Composition Through Literature

SPAN3315-006 TH 219

Composition through Literature

Department of Modern Languages
University of Texas Arlington

Spring 2010

T/R 12:30-1:50

/ Dr. Amy Austin
321 Hammond Hall

817-272-3161
Office Hours: T/R 3:00-4:00 and by appt.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will develop skills in original composition and critical thinking through the study of selected literary and cultural texts. The course content is especially designed for students who wish to improve their reading comprehension and their writing skills. The primary aim of the course will be to attain the skills necessary for succeeding in upper level literature and culture courses. The course will also include some grammar

SPAN 3314 or equivalent, such as SPAN 3304/3305, with C or better or knowledge of the language and consent of the department. It is recommended that non-heritage speakers take SPAN 3303 prior to this class.and orthography review. Students will practice analytical skills through the careful reading of literature in Spanish, and students will be introduced to literary periods and key historical contexts for understanding literature in Spanish.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Students develop writing skills related to critical analysis, independent thinking and communication in Spanish.
2. Students acquire tools for intellectual expression needed in more advanced courses in Spanish, specifically 4000-level literature and culture courses.
3. Students improve reading skills through exposure to Spanish and/or Latin American literature.
4. Students review orthography and selected grammatical issues already covered in SP3303, SP3314 or SP3304/3305, such as preterit/imperfect, accent marks and ser/estar.

PREREQUISITES

SPAN 3314 or equivalent, such as SPAN 3304/3305, with C or better or knowledge of the language and consent of the department. It is recommended that non-heritage speakers take SPAN 3303 prior to this class.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK

Friedman, et. al. Aproximaciones al estudio de la literatura hispánica. Quinta edición, 2004.

ASSIGNMENTS

Tres hojas críticas30%

Ensayo #1: Borrador (2-3 páginas)5%

Versión final (5-7 páginas)10%

Ensayo #2:Borrador (2-3 páginas)10%

Versión final (7-8 páginas)20%

Participación10%

Pruebas 15%

Hojas críticas: The purpose of the critical reaction is to respond critically and analytically to the assigned reading. The length of the reacción should be two pages, double space using Times New Roman 12 font with one-inch margins. Sometimes I will assign a topic, while other times I will leave the topic open for the student to choose. The hoja requires that a student demonstrate analytical thinking by making clear and revealing observations about the assigned topic or text. Each hoja assignment will be graded on two levels: (1) Grammar and language and (2) Analytical content.

Borrador y Ensayo: Students in this course will write two formal literary analyses (ensayos), the first being 5-7 pages in length, double-spaced (at least 1,000 words, excluding bibliography), the second being 7-8 pages in length (1,300 words minimum, excluding bibliography). The first ensayo is worth 10% of the final grade and the second 20%. To assist students in completing these assignments in satisfactory fashion, a rough draft (borrador) will be required for each ensayo. The first borrador, for ensayo 1, will be worth 5% of the student’s final grade, and the second one 10%. The purpose of the borradores is to allow the professor to give useful feedback to each student about his or her paper before the final version, the ensayo, is submitted. Each ensayo will be graded on the following levels: content, organization, vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics. Students are required to keep copies of all handwritten and typed notes from every stage of the writing process, from initial brainstorming to succeeding drafts, to demonstrate how their work has developed.

Pruebas: Pop reading quizzes or in-class writing assignments will be given to ensure that students are completing the reading. If answers are incoherently written, points will be deducted from the quiz score, but the primary focus of these quizzes is to confirm that students are doing the reading. If students participate particularly well, and the classroom dynamic is of a high enough quality, I may waive some of these quizzes.

Participación: Participation is important. See Attendance policy below.

Attendance Policy: Attendance at all class sessions is mandatory. However, each student is permitted three unexcused absences. Unexcused absences above two will result in the final grade being lowered by one entire letter (i.e. an A becomes a B and so on). An excused absence requires a note from a health care provider or the appropriate dean. Absences for religious holidays are excused provided the student notifies the instructor in advance. Since late arrivals disrupt the class discussion, every three arrivals will count as one unexcused absence.

Assignments and Due Dates:It is the student’s responsibility to make necessary arrangements to turn in assignments on time. Pay attention to these due dates on the syllabus before making any travel plans. There will be no changes in exam dates or due dates for individual students. All work must be turned in at the beginning of the class the day it is due. The professor will not accept late work and the student will receive a zero if an assignment is turned in after class. Since email tends to erase, lose or alter documents, the professor can no longer accept work via email unless specific arrangements have been made more than 24 hours prior to the due date.

University Regulations:

Drop Policy: Students may drop or swap (adding and dropping a class concurrently) classes through self-service in MyMav from the beginning of the registration period through the late registration period. After the late registration period, students must see their academic advisor to drop a class or withdraw. Undeclared students must see an advisor in the University Advising Center. Drops can continue through a point two-thirds of the way through the term or session. It is the student's responsibility to officially withdraw if they do not plan to attend after registering. Students will not be automatically dropped for non-attendance. Repayment of certain types of financial aid administered through the University may be required as the result of dropping classes or withdrawing. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.

Americans with Disabilities Act: The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of all federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All instructors at UT Arlington are required by law to provide "reasonable accommodations" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Any student requiring an accommodation for this course must provide the instructor with official documentation in the form of a letter certified by the staff in the Office for Students with Disabilities, University Hall 102. Only those students who have officially documented a need for an accommodation will have their request honored. Information regarding diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining disability-based academic accommodations can be found at or by calling the Office for Students with Disabilities at (817) 272-3364.

