Course Overview

Honors Introduction to World Literature provides students with an introduction to novels, poetry, and drama from outside of the Anglo-American literary tradition. Focusing on literature translated into English from other languages and literature in English from non-Western authors, this class allows students to consider America's place in the world and the complex legacy of colonization that shapes America's relations with other countries. Literature provides insights into how people in other cultures regard themselves and reminds us of the difficulties of translation as a bridge across varying and sometimes incommensurable cultural divides.

This section of Introduction to World Literature is reserved for students in the University Honors Program.

We are returning to in-person instruction this fall after a year of courses that were in many cases online. Please be understanding of students and instructors who may have risk-tolerances that differ from your own regarding virus-transmission. Based on last year, I am ready to adapt teaching and learning styles based on circumstances, and I hope you are also ready for whatever this difficult pandemic throws our way.

All University of Minnesota policies regarding vaccinations and mask-wearing will be applicable to this course and in my office hours.

In general, I hope to divide each class meeting into two parts. In the first part, we are all in the same room together. In the second part, students will work in smaller groups on tasks pertaining to the assigned reading.

Grade Breakdown

Your grade will depend primarily on your written work and the understanding of the material that you convey through that work. A command of standard written English and the ability to present an argument will also contribute to the determination of your grade.

Required Texts

We will be reading five great books and several poems in this semester's class. Please complete the assigned section of reading in advance of each class meeting.

While I do not require it, I do encourage students to obtain the actual printed books below. They are not as expensive as traditional textbooks, and some studies indicate that we process information on the printed page better than we process information on computer screens.

Content advisory: some of these works portray scenes of rape and other forms of violence. Please let me know if you have any concerns about working with such content. I will do my best to warn students in advance of a reading when something particularly grim is coming up.

Abani, Chris. GraceLand. Picador, 2005.

García Márquez, Gabriel. In Evil Hour. Translated by Gregory Rabassa, HarperCollins, 1991.

Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Stanley Lombardo. Hackett, 2000.

Rhys, Jean. Wide Sargasso Sea. W. W. Norton, 2016.

Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete Persepolis. Translated by Anjali Singh. Knopf, Doubleday, 2007.

Required but Optional for Bookstore Purchase
(Poems Also Available on the Internet)

Miłosz, Czesław, Ed. The Book of Luminous Things. Harcourt, 1998.

Objectives

This semester, students will develop their abilities to . . .

• Understand and interpret texts by influential authors of various non-Anglo-American cultural origins.

• Address concepts in these texts in classroom discussion and smaller group discussions.

• Produce convincing arguments about the meanings of these texts in written and oral assignments. We will devote some time this semester to improving our writing skills, both in terms of argumentation and the mechanics of good writing.

• Recall key facts about the works in question.

Expectations

In order to accomplish these goals, students must

• Read the required books carefully and take notes during lectures and class discussions.

• Demonstrate a clear understanding of assigned works in two exams, the character analysis paper and through participation in class discussions, assignments and activities. For additional information about policies governing final exams, see "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/final-examinations".

• Grading. Students will receive a grade according to a traditional A-F grading scale. Some assignments will receive points, typically with 100 points being the maximum. Point grades will convert to letter grades as follows: 93-100 = A; 90-92 = A-; 87-89 = B+; 83-86 = B; 80-82 = B-; 77-79 = C+; 73-76 = C; 70-72 = C-; 67-69 = D+; 63-66 = D; 60-62 = D-; 59 and below = F. You may consult the UMD "Grading and Transcripts Policy" at "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/grading-transcripts" for more information about grades.

  Writers' Workshop The Writers' Workshop offers free one-to-one writing support to all members of UMD's campus community. Sessions are held synchronously online or in person with a graduate student or faculty consultant. Feel free to bring any writing project at any stage in the writing process. To make an appointment, visit d.umn.edu/writwork or stop by the Workshop's front desk located in the Securian Learning Commons on the second floor of the Kathryn A. Martin Library. Students in this class have permission to see a Writers' Workshop consultant for assistance on exams as well.

  Late Submission of an assignment will result in a 10% deduction for each business day past the due date. The grade will not be affected when an assignment is late for reasons that would result in an excused absence.

