Syllabus for English 180 (Fall 2009)

English 180: Topics in Canadian Literature:

Literature(s) in Canada since 1965

ENGS 180 A/Z1: 0100-0215pm, T/R, Rowell 111

1967 was a key moment in Canadian history for several reasons. Canada marked the centennial of its Confederation that year and also invited the world to come visit Expo 1967 in Montreal. The pride and excitement created in Canada by both of these events and the rise to power of Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau in 1968 helped bring about a transformation in the country's politics, self-confidence, and its international reputation. At the same time, the middle of the 1960s was also marked by the Quiet Revolution in Québec, a time of rapid transformation politically, socially, and artistically that also saw the rise of the separatist movement in Québec that threatened to destabilize the entire country.

The excitement and national(ist) confidence that developed during this era also sowed the seeds for an unparalleled growth in the interest of Canadians in the telling and reading of their own stories. Supported by federal and provincial government money from organizations like the Canada Council, writers and publishers were able to develop and produce work that was not motivated solely by a question of what would sell books. At the same time, courses in Canadian literature in English Canada and littérature québécoise in Québec became very popular during this time, eventually gaining an unprecedented foothold in literature departments across the country and even around the globe. It was also during this period that Canadian Studies programs such as the one at UVM also began to spring up all over the place, supported in part by the Canadian government's Department of Foreign Affairs (today known as the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade). Canada's increasing cultural self-confidence was met by a growing receptivity from both inside and outside the nation's borders.

In this course we will look at the development of the literatures of Canada – French and English, Native and non-Native – over the last four decades. We will read work from some of the best-known writers of this period including Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, and Margaret Laurence, but also works from some of the lesser-known and equally fascinating writers who emerged over this time period. We will pay particular attention to the rise in importance of minority writers who today are unequivocally part of the mainstream of literary work in Canada. Throughout the course, we will be paying attention not only to what we can learn about the literatures of Canada, but also to what these works may reveal to us about Canada itself. We will ask questions the connection between place and the literature and also what it means to read works of literature from countries, cultures, and even languages that are not our own.

Students in this course will also have the opportunity to participate in the Canadian Studies Program's annual field trip to Ottawa which will run from October 22-24. The cost for this trip is $240 and includes transportation, two nights accommodation at one of Ottawa's finest hotels, and admission fees to the National Gallery, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, and, of course, tickets to an Ottawa 67s hockey game. If interested, students should make sure to have a passport in time for the October trip due to new US regulations with respect to crossing the border into the United States. There are about 14 slots available for students from English 180 (Fall 09) and my Canadian literature courses from Spring 2009. So, if you want to go on the trip, you'll need to reserve your seat right away.

Required Texts:

Aquin, Hubert. Next Episode. (Prochain Episode, 1965)

Laurence, Margaret. The Diviners (1974).

Ondaatje, Michael. Running in the Family. (1982)

Brossard, Nicole. Mauve Desert. (Le Désert mauve)

Alistair MacLeod, No Great Mischief (1999)

Robinson, Eden. Monkey Beach (2002)

Joseph Boyden, Three Day Road. (2005)

Sina Queyras (Ed.), Open Field: An Anthology of Contemporary Canadian Poets. (2005)

Assignments:

Group presentation on one of the poets from Open Field: 10%

Midterm exam (passage IDs and one essay): 30% October 29

Term Paper: 30% (2000 words) due December 8

Blog contributions (minimum of one per blog prompt): 15%

Ottawa trip or alternate assignment: 5%

Participation and attendance: 10% (surprise reading quizzes will be used from time to time to measure preparedness)

N.B. Late assignments will be penalized one grade increment per day past the assigned deadline. Due to the many requests for extensions due to laptop thefts and hard drive failures, these requests will only be accepted with a copy of the police report number or computer repair service number. Extensions are available when you have too many things due on the same day, but they must be requested in writing no later than one week in advance of the original due date. So, you need to plan well in advance.

