Week One: Jan. 16—20

Theme: Course Introduction: What English majors read—and why and how
Reading: A Practical Introduction to Literary Study (PILS) 1-29; 207-43; also “Araby” (303-06)
Discussion: Defining “the Canon,” the basic literary genres, reading & thinking critically
Working ahead: Continue reading PILS 1-29; 207-43; also “Araby” (303-06)

Week Two: Jan. 23—27

Theme: Literary theory and why it matters
Reading: PILS 1-29; 207-43; also “Araby” (303-06)
Discussion: New Criticism, Psychological criticism, Deconstruction & Postmodernism
Working ahead: Continue reading PILS 1-29; 207-43; “Araby” (303-06); also “Goblin Market” (307-19)

Week Three: Jan 30—Feb. 3

Theme: Literary theory and why it matters
Reading: PILS 1-29; 207-43; “Araby” (303-06); also “Goblin Market” (307-19)
Discussion: Feminism and Gender Studies, Cultural Studies and New Historicism, applying psychoanalytic criticism to “Goblin Market”
Working ahead: PILS 29-43 and 82-94; Rag and Bone Shop (RBS) 6-36

Week Four: Feb. 6—10

Theme: Reading like an English Major: Poetry
Reading: PILS 29-43 and 82-94; RBS 6-36
Discussion: Poetic genres and the features of poetry
Assignment: Short collaborative analysis 1, emailed to me by Monday, Feb. 13 by 5:00p.
Working ahead: PILS 29-43 and 82-94; RBS 313-56

Week Five: Feb. 13—17

Theme: Reading like an English Major: Poetry
Reading: PILS 29-43 and 82-94; RBS 313-56
Discussion: Poetic genres and the features of poetry
Assignment: Short collaborative analysis 2, emailed to me by Monday, Feb. 20 by 5:00p.
Assignment due: Collaborative analysis 1, emailed to me by 5:00p, Monday 13 Feb.
Working ahead: PILS 29-43 and 82-94; RBS 415-46

Week Six: Feb. 20—24

Theme: Reading like an English Major: Poetry
Reading: PILS 29-43 and 82-94; RBS 415-46
Discussion: Poetic genres and the features of poetry
Assignment: Short collaborative analysis 3, emailed to me by Monday, 27 Feb. by 5:00p.
Assignment due: Collaborative analysis 2, emailed to me by 5:00p, Monday 20 Feb.
Working ahead: PILS 44-48 and 95-99; Oedipus Rex

Week Seven: Feb. 27—March 2

Theme: Reading like an English Major: Drama
Reading: PILS 44-48 and 95-99; Oedipus Rex
Discussion: Classical Greek drama, conventions, context, and development
Assignment: Short collaborative analysis 4, emailed to me by Monday, 5 March
Assignment due: Collaborative analysis 3, emailed to me by 5:00p on Monday 27 Feb.
Working ahead: PILS 44-48 and 95-99; Oedipus Rex

Week Eight: March 5—9

Theme: Reading like an English Major: Drama
Reading: PILS 44-48 and 95-99; Oedipus Rex
Discussion: Themes, motifs, and questions in Oedipus
Assignment: Collaborative analysis 5, emailed to me by Monday, 19 March
Assignment due: Collaborative analysis 4, emailed to me by Monday, 5 March
Working ahead: PILS 44-48 and 95-99; Hamlet

Spring Break: March 12—16

Week Nine: March 19—23

Theme: Reading like an English Major: Drama
Reading: PILS 44-48 and 95-99; Hamlet
Discussion: Renaissance drama, conventions, and context; themes and motifs in Hamlet
Assignment: Collaborative analysis 6, emailed to me by Monday, 26 March
Assignment due: Collaborative analysis 5, emailed to me by 5:00p on Monday, 19 March
Working ahead: PILS 44-48 and 95-99; Hamlet and PILS 100-47, 154-66, and 190-206

Week Ten: March 26—30

Theme: Reading Drama like and English Major and Researching like an English Major
Reading: PILS 44-48 and 95-99; Hamlet and PILS 100-47, 154-66, and 190-206
Discussion: Themes and motifs in Hamlet; literary research projects, step-by-step
Assignment: Prospectus and Literature Search, emailed to me by 5:00p on Monday, 2 April
Assignment due: Collaborative analysis 6, emailed to me by 5:00p on Monday, 26 March
Working ahead:  PILS 100-47, 154-66, and 190-206, begin reading Fight Club

Week Eleven: April 2—6

Theme: Researching and Reading long fiction like an English Major
Reading:  PILS 100-47, 154-66, and 190-206 and Fight Club
Discussion: The first rule of English Studies is that we will talk about Fight Club
Assignment: Collaborative analysis 7, emailed to me by Monday, 9 April at 5:00p
Assignment due: Prospectus and Literature Search, emailed to me by 5:00p on Monday, 2 April
Working ahead: Fight Club

Week Twelve: April 9—13

Theme: Reading like an English major: The Novel
Reading: Fight Club
Discussion: Themes, motifs, and other cool stuff in Fight Club
Assignment: Collaborative analysis 8, emailed to me by Monday, 16 April at 5:00p
Assignment due: Collaborative analysis 7, emailed to my by 5:00p on Monday, 19 April
Working ahead: Begin reading The Passion

Week Thirteen: April 16—20

Theme: Reading like an English Major: The Novel
Reading: The Passion
Discussion: Themes, motifs, and other cool stuff in The Passion
Assignment: Collaborative analysis 9, emailed to me by Monday, 23 April at 5:00p
Assignment due: Collaborative analysis 8, emailed by 5:00p on Monday, 16 April
Working ahead: Finish reading The Passion

Week Fourteen: April 23—27

Theme: Reading and Researching like an English Major
Reading: The Passion; PILS 193-206
Discussion: Themes and motifs in The Passion; Discussion of your papers-in-progress
Assignment: Collaborative analysis 10, emailed to me by 5:00p on Monday, 30 April
Assignment due: Collaborative analysis 9, emailed to me by 5:00p on Monday, 23 April
Sign-ups for Oral Presentations

Week Fifteen: April 30—May 4

Theme: Presenting your work to others
Activity: Brief presentations of the highlights of your research project
Assignments due: Collaborative analysis 10, emailed to me by 5:00p on Monday, 30 April; Research papers must be emailed to me by Friday, 4 May by 5:00 p.m.