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ENGL2370: Introduction to FictionTournament of Shorts27481: MWF 11-11:50, Irby 304

Instructor:Deb Moore, Irby 428 Hours: By arrangement501-450-3499 [email protected]

Course Focus:In this class, we will read, discuss, and write about fiction in a way that considers its formal elements (character, plot, setting, themes, and narrative style) as well as its contexts and value (social, historical, aesthetic). We will build our base of knowledge collectively, through discussion, in both large and small groups.

Class meetings will consist of brief lecture, full-class and small-group discussion, and various other activities (presentations, in-class writings, slide shows, video and audio recordings).

Catalog Entry:“Satisfies the humanities requirement in the general education program. Students will learn to read stories and short novels carefully and analytically and be encouraged

to see the way stories both reflect and enhance our understanding of life. Lecture, discussion, writing. Prerequisite: None. Fall, spring.”

Required Text: Introduction to Fiction. 11th ed., by X. J. Kennedy,

ISBN 9780205687886 Download AND PRINT New Yorker Stories Spring 2017

from Blackboard.

Readings:Class discussion is an important part of this course, so please read and be able to discuss the material on the day that it is due. Bring your annotated paper copy of the reading assignment with you on those days when it is being discussed.

On the first day of class, you will receive a paper copy of the syllabus and course outline. You may download additional copies from Blackboard.

Please make yourself familiar with the syllabus, which contains everything you need to know to be successful in this class:

• It details what you will be learning and when it will be covered.

Short StoriesThe Story of an HourBrokeback MountainTravis, B.A Rose for EmilyBrowniesA Very Old Man With Enormous WingsThe Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas The Things They CarriedEveryday UseSonny’s BluesThem Old Cowboy SongsBrief History of the Dead

• It makes clear what is expected of you as a student.• It allows you to know what to expect of your instructor.• It outlines the organization of the course and when assignments are due.• It explains how to do the assignments.• It explains how grading will be accomplished.• It states the attendance requirements.

Coursework:Coursework consists of daily work as assigned, a Position Paper writing assignment, two tests, and a final exam. There are 1000 total possible points in the class:

Daily Work (combined) 200 pointsPosition Paper 200 pointsExam One 200 pointsExam Two 200 pointsFinal Exam 200 points

A Writing Center tutoring session is required for the Position Paper assignment. You may use your tutoring session at any point during the drafting and revising process (brainstorming, revision, or editing) and as many times as you wish. There are a limited number of appointment slots, though, so please plan ahead and make your appointments early. To make an appointment, submit a paper for online tutoring, or to find out about drop-in hours, visit http://uca.edu/writingcenter/home. The Academic Success Center is also available to help you with all aspects of college work: http://uca.edu/success.

This syllabus may change.

DAILY WORK is PASS/FAIL and cannot be made up if you are tardy or absent. A PASS grade is awarded to assignments that meet the submission requirements and adequately respond to the assignment. Late submissions, those that consist solely of plot summary, and those of inadequate length will receive FAIL grades. Combined, daily work is worth 200 points and consists of the following:

Reader Responses: A one-and-a-half to two page response to the prompt given in the course outline. See Appendix B for specific instructions.

In-Class or Exploratory Writing and Activities: Writing or working alone or in a group in response to a prompt. As assigned.

THE TOURNAMENT OF SHORTS: A little friendly March-madness-inspired competition. Every two weeks or so, two works of fiction will go head-to-head. The winner, as determined by a panel of student judges, will move ahead in the brackets. See Appendix C for more information.

Students who receive a PASS grade for every assignment will earn 200 points. Students who receive a lessor number of PASS grades will earn a score equal to the percentage receiving a PASS grade. (Students who receive a PASS grade for half the assignments receive 100 points, etc.)

POSITION PAPER: Write a 750-word (minimum) essay responding to a prompt. This assignment is worth 200 points and is due depending upon the first letter of your last name: A-F on Friday, April 7; G-L on Friday, April 14; M-W on Friday, April 21. See Appendix D for specific instructions.

EXAMS: Exams are comprehensive. There will be two exams and a final, each worth 200 points. Exams cover material from readings, discussions, films, and lectures. On each exam, you may be asked to identify and write substantially about quotations from the works and respond briefly to short answer questions. While there is no “study guide,” we will review material in class prior to each test. Notify your instructor as soon as you know that you will be missing an exam. THERE ARE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS; in case of a missed exam, you agree to accept the average of the remaining two exams as the score for the missed exam. Multiple missed exams will be handled on an individual basis.

