Approaches to Literary Works 文學作品導讀

Fall 2016

Instructor: Jessie Shao 邵毓娟                  Email: ycshao@ntnu.edu.tw

Office: Cheng 831                                        Tel: 77341786

Office Hour: Mons. and Tues. (12:00—2:00)

I. Goals:

The goal of this course is to provide students with a reasonably compact introduction to the study and appreciation of fiction, poetry, and drama. The selected literary works are studied in terms of basic elements such as plot, character, setting, point of view, theme, symbolism so as to enhance students’ ability in meaningful reading of literature and critical thinking. Students will be introduced to a number of critical concepts and approaches so as to heighten their sensibility to appreciate the cultural, socio-political, and philosophical dimensions of literary expressions.

II. Required Textbook:

Kelly J. Mays ed. The Norton Introduction to Literature. New York: Norton, 2013. 11th edition.

III. Tentative Syllabus:

Week 1 (Sep.14): Orientation

Topic: What is literature? And what is fiction? (See “Basic Elements of Fiction.”) 

Week 2 (Sep.21): 

Elements of Fiction: Narration (敘事) and Point of View (敘事觀點)

Topic: Between Appearance and Essence

Assigned Reading: “The Jewelry” by Guy de Maupassant

Week 3 (Sep.28): Elements of Fiction: Plot (情節); Theme (主題/主旨)

Topic: Media Mediation and Modern Life

Assigned Reading: “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver

Week 4 (Oct.5): Elements of Fiction: Setting (背景)

Topic: Cultural Identity (文化身分/屬性) and Self-Identity

Assigned Readings: “A Pair of Tickets” by Amy Tan; “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan

Week 5 (Oct.12): Elements of Fiction: Character (人物)

Topic: Gender and Subjectivity 

Assigned Reading: “Boys and Girls” by Alice Munro

Week 6 (Oct.19): Elements of Fiction: Tone (語氣) and Style

Topic: Cultural Heritage (文化遺產)

Assigned Reading: “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker

Week 7 (Oct.26): Elements of Fiction: Symbol (象徵) and Figurative Language

Topic: Conflict and Initiation Stories (啟蒙故事) 

Assigned Reading: “Araby” by James Joyce

Week 8 (Nov.2):  

Topic: Conformism and Individuality

Assigned Reading: “A & P” by John Updike

Week 9 (Nov.9): Mid-term Exam

Week 10 (Nov.16): 

Film-Viewing: Stranger than Fiction

Week 11 (Nov.23):

Topic: Cross-Cultural Encounters and Conflicts

Assigned Reading: “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri 

Week 12 (Nov.30):

Topic: Cultural Encounters and Cultural Confrontations

Assigned Reading: “The Management of Grief” by Bharati Mukherjee

Week 13 (Dec.7):

Critical Casebook: Flannery O’Connor 

Topic: Self-consciousness, Violence, and Truth

Assigned Reading: “Everything that Rises Must Converge” by Flannery O’Connor  Week 14 (Dec.14):

Topic: Faith and Morality

Assigned Reading: “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor 

Week 15 (Dec.21): 

Critical contexts: William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”  “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner 

Week 16 (Dec.28):

Topic: Cultural Legacy and Cultural Confrontation

“A Conversation with My Father” by Grace Paley

Week 17 (Jan.4): Final Exam

Week 18 (Jan.11): Individual Conference

IV. Requirements:

 IV. Requirements:

1.      It is advised that you finish each reading assignment in advance of class meeting. 

2.      Punctual attendance is required. Being late or absent with no reasonable excuse will cause the deduction of the term grade.

3.      Attendance and participation are important. Discussing these texts with the instructor and your peers will enhance your ability in the understanding and appreciation of literary works. Your responses and questions will help facilitate more discussion and reflection on the assigned readings.

4.      There are two exams scheduled for this semester: Midterm and Final.

5.      Group Work: Each group is expected to help facilitate more discussion and reflection on the assigned reading by sharing your group reflection and questions with regard to the assigned reading. 

V. Grading Policy: Your grade will be given based on your performance on the following aspects: 1. Individual Work: Attendance, participation, and weekly reflections 50%; 2. Group Work 20%; 3. Exams 30%.

I. Required Textbook:

Booth, Alison and Kelly J. Mays eds. The Norton Introduction to Literature. New York: Norton, 2013. 11th edition.

II. Supplementary Material:

1. Kennedy, X.J., and Dana Gioia. eds. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. New York: Longman, 2007. 10th edition.

2. Bennett, Tony et al. eds. New Keywords: A Revised Vocabulary of Culture and Society. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2005.