The English Concentration 
in the Liberal Studies Degree 

Dr. Jim Wohlpart  
Office:  AB Two 212;  590-7181 
Hours:  W 3:15-4:30 and other times! MTRF by appointment 
e-mail:  wohlpart@fgcu.edu  
homepage:  http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/wohlpart/  
course links:  Sea-Drfit Cluster

Textbooks 
The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter, et al.  3rd ed. Vol. 1. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. 

Course Description 
This course will center on an examination of various theories of art and literature found in the United States during the American Renaissance, especially as those theories were developed in reaction to socio-political contexts (the relation between the individual and the community).  Our analysis will center on the works of the the Transcendentalists and the Romantics and will emphasize both texts and contexts, that is, the works we read and the cultural, historical, economic and political contexts in which those works were produced and disseminated.   

Course Goals 
By the end of the semester you should be able to identify American writers and their works from this period;  describe their theories of art and literature in relation to the contexts in which they wrote;  analyze specific texts closely; and synthesize the various concepts we have studied in the period as a whole.  Because this is a seminar, you should also be able engage in a high level of analysis of various works (literary and secondary) during class discussion and group presentations.  In addition, you should be able to complete a high level research project using extensive primary and secondary sources. 

Course Requirements 
READING, ANALYSIS, and SYNTHESIS:  You will be expected to read and analyze each work before the class meeting on which it is assigned, as well as be prepared for a high level of discussion of these works.  I would strongly suggest that you read each work, along with the introduction to the author, closely before class and take notes and mark important passages.  During class, you will be expected to participate in a discussion concerning these works within certain contexts; the preconditions for such a discussion are civility, honesty, and open-mindedness, coupled with a high level of analytical skills. If you disagree with an idea, rather than belittle, you need to politely ask challenging questions in order to further our thinking.  After class, you should reconsider the work and, based on our class discussion, you should connect the various pieces of our analysis in order to provide a synthesis of the material and the ideas. 

EXAMS:  One comprehensive exam will be given on all of the material assigned, discussed, or presented in the course, including material offered by your fellow students.  The exam will count 25% of your final grade and will occur during the final exam period. 

QUIZZES, SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENTS, and CLASS PARTICIPATION: You will also be given occasional (cumulative) in-class quizzes at the beginning of class meetings on the background material and the assigned reading material, as well as short writing or discussion assignments;  these assignments, along with your class participation, will count a total of 25% of your final grade.   
Please note that I consider the work that we do in class, which will center on your participation and discussion, one of the most important aspects of this class.   Indeed, absences will directly affect this grade. To receive an “A” for this grade, you can miss no classes with at least a 4.5/5 average on the work and productive, active participation;  to receive a “B,” you can miss no more than one class with at least a 4/5 average and productive, active participation;  a “C,” two classes with at least a 3.5/5 average and productive, active participation; etc. 

GROUP PRESENTATION on a LITERARY WORK:  In conjunction with 1-3 other students, you will need to lead a discussion of a literary work that is connected to the ideas we have discussed in class (all students in the class will be expected to read these other works of literature).  Each student will need to participate in the presentation which will center on an analysis of the literary work and should last 45-60 minutes. In addition, the group must prepare a detailed handout that includes the following elements: an introduction to the work (include relevant biographical and contextual information), a short summary of your analysis of the literary work, and a bibliographic summary of criticism of the work (include at least 3 pieces of research; at least 2 of every 3 pieces of research must come from the 1980s/90s). For your handout, use MLA Internal Documentation with a Works Cited Page. The group should offer the class a copy of the literary work if it is not included in our anthology.  The Group Presentation will include two grades, which will be averaged: an individual grade and a group grade. The Group Presentation will count a total of 25% of your grade. 

RESEARCH PROJECT:  You will also complete a 10-15 page paper analyzing a literary work (or works) in relation to the ideas offered in class.  The paper must use at least 5 articles and 5 books for your secondary sources (at least 5 of these works must come from the 1990s; use MLA Internal Documentation with a Works Cited Page).  In addition, your research must include at least 2 pieces of secondary material from the 19th century (from magazines, journals, newspapers printed during that time) related to your topic, for a total of 12 pieces of research.  Because this project is on a larger scale than most research papers that you have written, we will use some class time for working on the project.  This project will count 25% of the final grade.  