Workload:It is generally accepted that students will need at least 2 hours of course preparation outside of class for every credit hour taken. For a three-hour course such as this one, you should plan to spend a minimum of six additional hours each week outside of class reading, thinking, and writing.

Extra Credit:I would like your focus to be on mastering the material, rather than on your grade. Although grades are meant to represent your level of achievement in that goal, the grade itself should not be the objective. I’ve found that extra credit sometimes gets in the way of that idea. That’s why I don’t give extra credit.

Assessment: To discuss a grade, please meet with me in person. Although you may use email to make an appointment to speak with me, let us not discuss grades using this platform.


Grading900-1000 = A800-890 = B700-790 = C600-690 = D590 & below = F

Writing assignments will be graded using the following standards, bearing in mind that other factors—such as failure to follow instructions or formatting guidelines, lack of revision, or missing due dates—may also affect your grade:

A/Excellent: Shows originality of thought in stating and developing a central controlling idea. Its ideas are clear, logical, and thought-provoking; it contains all the positive qualities of good writing listed below:

Concentration on a main purpose, with thorough development and firm support of evidence using concrete detail and specific examples.

Careful construction and organization. Careful choice of effective words and phrases.

B/Superior: Has a clearly stated central purpose, logically and adequately developed. Its ideas are clear because it contains some of the qualities of good writing described under A above. It is relatively free of errors in the use of English. Although indicating technical competence, the B paper lacks the originality of thought and style which characterizes the A essay.

C/Average: Has a central idea stated and organized clearly enough to convey its purpose to the reader; it avoids serious errors in the use of English. It may, in fact, have few correction marks on it, but it lacks adequate and strong use of supporting details as well as the vigor of thought and expression which would entitle it to an above-average rating.

D/Unsatisfactory: Indicates below-average achievement in expressing ideas correctly and effectively. Most D papers fail to present a clear central idea and or to develop it adequately. Typically, they will contain numerous serious errors in the use of English. With a clearly stated central idea, fuller development, and more careful proofreading, many D papers might be worth at least a C grade.

F/Failing: Is the result of poor writing, which usually includes one or more of the following problems:

Failure to state and develop a thesis or to use some equivalent organization appropriate to the topic;

A lack of unity, coherence, and development within the individual paragraphs or the paper as a whole;

A mass of vague generalizations that essentially restate the thesis without offering specific details as support;

Little or no relation to the assignment; Inadequate length; Frequent misspelling of words; Sentence-structure errors (fragments/run-ons); Lack of agreement between subject and verb or pronoun and antecedent; Lack of clear pronoun-antecedent reference; Verb form errors (including tense, voice, and mood).

Make sure you understand plagiarism and how not to do it. If you plagiarize any portion of any assignment, you will fail the class.


Attendance:Punctual class attendance is expected. In addition to contributing to understanding, in-class discussion, quizzes, and other activities constitute a portion of your grade and cannot be made up if missed.

If it is absolutely necessary to miss class in order to keep an outside appointment, please schedule that appointment during someone else’s class. In the event of unavoidable absence, check with another class member to find out what you missed before returning to class. Missing class is no excuse for missing an assignment.

If you miss more than six class meetings, or if you miss a week's worth of classes consecutively without contacting me, you may be dropped for non-attendance and assigned a WF, WP, or W grade as appropriate. Any combination of three late arrivals or early departures will count as one absence. Arriving more than 15 minutes late or leaving more than 15 minutes early will constitute

an absence.

I call roll every day. If you arrive to class late, I have already counted you as absent. Please get with me immediately after class to make sure that you get credit for having been there. This cannot be done via email. The roll book is the official record of attendance.

EASTER EGG: Write down a question that you really want to know about this syllabus and bring it with you to the second class meeting for daily work credit. This is a graded assignment and will not be accepted after the second class meeting.

If you expect to miss class for university-sponsored events (choir, band, orchestra, debate, sports), please speak with me about it at the beginning of the semester. In addition, I ask that you:

Be sure I receive written official notification from your coach, director, or sponsor Submit an email reminder to me immediately before each absence Turn in assignments that come due during your absence on or before the due date Check with another student to see what you’ve missed before returning Recognize the importance of being in class when you aren't traveling

Late Work:Assignments are due at the beginning of class. Late assignments, if accepted, receive a whole letter grade reduction per calendar day.

Conduct:Research shows that students who text and hang out on social media during class are less likely to remember details about lectures and more likely to earn a lower grade than students who pay


Check with a classmate to see what you missed BEFORE returning to class.

Student athletes: remind your instructor (via email) before each sponsored absence.

attention. For this reason you are asked to not use your phones during class. Please silent your phone and put it away.