Tentative Schedule:

HAVE BOOKS READ IN THEIR ENTIRETY BY THE FIRST DAY WE START DISCUSSING THEM IN CLASS

Sept. 1: Introduction

Sept. 3: Literary histories of Canada

Sept. 8: Québec literature and the Quiet Revolution; Canada in the 1960s

Sept. 10: Hubert Aquin, Next Episode (Prochain Épisode)

Sept. 15: Next Episode

Sept. 17: Next Episode

Sept. 22: Native literature and World War I; Joseph Boyden, Three Day Road

Sept. 24: Three Day Road

Sept. 25: Potential reading at UVM by Joseph Boyden (details tba)

SATURDAY SEPT 26th: Joseph Boyden at the Burlington Book Festival (1 pm, Great Room, 3rd Floor

Main Street Landing’s Performing Arts Center)

Sept. 29: Three Day Road

Oct. 1: Canada in the 1970s; Margaret Laurence, The Diviners

Oct. 6: The Diviners

Oct. 8: The Diviners

Oct. 13: The 1980s and "The Canadian Postmodern"; Michael Ondaatje, Running in the Family

Oct. 15: Running in the Family

Oct. 20: Running in the Family

Oct. 22: OTTAWA TRIP (no class on 10/22)

Oct. 27: Catch-up day (if necessary)

Oct. 29: Midterm exam (75 minutes)

Nov. 3: Nicole Brossard, Mauve Desert

Nov. 5: Mauve Desert

Nov. 10: Mauve Desert

Nov. 12: Alistair MacLeod, No Great Mischief

Nov. 17: No Great Mischief

Nov. 19: No Great Mischief

Nov. 24: No Great Mischief

Nov. 26: No class - Thanksgiving Break

Dec. 1: Eden Robinson, Monkey Beach

Dec. 3: Eden Robinson, Monkey Beach

Dec. 8: Eden Robinson, Monkey Beach; Last day of class; TERM PAPER DUE

Participation and blog grades:

Here's the rubric for how I determine grades for your participation and for blog assignments (if applicable)

Participation

A: Nearly 100% attendance, unless due to illness or family emergency AND active participation in class. Clearly on top of the reading and regularly speaks in class. Always engaged in the discussion, whether vocally contributing or not.

B: Missed very few classes (2 or 3 max), unless due to illness or family emergency. Participated in class vocally on a fairly regular basis, but, more importantly, is always listening and attentive to the ongoing discussion. Unprepared for class occasionally, but usually caught up on the reading and willing to contribute.

C: Misses more than three classes for reasons other than illness or family emergency. Clearly behind in the reading on at least several occasions. Mostly attentive and speaks in class several times over the course of the semester. Makes a good effort to stay involved in class discussion and appears interested.

D: Regularly missing from class and/or frequently appears disinterested. Routinely behind on reading and fails to bring books to class. Leaves class from time to time to take phone calls thinking that the professor thinks they are using the restroom, continually passes notes back and forth with someone else, works on other homework or reads the newspaper during class, checks e-mail or text messages while instructor or classmates are speaking, all of which, I should add, are apparent to the instructor and your classmates and immediately qualify you for a D.

F: Attendance and participation not worthy of a D or higher. Failure to attend most classes and/or to participate in any meaningful way.

Blogs

A: To earn an A on the blog component of the course all assignments must have been completed and comments posted by the assigned deadline (in this case, within one week of the date of the blog posting). Comments are thoughtful, fully answer the question asked, and, if specified, take into account the comments of other students.

B: All assignments completed, mostly on time. Thoughtful comments, though perhaps briefer and less engaging than those that merit an A.

C: Most assignments completed, primarily at the end of the semester and/or comments are short, perfunctory answers to the blog prompt with little consideration of the comments of others.

D: Only partial completion of the assignments and comments show little commitment to making a contribution to the discussion.

F: Failure to complete more than 50% of the assigned blog questions.

N.B. Late assignments will be penalized one grade increment per day past the assigned deadline, unless accompanied by a doctor's note outlining medical reasons for the delay. Extensions are available, but must be requested in writing no later than one week in advance of the original due date. There are no exceptions.

Academic integrity

Offenses against the Code of Academic Integrity are deemed serious and insult the integrity of the entire academic community. Any suspected violations of the code are taken very seriously and will be forwarded to the Center for Student Ethics & Standards for further investigation.