Beloved, Toni Morrison: The Little Seagull Handbook, Bullock, Brody and Weinberg

English 102 Fall 2017

Instructor: Dr. Jonathan Luftig
Office Hours: By Appointment
Office Location: Turner’s Armory 207
Mailbox Location: Holmes 202 (English Dept. Office)
Telephone: 443-885-4102
e-mail: [email protected]

Required Texts:
Beloved, Toni Morrison
The Little Seagull Handbook, Bullock, Brody and Weinberg

Course Description:

This course combines reading and discussion of literature with the writing of two short
research papers. The paper will be completed in a series of required steps. This course
will help you develop your writing skills, which, as we shall see, are intricately linked to
the reading process.

Course Requirements:
Attendance/Participation. Because writing can be a troublesome task, it is useful to
discuss it with other people who may be having similar problems or who may have
helpful advice to share. Therefore, attendance is required. In addition to everyday
attendance, it is especially necessary for you to be present for peer group discussion and
to be an active participant.
Only one unexcused absence permitted; any absence beyond may result in failure. To be
excused, the absence must have valid documentation in writing (for example, notice
of an official Morgan event, a note from a counseling service, a doctor’s excuse, a record
of a funeral or car breakdown, or a court document). A note signed by a student or a
friend or a relative is not an acceptable excuse.
Lateness. To be counted present, physical presence is required, not books on a desk.

Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class period. If a student is late he/she
must see the instructor at the end of class to change the absence to tardy. Three tardy
marks will equal one unexcused absence.

The University’s absence policy does not extend to examinations, mid-semester, or
final. An instructor is not obligated to provide make-up work assistance with missed
assignments, or accept assigned work later than the due date because the student has been
absent from class. An instructor is obligated to give make-up assistance in cases of
officially excused absences.

Students are expected to be well prepared for the day’s assignment when they come to
class; therefore, it is wise to exchange telephone numbers with one or two other persons
in the class who can be contacted in case of an absence.
Reading Assignments. It is important to be prepared for class discussions. For this

reason, you must complete all reading assignments before class. You are expected to
arrive prepared to provide thoughtful discussions of the daily readings, responding to
questions from the instructor or your classmates as they arise. Classroom discussion will
involve the open sharing of ideas and interpretations of the literature. Because every
person's opinion is valid, we will demonstrate civility and respect for each other, taking
turns to provide our observations and not interrupting each other. Only raised hands will
be acknowledged.
** You must bring the necessary readings with you to every class. Failure to do so
WILL result in the loss of points from your final average. **
There will be periodic book quizzes. On-line versions are available for most readings,
especially at the beginning of the semester, so economic hardship, while certainly a
reality for many of us, does not constitute a valid excuse in this context. Please come
speak with me if you have any questions.
Please observe courtesy to others in the classroom. All electronic devices, including text
messaging devices, must be turned off for the duration of class.

Required Work and Grading:
A. Textual Analysis (First Chapter of Research Paper) 15%

B. Documented Research Paper Using MLA Style 50%
C. Quizzes, Other Assignments and Participation 15%
D. Final Examination 20%

Final and Midterm Grades:

A=90% or above
B=80% or above
C=70% or above
D=60% or above

Weekly Schedule:

Please note that the reading schedule is tentative and subject to change. Students
are expected to keep up with any adjustments to the schedule. Links to all online
articles will be provided on Blackboard.
August
22 Introduction
24 Toni Morrison, “No Place for Self-Pity, No Room for Fear”
Grammar Review
“Mourning for Whiteness,” Toni Morrison
Fragments, Comma Splices and
Run-ons (Little Seagull Handbook, 250-9)
29 Stream of Consciousness (Joyce)

Toni Morrison, Beloved (1-30)
Pronouns (LS, 277-282)
September
5 Excerpts from Harriet Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a
Slave Girl
7 500 Word Close Reading of Beloved
Beloved (20-68)
Spirituals
12 Sojourner Truth, “Ain’t I a Woman”?

Beloved (68-100)
14 Beloved (100-157)
Scenes from “Roots” and Traces of the Trade
19 Rough Outline and Thesis Due

Peer Review on Rough Outline and Thesis
21 Beloved (157-220)
Dropped Quotations
26 Finish Beloved
Thesis and Outline for Final Paper Due
Peer Review
MLA Format
28 Toni Morrison, “The Site of Memory”

Revision of Outlines
Submit First Three pages of Research paper
Peer Review
3 Group Assignments on Beloved
5 Poetry
MLA Format
10 Work on Research Papers
12 Peer Review
17 “Toni Morrison on Language, Evil and The White Gaze”
(YouTube)
19
24 Conferences
26 Conferences
31
November
2
7
9
14 Rough Research Paper Due
(Bring Three Copies)
16
21
23 Thanksgiving
28
30
December
5 Final Paper Due
7
21-23 Spring Break

28 Poetry
30
April
4
STATEMENT ON PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is theft. Plagiarism is submitting, orally or in writing, the words, ideas,
drawings, or other work of another person as one’s own without appropriate citation in
order to receive credit for having completed an academic assignment or exercise. Any
student who is found to have engaged in plagiarism shall fail the assignment and may fail
the course. For further information, review the current Morgan State University Catalog.

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English 102 Fall 2017

Lateness. To be counted present, physical presence is required, not books on a desk.

Reading Assignments. It is important to be prepared for class discussions. For this

A. Textual Analysis (First Chapter of Research Paper) 15%

29 Stream of Consciousness (Joyce)

12 Sojourner Truth, “Ain’t I a Woman”?

19 Rough Outline and Thesis Due

28 Toni Morrison, “The Site of Memory”

21-23 Spring Break

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