Students who exhibit behavior that interferes with my ability to conduct the class and foster student learning, or who exhibit behavior so outrageous as to severely impede the conduct of the class will be asked to leave and/or dropped with a WF grade.

Laptops/Tablets: Students who take notes during lectures score higher than those who don’t, but recent studies have shown that taking notes by laptop results in shallower processing and decreased ability to answer questions about ideas, thoughts, and concepts. For this reason, I ask that you take notes in longhand for this class. If you feel that your learning will be hampered by not having access to your laptop for note-taking or other legitimate purposes, please speak to me outside of class.

UCA Policies: Please take the time to familiarize yourself with all the academic policies in the Student Handbook. If you are a new student, you can pick up a copy at 210 Student Health Center. A PDF version is available at https://uca.edu/student/student-handbook/

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT: The University of Central Arkansas affirms its commitment to academic integrity and expects all members of the university community to accept shared responsibility for maintaining academic integrity. Students in this course are subject to the provisions of the university's Academic Integrity Policy, approved by the Board of Trustees as Board Policy No. 709 on February 10, 2010, and published in the Student Handbook. Penalties for academic misconduct in this course may include a failing grade on an assignment, a failing grade in the course, or any other course-related sanction the instructor determines to be appropriate. Continued enrollment in this course affirms a student's acceptance of this university policy.

COUNSELING: All students are entitled to free, confidential, professional counseling. Please contact the University Counseling Center at 450-3138. They are located in the Student Health Center, suite 327.

DISABILITY POLICY: The University of Central Arkansas adheres to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need an accommodation under this act due to a disability, contact the UCA Office of Disability Services at 450-3613.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES: An Emergency Procedures Summary (EPS) for the building in which this class is held will be discussed during the first week of this course. EPS documents for most buildings on campus are available at http://uca.edu.mysafety/bep. Every student should be familiar with emergency procedures for any campus building in which he or she spends time for classes or other purposes.

EVALUATIONS: Student evaluations of a course and its professor are a crucial element in helping faculty achieve excellence in the classroom and the institution in demonstrating that students are gaining knowledge. Students may evaluate courses they are taking starting on the Monday of the twelfth week of instruction through the end of finals week by logging in to myUCA and clicking on the Evals button on the top right.


Please take notes in longhand, rather than on your laptop or tablet.

HARASSMENT POLICY: Harassment by any faculty member, staff member, or student is a violation of both law and University policy and will not be tolerated. Please read the appropriate pages of your Student Handbook for the policies, definition, and procedures concerning harassment. If you have questions or concerns, please contact me or the chair of the department. Individuals who believe they have been subjected to harassment should report the incident promptly to their academic dean or to a departmental chair or directly to the university’s Affirmative Action officer, legal counsel or assistant vice president for human resources

Title IX Disclosure: If a student discloses an act of sexual harassment, discrimination, assault, or other sexual misconduct to a faculty member (as it relates to “student-on-student” or “employee-on-student”), the faculty member cannot maintain complete confidentiality and is required to report the act and may be required to reveal the names of the parties involved. Any allegations made by a student may or may not trigger an investigation. Each situation differs and the obligation to conduct an investigation will depend on those specific set of circumstances. The determination to conduct an investigation will be made by the Title IX Coordinator. For further information, please visit: https://uca.edu/titleix. *Disclosure of sexual misconduct by a third party who is not a student and/or employee is also required if the misconduct occurs when the third party is a participant in a university-sponsored program, event, or activity.


Appendix A: Course Outline

Date Day Topic What’s Due (at the beginning of class)Jan 13 F Class Overview:

Introduction to the CourseThinking about FictionDistribution of syllabus

Jan 16 M MLK DayClass does not meet.

Jan 18 W Q&A: The SyllabusWriting Expectations for This Class Reader Responses The Short Story Review The Writing Center The Tournament of Shorts

• Read the syllabus.

Jan 20 F Reading Short Stories • Read “The Story of An Hour” by Kate Chopin, textbook pp 516-17

Jan 23 M Theme and the Elements of Fiction: Setting

• Read textbook pp 183-185; 221-22.• Read textbook pp 107-109.• Read “Brokeback Mountain” by Annie Proulx

(New Yorker Stories Spring 2017). READER RESPONSE PROMPT: What

do Jack and Ennis consider to be the measure of a man? Why do you think that? Do you agree or disagree and why? What does society say about the measure of a man? How do we know?

Jan 25 WJan 27 FJan 30 M The Element of Characterization • Read textbook pp 77-79.

