LITR 101 - Introduction to Fiction (16399)

Literature 101:

Introduction to Fiction

Fall 2020

Monday & Wednesday 9:30–10:45am

Section #000; Reg. 16399.

Prof. Abby Coykendall

email: acoykenda@emich.edu

(click Marilyn Monroe above for the course schedule)

→ To begin, click image or "Modules":

Office Hours:

Mondays 3:30- 5:30pm

* Use Zoom Link for a meeting or email for alternate time

Course Information

Course Description:

Literature 101 is a class in which you will engage with a wide variety of fiction—novels, novellas, and short stories—spanning from the early modern era to the present and encompassing authors from around the world. The primary objective is to cultivate a life-long appreciation of the uniquely *literary* imagination of other people and places through fiction. En route, the class will sharpen analytical and communication skills—empowering students to think critically as well as creatively about artistic technique and convention.

The overriding goal of the class is to provide a general introduction to fiction, including an examination of major literary movements, periods, techniques, and genres. By the end of the term, you will have surveyed some representative fiction written in English, honed your interpretative skills, familiarized yourself with literary conventions, and learned to think carefully and critically about not only the craft of fiction but also the worlds—imaginative or otherwise—that fiction can convey to us.

All of the fiction will be put in dialogue with current events—with the real-world experiences and aspirations of students themselves—allowing us to collectively explore the ways in which fiction can inspire us to (re)imagine, (re)create, and ultimately transform the communities in which we live.

General Education Rationale:

Fiction draws readers in by presenting compelling characters, engaging situations, or familiar human problems. Whether the worlds in fiction feel comfortably realistic or expand a reader’s horizons with their newness, fiction remains popular for its ability to explore the boundaries of human possibility. Literature 101 is designed to cultivate students’ appreciation of prose fiction by providing a context to learn about the formal and historical features of different kinds of short stories and novels. This class introduces terms important for the critical understanding of fiction as an imaginative literary form. It also helps students analyze the plots, character, and setting of fiction not only as windows into the themes of the texts but as literary works that have impacted and influenced the on-going traditions of Western literature. Because the course focuses on different types of fiction in historical contexts, students gain a nuanced understanding of the cultural meaning of fiction and learn to interpret these texts as a complex social practice meaningful as human art.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the semester, you will be better able to

• Develop an appreciation of fiction, including the formal conventions of literary works;

• Broaden life experience through imagination, empathy, and engagement with diverse narratives and perspectives;

• Learn to interpret fiction within various historical, philosophical, and cultural contexts, studying a wide selection of canonical and non-canonical texts from different literary periods;

• Understand the reciprocal relationships between literature and culture, becoming aware of the ways that literature effects culture and that culture effects literature in turn;

• Enhance critical-thinking skills through self-reflexivity, as well as through reflection on cultures foreign and familiar;

• Become conversant in the terminology, debates, and practices of literature and literary criticism;

• Communicate this newly acquired knowledge verbally and, when possible, in writing. 

Texts and Materials

Required Textbooks to Purchase:

You must purchase the three books for this course—one main anthology (for Section 2) and two novels (for Section 3)—whether these books be the paper or digital ebook versions. Readings slotted early in the term will be available as pdf files in the Google Drive folder, allowing any books that you order online to arrive in time.

1. • 40 Short Stories: A Portable Anthology, 5th Edition, ed. Beverly Lawn [MacMillan 2017; ISBN -13 #9781319110420]

* Make certain to get the most recent 5th edition of the 40 Short Stories anthology pictured above

• • Octavia Butler, Wild Seed [Beacon Press; ISBN-13 # 9780446676977]

** Also available for free from the Halle library.

• • Louise Erdrich, The Future Home of the Living God [HarperCollins 2017; SBN -13 #9780062694065]

Course Materials:

Many required materials, and some supplemental materials, will be made available directly through links here in the Canvas course shell, viewable from any computer, tablet, or cell phone online.

For class information of any kind, see the Modules page in the Canvas course shell (you can also simply click the revolving gif icon at the top). For readings and / or files specifically, see the weekly Modules that follow, which will be made available in advance of each class. All of these materials will also be made available in the Google Drive folder linked on the left.

