Composition and Literature II

English 102-06

Semester: Spring, 2016

Instructor: Thomas Plichta
Phone: 843-766-4888 or 843-539-6526 (cell)
Email: tplichta@citadel.edu or tomplichta@comcast.net
Days/Times: Mon/Wed/Fri 1000-1050
Classroom: Capers 210
Office Hours: On request

Course Objectives
As a continuation of English 101, English 102 provides you with the skills necessary to become
competent college writers. Additionally, English 102 will provide you with the skills to read,
analyze, and interpret a variety of literary works. Over the course of the semester, you will write
a series of papers that will help you to:
summarize, analyze, and compare central ideas of fiction texts
draft, revise, and edit texts
generate and organize a thesis-driven argument
use evidence to support claims about texts
appeal to general and specific audiences
write a research-based paper that adheres to guidelines for documenting sources
By the end of the course, you should be able to read and understand challenging literary and
critical texts, and write clear, correct prose in a unified, coherent paper. You should also be able
to follow conventions for citing outside sources in your work.

Course Requirements & Policies
Reading Requirements: You will be responsible for reading a variety of literary works in
preparation for class discussions and for the writing assignments. You will be expected to
annotate the assigned texts and to be prepared to offer your interpretation of the texts.

Writing Requirements: This semester you will write four formal essays, several in-class essays,
and a final essay. Failure to submit all 4 formal essays and/or the final essay will result in an F
grade for English 102.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a form of academic misconduct and a violation of the cadet honor code.
It can be defined as the copying of the language, phrasing, structure, or specific ideas of another
and presenting them as your own work. If you have any questions regarding proper
documentation of sources or use of anothers ideas, consult me before turning in your work.

Prior to submitting your formal essays for grading, you must submit them to turnitin.com
for an originality assessment. Specific procedures will be provided via CitLearn. Essays
which are not submitted to turnitin.com will NOT be graded and will receive a grade of

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zero.

Attendance: In accordance with school policy, missing more than 20% of the classes is grounds
for an administrative F.

Late Work: Papers submitted late will lose one letter grade for each day, or fraction thereof, that
they are late. Even if you are absent from class, you are responsible for submitting papers on
their appropriate due-dates. Dialectical notebook entries will not be accepted late due to their
time-sensitive nature.

Paper Assessment: Just as I expect you to submit your work on time, you can expect me to assess
your papers within a reasonable time frame, generally within a week from the date you submit
your work, and certainly within two weeks from the date you submit your work.

Support: The Writing Center, located in Thompson Hall 117, provides free tutoring in writing to
students of The Citadel. The Writing Center has a staff of trained tutors who work with students
in order to help them become more effective writers. Tutors will assist with all stages of the
writing process, from planning and organizing a paper, to writing and then proofreading it. The
Writing Center is a valuable resource for all students of writing, regardless of proficiency or skill
level. I encourage you to be proactive and to make contact with the staff there early in the
semester, particularly but not only if you are less than satisfied with your writing skills.
If you have any disability, in accordance with the ADA, The citadel will make all
necessary accommodations. It order to arrange any necessary accommodations, it is the
students responsibility to contact OASIS (Office of Access Services, Instruction, and Support) in
Thompson Hall 107 (across from the Writing Center). Please notify me within the first two
weeks of the semester of any necessary accommodations.

Textbook: Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. (Schilb &
Clifford). New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012, 5th edition. ISBN: 9780312653545.

Assessment:

Essay 1 15%
Essay 2 15%
Essay 3 15%
Essay 4 20%
In-Class Writing, Dialectic Notebook, Quizzes 15%
Final Exam 20%

Grade Scale:
0-59% F, 60-69% D, 70-79% C, 80-89% B, 90-100% A

Assignments

Essay 1 Comparative Paper

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Write a 900-1100 word comparative paper on two poems from one of the following clusters:
Trapped in Stereotypes: Poems (pp. 996-1008), Remembering the Death Camps: Poems (pp.
1009-16), or A Dream of Freedom: A Collection of Poems by Langston Hughes (pp. 1047-1057).
Your essay should analyze two poems from the cluster and discuss the cultural issues relevant to
the poems. Assume that youre writing to an audience who has a general understanding (i.e. what
youd pick up in high school or from the media) of the cultural context of each poem. As you
write, review the grade rubric and review chapters 3, 4, and 6 in Part One of Making Literature
Matter.

Essay 2 Comparative Paper Revision and Expansion

Revise Essay 1 into a 900-1100 word comparative paper that includes at least 3 secondary
sources that focus on the cultural context(s) of the poems. The sources should present
information on the time-period and social climate in which the poems were written, information
on the authors, and/or information on literary or cultural movements that are relevant to the
poems. As you revise, keep in mind your audience and rhetorical appeals. Sources do not need to
discuss the authors and/or poems that you discuss in your essay. As you write and revise, review
the grade rubric and review chapters 3, 4, 6, and 9 in Part One of Making Literature Matter.

Essay 3 Social Policy Paper

Write an 1100-1300 word critical analysis of one of the following stories: Shirley Jacksons The
Lottery (pp. 867-74), Tim OBriens The Things They Carried (pp. 1475-89), Charlotte
Perkins Gilmans The Yellow Wallpaper (pp. 954-68), or Kurt Vonneguts Harrison Bergeron
(pp. 1554-59). In addition to your own observations and textual analysis, you must include
information from at least 4 substantive secondary sources. At least 2 of your sources must be
from the databases available through Daniel Library. Assume that your audience has read the
story, and as such, limit plot summary. As you write, review grade rubric and review chapters 3,
4, 5, and 9 in Part One of Making Literature Matter.

