AmericanEthnicLit

COURSE OUTLINE Professor Ellen Feig Fall 2010 efeig@bergen.edu Office L230 Paramus O: 201 301 1243 C: 914 216 4641
 * American Ethnic Literature **

COURSE DESCRIPTION: American Ethnic Literature is a reading and literary comprehension course that focuses on writings by diverse ethnic groups residing in America.

GRADING SCALE
Please refer to the following grading scale. Note that in order to receive the higher grade, a .5 and above is necessary. For example, an 89.4 is still a B+; only an 89.5 and above is equal to a 90, A. A 90-100% B+ 85-89% B 80-84% C+ 75-79% <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">C 70-74% <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">D 64-69%
 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 16px;">F Below 60% **

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">STUDENT ASSESSMENT
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">The class will be project based with one large project that will be created over the period of ten weeks. You will be required to meet certain requirements as follows:

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Online journals/Topic proposal/outline/three drafts 40% <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Final Paper and Presentation 30% <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Class Participation and Attendance 30%

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">As this class will move at a very quick pace over a short period, attendance is MANDATORY. **There are NO excused absences**. Each absence will result in a deduction of points from your class participation grade. In addition, two lates equal one absence. Arriving to class more than 30 minutes late will result in a marked absence. If you foresee difficulty in arriving on time, see me about withdrawing from class. If you are absent, you are still required to submit an assignment on time.
 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">ATTENDANCE __**
 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">A general policy for this course is that no late assignments will be accepted. However, the instructor may make an exception for extreme circumstances.


 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES __**
 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Cell phones are not allowed to ring or vibrate in my classroom **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">.

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Eating is not permitted in the classroom. Drinks are acceptable.
 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">FOOD AND DRINK __**

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">This is a college class, and as such, no level of disruption will be tolerated. Any disruption, including talking out of turn, will be initially met with a warning, and then dismissal for the day. If disruptions continue, I will recommend to the Dean that you be withdrawn.
 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">CLASS DISRUPTIONS __**

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Active participation is a requirement in this class. This means that students are not only obligated to participate in class discussions, but earnestly follow the lectures as well. As such, students are required to come to class equipped with a pen, notebook, and the course texts. Students must take notes throughout the class. <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> My classroom is a forum for the free exchange of ideas. Therefore, students are encouraged to challenge one another’s ideas. What’s more, you shouldn’t be afraid to disagree with me, your instructor. That said, if you have problems with how I’m running my class, you are welcome to discuss said issue with me. However, this may not be done during class time. Such problems are to be addressed after class or during my office hours.
 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">CONDUCT __**

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">The principles of academic integrity encompass simple standards of honesty and truth. Each member of the College community has a responsibility to uphold the standards of the community and to take action when others violate them. Faculty members have an obligation to educate students about the standards of academic integrity and to report violations of these standards to the Office of Student Development and Campus Life. Students are responsible for knowing what the standards are and for adhering to them. Students also should bring any violations of which they are aware to the attention of their instructors. Any breach of academic integrity is a serious offense that may result in disciplinary consequences. Plagiarism is a violation of the integrity of the academic community. Representing someone else's work as one's own is a serious academic offense and may result in failure, suspension, or dismissal. <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">At the end of the course, students are expected to have: <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Developed critical thinking skills as evidenced by the ability to form a strong thesis and to develop and to organize an introduction, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion using the various modes of development. <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Developed critical reading skills through close reading, analysis, and evaluation of works of fiction. <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Developed a recursive process of writing through prewriting, drafting, and revising essays as evidenced by their writing portfolios. <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Developed research skills through researching, organizing, drafting, and revising a short 1500- word research essay.
 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT __**
 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES __**<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">:

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Developed the ability to use MLA Style of in-text parenthetical citation and a documented “Works Cited” page.

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> Developed the ability to properly cite print, nonprint, and electronic sources using the MLA Style of documentation and to avoid plagiarism. <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Developed unity and clarity in their writing by using transitional devices throughout all their writing. <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Improved their language skills by using the appropriate diction and avoiding colloquialisms, slang, euphemism, regionalism, clichés, and archaisms. <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Developed the ability to analyze their papers for “Surface Errors” (fragments, comma splices, fused sentences, misplaced modifiers, misspellings, errors in agreement, mechanical errors, etc.) and make needed corrections. <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Participated in a community of writers by sharing their writing and taking part in evaluative discussion and peer review. <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Developed the capacity to be supportive, constructive contributors to class discussion.
 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">LEARNING OBJECTIVES: __**

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Students will take part in the following activities: <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Keep an online journal <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">In-class activities and essays <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Given a choice of topic, the student will write and revise four unified, coherent, well-organized mechanically correct two- to three- page essays using the structure of introduction, body, and conclusion to analyze literary readings <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Given topic, the student will write a 1500 research essay demonstrating the proper use of MLA Style of research documentation using a minimum of two outside sources to tell their own ethnic story.
 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Text: **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Stavans, Ilan, ed. **__Becoming Americans: Four Centuries of Immigrant Writing.__** NY: Penguin Group, 2009.

