Lectures in Literature 0505
Course Description
Lectures in Literature introduces students to some of the broader concepts and parameters of literary study. It also provides a context for English majors as they begin to take specialized period courses and, later, the Junior and Senior Seminars. Consequently, the course gives students the means by which to explore and navigate the curriculum that they are invested in, and an early opportunity to encounter a variety of faculty who regularly teach in the Literature Program, as well as meeting graduate and undergraduate students already working in discipline of English. This year, in response to student feedback about the course, we will also be working very specifically on paper-writing; in lecture, recitation, and roundtables, we’ll be discussing strategies for producing exceptional college-level English essays.
Our theme for the course this year is “Altered States.” We will be considering how and why authors represent characters undergoing variations from a “normal” state of consciousness: i.e., dreams, nightmares, hallucinations, religious visions, alcoholic frenzies, drug trips, madness, depression, ecstasy, childishness, senility, death. Let me emphasize, though, that we choose a theme for this class not because all of our lectures, recitation conversations, and papers will focus on that topic, but merely to give a bit of continuity to what might otherwise seems like a random jaunt through 500-plus years of literary history!
Logistics
There are no prerequisites for 0505, though the course is required for the English major. English Literature students are strongly encouraged to take the course around the same time as Englit 0500 Introduction to Critical Reading. The class size is 120, and Englit 0505 Lectures in Literature is offered every semester.
There will be a lecture on Monday of each week from 3-4:15. Students must come to the lecture having read the assigned texts for that week, so as to fully participate in and enjoy the lectures. Please remember to bring the assigned text with you to lecture.
And please feel free to respond to and ask questions about the ideas and arguments posed by the lecturers!
Recitations will consist of weekly (Wednesday) meetings of approximately 20 students. Again, remember to bring a copy of the assigned text with you to class. Each section will be led by an English department Teaching Fellow (TF), who will conduct all course evaluations. Grades will be determined by attendance, class participation, essays, and a take-home final. Active participation in recitation discussion is a crucial element of this course. Recitation provides an ideal forum for you to test out your own ideas, challenge other peoples’, and pose questions about the lecture, text, or course as a whole.
Undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs), who are English major seniors, will work with the seminar leaders and the lecturers, and will regularly host “roundtable” sessions (see below).
Roundtables
The Undergraduate Teaching Assistants will convene "roundtable" discussions on a regular basis. Roundtable sessions will be scheduled at different times in order to make them as inclusive as possible. The meetings will take place in a variety of locations, including the Commons Room on the first floor of the Cathedral, or at the large meeting table on the 6th floor of the Cathedral. The roundtable has several functions: it provides an informal setting for further conversation about the issues discussed in lectures and seminars; it offers a forum for talk with senior English Literature majors about other English courses or the university; it is a place to go to try out ideas for papers, or to get a sympathetic reading of a draft. Contact one of the UTAs if you'd like them to arrange a meeting on a special topic.
Required Texts
- Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Signet Classics, 1999. ISBN: 0451526961
- Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. Dover, 1991. ISBN: 0486268659
- Carroll, Lewis. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Signet Classics, 2001. ISBN: 0451527747
- James, Henry. The Turn of the Screw. Dover, 1991. ISBN: 0486266842
- Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. Harcourt, 2005. ISBN: 0156030357
- Johnson, Denis. Jesus’ Son. Harper Perennial, 1993. ISBN: 0060975776
These texts are available at the University Book Center. All other texts will be available on the Courseweb site as pdf files. Click on the button marked COURSE DOCUMENTS to access them.
All students must come to class—lecture and recitation seminar—with a hard copy of the class text. This means printing yourself a copy from the Courseweb site, or bringing the appropriate book.
Assessment
Attendance and Class Participation - (10% of course grade)
First Paper Assignment - (15% of course grade)
Second Paper Assignment - (20% of course grade)
Draft of Third Paper - (10% of course grade)
Third Paper Assignment - (20% of course grade)
Take-Home Final Exam - (25% of course grade)
Attendance
All students must attend each lecture and the recitation seminar for which they are registered. Please arrive promptly for class. Attendance will be taken in both lectures and seminars. Make sure to sign the attendance sheet before you leave class! Absence and lateness (without prior approval or extenuating circumstances) will adversely affect your course grade. Two absences will lead to a reduction of your course grade by one letter. Four absences mean that you will fail the course.
In the case of absences due to illness or other extenuating circumstances, students will need to provide the appropriate documented proof (e.g.: note from doctor).
Papers and Exams
No late papers or take-home exams will be accepted, except in case of documented medical or family emergencies. If you have or anticipate any problems with handing in work you must contact your recitation instructor immediately. Paper and exam assignments will be posted on Courseweb.
Do not plagiarize! If you use material from a website (or any other source, such as a book or article) in your papers without citing where you got it, and we catch you doing it, you will receive a zero for the paper. If you are unsure of what constitutes plagiarism, check out the English Department website on “Avoiding Plagiarism”:
http://www.english.pitt.edu/resources/plagiarism.html
Disability Statement
If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your recitation instructor and the Office of Disability Resources and Services, 216 William Pitt Union (412) 624-7890 as early as possible in the term.
Course Faculty
Marah Gubar, Sarah Bagley, Alexandra Valint, Blaire Zeiders
Lecturers
Marah Gubar, Hannah Johnson, Johnny Twyning, Kimberly Latta, Steve Carr, Nancy Glazener, Shalini Puri, Jim Seitz
Undergraduate Teaching Assistants
Adrienne Brenneman, Jon Kern, Katie Selig, Katie Tighe
Contact Information
| Faculty | Teaching Fellows |
|---|---|
| Marah Gubar | |
| Hannah Johnson | |
| John Twyning | |
| Kimberly Latta | Undergraduate Teaching Assistants
|
| Steve Carr | |
| Nancy Glazener | |
| Shalini Puri | |
| Jim Seitz |
