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Homecoming in African Diaspora Literature
Spring 2015 Dr. Laila Amine
English 4850-002 (17105) (please do not
Literature in Context email me through blackboard)
Mon & Wed 2 – 3:20pm in LANG 202 Office: Language 408D
Office hours: Mon 4:30—6pm
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS
In the classical coming of age narratives, characters mature and come to an understanding of themselves and the society they inhabit by leaving home and encountering individuals from diverse social classes. In contrast, this course invites students to consider home and home returns as spaces of epiphany and transformation in African Diaspora literature. We will ask ourselves: What is home? Why do protagonists leave it and why do they come back? What is the function of home in these texts and how does it impact the character’s sense of themselves and of belonging to a family, community, nation, and Diaspora. With an eye on socio-political contexts, we will consider the diverse meanings of these physical and metaphorical journeys home.
The course introduces students to a wide array of conceptualizations of “home” and how they connect with literary and cultural movements such as the Harlem Renaissance, Négritude, and Black-British nationalism.
In addition, students will develop strategies to analyze and discuss literature.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Claude McKay’s Home to Harlem (Northeastern, 1987)
Aimé Césaire’s Notebook of a return to the Native Land (Wesleyan University Press, 2001)
Toni Morrison’s Beloved (Vintage, 2004)
Andrea Levy’s Fruit of the Lemon (Picador, 2007)
Danzy Senna’s Caucasia (Riverhead Trade, 1999)
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Attendance: Attendance is mandatory and is crucial to successful performance in this course. To allow for unexpected emergencies only, students will not be penalized for missing two classes over the course of the semester. However, with each additional absence, you lower your score by two points. For example, a 90 would become an 88. Note that six absences (or more) will result in an automatic “F” in the course.
Participation: You are expected to discuss the reading; raise questions that you prepared and that interest you; and engage with your classmates.
Quizzes: To optimize participation, most classes will start with a very short quiz on the reading. At the end of the semester, the two lowest scores will be dropped.
A midterm exam will consist of identification questions about the reading as well as short comprehension and analytical questions.
A final exam will be structured like the midterm exam but will cover only the second part of the semester.
Each student will do a ten-minute presentation on a material of their choice related to our readings and discussions.
GRADE DISTRIBUTION
Participation 15%
Quizzes 25%
Midterm exam 25%
Final exam 25%
Presentation 10%
A+ = 97, A = 93, A- = 90, B+ = 87, B = 83, B- = 80, C+ = 77, C = 73, C+ = 77, C = 73, C- = 70, D+ = 67, D = 63, D- = 60.
IMPORTANT DATES
March 2nd = Last day to drop a course or withdraw from the semester with a grade of W for courses that the student is not passing. After this date, a grade of WF may be recorded
April 7th = Last day to drop a class (student must be passing the class)
Note that dropping a class can have consequences regarding financial aid, make sure you check with a financial aid counselor about how and if dropping a class will affect your aid.
COURSE POLICY
Academic integrity: It is crucial that students inform themselves of the University’s regulations on academic integrity, before it affects them. Cheating, plagiarism, and other academic misconducts will be pursued. The guidelines on how to use and quote material can be accessed at the following link:
http://www.courses.unt.edu/efiga/FACULTYPAGE/PolicyOnPlagiarism.htm
Incomplete for course grade: Only under the most extreme and exceptional circumstances can students petition for an incomplete. Please note that the grade of “Incomplete” (“I”) is given only when the work of the course is substantially completed and only if the student’s work is of passing quality at the time he or she petitions an “I.”
Special circumstances for make-up exams: To be fair to all students, make-up exams will not be given, except in the case of extreme emergencies (such as prolonged hospitalization for a severe illness). Permission must be obtained, if possible, before the exam and with all supporting documentation.
Disability Accommodations and Special Needs: Please let me know right away if you have any special needs that would need accommodation to make you more comfortable in this class. We can meet to discuss any special needs you may have. If your documentation needs to be updated you can find information and resources to contact on the following link: http://www.unt.edu/oda/apply/reqs/learning.html
Safe Space for Diversity and Open Communication: In this course, you are expected to keep an open mind while we discuss a wide range of topics that may sometimes be controversial. Students from all backgrounds – including by race, nationality, and sexual orientation – are welcome and their opinions valued.