Essay 4 Ethical Defense Paper

Write an 1100-1300 word critical analysis of one of the following stories: Andre Dubuss
Killings (pp. 1213-27), Rebecca Makkais The Briefcase (pp. 1367-74), or Haruki
Murakamis Another Way to Die (pp. 1034-1046). In your essay, construct a defense for the
actions of one of the main characters in the story. If it helps, think of yourself as a defense
attorney; your job is not to agree with the actions of your client, but to justify and explain his
actions so that they seem reasonable to the audience. Do not assume that your audience will be
sympathetic to the characters actions. In addition to your own observations and textual analysis,
you must include information from at least 4 substantive secondary sources. Youll not have
much success finding sources that discuss the stories directly, so your research will need to focus
on issues that you raise in your argument. Be sure to use sufficient quotes and examples from the
text to support your point, and remember your rhetorical appeals. As you write, review grade
rubric and review chapters 3, 4, 5, and 9 in Part One of Making Literature.

Dialectical Notebook: Throughout the semester you will need to craft and submit dialectical
notebook entries, as described on page 25 of the text. Each entry should be about 400 words
long and should focus on the reading that is due the day of the entry. Your notes should take the
two-column format, with the left column identifying significant, striking, and/or confusing

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information from the text and the right column indicating your reaction to the information and/or
why you think the information is significant.

In-class writing assignments: You will be doing several in-class papers throughout the
semester. The topic will not be given in advance but will be related to the reading assignment for
that day. Between 30 and 45 minutes of class time will be allocated to the in-class assignment.
You will be required to complete the assignment and email it to me before you leave the
classroom.

Midterm: There will be no midterm examination. Your midterm grade will reflect work
completed as of March 10th.

Final Exam: Youll write a short analysis of 600-900 words (2-3 pages) that focuses on a short
story that youll be given during the final exam period. Specific prompts will be given in class;
however, you should be prepared to discuss plot and structure; point of view; characters; setting;
imagery; and theme in short stories.

Schedule of Assignments and Due Dates

YOU MUST BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK TO EVERY CLASS MEETING

Week 1
Wed 1/13 Syllabus, course introduction; What is Literature?
Fri 1/15 READING ASSIGNMENT: Chapter 2How to Read Closely (pp. 22-48)

Week 2
Mon 1/18 MLK Day; no class
Wed 01/20 READING ASSIGNMENT: How to Make Arguments About Literature (pp. 49-
74)
Fri 01/22 READING ASSIGNMENT: How to Write About Poems (pp. 143-67)

Week 3
Mon 01/25 READING ASSIGNMENT: A Dream of Freedom: A Collection of Poems by
Langston Hughes (pp. 1047-57); Dialectic Notebook Entries Due
Wed 01/27 In-class writing
Thu 01/29 READING ASSIGNMENT: Remembering the Death Camps: Poems (pp. 1009-
16)

Week 4
Mon 02/01 READING ASSIGNMENT: Trapped in Stereotypes (pp. 996-1008); Dialectic
Notebook Entries Due
Wed 02/03 READING ASSIGNMENT: The Writing Process (pp. 75-107)
Fri 02/05 In-class writing
Essay #1 Due

Week 5

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Mon 02/08 Grammar Day
Wed 02/10 In-class writing
Fri 02/12 READING ASSIGNMENT: How to Write a Research Paper (pp. 210-243)

Week 6

Mon 02/15 READING ASSIGNMENT: How to Write a Research Paper (pp. 210-243)
(continued);
Wed 02/17 In-class writing
Fri 02/19 MLA Citations

Week 7
Mon 02/22 READING ASSIGNMENT: How to Write About Stories (pp. 108-42);
Wed 02/24 In-class writing
Fri 02/26 READING ASSIGNMENT: The Lottery (pp. 867-74)

Week 8
Mon 02/29 READING ASSIGNMENT: The Things They Carried (pp. 1475-89); Dialectic
Notebook Entries Due
Wed 03/02 In-class writing
Fri 03/04 READING ASSIGNMENT: The Yellow Wallpaper (pp. 954-68)
Essay #2 Due

Week 9
Mon 03/07 READING ASSIGNMENT: Harrison Bergeron (pp. 1554-59
Wed 03/09 In-class writing assignment
Fri 03/11 Grammar Day

Week 10
Mon 03/14 READING ASSIGNMENT: Killings (pp. 1213-27); Dialectic Notebook Entries
Due
Wed 03/16 In Class Writing
Fri 03/18 READING ASSIGNMENT: Another Way to Die (pp. 1034-46)

Week 11
Mon 03/21 READING ASSIGNMENT: How to Write about Essays (pp 188-209)
Wed 03/23 READING ASSIGNMENT: Many Rivers to Cross (pp. 189-195); Dialectic
Notebook Entries Due
Fri 03/25 In-class writing assignment

Week 12
SPRING BREAKNO CLASS

Week 13
Mon 04/04 READING ASSIGNMENT: Drinking with Daddy (pp. 1461-74).

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 Essay #3 Due
Wed 04/06 In-class writing assignment
Fri 04/08 READING ASSIGNMENT: The Runaway Son (pp. 249-257)

Week 14
Mon 04/11 READING ASSIGNMENT: How to Write About Plays
Wed 04/13 READING ASSIGNMENT: Othello, Act 1
Fri 04/15 READING ASSIGNMENT: Othello, Act 2

Week 15
Tue 04/18 READING ASSIGNMENT: Othello, Act 3
Wed 04/20 READING ASSIGNMENT: Othello, Act 4
Fri 04/22 READING ASSIGNMENT: Othello, Act 5

Week 16
Mon 04/25 Semester Review
Essay 4 Due

04/30-05/06 Final Exams--Check your scheduled date and time.