ENG 231 ONLINE Course Schedule Spring 2012
NOTE: This schedule may change as needed.
Native Voices
WEEK 1
T 1/10 Subject: Course Introduction
TO DO:
- Discussion Board, Forum #2: Meet and Greet: In approximately
300 words tell the class a little about yourself. You can give us the
typcial things like where you are from, your age, a physical description
of yourself, the number of siblings you have, hobbies, where you see
yourself in ten years, etc., but try to make it a little more interesting.
For instance, tell us what you biggest pet peeve is, tell us the one thing
about you that we may not know by just looking at you (if we could).
You can also tell us about some of your likes/dislikes: What is your
favorite food, your favorite movie, your favorite actor, your favorite
singer/band, your favorite song, favorite book, etc.? This post must be
completed by 8am on R 1/12
You will find the link to the discussion board on the home
page for ENG 231 in Blackboard. It is listed on the main menu as
"discussion boards."
- Read "Native American Oral Literatures, pp. 18-21 &
"Creation/Emergence Accounts," 21-25 in text
R 1/12 Subject: Introduction to Native American Literature (Creation Stories)
by Marc Turcotte;
discussion board to the following question by 8am on T 1/17:
Compare & contrast the creation stories to the poems by Turcotte and
Ortiz. What does each reveal about Native American Culture both past
and present? You will find the link to the discussion board on the home
page for ENG 231. It is listed on the main menu as "discussion
boards."
WEEK 2
T 1/17 Modern Native American Poetry: Turcotte and Ortiz
TO DO:
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion board
for Reader Response 1 by 8am R 1/19. In your follow-up responses
discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You may also ask
them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up responses
should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
Utopian Promise
R 1/19 Subject: Begin Study of Puritans/ Bradford & Morton
- Read William Bradford from “Of Plymouth Plantation,” 348-357; 358- 361; 364-367
- Read Thomas Morton from “New English Canaan,” 321 top of 324; 326-
331
WEEK 3
T 1/24 Subject: Winthrop
TO DO:
- Read "A Model of Christian Charity," by JohnWinthrop, 332-342;
discussion board to the following question by 8am on R 1/26: Bradford,
Morton, & Winthrop: Compare and contrast the writing styles of these
three writers. How are they alike? How are they different? Why would
Bradford and Winthrop see Morton's writing style as profane? What
other reasons might Winthrop and Bradford have for not liking "New
English Canaan?
R 1/26 Subject: Bradstreet & Taylor
TO DO:
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion board
for Reader Response 2 by 8am M 1/31. In your follow-up responses
discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You may also ask
them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up responses
should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
- Read Bradstreet, 418-419, “Prologue,” 420-421; “The Author to
Her Book,” 426; “Before the Birth of One of Her Children,” 430;
“To My Dear and Loving Husband,” 430-431; “Upon the Burning of Our
House July 10th, 1666,” 433-434
- Read Taylor, 492-495, "Upon Wedlock and Death of Children,” 504-505
discussion board to the following question by 8am on T 1/31:
Bradstreet or Taylor: Explain how each poet's work illustates or
struggles with the idea of weaned affections
1/31;
WEEK 4
Subject: Rowlandson
TO DO:
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion board
for Reader Response 3 by 8am R 2/2. In your follow-up responses
discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You may also ask
them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up responses
should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
- Read "A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary
Rowlandson, 461-477 (up to the 13th Remove)
R 2/2 Subject: Rowlandson
TO DO:
- Finish Reading Rowlandson, 477-492
response to the discussion board to the following question by 8am on T
2/7: Explain how Rowlandson's Narrative fits the definition of
WEEK 5
T 2/7 Subject: Woolman & Occum
TO DO:
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion board
for Reader Response 4 by 8am R 2/9. In your follow-up responses
discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You may also ask
them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up responses
should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
- Read Woolman, from “The Journal of JohnWoolman,” 713-722
- Read Samson Occom, “A Short Narrative of my Life,” 1175-1181
R 2/9 Subject: Edwards
TO DO:
notes on Spiritual Autobiography, Johnathan Edwards, and the Great
Awakening (bottom of page) before beginning your reading and writing
your response.