Downloading the Canvas Student App onto your cell phone or tablet would be quite useful to access both readings and homework assignments, although be aware that the app has somewhat less functionality than the web page. 

Assignments

Course Schedule:

The Weekly Course Schedule is located in the Google Drive folder so you do not need to log into Canvas to access it. → Note that this schedule may need to change at times to accommodate the unique circumstances of this class or term.  Students will be notified by email, in a timely fashion and in advance, of any necessary changes to the schedule and receive a clear rationale for them.

Major Assignment Weights:

Grading Scale:

Accessibility

Instructor Availability:

I will be delighted to discuss any questions, interests, or concerns via a phone call or video chat through Zoom during my office hours each week. If necessary, you can also email for an alternate time.The first visit to my virtual office hours with a course-related inquiry, such as to get guidance on homework, discuss readings lately covered, or brainstorm essay ideas, will be worth extra credit.

If you contact me through email or Canvas instead, you can expect a reply within a few hours to a day for straightforward questions. Thornier issues may require a full week.

Please limit email inquiries to questions that I alone can answer so that I can give the more pressing issues of other students the attention they deserve. If, for example, you are unsure about a due date, consult the syllabus, the course shell, or your peers, and then email me only if the confusion persists.

Another alternative is to contact your Homework Group with your question or to post the question to the Discussion Board for General Course Questions. The latter is ideal when other students may share your question and could benefit from seeing the reply.

Course Accessibility:

This class is meant to be a welcoming educational environment for all students, including those who have challenges that impact learning. If you find yourself having difficulty participating or demonstrating knowledge in this course, please feel free to contact me to discuss reasonable accommodations at least one week prior to the requested change. In fact, you may be able to receive an accumulation even if you currently lack an official Disability Resource Center (DRC) accommodation letter, although I encourage you to contact the DRC directly for assistance with accommodations in this or any other class (drc@emich.edu; 487-2470).

Diversity Statement:

One of the responsibilities of a public university, and thus of this particular course in turn, is to instantiate the ideals of equity, freedom, and justice, while cultivating a well-informed populace capable of critical thinking and creative innovation. It is only through fostering a diverse and affirming campus community inclusive of all students that these goals might be achieved. In the interest of achieving these ends, this class shall endeavor to account for the contributions and counter-narratives of previously neglected or marginalized groups, including but not limited to those differing by race and ethnicity, country of origin, class, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, and intersectional identities.

Course Policies

Participation:

Nothing is more vital for success in this course than keeping up with, and actively engaging in, the reading assignments and class discussions each day. The more actively that you participate in the class, the more the course content can reflect your unique needs and interests. As with any university course, expect your homework to take around 2 hours for every 1-unit of the class or, in other words, 6 hours per week.

Attendance:

Because this course primarily consists of reading and discussion, rather than facts, figures, or memorization, regular attendance is crucial. Failure to participate in class makes achieving the course objectives difficult and, eventually, impossible. Reserve absences for illness or other exigencies preventing you from attending class, and most of all make sure not to exhaust your allowable absences too early in the term.

Any student who misses FOUR classes for any reason will have their final grade reduced by a full mark (i.e. lowered from A to B, B to C, etc.). Any student who misses FIVE or MORE classes will become ineligible to pass.

Lateness and Classroom Etiquette:

We will begin the in-class sessions 5 minutes after the scheduled class period on Wednesdays at 9:35am to allow you extra time to get comfortably set up. Please make sure that you are able to:

• • Mute and unmute your mic (default to "mute" to eliminate background noise and use noise-cancelling headphones);
  • Reduce distractions in the background to help both you and the other students concentrate;
  • Hear and be heard with your audio;
  • Turn the video of yourself on / off (you can set up a profile pic or avatar in lieu);
  • Raise your hand via the hand icon or type questions in the chat box;
  • Reach necessities like water, coffee, pens, or notebooks easily;
  • Alternate to and from gallery view to see / hide other students and focus the screen on the speakers or files;
  • Finally, aim, if possible, to have Canvas open elsewhere for reference (it helps to have two devices, say, your computer for notetaking and your cell phone for the audio/video);
  • If you do log in with two devices, make sure to mute the audio one device to prevent feedback.