Communicating via E-mail: E-mail is the best way to contact me and I strive to respond quickly. Please be sure that messages are written formally with the a subject line that includes the course (e.g. “ENG4850: Question about exam”); Salutation (e.g. “Dear Dr. Amine”) at the beginning; Message (always mention the purpose of the e-mail in at least one full sentence, even if you are just submitting an attachment), Full name at the end (e.g. “Sincerely, Jane Smith”)
Classroom Policy on Electronic Devices: It is very important that you are engaged in this class and not distracted by any electronic devices such as a laptop computer, tablet, or cell phone. Generally, use of a laptop is not necessary in this class but if you do need to use one, please meet with me to discuss it.
RESOURCES
The writing Lab: http://ltc.unt.edu/node/362 940-565-2563
The UNT Writing Lab offers free writing tutoring to all UNTstudents. You can meet with a tutor in person at their main location at Sage Hall 152, or you can participate in an online tutoring session, which allows you to discuss a paper or ask questions from anywhere you have an internet connection.
Learning center: http://learningcenter.unt.edu 940-369-7006
The learning center can help you understand your learning style, get you free tutoring, advise on time management, note taking, test taking strategies, test anxiety, speed reading, and provide you with exam prep materials (GMAT, GRE, LSAT, etc).
Career Center: http:// 940-565-2105
Counseling and testing services: http://counselingandtesting.unt.edu 940-565-2735
C&TS deals with well-being, career counseling, consultation, mental health screenings, etc.
Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities: http://deanofstudents.unt.edu/conduct
Office of Disability Accommodation: http://www.unt.edu/oda/ 940-565-4323
Student Legal Services: http://studentlegal.unt.edu 940-565-2614
Student Health and Wellness Center: http://healthcenter.unt.edu 940-565-2333
READING SCHEDULE
Week 1
Wednesday January 21th: Course syllabus and policies
Week 2
Monday January 26th: Watch the first 52 minutes of “Africans in America: America’s Journey through Slavery,” episode 1 (The Terrible Transformation). Video on demand. Enter the title on the UNT media library main page or click the following link:
http://iii.library.unt.edu/search~S6/?searchtype=X&SORT=D&searcharg=africans+in+america
Wednesday January 28th: Morrison, Toni. Beloved. 1-73
Week 3
Monday February 2nd: Beloved. 74-132
Wednesday February 4th: Beloved. 133-209
Week 4
Monday February 9th: Beloved. 210-end
Wednesday February 11th: Baldwin, James. “This Morning, This Evening, So Soon”
Week 5
Monday February 16th: “This Morning, This Evening, So Soon”
Wednesday February 18th: Césaire, Aimé. Notebook of a Return to the Native Land
Week 6
Monday February 23rd: McKay, Claude. Home to Harlem. Part One
Wednesday February 25th: Home to Harlem. Part Two until page 229
Week 7
Monday March 2nd: Finish Home to Harlem
Wednesday March 4th: Recap
Week 8
Monday March 9th: Midterm exam
Wednesday March 11th: Professionalization day
Week 9
SPRING BREAK
Week 10
Monday March 23rd: Danzy Senna. Caucasia. 1-70
Wednesday March 25th: Caucasia. 71-141
Week 11
Monday March 30th: Caucasia. 142-214
Wednesday April 1st: Caucasia. 215-288
Week 12
Monday April 6th: Finish Caucasia
Wednesday April 8th: Presentations
Week 13
Monday April 13th: Presentations
Wednesday April 15th: Levy, Andrea. Fruit of the Lemon. 1-76
Week 14
Monday April 20th: Fruit of the Lemon. 77-134
Wednesday April 22nd: Fruit of the Lemon. 135-209
Week 15
Monday April 27th: Fruit of the Lemon. 210-268
Wednesday April 29th: Fruit of the Lemon. 269-end
Week 16
Monday May 4th: Recap
Wednesday May 6th: Final examination