LITR 202 European Novel

Spring 2015

Loyola University Chicago

John Felice Rome Center

Spring Semester 2015

Course description

The course focuses on two major European literary works of the 19^th century and four of the early 20^th century in order to give students an overview of the literary production of the most representative European novels.

Learning Outcome:

• Demonstrate knowledge of literary traditions and expressions.
• Study influential works as representative forms of literary production in which Europeans explore their historical and societal experience, their human experience and reflect on the process of literary creation.
• Assess how formal qualities of literary works determine the nature of the experience offered and affect the response of the audience.
• Examine multiple interpretive possibilities of the literary works and know that such interpretations both reflect the culture that produced them and change over time.

Textbooks:  

The House by the Medlar Tree (1881), Giovanni Verga - Italy            

The Kreutzer Sonata (1889), Leo Tolstoy - Russia         

Death in Venice (1912), Thomas Mann - Germany        

The Metamorphosis (1916), Franz Kafka - Mittel-Europe (Cekia)

Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man (1916), James Joyce - Ireland     

To the Lighthouse (1927), Virginia Woolf - England

Requirements:

Exams and one final paper will be used to assess literary knowledge and critical thinking. They will assess whether or not you can:

• Use critical and technical vocabulary to describe and analyze, and formulate an argument about literary works and literary types.
• Examine multiple interpretative possibilities of literary works.
• Assess the relationship of literary texts to the cultural-historical nexus that produced them.
• Generate new ideas and hypotheses in relation to the study of literary works and of how they reflect changes over time; and develop strategies for seeking and synthesizing information to support your argument.

Grading:

• class  attendance and participation                        20%
• two quizzes                                                                20%
• mid-term examination                                              15%
• final paper (~2000 words)                                        20%
• final examination                                                       25%

Grading scale:

• Daily attendance and active participation in class are vital factors in gaining literary knowledge and developing critical thinking skills.
• The student is welcome to see the instructor at regular office hours or by appointment when additional help is needed.
• Students are invited to prepare all readings before discussion in class.
• Topics for the papers are to be discussed with the instructor before writing: these present such a wide spectrum but the choice will rest ultimately on the student.
• All papers should involve strictly personal research

Attendance Policy and Academic Integrity Statement:

“Pursuit of truth is the prime activity in a university community. As a member of this community each student pledges to maintain standards of honesty and integrity in all academic work. Exams: Students must rely exclusively upon their own knowledge. Papers: students must document sources of secondary information. Failure to comply with these standards will result in a failing grade.”

Class attendance is strongly recommended: students are allowed only for two unexcused absences, from the third absence the grade will drop of 5% for each class missed:

Failure to take an exam or quiz, unless justified by real necessity (e.g. illness; travel will never be accepted as a reason) brings an F in it. There will be no make-up exams.
Schedule of Readings:

Office hours: Tue and Thu 1,40 - 2,20 p.m. and by appointment.

E-mail: gsotis@luc.edu