AAS 385W Introduction to African Literature: Fiction



AAS 385W Introduction to African Literature: FictionDr. Nagueyalti WarrenOffice Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 12:-12:50; 5:15-6:15 and by appointmentOffice: 207 Candler Library nwarren@emory.edu 678-343-8858This course introduces the student to 20th century African fiction. Students will study the African oral traditions and the political, historical and cultural backgrounds of each geographical area of Africa covered in the novels. A writing requirement course, students will produce a 20-page research paper on designated topics from which they may choose. The research paper will consist of multiple drafts and revisions.The learning outcomes for the course are improved critical reading, thinking, and writing skills, improved ability to analyze a literary text, and an understanding of the criticism and literary theory related to African fiction. Texts: Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart, B?, Mariama. So Long a Letter. Mphahlele, Es’kia. Down Second Avenue. Head, Bessie. Maru. Dangarembga, Tsitsi. Nervous Conditions, Gordimer, Nadine. July’s People. Ngugi wa Thiongo. A Grain of Wheat.Research paper 75%Quizzes 10%Oral Presentation of research 15%Breakdown of the research paperSelecting the topic by the due date 5% (A or F) 9/08 Quiz Dates: Annotated Bibliography 5% 10/06 9/13 Things Fall Apart 9/22 So Long a LetterThesis statement and Outline 5% 10/13 10/13 Down Second Ave.Introduction first 5 pages 11/10 10/20 July’s PeopleFirst draft 18-20 pages 11/22 10/27 MaruRevised Final paper 60% 20 pages 12/14 11/15 Nervous Conditions11/29 A Grain of WheatATTENDANCE: You do not have to attend class; however, absences will affect your grade. Here is how: other than for obvious reasons, like you are paying for something that you are not getting if you fail to come to class; you cannot participate in class discussions if you are not present. I do take roll. When final grades are due, I look at all the roll sheets. If you are borderline, in terms of your grade, attendance can mean the benefit of doubt and the higher grade.If an absence is unavoidable, you may contact me by email, or cell phone. Emergencies happen and you will not be penalized for missing class due to an unavoidable circumstance.DEADLINES: Deadlines are important and affect your grade. Each section of the research paper must be completed and submitted even when it is not graded. The point of the assignments is to make revisions. You cannot revise what you have not written. You may not skip any aspect of the writing assignments and turn in the final paper expecting to receive a passing grade. In fact, the final paper will not be accepted unless all parts of the writing assignments have been turned in when they were due. If you fail to submit your assignments when they are due, they will not be accepted at the end of term because you will have no opportunity to revise. The key to a good grade is to revise, revise, revise. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHYThe annotated bibliography must contain at least three articles and two books. You must have at least two primary sources. You may also compile more works than the minimum listed here. Your annotation must consist of two well-developed paragraphs, one that explains what the work is about, and the second paragraph explaining how you will use the information in your paper.Honor Code StatementPREAMBLEUpon every individual who is a part of Emory University falls the responsibility for maintaining in the life of Emory a standard of unimpeachable honor in all academic work. The following articles, to be known collectively as the Honor Code of Emory College, are based on the fundamental assumption that every loyal person of the University not only will conduct his or her own life according to the dictates of the highest honor, but will also refuse to tolerate in others action which would sully the good name of the institution. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCTAcademic misconduct is an offense generally defined as any action or inaction which s offensive to the integrity and honesty of the members of the academic community. This offense includes, but is not limited to, the following: (a) Seeking, acquiring, receiving, or giving information about the conduct of an examination, knowing that the release of such information has not been authorized: (b) Plagiarizing; using words that come from a source other than your own mind. You must cite everything that is not your original idea and you must cite all quotations.(c) Seeking, using, giving, or obtaining unauthorized assistance or information in any academic assignment or examination; (d) Intentionally giving false information to professors or instructors for the purpose of gaining academic advantage; (e) Breach of any duties prescribed by this Code; (f) Intentionally giving false evidence in any Honor Council hearing or refusing to give evidence when requested by the Honor Council.A writer's facts, ideas, and phraseology should be regarded as his/her property. Any person who uses a writer's ideas or phraseology without giving due credit is guilty of rmation may be put into a paper without a footnote or some kind of documentation only if it meets all of the following conditions:It may be found in several books on the subject. It is written entirely in the words of the student. It is not paraphrased from any particular source. It therefore belongs to common knowledge.Generally, if a student writes while looking at a source or while looking notes taken from a source, a footnote is required.Whenever any idea is taken from a specific work, even when the student writes the idea entirely in his own words, there must be a footnote giving credit to the author responsible for the idea. Of course methods of documentation vary, and it is possible to cite in the text itself rather than a footnote. The point is that the student should give credit when credit is due and that he should give the credit in a manner specified by the instructor or the department.The student is entirely responsible for knowing and following the principles of paraphrasing. "In paraphrasing you are expressing the ideas of another writer in your own words. A good paraphrase preserves the sense of the original, but not the form. It does not retain the sentence patterns and merely substitute synonyms for the original words, nor does it retain the original words and merely alter the sentence patterns. It is a genuine restatement. Invariably it should be briefer than the source."