  Academic Dishonesty tarnishes the reputation of the University of Minnesota Duluth and discredits the accomplishments of its students. Because the university is committed to providing students every possible opportunity to grow in mind and spirit, it must insist on an environment of trust, honesty, and fairness. Consequently, all members of the academic community must regard any act of academic dishonesty as a serious offense. In keeping with this ideal, this course will adhere to UMD's Student Academic Integrity Policy, which is available online at "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/student-academic-integrity" This policy sanctions students engaging in academic dishonesty with penalties up to and including expulsion from the university for repeat offenders.

  Disability Accommodations. Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might influence their capacity to perform in this class, should inform me at the start of the semester. The Office of Disability Resources writes that "[i]t is the policy and practice of the University of Minnesota Duluth to create inclusive learning environments for all students, including students with disabilities. If there are aspects of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or your ability to meet course requirements—such as time limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videosÑplease notify the instructor as soon as possible." You can contact the Office of Disability Resources to discuss and arrange reasonable accommodations by calling 218-726-6130 or by visiting the Disability Resources website at "http://www.d.umn.edu/access/" .

  Notetaking. Remember that there are rules against disseminating these notes beyond the classroom community, which you can find at "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/course-notes-materials" .

  Excessive Absences will have a negative impact on the grade that you receive in this course. Check in on time and be prepared to discuss the readings assigned for a given day. Students have a responsibility to plan their schedules to avoid excessive conflicts with course requirements. Excusable absences include "subpoenas, jury duty, military duty, religious observances, illness, bereavement for immediate family and NCAA varsity college athletics." Please contact the instructor about anticipated absences in order to minimize their influence on your coursework. For more information on excused absences, see "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/excused-absences" .

  Student Conduct. Respect fellow students and refrain from behavior that might impair their learning opportunities. Any behavior that substantially and repeatedly interrupts the instructor's ability to teach or the students' ability to learn will result in appropriate penalties. Disruptive behavior includes inappropriate use of communications technology in the classroom, such as ringing cell phones, text-messaging, watching videos, playing computer games, reading email, or browsing the Internet instead of note-taking or other instructor-sanctioned activities. For further clarification of UMD policies in this regard, consult the Board of Regents Policy at "https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/policies/Student_Conduct_Code.pdf".

  Another important conduct code addresses sexual harassment, which means "means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and/or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature," and that policy is available at "https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2020-08/policy_sexual_harassment_sexual_assault_stalking_and_relationship_violence.pdf" .

  Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action. As stated in academic policies: "The University provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs and facilities, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The UMD Department of Human Resources & Equal Opportunity is available to all UMD employees, students, and participants in University-related activities to discuss issues or concerns regarding University policies or practices involving potential bias, discrimination, harassment or retaliation that an individual may have experienced or observed." For more details, see "https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2019-09/policy_equity_diversity_equal_opportunity_and_affirmative_action.pdf".

  Civility. UMD instructors and students have a responsibility to maintain a learning environment that is, as stated in the Teaching and Learning Policy, "respectful of the rights and freedoms of all members, and promotes a civil and open exchange of ideas." The full policy is available at "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/instructor-and-student-responsibilities/" .

  Mental Health. From academic affairs: "Feelings such as anxiety, anger, depression, low self-esteem, or tension are a normal part of being human and can affect anyone. Sometimes these feelings are temporary and can be eased by rest, relaxation, exercise, good nutrition and the support of trusted friends. At other times, stressors, relationships or past family experiences cannot be managed so easily and become overwhelming. If this happens, and you find it hard to function, you may want to seek professional help. Counseling Services are available at UMD Health Services to assist you.

  "If you are in need of mental health support when Health Services is closed, or in case of an emergency, please contact The Birch Tree Center's Crisis line at 218-623-1800 or go to the emergency room/urgent care at either St. Luke's Hospital or St. Mary's Hospital. If an ambulance is needed, call 911.

  "If the emergency is non-life-threatening and you do not have a means of transportation, call Campus Police at 218-726-7000). If you have needs that Counseling Services does not treat, they have a case manager who helps connect students to referrals as well as navigating issues with insurance. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus at UMD Health Services." "https://www.d.umn.edu/health-services/counseling-services/"

Liberal Education Credits/Outcomes

This course fulfills Liberal Education Program requirements for

• Humanities Knowledge Domain
• Key Topic in Global Perspectives

Humanities Liberal Education Outcomes:

This class will support the Liberal Education Programs Student Learning Outcomes for Humanities in the following manner:

• Students will apply humanistic methods of inquiry and interpretation to the products/processes of human thought and culture.
  --Class discussions, small-group activities, a paper, and examinations will all require students to produce persuasive interpretations of literary texts.

