Kennesaw State University
Fall Semester 2007
World Literature
English 2110, Sect. 04: 9:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m., MW, English Bldg. 168
English 2110, Sect. 10: 2:00 p.m.-3:15 p.m., MW, English Bldg. 72
Syllabus on Web: http://ksuweb.kennesaw.edu/~fallen4/

Professor: Dr. Francine L. Allen

Office Location: English Building (EB) Room 270

Office Hours:

8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. MW, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. MW, and by Appointment

Any good educational experience is enhanced when a professor is able to give a student individual attention. Thus, I ask you to make full use of my office hours. If you need assistance but find that the set office hours are inconvenient, please let me know and I will make special arrangments to meet with you at another set time and day.

E-mail and Office Phone Number:

e-mail: fallen4@kennesaw.edu

I answer e-mail Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Even though you may contact me via e-mail regarding the class, all detailed questions and concerns are best addressed to me in person. Please do not send an e-mail attachment to me unless I have spoken with you and have agreed to accept it. Also, even if I do not respond immediately to one of your e-mails concerning an assignment, I still assume that you will come to class fully prepared.

phone number: 678-797-2361

Course Description and Goals

Course Description

 The Search for Identity

How we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us--or so we think--often determine the choices that we make. This semester in English 2110 World Literature, one aim of our literary analyses and class discussions will be to understand what elements or factors shape personal identity and how that shaping manifests itself in the choices that literary characters make.  Hopefully, we will discover what values lie behind the ways we identify ourselves and others and what consequences flow from that identification.

Course Goals

This course in World Literature is a study of selected literary texts from various time periods and written by authors from different parts of the world: Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.  Upon completion of this course, you should have developed competency in the following activities:

Understanding how literary works possess common themes even though they have been written during different time periods and by those from various national and ethnic backgrounds

Analyzing literature by examining basic literary conventions of plot, character, setting, point of view, and theme

Applying literary theory to the interpretation of literature

Writing organized and coherent essays on literary themes

Required Texts

   Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. One Hundred Years of Solitude. New York: Harper, 2006

   Grossman, David.  The Zigzag Kid.  New York: Farra, 1998.

   Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces.  Expanded Edition. Ed. Maynard Mack.

      New York: Norton, 1997.

Class Assignments: Examinations and Essay

Throughout this semester, you will be required to take three in-class examinations. Each examine will test you on your knowledge of factual information such as the names of literary characters, the publication date of literary texts, and the background information concerning particular authors. Additionally, you will be tested on your understanding of the themes and issues surrounding literary texts. As such, the exams will have two sections: one section consisting of multiple choice and short-answer questions and another section containing questions that ask you o develop a short, informal essay.

Three Examinations

Examination #1-30%
Examination #2-35%
Examination #3-35%

Extra Credit: Although no separate extra-credit assignments will be given, each of the three examinations will have an extra-credit component.

Please see the course grading scale

Late-Work Policies, Class Attendance, and Other Course Issues:

Accommodations for Students with Special Needs: Please contact me immediately if you have or if you think you have a disability or medical condition which may affect your performance, attendance, or grades in this class and for which you wish to discuss accommodations of class-related activities or schedules. Accommodations are arranged on an individualized, as-needed basis after the needs and circumstances have been evaluated. Further information regarding Disabled Support Services at the University may be found by visiting this website: SDC-Student Development Center

Absences: In case you are unable to make it to class, you should have the names and contact information of fellow classmates so that you can call and find out from them what you missed. Do not rely solely upon me, or any of your professors, to identify what you may have missed during your absence from class.

Academic Integrity: Every KSU student should refer to the provisions of the Student Code of Conduct as published in the graduate and undergraduate catalogs. Section II of the Student Code of Conduct addresses the University's policy on academic honesty, including provisions regarding plagiarism and cheating. According to Code of Conduct, "the high quality of education at Kennesaw State University is reflected in the credits and degrees its students earn. The protection of these high standards is crucial since the validity and equity of the University's grades and degrees depend upon it. Any student found to have violated any KSU academic honesty regulation after a hearing before a University court panel or before the Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Services (or his/her designee) shall be suspended for at least one semester, unless the student persuades the deciding body that the circumstances of his or her behavior substantially mitigate the gravity of the violation. These regulations are designed to assist students in (1) developing appropriate attitudes about, and (2) understanding and following the university's standards relating to academic honesty. The regulations protect students by helping them avoid committing infractions that may compromise the completion of their KSU degrees or damage their reputations." More information on the Student Code of Conduct may be found by visiting this website: KSU Code of Conduct.