- Read Johnathan Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands
of an Angry God,”690-701
discussion board to the following question by 8am on T 2/14:
Compare and contrast the works of Woolman, Occum, & Edwards: Discuss their ideas about religion and equality. How are they
alike/different? How do these texts create, re-imagine, or rebel against
"American" myth. Support your answer with quotes from the texts.
WEEK 6
Spirit of Nationalism
T 2/14 Subject: Franklin
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion board
for Reader Response 5 by 8am R 2/16. In your follow-up responses
discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You may also ask
them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up responses
should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
- Read 837-840 & Part Two of Ben Franklin’s The Autobiography
Beginning at Continuation of the Account of My Life (Begun at Passy,
1784), 909-919
R 2/16 Subject: Jefferson & Wheatley
- Read Jefferson, 1022-1025 from "Notes on the State of Virginia," 1035
-1042; Read Phyllis Wheatley, “Letter to Samson Occom,” 1088, “To the
University of Cambridge, in New England,” 1249-1250, “On Being
Brought From Africa to America,” 1297-1299 & 1308-1309
discussion board to the following question by 8am on T 2/21:
How do Franklin, Jefferson, & Wheatley create, challenge, or reimagine American myth? In other words how could have their ideas found in
these works have helped shape what the term "American" means,
resisted that definition, or reimagined it in someway.
WEEK 7
T 2/21 Subject: Appess and Locke
TO DO:
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion board
for Reader Response 6 by 8am R 2/23. In your follow-up responses
discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You may also ask
them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up responses
should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
- Read Locke, from "Essay on Human Understanding," 659-660" &
from "Concerning Civil Government, Second Essay," 1083-1084
R 2/23 Subject: Thoreau
TO DO:
- Read Henry David Thoreau, “Resistance to Civil
Government,” 1859-1876
discussion board to the following question by 8am on T 2/28:
How do Appess, Locke, and Thoreau create, challenge, or reimagine
American myth? In other words how could have their ideas found in
these works have helped shape what the term "American" means.
- Begin Work on Midterm Exam Essay; Keep in mind that you are writing a formal essay (not a reader response); you must have an intro with a
thesis, a body, and a conclusion that restates a thesis; when read together,
your intro and conclusion must form one idea; read exam instructions
carefully.
WEEK 8
T 2/28 Subject: Thoreau, Appess, and Locke continued; work on midterm
TO DO:
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion board
for Reader Response 7 by 8am R 3/1. In your follow-up responses
discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You may also ask
them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up responses
should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
- Midterm Exam Essay Due on R 3/1 by 8am (see instructions in
Blackboard)
R 3/1 Midterm Exam Essay Due by 8am (see instructions in Blackboard);
Hector St. John de Crevecouer
TO DO:
- Read J. Hector St. John de Crevecouer, “Letters from an
American Farmer”: from Letter III: What is an American? 954955; 961-
965; 967-974
discussion board to the following question by 8am on T 3/13:
"Letters from an American Farmer": How does de Crevecouer define
the term "American"? How does this create, challenge, or reimagine
American myth? (Compare it to how other texts have defined what this
term means)
SPRING BREAK, MARCH 5-9
WEEK 9
TO DO:
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion
board for Reader Response 8 by 8am R 3/15. In your follow-up
responses discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You
may also ask them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up
responses should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
Masculine Heroes
TO DO:
- Read James Fenimore Cooper, from “The Pioneers,” 2341-2344; 2351
-2356
- Do Reader Response 9: Cooper; Respond to the following question on the discussion board in a post of a minimum of 300
words by 8am on T 3/20: How does Cooper creat, challenge,
or reimagine American myth? Hint: Think about how he presents
man's treatment of the natural world.
WEEK 10
T 3/20 Subject: Emerson & Transcendentalism
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion
board for Reader Response 9 by 8am R 3/22: In your follow-up
responses discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You
may also ask them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up
responses should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
- Read Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1704-1706; “Nature,” 1707-1729
dicussion board to the following prompt by 8am on R 3/22:
Identify one passage in Emerson's essay and explain what you like
about it and/or wny you think it is important. What do you find
particularly "heroic" (if anything) about Emerson's ideas? Why/how
might they be important and relevant to modern times/life?
R 3/22 NO READING ASSIGNMENT: Work on Research Projects
TO DO:
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion
board for Reader Response 10 by 8am T 3/27. In your follow-up
responses discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You
may also ask them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up
responses should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
- Complete Outline for your research project and begin drafting
your research project to the discussion board (for RR 11) by 8am on T 3/27:
This outline must be a minimum of two pages, and you must use complete
sentences.