*Any direct quotation should be footnoted (or documented in any acceptable fashion). Even when a student uses only one unusual or key word from a passage, that word should be quoted. If a brief phrase that is common is used as it occurs in a source, the words should be in quotation marks. The source of every quotation should be given in a footnote or in the prescribed manner.It is of course the prerogative of the instructor to prescribe that no secondary sources may be used for particular papers.A student who uses a secondary source must remember that the very act of looking up a book or an article should be considered as a pledge that the student will use the material according to the principles stated above.* Floyd C. Watkins, William B. Dillingham, and Edwin T. Martin, Practical English Handbook, 3rd ed. (Boston, 1970), p. 245.Weekly AssignmentsThursday, August 25Introduction to the classTuesday, August 30Lecture: Africa Writing and the oral traditionBegin reading: Things Fall ApartThursday, September 01Lecture: Politics and literature; see Blackboard for discussion questions. Continue reading AchebeTuesday, September 06Film: Chinua Achebe Africa’s Voice Thursday, September 08Discuss the novel and film. Research Topic Due by midnight. This is an A or F assignment. You submit for an A; you can’t make up your mind and do not submit, an F. I am happy to meet with students before this assignment is due in order to help select a topic.Tuesday, September 13Quiz on Things Fall Apart. Continue discussion of novelBegin reading So Long a LetterThursday, September 15Francophone African writingContinue reading So Long a LetterTuesday, September 20Discuss novel, So Long a Letter. Thursday, September 22Complete discussion of So Long a Letter. Begin reading Down Second Avenue.Quiz on So Long a Letter next classTuesday, September 27Quiz on So Long a Letter. Discuss bibliographyThursday, September 29South African Literature overview Film: Film: A Walk in the NightTuesday, October 04Discuss Down Second AvenueThursday, October 06Discuss Down Second Avenue. Begin reading July’s People. Annotated bibliography due by midnightFilm: Nadine Gordimer on Being a liberal white in South Africa October 10-11 Fall BreakThursday, October 13Thesis statement and outline due by midnight tonight.Quiz on Down Second Avenue. Be ready to discuss July’s People next classTuesday, October 18Discuss July’s PeopleThursday, October 20Quiz on July’s People. Begin reading MaruTuesday, October 25Lecture on Head. Continue reading MaruThursday, October 27Revised outline due tonight at midnightDiscuss Maru. Begin reading Nervous Conditions. Quiz on Maru on BlackboardTuesday, November 01-Thursday,November 3 Research Days No Class Continue reading Nervous Conditions.Tuesday, November 08Discuss Nervous ConditionsThursday, November 10Introduction and first 5 pages of your research paper due at midnight.Discuss Nervous Conditions Tuesday, November 15Quiz on Nervous Conditions Begin reading A Grain of Wheat Thursday, November 17Continue reading A Grain of WheatFilm: Who’s Afraid of Ngugi? Tuesday, November 22Complete film continue reading A Grain of Wheat 18-20 pages of your research paper due at midnightNovember 24 HAPPY THANKSGIVING Tuesday, November 29Discuss A Grain of Wheat; Take home quiz on A Grain of WheatThursday, December 01Research PresentationsTuesday, December 06Research Presentation LAST DAY OF CLASSFinal draft of research paper is due on Final Exam day December 14 by 5pm. You may submit the paper early but not late. RESEARCH TOPICSYou must select one of the following topics and narrow it to what can be completed in about thirteen weeks.The African oral TraditionContemporary African fiction especially one of the following:Half of a Yellow SunPurple HibiscusAmericanaHomecomingBlack South African fictionWhite South African fictionFiction from East AfricaEgyptian fictionFiction from North AfricaBessie Head as exileFiction of Central AfricaPolitics and African fictionPost-Apartheid South African fictionCompare and contrast two works of fictionFolklore in African fictionWest African epicSouth African epicSpiritual aspects in African fictionAesthetics of African fictionTradition in African fictionThese are broad topics and as such more than one student may select the same topic; however, you must narrow the topic so that your research is unique and no two students will be able to write on the same exact topic. For example, if you choose to write on Alex La Guma and someone else chooses to do so as well, one of you might write about his story, A Walk in the Night and how it differs from the film, while the other person might choose to examine the political context in which La Guma wrote his works.Outline for your presentationYou will have a timed presentation. Going over time will hurt your grade.You may use whatever you like in your presentation, i.e., Power Point, poster presentation, dramatic monologue, speech, handouts. Whatever helps you to give the audience the core information is what you should use.Dress appropriately for business, as if you are going to a job interview.Speak loudly enough to be heard in the back of the room.Make eye contact with your audience.Practice your presentation so that you will not be nervous. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download