• Students will analyze products/processes of human thought and culture.
  --The reading list for this class includes a rich variety of literary texts from diverse time periods and cultural perspectives. Assignments will require students to read them carefully and come to well-reasoned conclusions about their meaning.

• Students will explain how the products/processes of human thought and culture relate to cultural/social/historical context(s).
  --The presentation on literature and culture will require students to adapt ideas from class discussions and activities into more complete arguments that relate these texts to the cultural and historical contexts of their authors and readers.

Outcomes for Key Topic in Global Perspectives:

Students will:

• Explain and interpret histories, conditions, developments, trends, and interconnections relevant to global issues.
  --Introductions to individual authors and poets and subsequent discussions of their works will involve situating them in their historical contexts and geographical locations. The presentation on literature and culture will allow students to delve more fully into one particular non-Anglo-American culture and connect to topics in the related literary work.

• Compare and contrast their own cultures, histories and perspectives with those of other international cultures.
  --As we move in class discussions through Ancient Greece, Iran, Nigeria, the Caribbean, and Colombia, we will continually compare and contrast these different regions, both to each other and to our own cultural "home."

• Evaluate how their own culture and histories affect their perspective on international cultures and global issues.
  --There is no discussing any of this without directly acknowledging our own native cultural frameworks—or filters—through which we necessarily comprehend the cultures evident on this syllabus.

• Evaluate how they impact and are impacted by global circumstances.
  --Global histories of industrialization and colonization will be continually evident in elements of these literary works. Discussions and assignments will compel all of us to challenge Eurocentric understandings of these histories by representing them through non-Euro-American eyes.

English Major Student Learning Outcomes

As a 1000-level English class, this class may also count toward an English Major. The English Major has the following Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Discuss works from major movements and/or periods in literary history (aligned with UMD Outcome 1).
   --This course will consider major trends in global literature, primarily from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. They will encompass various elements of modernist, postmodern and postcolonial literary movements.

2. Analyze the role of difference (which might include racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, religious, economic, and/or ideological differences) in producing, publishing and interpreting literature (aligned with UMD Outcome 7).
   --We will consider works by culturally diverse writers with particular attention to their efforts to dramatize conflicts resulting from cultural differences within the legacy of colonialism.

3. Identify major characteristics of the dominant literary genres (poetry, fiction, drama) and use those characteristics to analyze individual examples (aligned with UMD Outcome 1).
   --We will consider works of poetry, prose and drama and differentiate them clearly according to these generic distinctions.

4. Interpret literary works with close attention to the nuances of language, content, and form (aligned with UMD Outcome 3).
   --The character analysis assignment, in particular, will require students to engage in careful reading of a specific work on the syllabus.

5. Apply concepts from literary theory and criticism in the analysis and interpretation of texts (aligned with UMD Outcome 2).
   --Classroom discussions of the assigned readings will revolve around current critical questions, and students will apply these questions to the character analysis and exams.

6. Describe the ways in which texts emerge from and respond to their historical and cultural contexts (aligned with UMD Outcome 2).
   --The historical account of the time period depends strongly on such contexts. We will consider literature as an artifact that reveals subtle cultural shifts occurring at the times of production and consumption.

7. Write focused, convincing analytical essays that incorporate relevant secondary sources (aligned with UMD Outcome 6).
   --This course will not address this outcome except in an extremely introductory manner.

8. Collaborate in the discussion and interpretation of literature by listening to others' perspectives, asking productive questions, and articulating original ideas (aligned with UMD Outcome 6).
   --Classroom discussions and presentations will facilitate an active exchange of ideas about the assigned works. A peer-editing exercise will likewise enable collaboration among students to produce better written work.

Minnesota
Professional Educator Licensing & Standards Board (PELSB)
Standards

This course is a requirement of a teacher education major at UMD with assigned PELSB teacher education standards. Please find the standards aligned to this course at: https://z.umn.edu/pelsbteacherstandards .