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">This **course outline** contains all of your reading, class and writing assignments. As part of your class work, you will be expected to keep preparation notes and responses in your journal for the week’s reading assignments; this is important for class discussion purposes.
 * __<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week One __**
 * 1) **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Review **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> syllabus, class requirements.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> “The Making of an American” by Jacob Riis (p.90) and “The Education of Abraham Cahan” by Abraham Cahan (p.110)
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">ESSAY 1: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> What is the theme of the two works? Does it matter that the pieces are written by immigrants/foreigners? Why/why not? What is the author’s view of America?
 * __<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week Two __****__﻿__**
 * 1) **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Review: Jewish American Literature **


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> “The Promised Land” by Mary Antin (p. 130)

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">American Jewish literature – what does this mean? After reading their work, do <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">you believe that there is anything unique about their work?
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Questions to be considered **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">: Cahan and Antin are considered the originators of

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">ethnic literature focusing on your own ethnicity/background. Research <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">your family history – is there any particular story that you are unable to <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">forget or that holds some prominence in your family’s history? For your <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">topic proposal, you will need the following:
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Topic Proposal: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">You will begin working on your own piece of American


 * **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Synopsis: what is your story about? **
 * **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Character list: this should include at least three sentences that describe each character; indicate whether or not they are protagonist, antagonist, dynamic, static. **
 * **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Setting: where does the story take place? **
 * **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Time: what period? Place the story in historical context **
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Sources: to help document the story, you will use at least two outside **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">sources. **


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Your paper must be at least ten pages in length, include at least two researched sources (MLA style Works Cited). **


 * __<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week Three __**


 * 1) **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Review **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">style, tone and mood


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read “ **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Children of Loneliness” by Anzia Yezierska (p. 156) and “A Wedding in Brownsville” by Isaac Bashevis Singer


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Questions to be considered: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Many of the works you read in this class are translated from their original language; how can you be sure that the translation is true to the original?


 * __<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week Four __**


 * 1) **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Review **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> point of view in literature


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> “Barrio Boy” by Ernesto Galarza


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">ESSAY 2 **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">: The piece that you have read is from the autobiography of the same name. Many American ethnic writers, including Galarza, were very concerned with the labor movement and socialism. Does political view affect point of view?


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">***Topic Proposal Due **


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Outline: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> For the next two weeks, you will work on an outline of your project; **__this will be due at the end of week seven__**. The outline must include:
 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Short descriptions of each chapter


 * __<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week Five __**


 * 1) **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Review **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> Hispanic American Literature


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> “Memoirs” by Bernardo Vega (p. 238)


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Questions to be considered: **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Vega’s work is notable for its honest and tough description of the plight of immigrants in America. What does the word alien mean to you? Are Americans becoming less receptive to immigrants?


 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week Six __**


 * 1) **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Review **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Irish American Literature


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> “’Tis” by Frank McCourt


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Questions to be considered **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">: Tragedy is a consistent in the work of Irish American authors. How does McCourt deal with the nature of tragedy in his piece?


 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week Seven __**


 * 1) **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Review **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Literary Outsiders


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read “ **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Out of Place” by Edward Said (p 379)


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">ESSAY 3: **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Said, a Palestinian writes a great deal about being an outsider in America (even though he has had a successful academic and literary career). What does it mean to be an outsider?


 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Outline Due __**


 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week Eight __**


 * 1) **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Review **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">syntax, word choice


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">“Immigrant Picnic” by Gregory Djanikian (p. 394) and “How I Got That Name” by Marilyn Chin (p. 422)


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Questions to be considered: **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">What constitutes American literature?


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Draft of Chapter 1: **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">You will write the draft of chapter 1 of your project. It must be at least five pages long and be based upon the outline you have already handed in.


 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week Nine __**


 * 1) **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Review **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Roots, Identity


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">“American Chica” by Maria Arana


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Questions to be considered: **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> Who are you? What is your identity?


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Essay 4 **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">: In her essay, Arana states that she and her family hoped to “not be noticed.” What does this mean? Have you ever felt this way? Why?


 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Weeks Ten, Eleven and Twelve __**

**<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> “The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit” by Lucette Lagnado (p. 445), “Self-Help for Fellow Refugees” by Li-Young Lee (p. 469), and “The Condition We Call Exile” by Joseph Brodsky (p. 530) **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Questions to consider **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">: What does it mean to live in exile? What is a refugee? **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Draft of Ethnic Story Due at end of Week Twelve **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> **Review** Life in Exile: The Plight of Refugees


 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week Thirteen __**

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> 13. **Review** Plight of the New Immigrant


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> “Dying in a Strange Country” by Tahira Naqvi (p. 495)


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Questions to consider **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">: What does Naqvi mean by the “connection between home country and acquired culture?”


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Peer review of final paper **


 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week Fourteen __**

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> 14. **Review** Literature of the Eastern Bloc


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Read **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"> “Nowhere Man” by Aleksandar Hermon (p. 657)


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Questions to consider **<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">: What does Hermon mean by the title?


 * <span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Final paper due **


 * __<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Week Fifteen __**

<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Student meetings