Geoffrey Chaucer Introduction, 767-771; "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale," 792-819

Discussion/Commonplace Book

Week Nine: India's Classical Age

Assignments due before midnight on Monday, 10/26

Read Introduction, 947-955

Read Kalidasa Introduction, 985-989; Sakuntala, 989-1015

Discussion

Week Ten: India's Classical Age, Continued

Assignments due before midnight on Monday 11/2

Read Sakuntala, 1015-1055

Discussion

Explication Essay Due on 11/2

Unit Three Reading Calendar

Unit Three: World Literature, 1400-1600 C.E.

Week Eleven: Islamic Cultures

Assignments due before midnight on Monday, 11/9

"Encounters with Islam," 3-9

The Book of Dede Korkut Introduction, 59-61; "The Story of How Basat Killed Goggle-Eye," 61-67

The Book of Travels Introduction, 68-70; all selections, 70-75 

Discussion

Week Twelve: God, Church, and Self in Renaissance Europe

Assignments due before midnight on Monday, 11/16

Introduction, 753-755; all selections, 755-769

Discussion/Commonplace Book

Week Thirteen and Fourteen: Renaissance Europe and the "New World" and The Americas

Assignments due before midnight on Monday, 11/23

"Europe and the New World," 11-19

Michele de Montaigne Introduction, 318-318-320; "Of Cannibals," 329-338

Discussion

Week Fifteen:
Essay Due 11/30

Week Sixteen:
Final

There are no Handouts for this set.