• Read Maile Meloy’s “Travis, B.” (New Yorker Stories Spring 2017).

READER RESPONSE PROMPT: What does Meloy seem to be saying about love and loneliness and why do you think so? Do you agree with her? Why or why not?

Feb 1 WFeb 3 F Dirty Dozen 1: “Brokeback Mountain” vs. “Travis, B.”Feb 6 M The Element of Plot • Read textbook pp 13-16; 22-24

• Read William Faulkner’s, “A Rose for Emily,”textbook pp 29-35

READER RESPONSE PROMPT: Faulkner calls Emily “a fallen monument” and “a tradition.” What do you think that means? Why? What use are monuments or traditions to individuals or society?

Feb 8 WFeb 10 F


Feb 13 M • First, read “Brownies” by ZZ Packer (New Yorker Stories Spring 2017).

• Then, watch the video: https://goo.gl/WkKJHp READER RESPONSE PROMPT: Explore

how your understanding or experience of the story changed after having seen the author read the work.

Feb 15 W Dirty Dozen 2: “A Rose for Emily” vs. “Brownies”Feb 17 F Review for Exam oneFeb 20 M Exam OneFeb 22 W Round Two, Match OneFeb 24 F Magical Realism • Read textbook, pp 341-44

• Read “The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, pp 352-57

READER RESPONSE PROMPT: How does García Márquez make the reader believe in his angel? Be specific.

Feb 27 M The Element of Symbolism • Read textbook pp 223-25• Read Ursela K. Le Guin’s, “The Ones Who Walk

Away from Omelas” pp 242-46. READER RESPONSE PROMPT: Would

you walk away from Omelas? Why or why not?

Mar 1 WMar 3 F Dirty Dozen 3: “The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” vs.

“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”Mar 6 M Elements of Tone & Style • Read textbook pp 148-51; 167-68

• Read Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” pp 595-607

READER RESPONSE PROMPT: How does O’Brien use small details to illuminate the “whole picture”? What is that whole picture?

Mar 8 WMar 10 F • Read Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use,” textbook pp

455-61. • Read textbook pp 462-70

READER RESPONSE PROMPT: We usually admire a person who rises out of poverty to get an education and better her circumstances, but in this story, the reader does not generally identify with Dee or sympathize with her. Why not? Who is the narrator in the story? How does her view color the reader’s viewpoint? Do you see Dee as totally unlikable? Do you think those traits thatappear to be her shortcomings are


actually both common and necessary for someone to progress in life? Should we admire Mama and Maggie who are not willing to change?

Mar 13 M Dirty Dozen 4: The Things They Carried vs. Everyday UseMar 15 W Round Two, Match TwoMar 17 F Review for Exam 2Mar 20 M Spring BreakMar 22 W Spring BreakMar 24 F Spring BreakMar 27 M The Element Point of View • Read textbook pp 25-29

• Read “Sonny’s Blues,” by James Baldwin, pp 51-73

Mar 29 WMar 31 F Exam 2April 3 M • Read Helen Simpson’s “Diary of an Interesting

Year” (New Yorker Stories Spring 2017) READER RESPONSE PROMPT: Why did

the author choose an epistolary form for this work? In what ways does this form add to or detract from the work?

April 5 W Dirty Dozen 5: “Sonny’s Blues” vs. “Diary of an Interesting Year”April 7 F Round Two, Match Three

Position Paper Assignment due for students with last name A-FApril 10 M • Read “Them Old Cowboy Songs” by Annie

Proulx, (New Yorker Stories Spring 2017) READER RESPONSE PROMPT: What

do you think Proulx set out to do with this story? How well did she do? Does a story have to have a “happy ending” to be satisfying?

April 12 WApril 14 F Position Paper Assignment due for students with last name G-LApril 17 M • Read “Brief History of the Dead.” (New Yorker

Stories Spring 2017) READER RESPONSE: What makes the

premise of “The Brief History of the Dead”—that the recently dead inhabit a necropolis very much like an earthly city but only as long as they are remembered by the living—so engaging? What basic human feelings does this idea draw upon?

April 19 W Dirty Dozen: Them Old Cowboy Songs vs. Brief History of the Deadand Zombie Match

April 21 F Tournament of Shorts Semi-FinalsPosition Paper Assignment due for students with last name M-W


April 24 M Tournament of Shorts Winner Selection and Victory PartyApril 26 W Review for Final ExamApril 28 F Reading Day No ClassMay 1 M 2:00 pm: Final Exam


Appendix B: Reader Responses

Reader Responses are graded as Pass/Fail. For selected readings, please write a response to the prompt given in the course outline, and turn it in at the beginning of class on the day the reading is due. Do not email responses.

