SYLLABUS - Mount Wachusett Community College

Mount Wachusett Community College Gardner, MA 01440-1000

ENG 224 Mystery Fiction in Literature Professor Office: Room Email:

SYLLABUS

Course Description A study of the history and nature of the mystery story from the works of Poe to such present day masters as Agatha Christie and Tony Hillerman. Students will examine both the relationship of mystery fiction to the culture of its time and also the changing role of the detective hero. Students will also study the techniques of the mystery writer and the relationship between mystery fiction and `serious' literature. Includes works by such authors as Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Hammett, Chandler, Christie, Hillerman. Prerequisite: ENG101. Three credits.

Course Objectives To become familiar with the history and evolution of the mystery genre To become familiar with the characteristics of the sub-genres within mystery fiction, including the classic detective story, psychological mystery, hard-boiled detective story, and contemporary mystery To acquire the vocabulary necessary to discuss and analyze the assigned stories and novels To demonstrate critical thinking through the use of assigned readings, written assignments, and essay exams To successfully select and use library and computer-assisted research To successfully use MLA documentation

Book List per Syllabus Death by Pen: The Longman Anthology of Detective Fiction Frankenstein, Mary Shelley The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Agatha Christie The Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammett An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, P.D. James

Course Requirements Students must complete all assigned readings in a timely manner in order to participate in class discussions and to answer discussion board questions. The requirements of the course include three (3) papers, a midterm, and a final exam. Written papers are to be 3-5 pages in length. The use of any critical materials should be documented following the MLA format.

Office Hours Room 323: Hours to be announced.

Attendance Classroom attendance will be taken daily and is considered an indication of student motivation. Students are expected to exercise maturity and responsibility and not to exceed four (4) unexcused absences. Excessive absences may result in expulsion from the course.

Grading

Grades for the course will be determined by the following items:

Three papers

15% each / total 45%

Classroom participation, attendance,

15%

discussion board questions

First exam

20%

Final exam

20%

An "I" grade will be given upon a prolonged unexcused absence from the course, upon onethird or more uncompleted course work or upon conference with the instructor. The conferring of an "I" grade means that the student has four (4) weeks from the date of the final exam to satisfy all course requirements. If she/he fails to do so, the "I" grade automatically becomes an "F". When a student receives an "I" grade, it is his/her responsibility to see the instructor. The instructor is then obligated to give the student an opportunity, within the four (4) week period, to repair the deficiency. See supplementary handout for grading of papers.

Withdrawal Policy Students may withdraw from the course without penalty up to and including the Friday of the eighth week of classes. Students who withdraw from courses after the eighth week will receive a "WF" or "W" depending upon their status at the time of withdrawal. Unofficial withdrawals will be recorded as "WF".

After the eighth week of classes, the instructor has the prerogative to withdraw a student from the course if the student is not meeting the requirements of the course.

Academic Honesty/Plagiarism Policy If it is found at any time during the semester that a student has not submitted his/her own work on any assignment, whether a current submission or previous submissions graded and returned, the instructor reserves the right to fail the student not only for that assignment, but possibly for the course, and notify appropriate officials.

Examples of academic dishonesty include: Taking sentences or passages or ideas from sources: books, magazines, web pages, email, message boards, encyclopedias, etc. without documentation; Changing a few words in a passage, documenting and submitting work as `paraphrased'. Submitting the same paper in two or more classes without instructor permission; Submitting a previously written paper; Submitting a paper downloaded from the web/internet;

 Submitting a paper cut and pasted from various sites on the web/internet; Buying a paper off internet cheat sites (famous or otherwise); Submitting someone else's paper as one's own; Having someone (i.e., mother, brother, cousin, aunt, uncle, you get the idea) write a

paper for you

If at any time a student has a question about proper research, documentation, or plagiarism, the student should discuss this with the instructor before submission of any assignment.

Course Outline

Week 1

Introduction to the course; review elements of fiction; discuss Edgar Allan Poe and his contribution to mystery (detective) fiction Assignment: "The Amateur Detective" pg 25; "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", pg 54

Week 2

Discussion of paper requirements; Introduction to Arthur Conan Doyle Assignment: "Silver Blaze", pg 81; begin Frankenstein

Week 3

Continue with Frankenstein

Week 4

Introduction to the Golden Age of Mysteries. Assignment: "From the Puzzle Game", pg 29; "The Haunted Policeman", pg 118

Week 5

Assignment: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Week 6

First paper due; continue with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd; review for mid term

Week 7

Mid-term exam; Introduction to the hard-boiled detective; second paper assigned Assignment: "The Simple Art of Murder", pg 208; "Trouble is My Business", pg 253

Week 8

Assignment: The Maltese Falcon

Week 9

Assignment: "Skin Deep", pg 308

Week 10

Second paper due Assignment: "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman"

Week 11 Third paper assigned; continue with "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman"

Week 12 Introduction to the police detective

Week 13 Week 14

Assignment: "Chee's Witch", pg 411 Continue with "Chee's Witch" Third paper due; Review for final

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