About this course

Catalog description:

Introduction to Literature (course number 52-1600) introduces students to the genres of fiction, drama, and poetry. By studying important works by writers of culturally diverse backgrounds, students gain experience reading, analyzing, and interpreting literature. The course establishes connections between literature and other areas of arts and communications; students are better prepared for their majors in these fields.

Prerequisites:

52-1151 COMPOSITION I

Goals and Objectives:

Students will 1)become familiar with one or more of the major forms of literature (poetry, drama,fiction, and nonfiction) and 2) be able to demonstrate that familiarity by being able to read and write critically about one of those forms (genres). This course will also cultivate:

the ability to demonstrate a critical understanding of and appreciation for literature when analyzing stories, poems, and plays.
the ability to understand and appreciate figurative language (metaphors, similes, and the like) in poetry, fiction, and drama.
the ability to understand, appreciate, and apply knowledge of plot, character, point of view, imagery, theme, setting, irony, tone, symbols and language when reading fiction, poetry, or drama.
the ability to develop a reasonable interpretation of a literary text and to support that interpretation with evidence.
the ability to identify common or culturally specific themes in literature by writers of different races, genders and ethnic backgrounds.
the ability to identify similarities between works of literature and other works of art or forms of communication.

Course Overview:

Rather than explore poetry, prose fiction, and drama as three separate "genres," our units will mix them together. Each unit will center around readings that explore that unit's main topic; these readings will also help illustrate principles and tropes of the genres.

Unit 1: Desire: The course begins with readings that touch on the idea of desire in the city. How does desire drive the characters in the works we explore? What role does the city play in the evolution of those desires? At the end of the unit, students will begin their first of two large projects for the semester.
Unit 2: Work: The second unit springboards from the question of desire to the question of work in the city. How do people's working experience shape their lives? What cases do our texts make for how one should live life and relate to work? There is no project for this unit.
Unit 3: Race: The final unit for the course wraps the questions of work and desire in the city together with the question of race in the city. How does one's experience of race in the city affect desire and work? What role does racial prejudice play in shaping life for the city's residents? The final project for the course will explore all three units together, but will concentrate on race.