ENGL 200 D: Reading Literary Forms

ENGL 200 D -- Reading Literary Forms

Class time: M/T/W/TH  12:30-1:20

Instructor: Lubna Alzaroo

Email: lubnaa@uw.edu

Office hours:  F 10:00 am-12:00 pm (by appointment only) 

The University of Washington acknowledges the Coast Salish peoples of this land, the land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Suquamish, Tulalip and Muckleshoot nations.

We acknowledge the people – past, present, and future – of the Dkhw’Duw’Absh, the Duwamish Tribe, the Muckleshoot Tribe, and other tribes on whose traditional lands we study and work.

Course description:

This class explores the connections between environmental degradation and social injustice. We’ll examine what contemporary global literature has to say about toxicity, environmental racism, and colonialism. We will ask: What is the role of fiction in the struggle for ecological and social change?

This course asks students to delve into the literature of various cultures—American, Brazilian, Native American, Japanese, Marshallese among others—in order to come to some conclusions about how literature is used as a representative agent, particularly how it discusses environmental justice issues. We will come to notice that most of the texts we are reading deal with strife in some way, whether it is personal strife or cultural strife, and the subsequent struggle, hope, and attempt to overcome that strife. Some of you may ask why the study of Literature is important. While there is no short answer to this question, ultimately, literature represents the values of a culture and a people, and studying this literature can provide valuable insight into other cultures.

With this overarching goal in mind, we will spend some time discussing plot development and plot summary, genres, specific literary devices, themes, and connections between texts. Finally, we will develop skills of literary analysis through class discussions and writing assignments.

Some of the texts we are reading deal with heavy issues: race, sexuality, abuse, etc. You’ll encounter situations, descriptions and language in these texts that might make you uncomfortable. To me, that’s a sign of good literature: if it makes me feel an emotion, bad or good, it has done its job. With that said, if you’re too uncomfortable at any time this semester, talk to me and we can discuss a plan.

Please note that since this course fulfills the W requirement, you should expect to do lots of writing (in the form of in-class exercises and formal, graded papers). Class time will be student centered and discussion-based, so it is very important that you come to class prepared to engage with challenging texts and topics.

The Study of Literature

This is a discussion-based class. After the first class, I’ll rarely lecture. Unlike math or science, there is never one correct answer when it comes to analysing literature. Instead, true analysis of literature is a process of questioning what we think we know, how we know it, what that says about the world around us, and ultimately, what that says about ourselves. The only way, in my opinion, to come to a fuller understanding of a literary text is to question and analyse the text—and discussion helps us not only open our horizons but also exchange different points of view.

Class Objectives:

• Students are able to perform competent close readings of course texts and similar texts.
• Students understand the investments, contexts, and effects of the kind of close/critical reading skills or approaches under study/use. 
• Students are able to contextualize and analyze the materials or topics covered, historically, politically, culturally. 
• Students develop both an appreciation of literature and a lifelong habit of reading.

Required texts:

Karen Tei Yamashita Through the Arch of the Rainforest

Iep Jaltok: Poems from a Marshallese Daughter

Course requirements:

• Canvas discussion post and response (25 points): Weekly response paper on text we are discussing.
• Participation (25 points): Participation in class discussions and group work.
• Midterm paper (20 points): 2-3 pages 
• Final paper (30 points): 6-7 pages. 

Canvas discussion post (25 points):

Throughout the quarter you are required to submit 5 posts to Canvas, and substantively engage with/respond to 2 posts by your peers. You must submit your post and responses by Friday Midnight.

Canvas post (150-200 words)

Your posts should open with a critical question you have regarding the text (such as “What is the symbolism of the dam in the text, and why is this significant?” or “How does this text invite us to think about X or Y, and why is this significant?”---and more). You should turn to, and incorporate, evidence from the text in attempt to work through your question. This might look like performing a directed close reading of a passage, or bringing together threads woven throughout the text in different places.  You do not need to arrive at a thesis by the end of your post--the purpose of these posts are to provide you low-stakes opportunities to practice textual analysis, and test your ideas out on your peers and I. You may revise and extend the questions you pursue in these posts to your short assignments and final.

