English 600 Section 7

Other Ethnic Literature

Fall 2014
Coulter 203
6:00-8:50
Instructor: Paul Worley
Office: Coulter 409
Email: pmworley@wcu.edu
Website: www.paulmworley.com
Office Hours: M/W 11:00-12:00; F 1:15-2:15; by appointment
I. Rationale/Purpose

This section of Engl 600 will introduce students to major Latin American authors and works, locating Latin
America as a geographical and cultural entity with close ties to the US. From reading Borges and Mrquez to
Carpentier and Vargas Llosa, students will engage the literary trends, themes, and figures that exercised a vast
influence on World Literature during much of the 20th Century. The course will close by examining the work of
Lamberto Roque Hernndez, a Zapotec immigrant from Oaxaca whose literary production remaps literary
notions of Latin American, US, and Latina/o literatures.
II. Course Aims and Objectives:
Students enrolled in the course will:
Be able to identify major trends, topics, and themes in contemporary Latin American literature
Compare and contrast approaches to reality, history, and fiction present within these works
Demonstrate how these works intersect with and deviate from European cultural traditions
Evaluate the political possibilities of these aesthetic interventions
III. Course Materials
Required Texts:
For purchase in bookstore:
Borges, Jorge Luis. Ficciones. Trans. Anthony Kerrigan. New York: Grove Press, 1994.
Carpentier, Alejo. The Lost Steps. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota P, 2001.
Garca Mrquez, Gabriel. Leaf Storm. New York: Harper Perennial, 2005.
Roque Hernndez, Lamberto. Here I Am. Mexico: Carteles, 2013.
Rulfo, Juan. Pedro Pramo. Trans. Margaret Sayers Peden. New York: Grove Press, 1994.
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Vargas Llosa, Mario. The War of the End of the World. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2011.
Additional readings available online through my website and on Blackboard
IV. Faculty Expectations of Students/Course Policies
Statement on Accommodations for students with disabilities:
Office of Disability Services
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Western Carolina University is committed to providing equal
educational opportunities for students with documented disabilities and/or medical conditions. Students who require
reasonable accommodations must identify themselves as having a disability and/or medical condition and provide
current diagnostic documentation to the Office of Disability Services. All information is confidential. Please contact
the Office of Disability Services at (828) 227-3886 or come by Suite 135 Killian Annex for an appointment.
Student Support Services
Student Support Services provides support to students who are either first-generation, low-income or those who have
disclosed a disability with: academic advising, mentoring, one-on-one tutorial support, and workshops focused on
career, financial aid and graduate school preparation. You may contact SSS at (828) 227-7127 or email
sssprogram@wcu.edu for more information. SSS is located in the Killian Annex, room 138.
Writing and Learning Commons (WaLC)
The Writing and Learning Commons (WaLC), located in BELK 207, provides free small-group course tutoring, oneon-one writing tutoring and academic skills consultations, and online writing and learning resources for all students.
All tutoring sessions take place in the WaLC or in designated classrooms on campus. To schedule tutoring
appointments, log in to TutorTrac from the WaLC homepage (walc.wcu.edu) or call 828-227-2274. Distance students
and students taking classes at Biltmore Park are encouraged to use Smarthinking and the WaLCs online resources.
Students may also take advantage of writing tutoring offered at the Biltmore Park campus on certain days of the week;
call 828-227-2274 or log in to TutorTrac and select Biltmore Park Writing Tutoring for availabilities.
Statement on Academic Integrity (including plagiarism):
Academic Integrity Policy
"I will practice personal and academic integrity" WCU Community Creed
Western Carolina University (WCU) strives to achieve the highest standards of scholarship and integrity. Any
violation of the Academic Integrity Policy is a serious offense because it threatens the quality of scholarship and
undermines the integrity of the community. Any violation of the Academic Integrity Policy is a violation of the Code
of Student Conduct (see dsce.wcu.edu for more information).
Violations of the Academic Integrity Policy include:
Cheating - Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic
exercise.
Plagiarism - Representing the words or ideas of someone else as ones own in any academic exercise. Note:
