English H195A

Book List

Eagleton, Terry: How to Read a Poem; Joyce, James: The Dead; Wood, James: How Fiction Works; Woolf, Virginia: Mrs. Dalloway

Description

This two-semester course will prepare you to write, and will facilitate the writing of, an honors thesis.  In the fall semester, we will take a broad view of literary study and scholarship, working through a series of methods, theories, and practices.  After an overview of some key issues, we will familiarize ourselves with a range of theoretical and literary-historical modes by focusing on a few exemplary primary texts and a selection of essays and articles in conjunction with those texts.  We will read some poetry, a bit of short fiction, and a novel; we will also look at a film and another dramatic or performance work.  As the semester progresses, you will begin to shape and refine your thesis topic, in preparation to research and write your thesis in the spring semester.  In addition to the books listed above, there will be a course reader containing poetry, short fiction, and critical essays.

Students who satisfactorily complete H195A-B (the Honors Course) may choose to waive the seminar requirement.

Enrollment is limited and a written application, a copy of your college transcript(s), a list of your current courses, and a photocopy of a critical paper that you wrote for another class are due BY 4:00 P.M., TUESDAY, APRIL 17; be sure to read the paragraph on page 2 of this Announcement of Classes regarding enrollment in the  Honors Course!