Academic Integrity:

Understanding and avoiding academic dishonesty, and doing all your coursework on your own, is imperative. Copying the homework of peers, having parents or friends do assignments for you, submitting work written for your other classes to this class for double credit, and of course plagiarism (copying the ideas/words of others) are all forms of academic dishonesty that will not be tolerated in this course and may even prevent you from passing.

Plagiarism, put simply, is taking either the IDEAS or the WORDS of another person and recycling them as if they are your own. You must acknowledge when you draw on the thoughts and/or expressions of others, and do so under all circumstances without exception.

For example, if you insert the words of a webpage or other source into your own writing, you must credit that source for the passage and place quotation marks on either side: So and so says “X." Alternately, you can paraphrase the other source, describing its ideas in your own words, but even then you must also give credit, albeit in this case without quotation marks: So and so says X.

Without these acknowledgements, the unique constructions and/or conceptualizations of other authors will pass as your own by default, and any writing that thereby seems to be your own, without in fact being your own, is a plagiarism of the original source.

By its very nature, plagiarism leaves a trace. It should never be found in any assignment that you submit. It is your responsibility to make certain that your work is plagiarism-free before turning it in.

** Any instance of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, will result in an automatic 0% grade for the assignment. Any second instance will result in outright failure of the course, however minor the infraction may be.

University Policies:

In addition to the articulated course specific policies and expectations, students are responsible for understanding all applicable University guidelines, policies, and procedures. The EMU Student Handbook is the primary resource provided to students to ensure that they have access to all university policies, support resources, and student's rights and responsibilities. Changes may be made to the EMU Student Handbook whenever necessary, and shall be effective immediately, and/or as of the date on which a policy is formally adopted, and/or on the date specified in the amendment. Please note: Electing not to access the link provided below does not absolve a student of responsibility. For questions about any university policy, procedure, practice, or resource, please contact the Office of the Ombuds (248 Student Center; 487–0074; emu_ombuds@emich.edu).

Course Requirements and Resources

Class and Campus Resources:

For many resources, whether for this class specifically or your university experience as a whole, see the Canvas Modules page.

Technology Requirements:

Canvas is built using web standards. Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and any other device with a modern web browser should therefore be compatible. For best performance, Canvas does require the current releases of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari browsers. Your devices—computer, tablet, or smartphone—should be compatible but you will need to keep up to date with the latest security updates and upgrades.

For assistance with the course shell, click the question button to the far left or call the Canvas 24/7 Help Desk at (844) 326-6322. If your question is specific to our university, call the EMU IT help desk at (734) 487-2120. Do not contact your instructors for technical questions!  

Quite often simply switching to a different browser (from Chrome to Safari, Safari to Edge, etc.) will do wonders.  Chrome works well for the most part but some Module pages may appear not to load. In that case, click the hyperlinked titles and they will load readily.

Zoom requires an internet connection, speakers and a microphone, and ideally a webcam or HD webcam, an along with an up-to-date operating system. You can join Zoom video sessions with a smart phone, or if necessary, without the video by using other phones. However, it would be helpful, both for me as an instructor and for the other students with whom you may be interacting, to see your facial expressions if at all possible.

Class meetings may at times use Google Meet, which is better at muting / un-muting automatically when you begin to speak, or more rarely Studio for small groupwork.  For class presentations and some informal homework assignments, we will use Flipgrid. Zoom, Studio, and Flipgrid, tho not Meet, are all available directly in Canvas, linked to the left.

Whatever tool we use, directions on how to connect, where to connect, and when to connect for class meetings or homework will be clearly identified within and easily linked from the Module for the week.

I aim to reserve virtual class meetings for interactive activities, minimizing the need for live video conferencing by making my lectures virtual—available for you to watch in short snippets in advance as best suits your schedule.

→ Note that the Dean of Students (734-487-1107; emu_deanofstudents@emich.edu) may be able to assist if you lack a laptop or other the means to meet the technical requirements of this course.