Academic Integrity: It is the philosophy of The University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the University. According to the UT System Regents’ Rule 50101, §2.2, "Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts."

Student Support Services Available:The University of Texas at Arlington provides a variety of resources and programs designed to help students develop academic skills, deal with personal situations, and better understand concepts and information related to their courses. These resources include tutoring, major-based learning centers, developmental education, advising and mentoring, personal counseling, and federally funded programs. For individualized referrals to resources for any reason, students may contact the Maverick Resource Hotline at 817-272-6107 or visit for more information.

Electronic Communication Policy: The University of Texas at Arlington has adopted the University “MavMail” address as the sole official means of communication with students. MavMail is used to remind students of important deadlines, advertise events and activities, and permit the University to conduct official transactions exclusively by electronic means. For example, important information concerning registration, financial aid, payment of bills, and graduation are now sent to students through the MavMail system. All students are assigned a MavMail account. Students are responsible for checking their MavMail regularly. Information about activating and using MavMail is available at There is no additional charge to students for using this account, and it remains active even after they graduate from UT Arlington.

To obtain your NetID or for logon assistance, visit If you are unable to resolve your issue from the Self-Service website, contact the Helpdesk .

Grade Grievance Policy: Students are required to speak to me first about any grade about which they have reservations. If a student remains unhappy after this meeting, he or she should contact Dr Ray Elliott, the Chair of Modern Languages.

**By staying in this course, students acknowledge that they have received, read, understood and accepted the terms of this syllabus.

Nota bene: This syllabus may be modified throughout the term, depending on the needs of the students.

PROGRAMA DEL CURSO

enero
SEMANA 1
martes 18 / Introducción al curso; párrafo diagnóstico
“El enamorado y la muerte” (171)
jueves 20 / Introducción a la poesía (134-146)
Garcilaso de la Vega “Soneto XXIII” (174)
SEMANA 2
martes 25 / Luis de Góngora “Soneto CLXVI” (181)
Entrega: Hoja 1
jueves 27 / Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz “A su retrato” (187)
febrero
SEMANA 3
martes 1 / José de Espronceda, “Canción del pirata” (188-90)
Entrega: Hoja 2
jueves 3 / Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, “Rima LIII” (195-96)
José Marti, “Si ves un monte de espumas” (196-97)
SEMANA 4
martes 8 / César Vallejo, “Yuntas” (212-213)
Vicente Huidobro, “Arte poética” (215-216)
Entrega: Hoja 3
jueves 10 / Intro al drama (248-256, 273)
Federico García Lorca: La casa de Bernarda Alba: Acto 1 (338-350)
SEMANA 5
martes 15 / Federico García Lorca: La casa de Bernarda Alba: Acto 2 (351-363)
Repartir: Tema para el Ensayo 1
jueves 17 / Federico García Lorca: La casa de Bernarda Alba: Acto 3 (363-373)
SEMANA 6
martes 22 / El cine como género, sus características, unos términos claves
Cine: Volver (España)
jueves 24 / Cine (cont.)
SEMANA 7
marzo
martes 1 / Cine (cont.) y Discusión
Entrega: Borrador del Ensayo 1
jueves 3 / Paloma Pedrero, Resguardo personal (330-338)
Intro. al ensayo (376-378)
SEMANA 8
martes 8 / Mariano José de Larra, “Vuelva usted mañana” (403-413)
Devolución de borradores
jueves 10 / Eva Perón, “Los obreros y yo” (428-432)
Rosario Ferré, “La autenticidad de la mujer en el arte” (436-442)
14-18 / VACACIONES DE PRIMAVERA
SEMANA 9
martes 22 / Introducción a la narrativa (10-18)
Entrega: Versión final del Ensayo 1
jueves 24 / Don Juan Manuel, “Lo que sucedió a un mozo que casó con una muchacha de muy mal carácter” (42-46)
SEMANA 10
martes 29 / Emilia Pardo Bazán, “Las medias rojas” (50-53)
Teresa de la Parra, “Blanca Nieves y compañía” (53-58)
jueves 31 / Jorge Luis Borges, “El etnógrafo” (59-61)
Se reparten temas para el Ensayo 2
abril
SEMANA 11
martes 5 / Julio Cortázar, “La noche boca arriba” (61-68)
Juan Rulfo, “No oyes ladrar los perros” (69-72)
jueves 7 / Ana María Matute “Pecado de omisión” (73-77)
Marco Denevi, “El dios de las moscas” (77-79)
SEMANA 12
martes 12 / Gabriel García Márquez, “La mujer que llegaba a las seis” (80-89)
Entrega: Borrador del Ensayo 2
jueves 14 / Elena Poniatowska, “El recado” (89-92)
SEMANA 13
martes 19 / Cristina Peri Rossi, “El Museo de los Esfuerzos Inútiles” (92-97)
Devolución de borradores
jueves 21 / Isabel Allende, “La mujer del juez” (98-105)
SEMANA 14
martes 26 / Miguel de Unamuno, “San Manuel Bueno, mártir” (106-121, línea 572)
jueves 28 / Miguel de Unamuno, “San Manuel Bueno, mártir” (121-131)
Taller de escritura
mayo
SEMANA 15
martes 1 / Taller de escritura
jueves 3 / Entrega: Ensayo 2
Conclusiones y evaluaciones