CIS Intro to Literature
Course Description
This writing-intensive course is designed for students who wish to develop a foundational understanding of literary study, inquiry, and analysis. This course is organized around literary genres, and thus will introduce students to the fundamentals of fiction, poetry, and drama. This course will also question the boundaries of genre and of the category "literature" itself. Throughout the semester, we will reflect on the central questions: "What is Literature" and "Why do we study it"?
After successfully completing this class, students will be equipped with the critical vocabulary and toolset for engaging in literary study. They will be prepared to analyze literary voice, tone, symbol, motif, theme, imagery, narrative, and form, among other literary aspects, along with several critical cultural lenses.
Additional course information
Text Selections:
Achebe, Chinua. (1959) Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books.
Erdrich, Louise. (1984) Love Medicine. New York: Harper Collins.
Euripides. Medea. (1985) New York. Greek Drama Co., Ltd.
Hayes, Terrance. (2015) How to Be Drawn. New York. Penguin Books.
Hurston, Zora Neale. ( ) Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Morrison, Toni. (1973) Sula. New York: Vintage Books.
Rankine, Claudia. (2014) Citizen. US: Graywolf Press.
Smith, Patricia. (2008) Blood Dazzler. Minneapolis. Coffee House Press.
Ward, Jesmyn. (2011) Salvage the Bones. New York: Bloomsbury.
Other Supplemental Texts
Grading Criteria:
Discussion - 30%
Reader’s Notebook - 30%
Reflective Essays/Presentations - 30%
Final Projects- 10%
Receiving a C or better in the class will give you 4 college credits on your permanent transcript. These credits are transferable to most colleges/universities.
Receiving a C or better in the class will give you 4 college credits on your permanent transcript. These credits are transferable to most colleges/universities.