WEEK 11
T 3/27 Subject: Nat Love
- Work on research project (begin drafting).
R 3/29 Subject: Complete Nat Love
discussion board to the following question by 8am on T 4/3: Explain
how Nat Love's story creates, challenges, or reimagines American
myth? In other words how could have the ideas found in this work have
helped shape what the term "American" means, resisted that definition,
or reimagined it in someway.
WEEK 12
T 4/3 Subject: Emerson's "The Poet"
TO DO:
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion board
for NAT LOVE (RR #12) by 8am R 4/5. In your follow-up
responses discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You
may also ask them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up
responses should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total).
- Read Emerson's "The Poet," pp. 1763-1777
dicussion board to the following prompt by 8am on R 4/5: Choose a
passage that you like from Emerson's "The Poet" and explain what
you like about it and/or why you think it is important. Do you think
Emerson found poets to be "heroic," why or why not?
R 4/5 Subject: Whitman (& Emerson)
TO DO:
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion
board for Reader Response 13 by 8am T 4/10. In your follow-up
responses discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You
may also ask them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up
responses should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
- Choose any poem by Whitman in your textbook and read it carefully
discussion board to the following question by 8am on T 4/10: When
Emerson wrote "The Poet" in 1844, he proclaimed that Poets are
liberating gods . . . they are free, and they make free." He wished for
the emergence of a poet "without impediment, who sees and handles
that which others dream of, traverses the whole scale of experience, and
is representative of man." Using these quotes by Emerson, explain if
Whitman has indeed answered this passionate plea for a truly
American Poet? Is he truly "representative of man" (In other words
does he represent the common American Man. Also think about how
he presents the idea of gender: masculinity and femininity)? Is
Whitman truly an "American" poet? Why/Why Not? What makes his
work "American?"
- You do not need to respond to the post of another student
WEEK 13
Gothic Undercurrents
T 4/10 Subject: Hawthorne & Introduction to the Gothic
TO DO:
- Read "Rappaccini's Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, 2398
-2401; 2451-2470
discussion board to the following question by 8am on R 4/12: Explain
how Hawthorne's story exhibits charateristics of The Gothic.
R 4/12 Gilman
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion
board for Reader Response 15 by 8am T 4/17. In your follow-up
responses discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You
may also ask them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up
responses should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
WEEK 14
T 4/17 Subject: Poe
TO DO:
- Read Poe, 2484-2486; “Ligeia,” 2487-2497
discussion board to the following question by 8am on R 4/19:
Explain how Gilman & Poe's stories exhibit charateristics of The
Gothic.
Slavery and Freedom
R 4/19 Subject: Douglass
TO DO:
Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion
board for Reader Response 16 by 8am T 4/24. In your follow-up
responses discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You
may also ask them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up
responses should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
- Read Frederick Douglass, 2035-2037; “Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass,” 2038-2059 (end of chapter V)
WEEK 15
Subject: Douglass
TO DO:
- Read Frederick Douglass, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick
Douglass,” 2059 (chapter VI)-2080
R 4/26 Subject: Complete Douglass
TO DO:
- Read Frederick Douglass, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick
Douglass,” 2081 - 2101
discussion board to the following question by 8am on T 5/1:
How does Douglass create, challenge, or reimagine American myth? In
other words how could have the ideas found in his work helped shape
what the term "American" means.
mind that you are writing a formal essay (not a reader response); you must
have an intro with a thesis, a body, and a conclusion that restates a thesis;
when read together, your intro and conclusion must form one idea; read
exam instructions carefully.
WEEK 16
T 5/1 Conclude Douglass discussion; work on final exam
TO DO:
- Respond to two posts made by other students on the discussion
board for Reader Response 18 by 8am R 5/3. In your follow-up
responses discuss what new ideas their posts prompted for you. You
may also ask them questions about their posts. Each of your follow-up
responses should be a minimum of 150 words each (300 words total)
- Work on Essay for FINAL EXAM; Due by 8am on R 5/3 (see
instructions in Blackboard)
R 5/3 FINAL EXAM Essay Due by 8am (see instructions in Blackboard)
TO DO: