COURSE SPECIFICATION

BRITISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE

1. Course name and course code: 2111420- British and American Literature
2. Number of credits:
Total: 3 Theory: 3 Practice: 0 Self-study: 6

3. Instructors
Nguyễn Thị Bích Thủy, M.A.
Nguyễn Văn Nha, M.A.
Quách Thị Tố Nữ, M.A.
Lê Ngọc Diệp, M.A.
Đặng Hoàng Mai, M.A.

4. Materials
Coursebooks
[1] Nguyễn Trung Tánh (1997) An Introduction to Literature Study (Dẫn luận văn học).
NXB Tp. Hồ Chí Minh
[2] Nguyễn Thị Kiều Thu, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Dung (2011) A Course in British Literature
for Third-Year English Majors. Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City Publishing
House.
[3] Grellet, F. (2017) An introduction to American literature - Time present and time past.
Hachette Éducation. ISBN: [9782017009955]

Reference
[1] Nguyễn Khánh Du (2014) British and American Literature. Ha Noi: Hong Duc
Publishing House. ISBN: [978-604-86-2885-7]
[2] Grellet, F. (2015) A handbook of literary terms. Hachette Éducation. ISBN: [978-
2011401793]

5. Course information
a. Course objectives
- Help students to acquire knowledge of the key concepts in literary studies and the
prominent characteristics of British and American literature through different periods
- Help students to develop their ability to analyse literary works in British and American
literature and to express themselves
- Help students to develop active, cooperative and honest working attitude

b. General descriptions
This course provides students with fundamental knowledge about British and American
literature through different periods, including knowledge of prominent literary trends and
authors.
Through this course, students have chances to practice the skills of presenting, analyzing,
discussing, and team work. This course also helps students to improve their vocabulary and
English language skills.

c. Prerequisites: 2111475- Reading 3

d. Other requirements:
- English skills in practice (listening-speaking-reading-writing)
- Basic informatics skills

1
6. Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
a. CLOs:

Upon completing the course, students are able to:

No. CLOs ELOs/PIs
Understand the key concepts of literary devices and literary
1 2A
study
Identify the prominent characteristics of British and American
2 2B
literature through different periods in literary history

3 Analyse aspects of literary works 2C

b. Integrated matrix between the CLOs and ELOs:

CLOs/ ELOs ELO1 ELO2 ELO3 ELO4 ELO5 ELO6 ELO7

CLO1 E(2A)
CLO2 E(2B)
CLO3 E(2C)

7. Course details

Number of periods Teaching

No Contents CLOs
(Theory/Practice) techniques
1 - Introduction to the 3 1, 3 Lecture
syllabus Discussion
- Instructions of tests and
group assignment
- Definition of literature
Genres of literature
(Coursebook 1: Nguyen
T.T, p.p 32-61)
2 3 1, 3 Lecture (special
Key concepts in literary attention to
studies: plots, characters, charaterization and plots
themes, climax, conflicts, to support students’
style, rhythm, etc. group work in Week 5)
Discussion
(Coursebook 1, p.p 32-61)
3 Literary Devices: Figures Trần G Hân 1, 3 Group work
of speech and Sound (Students’
Trương My
Devices presentation)
(Coursebook 1, p.p 6-19) Nguyễn Oanh Lecture
Võ Như Discussion

Figures of speech:
Simile, metaphor,
personification,
hyperbole,
understatement, irony,
2
 aphorism, metonymy,
synecdoche. Yêu cầu:
đưa ra định nghĩa, giải
thích và ví dụ.

4 - Progress Test 1 Nguyễn Thị Huỳnh 2 Group work

- A brief history of British Như (Students’
Literature presentation)
Đàm Tiến
(Coursebook 2: Nguyễn Lecture
T.K.T, Nguyễn T.N.D.) Phan T T Quỳnh Discussion
Nguyễn Lan
Trần Tâm
Victorian Period +
Twentieth century: sơ
lược về historical
background, kiến thức
về themes, tác phẩm
tiêu biểu làm ví dụ
cho themes vào bài
thuyết trình.

5 British Literature Reading Võ Bích Tuyền 2, 3 Group work

1: Drama (analysis of 1 Nguyễn Nhung (Students’
play) presentation)
“Hamlet” by Shakespeare Ng Thủy Lecture
Lê Phan T Linh Discussion

Characterization of
Hamlet: diễn tả được
sự diễn biến tâm lý
tính cách nhân vật
Hamlet.

6 British Literature Reading Nguyễn Văn Mạnh 2, 3 Group work

2: Poems (Students’
Lê Ly
“Daffodils” by William presentation)
Wordsworth and “When I Ng My Lecture
Was One-and-Twenty” by Ng Tài Discussion
A. E. Housman
Literary Devices in
the two poems
Daffodils and When I
Was One-and-Twenty.
Phân tích và so sánh
literary devices trong
cả 2 bài thơ.

7 British Literature Reading Trương Huệ Thư 2, 3 Group work

3: Novels (analysis of 1 (Students’
3
 novel) Ng Tài presentation)
“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Lê Uyên Lecture
Brontë Discussion
Hồ Thiệu
Theme of feminism in
Jane Eyre.
8 Revision 1 3 2, 3 (ditto)
MIDTERM TEST (Scheduled by the 3 Written test
lecturer)
9 British Literature Reading Bùi Thu Thảo 2 Group work
4: Short stories (analysis of Phạm Nguyên (Students’
1 short story) Lê Châu presentation)
“Mr. Know-All” by W. Thạch Linh Lecture
Somerset Maugham Plot analysis of Mr Discussion
Know All
10 A brief history of Lê Ng Uyên Đan 2 Lecture
American Literature Discussion
Trương Mai
(Coursebook 3: Grellet, F.) Group work
Đoàn Khoa (Students’
Nguyễn Thị Ngọc presentation)
Oanh
Nguyễn Phương
Prominent
characteristics of
American Literature in
the second half of the
20th century.

11 - Progress Test 2 Nguyễn T Thảo Vi 2, 3 Group work

- American Literature (Students’
Trương Phát
Reading 1: Non-fiction presentation)
“What Every Yale Bùi Đăng Lecture
Freshman Should Know” Phan Quốc Discussion
by Edmund S. Morgan
Students’ personal
reflection on What
Every Yale Freshman
Should Know.

12 American Literature Võ Thị Mỹ Nhi 2, 3 Group work

Reading 2: Poems (Students’
Phạm Thảo
“Fire and Ice” by Robert presentation)
Frost and “There is no Nguyễn Hằng Lecture
frigate like a book” by Lý Hằng Discussion
Emily Dickinson
Robert Frost or Emily
Dickinson’s poetic
portrait (based on

4
 selected poems),
literary devices, sound
devices…

13 American Literature Đặng Diệp Anh 2, 3 Group work

Reading 4: Novel (Students’
Nguyễn My
“Uncle Tom's Cabin” by presentation)
Harriet Beecher Stowe Nguyễn Thoại Lecture
Nguyễn Huệ Discussion

Analysis of setting
and point of view in
Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

14 American Literature Ng Khoa Phương 2, 3 Group work

Reading 3: Short stories Thùy (Students’
(analysis of 1 short story) Nguyễn Ngọc presentation)
“The Curious Case of Trần Vy Lecture
Benjamin Button” by Vũ Phương Discussion
F.Scott Fitzgerald. Evaluation of the
original The Curious
Case of Benjamin
Button by F. Scott
Fitzgerald and its
cinematic adaptation
(characterization, plot,
v.v.)
15 Revision 2 3 1, 2, 3 Lecture
Discussion

8. Assessment methods (AMs)

a. Integrated matrix among CLOs, ELOs and AMs

Assessment Expected
Course Learning Outcomes Learning
(CLOs) Type of Outcomes
AMs
assessment (ELOs)
1. Understand the key Progress test 1 (Quiz: multiple 2
concepts of literary devices choice, short-answer questions)
Formative
and literary study [general understanding of the key
concepts]
Progress test 3 (Group presentation:
contents based on the list of
suggested topics, negotiated by the
Formative
lecturer and students and finalised by
the lecturer) (conducted from the 3rd
session)
Final test 1 – Part 1 (Quiz: multiple Summative
choice, short-answer questions)
5
 [detailed understanding of the
concepts in specific literary works]
2. Identify the prominent Progress test 2 (Quiz: multiple
characteristics of British Summative
choice, short-answer questions)
and American literature 2
through different periods in Progress test 3 (Group presentation) Formative
literary history
Progress test 3 (Group presentation) Formative
3. Analyse aspects of literary Midterm (Analysis of a character) Formative
2
works Final test: Part 2 [Analysis of (an)
Summative
aspect(s) of a literary work]

b. Course assessment

Assessment methods Percentage (%)

Progress test 1 (Quiz: multiple choice, short-
answer questions)
20
Progress test 2 (Quiz: multiple choice, short-
answer questions)
Assignment (group presentation)
Theory
Midterm test (Essay writing) 30
Final test
Part 1: Quiz (multiple choice, short-answer
50
questions)
Part 2: Essay writing

Date of revision: August 11, 2021

Prepared by Lê Ngọc Diệp, M.A.

Head of Division Nguyễn Đình Luật, M.A.