Grades 
Any work turned in late (ie, after the beginning of class on the due date) may be down graded one letter grade per day late;  exams and quizzes cannot be taken late. 

Final Exam 25%

Class Participation, etc. 25%

Group Presentation 25%

Research Project 25%

 A 90 to 100% =Excellent Work

 B+ 88 up to 90% =Strong Work (high)

 B 80 up to 88% =Strong Work

 C+ 78 up to 80% =Average/Satisfactory Work (high)

 C 70 up to 78% =Average/Satisfactory Work

 D 60 up to 70% =Below Average

 F below 60%

Attendance 
Attendance and promptness are expected in this class.  In order to pass, you must be in attendance a minimum of 75% of the class meeting time (i.e., you can miss no more than 3 class meetings).  Please let me know in advance if you will be missing a class (though this will not “excuse” your absence).  I reserve the right to lower your final letter grade due to a high number of absences (i.e., 2 class meetings).  If you arrive significantly late (10-15 minutes) or leave early, you will be counted absent or late. Your participation in this class is crucial to the success of this class;  if you do not attend or participate, your fellow class members are not getting their money’s worth!!! 
 

W Aug 25 – Course Introduction:  Review Policy Statement and Syllabus 

W Sept 1 –Criticism: Marshall & Walker, “First New Nation” 57-77 in Intro. to Amer. Studies  
 Pre-1820s Political Context:  Irving, “Rip Van Winkle” 1342-54 
 Work on Group Projects 

W Sept 8 – Criticism:  Matthews, Toward a New Society (Preface, Ch. 1, Ch. 7) 
 Toward A New Nation: Bancroft, “Oration Delivered on the Fourth of July, 1826” 
 Further Reading:  Wiebe, Self-Rule (Intro., Part One Intro., Ch. 1) 
 Work on Group Projects 

W Sept 15 – Criticism:  Remini, The Legacy of Andrew Jackson (Ch. 1) 
 Post 1820s Political Context:  Emerson, “The American Scholar” 1609-22 
  Melville, “Bartleby, the Scrivener” 2402-28 
 Work on Group Projects 

W Sept 22 – Criticism: Dauber, The Idea of Authorship in America (Intro., Ch. 5) 
  Budick, Nineteenth-Century Romance (Preface, Ch. 1) 
 Further Reading: Matthews, Toward a New Society (Ch. 3, Ch. 6) 
  Budick, Nineteenth-Century Romance (Ch. 3, Ch. 4) 
 Work on Group Projects 

W Sept 29 – The Role of the Artist:  Transcendentalist Views 
  Whitman, “Preface” 2729-43 
  Emerson, “The Poet” 1646-61 
  Dickinson, #1755, #448, #569, #632 
 Work on Group Projects 

W Oct 6 – The Role of the Artist: Romantic Responses 
  Poe, “The Oval Portrait” 1479-81 
  Hawthorne, “The Birth-mark” 2225-36 
  Dickinson, #668, #1071, #1129 
 Work on Group Projects 

W Oct 13 – The Role of Art/ist:  Transcendental Views 
  Whitman, Sea-Drift (on reserve) 
  Dickinson, #657, #613, #883, #709 
 Work on Group Projects 

W Oct 20 – The Role of Art/ist:  Romantic Views 
  Hawthorne, “The Artist of the Beautiful” 2256-71 
  Melville, “Hawthorne and His Mosses” 2570-83 
  Poe, “A Review” 1524-29 
 Work on Group Projects 

W Oct 27  – Work on Research Essays 

W Nov 3 – Work on Research Essays 

W Nov 10 – Group Projects Presented 

W Nov 17 – Group Projects Presented 

W Nov 24 – Group Projects Presented 

W Dec 1 – Research Essay Due in Folder with xeroxes of research and conferenced  
 drafts 

W Dec 8 – Final Exam (during Finals Period) 
 

You will also be expected to read all biographical introductions;  relevant information from these pieces may be included in your exams.  Syllabus is subject to change;  all changes will be announced in class.