ENGL A156H: California Literature Honors
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Curriculum Committee Approval Date | 12/02/2020 |
| Top Code | 150300 - Comparative Literature |
| Units | 3 Total Units |
| Hours | 54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54) |
| Total Outside of Class Hours | 0 |
| Course Credit Status | Credit: Degree Applicable (D) |
| Material Fee | No |
| Basic Skills | Not Basic Skills (N) |
| Repeatable | No |
| Grading Policy | Standard Letter (S),
|
| Associate Arts Local General Education (GE) |
|
| Associate Science Local General Education (GE) |
|
| California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) |
|
| Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) |
|
| California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth) |
|
Course Description
Read, analyze, and write on important texts of California Literature. Explore the historical, cultural, philosophical, and aesthetic implications of representative works. Formulate and produce written analyses of assigned works. Enrollment Limitation: ENGL A156; students who complete ENGL A156H may not enroll in or receive credit for ENGL A156. ADVISORY: ENGL C1000. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)
- Explain significant historical, philosophical, cultural, and aesthetic implications of representative works of California literature, including defining traits and major themes.
Course Objectives
- 1. Read and analyze a range of California literature including all genres: oral narrative, poetry, essay, short story, novel, and drama.
- 2. Identify and examine through writing and discussion the philosophical, cultural, mythic, religious, and/or historical elements representative of California literature.
- 3. Recognize and interpret the literary devices and writing styles evident in individual texts of California writers.
- 4. Assess how specific literary elements work to form a larger perspective of the California consciousness.
- 5. Examine the influence of different gender, economic, cultural, racial, and/or ethnic groups on California literature.
- 6. Recognize how individual works of California literature reflect and comment on moral, social, and aesthetic issues.
- 7. Apply close literary analysis to individual works of California Literature.
- 8. Apply critical thinking skills through oral and written communication.
Lecture Content
Introduction to geographic, historical, and linguistic background of California. Examine Native American oral literature. Analyze the story telling tradition of the oral narrative. Examine the use allegory and symbolism. Recognize the myths and cultures of the indigenous peoples of California. Explain the influence of native cultures on European settlers. Some possible texts may include: Cahto “Myth of Creation” Karuk “A Trip to Indian Heaven” Paiute “Ghost Dance Song” Recognize the early Spanish influence on culture and writing. Some possible texts may include: Excerpt from Palous biography of Father Serra Thomas Sanchezs Rabbit Boss Examine the American migration west and the idea of “Manifest Destiny.” Some possible texts may include: Richard Henry Danas Two Years Before the Mast Dame Shirleys Stories of the Gold Rush Analyze the development of the short story in California. Examine specific literary devices that comprise the short story including plot, setting, themes, characters, imagery, crisis, epiphany, and metaphor. Recognize the social value or meaning included within the short story. Identify the various types or conventions of the short story. Some possible texts may include: Mark Twains “Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” Bret Hartes “The Outcasts of Poker Flats” Ambrose Bierces “The Damned Thing” Charlotte Perkins Gilmans “The Yellow Wallpaper” Raymond Carvers “A Small, Good Thing” John Fantes “The Road To Los Ange les” Identify the aspects of regionalism and naturalism that influence the consciousness of California. Examine the influence of geography and natural landscape on the literature. Recognize the relationship between the natural world and the civilized world. Examine the influence of the Naturalism and Realism on California writers. Some texts may include: Robert Louis Stevensons “The Sea Fogs” Mary Austins “Nurslings of the Sky” John Muirs “A Wind-Storm in the Forest” Frank Norriss McTeague Jack Londons “To Build A Fire” Joan Didions “The Santa Ana” Analyze one John Steinbeck novel. Examine specific literary devices that comprise the novel including plot, setting, themes, characters, imagery, crisis, epiphany, and metaphor. Recognize the social value or meaning included within the novel. Identify the various types or conventions of the novel. Some possible texts may include: Cannery Row Of Mice and Men Analyze and discuss a variety of California ethnic writers. African-American writers such as Ishmial Reed. Asian-American writers such as Jeanne Wakatusuki Houston, Amy Tan, and Maxine Hong Kingston. Latino writers such as Richard Rodriguez and Barry Lopez. Analyze the poetry of a variety of California writers. Examine the literary devices that comprise the poem including form, rhyme, meter, meaning, imagery, and diction. Some possible poets may include: Allen Ginsberg Gary Snyder Ray Bradbury Robinson Jeffers Jack Kerouac Charles Bukowsk i Evaluate the influence of urban life on California writers. Some texts may include: Nathaniel Wests The Day of the Locust John Fantes The Road to Los Angeles
Method(s) of Instruction
- Lecture (02)
- DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
Instructional Techniques
Lectures and application of ideas, discussion, instructor feedback on written papers and discussion, peer feedback.
Reading Assignments
Reading Assignments: Approximately 2- 4 hours per week, approximately 32-54 hours total per semester. Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss assigned reading which includes but is not limited to the literature about California and by authors associate with California--works include but are not limited to novels, short stories, poetry, and drama as well as secondary sources on the literature. Works from other "regional" writers may be used for comparative purposes. For Honors section, 1-2 hours per week may be devoted to reading supplemental Honors Literature.
Writing Assignments
Writing: Approximately, 2-4 hours per week for a total 32-54 hours per semester writing a minimum of 3000 words (15 pages, 12 pt. double-spaced typed) about California literature: (a) a minimum of 2000 words (10 pages) of the writing must be in the form of analytical essays, (b) the other writings may be in the form of tests requiring primarily short and/or long essay responses, journal writings, creative modeling of the literature, written notes outlining oral presentations, or other types of writings that demonstrate an understanding of the literature. See below. As an Honors section, 2-4 hours per semester may be devoted Honors writing projects.
Out-of-class Assignments
Out-of-Class Assignments: Approximately, 2-4 hours per week for a total 32-54 hours per semester. As a lecture/discussion course, most of the writing for the course us completed outside of class. See below. As an Honors section, 2-4 hours per semester may be devoted to meeting with instructor to discuss Honors Literature and Honors writing projects.
Demonstration of Critical Thinking
Two critical papersJournal writings Two examinations including short answer, identification, and essay questionsIndividual project and classroom presentation on unique topicsQuizzesIn-class writings
Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration
Write a minimum of 3000 words (15 pages, 12 pt. double-spaced typed) about California literature: (a) a minimum of 2000 words (10 pages) of the writing must be in the form of analytical essays, (b) the other writings may be in the form of tests requiring primarily short and/or long essay responses, journal writings, creative modeling of the literature, written notes outlining oral presentations, or other types of writings that demonstrate an understanding of the literature.
Textbooks Resources
1. Required Didion, Joan. Where I Was From, latest ed. New York: Vintage, 2004 Rationale: - 2. Required Norris, Frank. McTeague, latest ed. Signet Classics, 2003 Rationale: - 3. Required Steinbeck, John. Cannery Row, latest ed. New York: Penguin, 1993 Rationale: - 4. Required West, Nathaniel. The Day of the Locus and The Dream of Balso Snellt, latest ed. New York: Penguin Classics, 2000 Rationale: -