New HampshireCommunityTechnicalCollege at Berlin

ENG2217 North Country Literature and the New England Tradition

Course Outline

Instructor: Martha Creegan

Office: 201A Contact Info:

Office Hours: as posted andby appointmentPhone: 752-1113 ext. 2010

Course Number and Title:

BENG217, North Country Literature and the New England Tradition

Catalog Description:

Local literature is read in the context of the canon of New England Literature. Students discuss, read, and write about the Yankee perspective as revealed in poetry, essays, stories, and novels by Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont writers.

Prerequisites: BENG120, College Composition

Textbooks Required:

Authors:Pike, Robert E. Rich, Louise DickinsonMosher, Howard Frank

Titles:Spiked Boots We Took To The WoodsWhere the Rivers Flow North

Editions:current available current availablecurrent available

Publishers:The Countryman Press variousUniversity of Vermont Press

Authors:McNair, Wesley, ed.

Titles:The Quotable Moose

Editions: current

Publishers:University Press of New England

Recommended Supplementary Reading: As announced

General Objectives of the course:

  • Students will read, discuss, and write about the themes and techniques used in local literature reflecting the canon of New England literature. In particular, students will identify recurring themes in the tradition of New England literature, and compare and contrast these themes with those of North Country literature.
  • Students will demonstrate comprehension of their reading in essay quizzes and tests and in oral presentations.
  • Students will relate course concepts to film(s) based on the literature of the course.
  • Students will produce a critical/analytical essay and a creative-response paper.

Learning Activities:

This class will be run as a seminar where students are expected to complete the readings and assignments on time in order to participate in class discussions and analyses. Activities will include two essay exams, in-class essays, oral presentations, analytical essays, and a creative writing assignment.

Library Resources:

The required texts for this course are available in the library. The selections on reserve may be used in the library, but cannot be checked out.

There are many library resources available, both in the library and online

(http:/ Please contact the library staff for more information.

Grading Policy:

Three Critical Papers: 30%

Midterm and final essay exams: 30%

Creative Project: 20%

Journal, Class participation, and oral presentations: 20%

Instructor’s Policies:

  • Attendance policy is as follows:
  • After two (2) weekly classes of absence, or four semiweekly classes of absence, the student will be withdrawn from the course with an Administrative Failure (AF). An AF will be counted as a grade of F for the course in the calculation of the student's GPA.
  • Students who fall behind in their work to the extent the instructor determines excessive also will be withdrawn from the class with an AF, which will be counted as an F for the course in the calculation of the student's GPA.
  • To avoid receiving an AF, the student can initiate the action to drop the course prior to the published 'last day to drop classes' date, and receive a Withdrawal (W), which does not count in the calculation of the student's GPA.
  • Makeup work and assignments whose deadlines have been missed will not be accepted without the instructor’s approval. Makeup work must be completed within one week of an absence.
  • For essays and papers involving research, source material must be appropriately documented. Students must attach photocopies of pages from which they have quoted, summarized, or paraphrased information. Photocopies of source documents must indicate author, publisher, date of publication or date of last update, and any other information to account for source credibility. The portions of the sources which are incorporated in the essay must be highlighted or blocked.
  • Students may be asked to supply multiple copies of their work for group reading and/or analysis sessions.
  • Students may be asked to read their work aloud.

Department and College policies:

  • Students who submit others’ work as their own, an act of plagiarism, will fail the course and be referred for disciplinary action. See the student handbook for more details.
  • Papers are word-processed and double-spaced. All papers submitted for a grade must be neat and professional.

Academic Honesty

Original thinking and intellectual honesty are central to a college education. Research projects require the ongoing use of existing works, but students must conduct themselves with proper regard for the rights of others and of the college, in a context of mutual respect, integrity and reason. Activities such as plagiarism and cheating are not acceptable and will not be condoned by the college. Students involved in such activities are subject to serious disciplinary action. The following are presented as examples of academic dishonesty:

1.Misrepresenting academic work done by someone else as one’s own efforts, with or without permission of the person.

2.Providing or using prohibited assistance in assignments and examinations.

3.Unauthorized communication in any manner with other students during an examination; collaboration in the preparation of reports or take-home examinations; copying, giving aid or failing to follow the faculty member’s instructions.

4.Tampering with or falsifying official college records.

5.Infringing upon the right of other students to fair and equal access to college library materials and comparable academic resources.

6.Falsification of data collected for and presented as part of course requirements.

7.Presenting as one’s own ideas, another person’s work or words without proper acknowledgement.

There may be other instances of academic dishonesty, which will be identified by a faculty member.

Tools or Equipment:

  • Collegiate dictionary
  • Manila folder
  • Handwritten work is not acceptable; students are expected to use word processing software to prepare all work that is to be submitted for peer or instructor review. Work should be double-spaced and in a font that is close in size to Arial 11 point.

Course Timetable:

  • Students will receive a syllabus at the beginning of the semester listing assignments and their due dates. However, the instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus as necessary. Throughout the semester, the instructor will conduct informal conferences addressing students’ progress as needed.

Specific Directions or Recommendations:

  • This course is conducted in a seminar format, therefore preparation for class and participation in the class discussion/analysis is an integral part of the course work. Class preparation and attendance will factor into the final grade.
  • If you have a documented disability that may affect your performance in this course, please advise the instructor immediately so appropriate accommodations may be put in place. Accommodations may be arranged through the Disability Services Coordinator in room #104. Accommodations and assistive technology are available to students at no additional cost, and should be accessed at the beginning of each semester.

General Time Table

Week Focus:Student Activities

1Definitions and directions: oral reading and related discussion

2Spiked Boots: discussion and oral presentations

3Spiked Boots: discussion and oral presentations

4Supplemental readings: discussion and oral presentations

5Where the Rivers Flow North: discussion and oral presentations: Critical Paper #1 due

6Where the Rivers Flow North: film and discussion

7Where the Rivers Flow North: discussion and oral presentations

8Midterm exam. Critical Paper #2 due.

9The Quotable Moose and We Took To The Woods: discussion and oral presentations

10We Took To The Woods: discussion and oral presentations

11 We Took To The Woods: discussion and oral presentations

12We Took To The Woods: Critical Paper #3 due

13Supplemental readings: discussion and oral presentations

14Creative Project presentations

15Final Examination. Journal due

Specific weekly assignments will be provided. Supplemental readings will be provided in advance of due date.

1 CreeganBENG217-012007