Post Responses (75-100 words)

Your responses should build upon, question, challenge, or clarify the posts they respond to. In other words, strive to substantively engage with your peers in ways that generate rich discussions about our course materials and their relationships to the larger world.

Due by 12 am on Friday (see calendar).

Participation Grade (25 points):

Class discussions are critical components to literary and cultural studies courses. They’re the spaces we will think aloud together and test out tentative readings (or interpretations) of course materials. I encourage you to come to class each day with some questions, comments, and readings about the texts assigned for the day. How does this text fit within the larger framework of the class? How is it in dialogue or revision with other course texts and cultural objects? What is its historical and cultural context, and how might this inform our understanding of the text? It will be largely up to you and your peers to determine how generative these conversations are. I will occasionally give reading quizzes but If it is clear that everyone is staying abreast of the reading, we will not have reading quizzes.

You have the chance to earn participation points in class each day for contributing to class discussion, coming to office hours, small group work, active listening/viewing, and other short, low-stake, in-class assignments.

Midterm paper (20 points):

You will submit 2 (2-3 page) essay that builds on one of your canvas discussion board posts. You will practice making a claim, by connecting a literary component to a historical or political issue. In addition to the 2-3 page essay, you should include a Word Cited page. You will hand them in on their due date (see calendar). I will allow you to revise one of these papers if you want to improve your grade. A more detailed prompt will be provided via Canvas.

Final essay (30 points):

Your final essay will be a 6-7 page analysis essay which makes a claim related to one of the course themes. It should include a discussion of at least one story-component (literary or otherwise) and how it relates to the historical discussion you provide. You should use at least 2 sources from the syllabus and at least 2 sources from your own research. In addition to the 6-7 page essay, you should include a Work Cited page. Part of this assignment will be writing a 1 page proposal about what you think your final paper will be about that is ready by November 27th, the final essay is due on Sunday December 10 at midnight. A more detailed prompt will be provided via Canvas.

WRITING CRITERIA

1. Central Purpose: Does your introduction clearly convey a central argument or line of inquiry that readers would find worthwhile? Is your purpose or argument one that can be supported primarily through close reading literary texts?
2. Organization: Does the opening sentence of each body paragraph clearly convey that paragraph’s central claim? (We call these “topic sentences,” but we should call them “argument sentences.”) Is each body paragraph unified around that ‘mini’ claim and coherent? Do the paragraphs clearly relate to/build upon one another to create a sense of logical, persuasive development throughout?
3. Evidence: Do you closely reference the literary texts that are the objects of your analysis? Do you quote from them frequently?
4. Textual Analysis/Close Reading: Do you do something with the evidence you provide? Do you explain how you read it (which will differ from how others read it), and then connect your reading or analysis of the evidence to the argument of your paper? Do you pay attention to the writers’ use of language, to patterns, and/or to stylistic/formal features of the texts?

Bonus Criterion: Stakes. The “stakes” of an essay are its claim(s) for significance. By the end of your body paragraphs, you will have (hopefully) clearly conveyed your argument about a literary text or set of texts and your supporting analysis to readers. In the conclusion, you should focus on stakes—that is, why readers should care about the argument of your essay.

Department of English Statement of Values

The UW English Department aims to help students become more incisive thinkers, effective communicators, and imaginative writers by acknowledging that language and its use is powerful and holds the potential to empower individuals and communities; to provide the means to engage in meaningful conversation and collaboration across differences and with those with whom we disagree; and to offer methods for exploring, understanding, problem solving, and responding to the many pressing collective issues we face in our world—skills that align with and support the University of Washington’s mission to educate “a diverse student body to become responsible global citizens and future leaders through a challenging learning environment informed by cutting-edge scholarship.”

As a department, we begin with the conviction that language and texts play crucial roles in the constitution of cultures and communities.  Our disciplinary commitments to the study of language, literature, and culture require of us a willingness to engage openly and critically with questions of power and difference. As such, in our teaching, service, and scholarship we frequently initiate and encourage conversations about topics such as race, immigration, gender, sexuality, and class.  These topics are fundamental to the inquiry we pursue.  We are proud of this fact, and we are committed to creating an environment in which our faculty and students can do so confidently and securely, knowing that they have the backing of the department.