WCU instructors reserve the right to use plagiarism prevention software (such as SafeAssignment.com),
library resources, as well as Google, Yahoo, and/or other Internet search engines to determine whether or not
student papers have been plagiarized. With plagiarism prevention software, instructors may upload student
papers into a searchable database or teach students how to upload their own work as part of the course
requirements.
Fabrication - Creating and/or falsifying information or citation in any academic exercise.
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Facilitation - Helping or attempting to help someone to commit a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy in
any academic exercise (e.g. allowing another to copy information during an examination)
Faculty members have the right to determine the appropriate sanction(s) for violations of the Academic Integrity
Policy within their courses, up to and including a final grade of F in the course. Students will be notified, in
writing, of any Academic Integrity Policy allegation and have the right to respond to the allegation. The full text of
the WCU Academic Integrity Policy, Process, and the Faculty Reporting Form can be found online
at: academicintegrity.wcu.edu. Please visit studysmart.wcu.edu for further information.
Attendance Policy:
M/W/F: Regular class attendance and participation are expectations for this course. Upon a
students fifth (5th) absence, the students final course grade will be lowered one full letter
grade (e.g., from A to B, B to C, etc.). Upon an sixth (6th) absence, the student will fail the course
automatically.
The only excused absences under this policy are those absences described as excused within
University policy. Those situations are: 1) bona fide medical emergencies (with documentation);
2) death of an immediate family member (with documentation); 3) pre-arranged religious
observance; 4) participation in a University event sanctioned by the Chancellor to promote the
university. Two of these situations (3 and 4) are foreseeable, and would require advanced
notice, documentation, and coordination with the instructor in order to qualify as excused and
not be counted against the numbers outlined in this policy. Students should consult the
University Catalog (http://catalog.wcu.edu/) for details regarding the Universitys General
Attendance Policy and University Excused Absences.
Statement on late and/or makeup assignments:
Assignments submitted the course meeting following a given due date will be docked a full letter grade. In fairness to
students who submitted work on time, assignments submitted up to a week late will be given no better than a C (75).
Assignments are not accepted after they are a week late, and will be given an F and numerical grade of (0).
Assignments that are simply not submitted will received an F with a numerical grade of (0).
Furthermore, you will only be allowed to turn in one late assignment (and only if I say its OK to do so); any
subsequent late work will not be accepted. You will not be able to pass this class unless you complete all
assignments.
I will not accept any final draft of an assignment sent to me via e-mail. If you are having trouble with an assignment,
please speak to me as soon as possible.
Statement of expectations for participation/classroom behavior:
Participation: Active participation is a key component of this course. Please do not bring food to class as this will
inhibit your moving about and communicating your thoughts and opinions to others. It is expected that students will
be mindful and respectful of each other at all times, particularly when expressing opposing viewpoints on a given
topic.
Laptops/Cellphones: Please refrain from using your cellphones and laptops in class unless otherwise explicitly told to
do so by the instructor. Should cellphone use become a problem you will be asked to leave.
Recording: No student may record, tape, or photograph any classroom activity without the express written consent of
the instructor. Students may not make audio or video recordings of course activities except students permitted to
record as an approved accommodation. Recordings of class may not be posted publicly (online or otherwise) or
distributed to individuals who are not students in the course without the express permission of the faculty member and
of any students who are recorded.
Statement on participation in on-line course evaluations:
You are highly encouraged to participate in the university-sanctioned evaluation of this course. The dates for this
semester are November 9-December 6.
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Statement of use of special programs or services:

As part of its design, at different points in the semester this course may make use of social media. Students are
therefore required to have a Twitter account (twitter.com). Student privacy is a priority, so students may opt to have
an anonymous Twitter handle if they so choose. Other programs such a Blackboard will be utilized as appropriate.
Inclement weather policy:
In the event of inclement weather please pay attention to University announcements regarding cancellation of class or
closure while maintaining an accurate assessment of your personal situation. If you live off campus and do not feel
you can safely make it to/from campus, do not come.
V. Grading Procedures:
Percentage of Grade
15% (3 @ 5% per)
40%
30%
15%
Final Grade:

Short Essays (Reaction Papers)

Final Project
Research Preparation
Participation and Homework

Students Score

Short Essays
Each reaction paper will be between 2-3 full pages (circa 500-750 words), double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12
point font. Papers are exercises in critical thinking where you will read texts, analyze them, and draw conclusions
based on supporting evidence that you will assemble. As always, papers at every stage should follow MLA format and
documentation, be free of errors in spelling and grammar, and by typed. As stated below, plagiarism is not tolerated.
These can dovetail with the final paper.
Final Project
This is the major assignment for the course. It should be 15-20 pages in length (approximately to 3750 to 5000
words), and be well written as well as well argued.
Research Preparation
This is the scaffolding for the research essay. This grade will consist of three parts:
10% An annotated bibliography of critical sources associated with your research topic
10% The submission/approval of a conference abstract (250 words) in which you outline your project
10% A 5-page preliminary findings paper (no secondary sources required)
Participation and Homework
You are expected to attend class and actively participate in discussion by coming prepared, having read the days
reading, bringing your book, and by asking and responding to questions. This is a discussion-based, Masters-level
course, so if I have to call on you, you are not actively participating!
Any daily pop quizzes done in class will be allocated here.
As part of this, you will be asked to do a brief presentation having to do with the course reading introducing what you
feel are the relevant/salient topics from the days reading. These will be brief (10-15 minutes), require you to make
use of PowerPoint, and formulate 3-4 questions around which the class will base its discussion. You are more than
welcome to guide the discussion where you would like to see it go! This assignment is half of the participation grade.
The VL Companion Project will be allocated here as one quarter of the grade.
To keep things going well also experiment with using Twitter to discuss course readings throughout the week.
Grading and Quality Point System*
Grade
Interpretation
Semester Hour

Quality Points per

Grade
Interpretation
Semester Hour

Quality Points per

4

A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF

Excellent
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
Poor
Failure

4.0
4.0
3.67
3.33
3.0
2.67
2.33
2.0
1.67
1.33
1.0
.67
0

I
IP
S
U
W
AU
NC

Incomplete
In Progress
Satisfactory
Unsatisfactory
Withdrawal
Audit
No Credit

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* See Graduate Catalog for the graduate level grading system.

The grades of A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- and F indicate gradations in quality from Excellent to Failure.
Please note that a C- grade is less than satisfactory and may not meet particular program and/or course requirements.
Composition-Condition Marks. A student whose written work in any course fails to meet acceptable standards will be
assigned a composition-condition (CC) mark by the instructor on the final grade report. All undergraduates who receive
two CC grades prior to the semester in which they complete 110 hours at Western Carolina University are so notified by
the registrar and are required to pass English 300 or English 401 before they will be eligible for graduation. This course
must be taken within two semesters of receiving the second CC and must be passed with a grade of C (2.0) or better.
Students must be familiar with the class attendance, withdrawal, and drop-add policies and procedures.
Assignments
Note: Attending class without the book in which the reading is due or without having done the reading will result in a
zero for homework and participation for that days class. You will not be eligible to pass this class unless you
complete all assignments. Handwritten assignments at the college level are unacceptable. I will not accept
handwritten work from you under any circumstances. Final drafts of essays will not be accepted unless I have seen
and critiqued a preliminary draft of the essay.
VIII. Tentative Course Schedule

Date

Topic

Reading Assignment

Week 1
Wed, Jan 14 Intro Course

Anderson
Gellner

Wed, Jan 21 Imagining a Tradition

Borges, ALL
Hobsbawm

Week 2

Week 3
Rulfo, ALL
Sontag
Wed, Jan 28 National Origins and National Unity
Sommer
Begin Annotated Bibliography
Week 4
Wed, Feb 4

Civilization and Barbarity

Carpentier, 3-97
Bakhtin
Short Essay #1 Due

Week 5
Wed, Feb 11

Carpentier, 97-171
Rama
Annotated Bibliography Due

Week 6
Wed, Feb 18

Carpetier, 171-278
Sarmiento

Wed, Feb 25 Unreal Realities

Garca Mrquez, 1-104

Carpentier, The Marvelous Real

Wed, Mar 4

Garca Mrquez, 105-46

Short Essay #2 Due

Wed, Mar 11 Spring Break No Classes

Begin Vargas Llosa

Begin VL Companion Project

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10
Wed, Mar 18

What we have here: National

Irrealities

Continue Vargas Llosa

Menton
Preliminary Findings Paper Due

Week 11
Wed, Mar 25

Vargas Llosa, 3-123

Week 12
Wed, Apr 1

No Classes

Vargas Llosa, 123-283

Week 13
Wed, Apr 8

Vargas Llosa, 283-379

Short Essay #3 Due

Wed, Apr 15

Vargas Llosa, 379-456

Wed, Apr 22

Vargas Lllosa, 456-end

Complete VL Project

Week 14
Week 15

Week 16
Wed, Apr 29

Locating (a) Latin America

Fifth Week Grades Due

Advising Day
Last Day to Drop with a W
Final Semester Examinations
Final Exam in this course

Roque Hernndez, ALL

Vasconcelos
Arias
Monday, February 16
Tuesday, February 24
Monday, March 16
Saturday-Friday, May 2-8
6 PM, Wed. May 6

I have read and understood the course syllabus.

___________________________________________
Name

_________________________
Date