Class Attendance: Class attendance is required. Students are expected to be in class on time and to be ready to work when they arrive. Leaving class early, unless discussed with the professor beforehand and given approval, is considered unprofessional conduct and counts as an absence. I will begin taking roll five minutes after the official start of class. Students entering after the roll has been taken will be counted tardy. Those students who are tardy to class will be asked to sign their name to a sign-up sheet before the class is over so that there is a record of their having been present in class. Students who are tardy to class will not be dropped from the course and will not have their tardiness counted as an absence. However, constant tardiness inevitably has a negative impact on a student's grade and shows disrespect for me and the students who have arrived on time.

Class Conduct: I ask that everyone respect the ideas of others during class discussions. I also ask that no one sleep or use cell phones during class.

Examinations and Essay: All assignments must be taken or submitted during class period on the dates outlined in the syllabus. If you are unable to make it to class on the day an examination is given or an essay is due, you are responsible for contacting me via e-mail on that day--between 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.--and I will respond promptly, assessing whether or not the work may be made up and giving you directions for submitting the work or taking the exam at a later date if I determine that circumstances justify such a decision. If you do not follow these procedures, you will be unable to take the exam or submit the work at a later date.

Emergencies: Emergencies will be dealt with individually. If an emergency does happen and you are unable to come to class and submit your work, you should contact me immediately--on the day of the emergency. A decision will be made at that point regarding what you should do. You should always have two or three individuals who can contact me immediately in case an emergency leaves you unable to do so on your own.

Important Dates

Wednesday, August 15: First Day of Classes

Saturday, September 1 -- Monday , September 3: Labor Day Break, NO CLASSES

Thursday, October 11: The last day to withdraw without academic penalty

Wednesday, November 21-- Sunday, November 25: Fall Break, NO CLASSES

Tuesday, December 4: Last Day of Classes

Monday/Wednesday Course Schedule

The following is a provisional schedule for the semester. Changes may be necessary as the course proceeds. Students should check their Kennesaw e-mail daily to stay informed about any changes to the schedule and about matters related to the class, including any cancellations of class by the professor.

August/September

Wednesday, August 15--Monday, September 24

Introduction to Course

Student Contact Information

Topics of Discussion: The Ancient Middle East, Biblical Literature, the European Renaissance, Modernism

     Reading Assignments in the Norton Anthology

"The Invention of Writing and the Earliest Literatures": pages 3-6

"The Bible: The Old Testament: The Creation-The Fall": pages 48-49

Genesis 1-3:  The Creation and the Fall: pages 52-56

Genesis 4: The First Murder: page 56

"The Renaissance in Europe":pages 1475-1481

"Niccolo Machiavelli": pages 1488-1491

The Prince by Niccolo Machivavelli, chapters 15-17: pages 1491-1495

"A Century of Isms": pages 2593-2602

"Lu Xun": pages 2723-2726

Diary of a Madman: pages 2726-2735

"Chinua Achebe": pages 2931-2936

Things Fall Apart: Chapters 1-7: pages 2936-2964

NO Classes: Monday, September 3, Labor Day

Examination 1 on Monday, September 24 on the following texts, Genesis 1-3, Genesis 4, The Prince, Diary of a Madman, and Things Fall Apart and on authors and topics discussed in association with these texts. Examination Guidelines, Sample Examination

September/October           

Wednesday, September 26--Monday, October 24

     (Wednesday, October 10: Return of Examination 1)

 Topics of Discussion: Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Latin America, Colombian Politics, Magic Realism

        Reading Assignment:

             One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, pages 1-140

Examination 2 on Wednesday, October 24 on One Hundred Years of Solitude. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and topics discussed in association with Marquez and One Hundred Years

October/November

Monday, October 29--Monday, November 28

(FALL BREAK, NO CLASSES: Wednesday, November 21--Sunday, November 25)

     Topics of Discussion: David Grossman, Contemporary Israel

      Reading Assignment:

The Zigzag Kid by David Grossman
(This novel is easier to read than some of our other texts; thus, we will read this novel in its entirety.)

     (Wednesday, November 7: Return of Examination 2)

December

Monday, December 3, Last Day of Class: Examination 3 to be held today, December 3.

 Examination 3 on The Zigzag Kid, other topics discussed in association with the text, and David Grossman. Zigzag Study Guide

(I will e-mail the grade that each student earns on Examination 3 to his or her Kennesaw State e-mail address by Wednesday, December 12.)