Towards that aim, we value the inherent dignity and uniqueness of individuals and communities. We aspire to be a place where human rights are respected and where any of us can seek support. This includes people of all ethnicities, faiths, genders, national origins, political views, and citizenship status; nontheists; LGBQTIA+; those with disabilities; veterans; and anyone who has been targeted, abused, or disenfranchised.

COVID 19 related policies 

This class is conducted in person. Therefore, unless you meet the criteria for an accommodation from Disability Resources for Students (DRS) or other special arrangement approved by the instructor that allows you to take the course remotely you should only register for this class if you can attend in-person.    

• Please contact UW Disability Resources for Students (DRS) directly if you feel you may be eligible for an accommodation based on your status as an immune- compromised individual or based on other diagnosed physical or mental health conditions that might prevent you from being able to take classes in-person.  

All UW students are expected to complete their vaccine attestation (Links to an external site.) before arriving on campus and to follow the campus-wide face-covering policy (Links to an external site.) at all times. You are expected to follow state (Links to an external site.), local (Links to an external site.), and UW COVID-19 policies and recommendations (Links to an external site.). If you feel ill, have been exposed to COVID-19, or exhibit possible COVID symptoms, you should not come to class. If you need to temporarily quarantine or isolate per CDC guidance and/or campus policy, you are responsible for notifying your instructors as soon as possible by email. If you have a known exposure to COVID-19 or receive a positive COVID-19 test result, you must report to campus Environmental Health & Safety (Links to an external site.) (EH&S).

All UW community members are required to notify EH&S immediately after:

• Receiving a positive test for COVID-19

• Being told by your doctor that they suspect you have COVID-19

• Learning that you have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19

You can notify the COVID-19 Response and Prevention Team by emailing covidehc@uw.edu or calling 206-616-3344.

CLASS EXPECTATIONS

 Late Work Policy

Assignments should be submitted to the “Assignments” page on Canvas by the due date and the due time. If you turn in the paper late, I will not give you written feedback on it, and you will lose a point  for each day past the deadline. If an emergency situation arises, e-mail me or come talk to me and we will work something out.

Paper Length

Each essay must be ABSOLUTELY no shorter than minimum length requirement and no longer than the maximum length requirement. If your essay falls outside either of these limits—but especially the lower limit—it will be considered late and subject to the policy above.

Office Hours and Email

My office hours are a set time each week during which you can come to me with questions, concerns, and/or budding ideas you want to sort out. I am also happy to address questions or concerns by email, and aim for a 24-hour (max) turnaround or 48-hour turnaround on weekends. I will also be holding these office hours on zoom only. 

Technology Policy

You may bring a laptop or tablet to class to access our course readings and website, and to take notes. You may not, however, browse social media sites or other websites during class discussion. Abusing this policy will not only affect your own learning in the classroom, it is extremely distracting to other students. If I find that this electronic policy is being taken advantage of I will deduct participation points from your participation grade for the day. 

Plagiarism  

Plagiarism, also known as academic dishonesty, is presenting someone else’s ideas or writing as your own. I encourage you to refer to other people’s thoughts in your writing for this class; just be sure to cite them properly. Remember, improper citation counts as plagiarism. We’ll go over proper citation in class, but if you ever have any questions about how to cite or about whether you need to cite something, play it safe and ask me. As a matter of policy, any student found to have plagiarized any piece of writing in this class will be immediately reported to the College of Arts and Sciences for review.

Zero Tolerance Policy

Racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of discrimination and bias are hurtful and unacceptable. There is no tolerance for words, speech, behavior, actions, or clothing/possessions that insult, diminish, demean, or belittle any individual or group of persons based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual preference, ability, economic class, national origin, language, or age. Academic freedom, freedom of speech, and freedom of discourse DO NOT protect racism or other acts of harassment and hate. Violations of this Zero Tolerance Policy may result in removal from the classroom and actions governed by the student code of conduct will be taken.

