English 209: Topics in Non-Western Literature
Contemporary Asian Literature
Sections 01
TTH 9:30 – 10:45 am
MHRA 1210
Dr. Lee Baker, Lecturer
Contact me when you wish to see me outside class at .
Required texts
Salman Rushdie. Midnight’s Children -25TH ANNIV.ED. Random House. ISBN: 9780812976533
Arundhati Roy. The God of Small Things. Random House. ISBN: 0060977493
Haruki Murakami. Kafka on the Shore. Vintage. ISBN: 1400079276
Ha Jin. Waiting. Vintage. ISBN: 0375706410
Course description
In the last half-century, China, Japan, and India have undergone enormous change and become world powers. The contemporary world can hardly be negotiated without knowledge of these three Asian cultures. Their relations with the West have been problematic since two were colonized, one country, India, wholly and another, China, partially, by England. The U.S. occupied Japan after World War II and continues to have a large and controversial military presence there.
The novels selected for the course have been chosen, in addition to the light they shed on the issue of colonial occupation, because they have enjoyed enormous popularity in the West. Two of the novels are Booker Prize winners (The God of Small Things and Midnight's Children). Prize-winning authors wrote the other two novels.
All of the novels exhibit the difficulties that Asian countries have experienced as their indigenous cultures encounter the cultures of the West, especially those of Great Britain and the United States.Each novel exhibits a conflict between the modern world, associated with the West in the main, and the old cultural forms. The characters in each of the novels attain varying successes in their assimilation of Western culture, but all feel the strain to varying degrees.
The ways that the characters are caught between two worlds is the focus of this course. There are other important considerations that the syllabus explains in more detail as course goals.
Student learning goals
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
• Identify some of the traditional characteristics of the Asian cultures represented in these novels
• Assess the influence of the west, especially the United States and Britain, on these contemporary Asian cultures
• Compare and contrast the political and/or social systems represented in these novels
• Explain the broad historical trends of the three Asian countries since World War II
• Describe the gender relationships in these different Asian cultures
In this class students will also learn to:
· Identify and understand varied characteristics of literature
· Apply techniques of literary analysis to texts
· Use literary study to develop skills in careful reading and clear writing
· Demonstrate understanding of the diverse social and historical contexts in which literary texts have been written and interpreted
Academic integrity
Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for example, cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated” (from UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic integrity, review the guidelines and list of violations at http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu. I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy.
If the instructor discovers infractions to the University’s Academic Integrity rules, there will be consequences ranging from forfeiture of grade for each infraction, up to and including dismissal from the course, as determined by the appropriate University body or committee.
Attendance policy
Students are allowed a maximum of four absences without a grade penalty for a TTh course. For every absence beyond those allowed, students will be penalized one-half letter grade. The instructor reserves the right to fail any student who misses six classes on a two-day schedule.
Evaluation method for the final course grade
Grade distributions for the course work are as follows:
Quizzes / 20%Mid-term / 40%
Final / 40%
Quizzes will be given every week, except when holidays conflict. The quizzes will be on Blackboard and the window of opportunity to take each quiz will be from 5pm Wednesday to 5pm Friday of each week. Each quiz will be at least 10 multiple choice, true/false style questions for which the student will have ten minutes to complete. If more time than ten minutes is taken, the student forfeits that quiz score. Students should not use their books while taking the on-line quizzes. Quizzes ordinarily may not be made up.
The Mid-term and Final exams will consist of essays written in response to questions provided by the instructor. Neither the Mid-term nor the Final exams may be made up.
The Office of Disability Services
Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to see me about accommodations as soon as possible. If you believe you could benefit from such accommodations, you must first register with the Office of Disability Services on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8am to 5pm, Monday - Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: .
Electronic equipment
Turn cell phones and mp3 players off before class begins. No text-messaging or web-surfing during class is allowed.
Laptops should not be open during class. Laptops may be used in class only by students having a special need for purposes of note-taking or other classroom activities. Students with such a need should make specific arrangements with the instructor. No student may use a laptop in class without a prior arrangement with the instructor.
Email is the best way to reach me. You can reasonably expect responses from me within twenty-four hours, excluding weekends and university holidays. It is good practice to treat email as a writing situation that reflects on you as an individual. Use appropriate language and etiquette: present yourself professionally. This doesn’t mean emails have to be long and elaborate, but they should be moderately professional forms of communication with your instructor.
I will make every effort to respond to your e-mail message within twenty-four hours. If I have not replied to your message after forty-eight hours, then please re-send the message
Course Schedule
Week One (Aug. 22 – 26)
T Introduction to Course.
Th Kafka on the Shore, “The Boy Named Crow,” and Chapters One through Eight, pp. 3-68.
Week Two (Aug. 29 – Sept. 2)
T Kafka on the Shore, Chapters Nine through Fifteen, pp.69-138.
Th Kafka on the Shore, Chapters Ten through Twenty, pp. 139-195.
Week Three (Sept. 5 – 9)
T Kafka on the Shore, Chapters Twenty-one through Twenty-six, pp.196-262.
Th Kafka on the Shore, Chapters Twenty-seven through Thirty-four, pp.263-329.
Week Four (Sept. 12 – 16)
T Kafka on the Shore, Chapters Thirty-five through Forty-two, pp. 330-395.
Th Kafka on the Shore, Chapters Forty-three through Forty-nine, pp.396-467.
Week Five (Sept. 19 – 23)
T Waiting, Prologue and Part One, Chapters One through Four, pp. 3-47.
Th Waiting, Part One, Chapters Five through Twelve, pp.48-102.
Week Six (Sept. 26 – 30)
T Waiting, Part Two, Chapters One through Five, pp. 105-150.
Th Waiting, Part Two, Chapters Six through Twelve, pp.151-199.
Week Seven (Oct. 3 – 7)
T Waiting, Part Three, pp.203-308. Review for Mid-Term exam.
Th Mid-Term Exam in class.
Week Eight (Oct. 10 – 14)
T Fall Break – no class.
Reminder: Last day to withdraw without academic penalty is F, Oct. 14
Th Midnight’s Children, Book One, pp. 3-68.
Week Nine (Oct. 17 – 21)
T Midnight’s Children, Book One, pp. 69-133.
Th Midnight’s Children, Book Two, pp. 137-205.
Week Ten (Oct. 24 – 28)
T Midnight’s Children, Book Two, pp. 206-271.
Th Midnight’s Children, Book Two, pp. 272-336.
Week Eleven (Oct. 31 – Nov. 4)
T Midnight’s Children, Book Two, pp. 337-393.
Th Midnight’s Children, Book Three, pp. 397-441.
Week Twelve (Nov. 7 – 11)
T Midnight’s Children, Book Three, pp. 442-484.
Th Midnight’s Children, Book Three, pp. 485-533.
Week Thirteen (Nov. 14 – 18)
T The God of Small Things, Chapters One through Two, pp. 3-83.
Th The God of Small Things, Chapters Three through Seven, pp. 84-156.
Week Fourteen (Nov. 21 – 25)
T The God of Small Things, Chapters Eight through Thirteen, pp. 157-253.
Th – Thanksgiving Break
Week Fifteen (Nov. 28 – Dec. 2)
T The God of Small Things, Chapters Fourteen through Twenty-one, pp. 254-321.
Th Review for Final Exam.
Final Exam Period (Dec. 7 – Dec. 13)
Th December 8th, 8:00am to 11:00am