I will not be on campus Friday, June 14

Final Study Guide

The final is scheduled for Monday, June 17, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in our regular classroom. The final study guide is attached. Whatever will end up on the final itself will come directly from the study guide. There will be no changes except to clarify or correct what is there already. When it comes to the test itself, you will not be allowed to use your books or notes. You will work entirely from memory. With regard to the two essay prompts, the best way to prepare for those is to write draft essays. Be sure to bring something to write on and write with. I made a correction to the final directions for the passage identification and explanation part.

Revision Requirements

1. Revisions are due at the time of our final exam, which is noted above. This is also the last time that late submissions will be accepted.
2. I'll be happy to answer any questions regarding comments you can't read because of my handwriting at any time, but substantive questions will not be accepted until after noon, Friday, June 14.
3. Any literature review receiving less than a C/2.0, that is a C-/1.7/71, C-/D+/1.5/69 or a D+/1.3/64 MUST be revised. If the literature review received a C/2.0/74 then revision is optional, but both encouraged and advised.
4. Literature review revisions must be submitted with the annotated secondary source and the commented upon graded draft
5. All revisions must be highlighted on the new draft. Merely correction grammar, punctuation, spelling and the like does not constitute a revision, and the essay will be not accepted as such. The grade will not change if that happens.

English 248(W): Introduction to American Literature before 1860

Bradley Bleck Office: 5-157 Phone: Office 533-3572s email: bradbATspokanefallsDOTedu

Class Time: 9:30-10:20 daily Student Drop-in Hours: 1:00-3:00 MWF afternoons by appointment; otherwise, check my office door schedule for available times. You are encouraged to email me with question

Required Text: Lauter, Paul, et al. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Vol. A & B (in one or two pieces); 5th ed.

Wait to buy one of the following:

• Sheppard Lee: Written by Himself by Robert Montgomery Bird
• The Journals of Lewis and Clark
• The Bondwoman's Narrative by Hannah Crafts
• The Hidden Hand, or, Capitola the Madcap by E.D.E.N Southworth

Official Course Description: This survey course examines major writers of the period including Taylor, Edwards, Franklin, Irving, Cooper, Poe, Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Melville, Whitman and Dickinson. Prerequisite: recommended English 101 readiness in reading and writing.

Unofficial course description: IIn this class we will read, discuss, and write about American literature and culture from the earliest explorers, colonizers and settlers until the Civil War, roughly 1492 to 1865. We’ll examine notions of Puritanism, the Reformation, Revolution, Romanticism and much more as we look at the role of literature in the shaping of our nation. In doing so, we’ll look at poetry, fiction both short and long, letters and essays to develop some understanding of America’s heritage. We will be exploring a variety of questions, including, but not limited to:

• What is Literature?
• What makes Literature American?
• How is America reflected in her Literature?
• Who are these writers of American Literature?
• Why read (Early American) Literature? What is the point of all this?

As members of the class, you are to completely read all material as assigned prior to listed discussion dates, to have completed journals, to tweet questions, to take part in discussions, to complete writing assignments that focus on the readings and topics under discussion and to complete assigned projects. You should budget at least 15 hours a week for the course (10 hours outside of class for reading, writing, and working).

I hope to help you enjoy and understand literature, provide you will some tools for increased understanding of the literature you read (or at least an idea of where to find material that will help you increase your understanding), and help you to formulate and express your thoughts--written and spoken--concerning Literature and why it matters in the world at large. Keep in mind I am not some oracle of Literature. I prefer to explain what people do not understand and to provide background and context for what we will read and let you puzzle things out as much as possible. Don't expect me to lecture on and explain what writings "mean." I don't have all the answers to what we will read (assuming such answers exist). This does not mean that a piece of literature means whatever you want it to mean; interpretations need to be based on specific elements and their contexts within the text. However, I have considerable experience reading, studying, interpreting, and criticizing literature. This I will share with you.

Grading

Let’s just say I hate grading, period. Grading takes a bunch of the fun out of a class such as this one. When I grade, my approach is to be as friendly a reader/grader as possible and give you the best grade that is reasonable given the work submitted. I also like to keep things simple, but it doesn't quite pan out that way.

Points

Literature Review 1: 100 pts
Literature Review 2: 100 pts
Reaction Charts: 50 pts
Journals: 50 pts
Final Exam: 50 pts
Book Club Project: 50 pts
Seminars: 50 pts

The final grade were be determined by the percentage of points earned out of the 450 possible. You will earn the bulk of your grade in the latter stages of the class, when you should know more and be able to earn better grades.