 Complaints

If you have any concerns about the course or your instructor, please see the instructor about these concerns as soon as possible. If you are not comfortable talking with the instructor or not satisfied with the response that you receive, you may contact the Director of Undergraduate Programs, Jesse Oak Taylor at jot8@uw.edu. If, after speaking with the Director, you are still not satisfied with the response you receive, you may contact English Department Chair Anise Bawarshi, (206) 543-2690.

UNIVERSITY RESOURCES

The Odegaard Writing and Research Center (OWRC) offers free, one-on-one help with all aspects of writing at any stage in the writing process—including the “I have no ideas for this paper and don’t know where to start” stage. To make the best use of your time there, please bring a copy of your assignment prompt with you and double-space any drafts (or brainstorming notes, outlines, etc.) you want to bring in. The OWRC is located in Odegaard Undergraduate Library room 121. Book your appointments early at http://depts.washington.edu/owrc/ .

 The CLUE Writing Center in Mary Gates Hall is open Sunday to Thursday from 7pm to midnight. The graduate tutors can help you with your claims, organization, and grammar. You do not need to make an appointment, so arrive early and be prepared to wait.

Disability Access and Accommodations 

It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law, including establishing reasonable accommodations for all students. If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please activate your accommodations via myDRS so that we can discuss how they will be implemented in this course.

If you have not yet established services through DRS, and you have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations, contact DRS directly (disability.uw.edu) to set up an Access Plan. DRS facilitates the interactive process that establishes reasonable accommodations.  Conditions requiring accommodation include but are not limited to: mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts.

Religious Accommodations:

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/) (Links to an external site.). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/) (Links to an external site.).

wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House
Intellectual House is a longhouse-style facility on the UW Seattle campus. It provides a multi-service learning and gathering space for American Indian and Alaska Native students, faculty and staff, as well as others from various cultures and communities to come together in a welcoming environment to share knowledge. Located at 4249 Whitman Court, Seattle, WA 98195.  http://www.washington.edu/diversity/tribal-relations/intellectual-house/

UW SAFECAMPUS

Preventing violence is everyone's responsibility. If you're concerned, tell someone. Here are some actions you can take:

Talk about consent. Respect that only yes means yes. If you’re not sure, ask.

Recognize other people’s experiences of trauma; believe people when they share difficult experiences with you. Know what resources are available so you can point people to them.

Know your rights: From the National Immigration Law Center: “No matter who is president, everyone living in the U.S. has certain basic rights under the U.S. Constitution. Undocumented immigrants have these rights, too. It is important that we all assert and protect our basic rights. If you find you have to deal with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other law enforcement officers at home, on the street, or anywhere else, remember that you have the rights described in this factsheet. The fact sheet also provides suggestions for what you should do to assert your rights.” Find this factsheet at: https://www.nilc.org/issues/immigration-enforcement/everyone-has-certain- basic-rights/

For more information and support, reach out to Leadership Without Borders, a UW program housed at the Ethnic Cultural Center that supports undocumented students. http://depts.washington.edu/ecc/lwb/

Crisis Resources: 24-Hour Crisis Clinic: http://crisisclinic.org/find-help/crisis-line/ 866-427-4747 or 206-461-3222 

King County: Dial 211 (M–F, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

Pierce County Crisis Line: 800-576-7764

Snohomish County 24-Hour Crisis Line: 800-584-5578 or 425-258-4357

Skagit County 24-Hour Crisis Line: 800-584-3578

NW Network of Bi, Trans, Lesbian and Gay Survivors of Abuse: http://www.nwnetwork.org/ 206–568-7777

Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860

Always call 911 if you or others may be in danger.

Call 206-685-SAFE (7233) to report non-urgent threats of violence and for referrals to UW counseling and/or safety resources. TTY or VP callers, please call through your preferred relay service.

Campus safety guards can walk with you on campus after dark. Call Husky NightWalk 206-685-WALK (9255).

Stay connected in an emergency with UW Alert. Register your mobile number to receive instant notification of campus emergencies via text and voice messaging. Sign up online at www.washington.edu/alert.

For more information visit the SafeCampus website at www.washington.edu/safecampus 

Course schedule (Subject to Change):