Course Information and Requirements

Themes in Women’s Literature: Communities of Women
English 4087/5087, Spring 2008. Tuesdays & Thursdays, 2:15-3:35.

Dr. Karen Cajka
Office: 109 Burleson. Phone: 439-5990. Email: Cajka@ETSU.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 12:45-2:15, Wednesday 2-5, and by appointment.

What happens when women are grouped together, either by choice or by necessity? From convents to colleges, from reading groups to political organizations, communities of women are contradictorily viewed as supportive and oppressive, chaste and sexual, utopian and threatening. We will consider the ways in which communities of women are constructed, how they function, and how they are perceived by the society surrounding them as well as by the women who inhabit them.

Texts. (Books are available in the ETSU bookstore; please also feel free to use any of the multiple editions of these texts which are readily available used and/or online.)
Alvarez, Julia. In the Time of the Butterflies.
Atwood, Margaret. The Robber Bride.
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice.
Bray, Libba. A Great and Terrible Beauty.
Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine.
Levy, Amy. The Romance of a Shop.
McCarthy, Mary. The Group.
Naylor, Gloria. The Women of Brewster Place.
Perkins Gilman, Charlotte. Herland and Selected Stories.
Scott, Sarah. A Description of Millenium Hall.
Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club.
Walker, Alice. The Color Purple.

Course Requirements:
Presentation with 1-2 page handout (20%)
4087: “Text & Context” on the book’s author and its popular and/or critical reception
5087: Theoretical/Critical Perspectives on Communities of Women

Blog Postings: 13 original and 13 responses (30%)
To count, postings must contain substantial, thoughtful comment; original must appear by 11pm prior to the first discussion day and the response must appear no later than 48 hours after our final discussion day for each text.

Annotated Bibliography: 10 items (4087) or 15 items (5087) (20%)
Scholarly works only; no internet or general reference works

Research/Analysis Paper: 10-12 pages (4087) or 12-15 pages (5087) (30%)
Your own argument, supported by research accomplished for Annotated Bibliography; page count assumes Times New Roman 12 pt font and 1-inch margins!

Attendance:
If you must miss a class, please contact me or one of your classmates to find out what happened in class as well as what is due for the next class meeting; you will not be excused for unpreparedness due to absence. As per English Department policy, students who miss more than six classes will fail the course.

Something I Wish I Didn’t Have to Say:
Please do not engage with any electronic devices during class time, unless you have checked with me beforehand. Also don’t eat crunchy things.

Academic Integrity:
I expect your utmost intellectual engagement in reading, writing, and responding to class discussions. I expect you to participate fully in each class and to complete your work on time; late work will not be accepted. I also expect your strict adherence to the University code of conduct; instances of academic misconduct will result in failure of the course. Please also refer to the Department of English policy on plagiarism, which states in part that “[p]roven willful plagiarism will result in failure in the course and may include dismissal from the university.”