Your response will measure between one and two full double-spaced pages. Use MLA Format:

Typed in Times New Roman 12-point font Be double-spaced, on an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet, with margins of one inch or less Be free of errors (use spell and grammar check; proofread and edit carefully) Have a title that reflects the subject and your purpose in writing about it Include your name in the header of all pages

1. Begin each reader response with a one-line synopsis of the material: “Oedipus Rex tells the story of Oedipus, a man who becomes the king of Thebes, whilst in the process unwittingly fulfilling a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother.” Do not further summarize the material.

2. Reply to the prompt.

Reader Responses are meant to deepen your understanding, encourage you to make connections, and enable you to discuss the text in class. A PASS grade is awarded to assignments that meet the submission requirements and adequately respond to the assignment. Late submissions, those that consist solely of plot summary, and those that are inadequate in length will receive FAIL grades.


Appendix C: The Tournament of Shorts (Adapted from The Morning News Tournament of Books)

Every two weeks or so this semester, two works of fiction will go head-to-head. The winner, as determined by a panel of student judges, will move forward in the brackets (see next page). Every student will serve as judge on one panel.

In this way the original field of 12 competitors is whittled down to three works. However, before those can enter the final championship match, they must compete in the semi-finals, which brings back a zombie work that was eliminated during gameplay.

The Dirty Dozen and Opening RoundIn the six opening round matches, class members will read and discuss each of the 12 works. A pre-selected panel of student judges will lead class discussion comparing the two works and will select one work per match to be the “winner.” The winning work in each match will advance to Round Two.

Round Two, Semi-Finals, and FinalsA different panel of student judges will decide each of the First Round and Semi-Final matches. After the final match of round two, the Zombie will be chosen: each student will vote for a favorite from among those works that had been eliminated. The work receiving the most votes from among the eliminated rises from the dead with another shot at reaching the championship.

The two stories that emerge victorious from the Semi-Finals enter the championship match, which is decided by all students (ties are broken by the professor). Each student picks their favorite of the two final works, and the short story that receives the most votes is this semester’s winner!

Will the winner be the story you like best?

Specific InstructionsStudent panels are selected and positioned at the beginning of the semester.

The student panel will meet outside of class to determine which of the two stories they believe should win the competition and to prepare to lead class discussion (please—no PowerPoint presentations). Find a way to compare the two works, make your decision as to which should advance in the competition, and then determine how you will lead the class discussion. Everyone in the group must have a job to do. When finished, your group will give instructions and tips to the next group of judges.

To receive credit, each member of the group must submit a brief recapitulation describing your group’s process and your part in it, due within one week of the presentation.


Appendix D: Position Paper

In 750 words (approximately 2.5 double-spaced pages) and using MLA format, write an essay that responds to the following:

How does the author use the element of _____________ to establish the theme of the story?

Select one of the following stories: “Brokeback Mountain,” “Travis, B.”, “Brownies,” “Them Old Cowboy Songs,” or “Brief History of the Dead.”

After you’ve chosen the story you want to analyze, spend time thinking about what you understand to be the theme of the story. Then, determine which particular element of fiction you want to focus on as your “way in” to analyzing the theme of the story. Please limit your examination to just ONE element. The elements of fiction you may choose from are:

Plot/Narrative StructureSettingCharacterStyle, Tone, and SymbolPoint of View

So, you might end up writing about how symbolism develops the theme of isolationism in “Them Old Cowboy Songs,” or how the narrative structure develops the theme of death in “A Rose for Emily” – perhaps you’ll determine that to discuss the theme of masculinity in “Brokeback Mountain,” you need to do a detailed character analysis of Ennis. These are just examples, of course, but they should show you that you can use any of the above elements of fiction as a lens to help you illustrate how the author has developed a particular theme.

The Position Paper essay must measure exactly 750 words (not including the header). Please be sure that your essay contains a thesis and that everything in the paper “supports” that thesis. Avoid plot summary. Title your essay in a way that reflects the subject and rhetorical purpose.

This is not a research paper; do not use outside sources in your analysis.

Assume that you are writing for an audience of readers like yourself: that is, those who have read the work, share your knowledge and sense of humor, and want to know how you view the material.

In offering your own reading of the material, you must explain by showing how you derived it from passages in the text. Quotations judiciously chosen will support and amplify your point, but they require interpretation. Make your observation and then quote what you need (remember to close your quotation with quotation marks, give the page reference in parentheses, and then give the closing punctuation), and explain its relevance to the main point you're making. Include a Work Cited page.

Please remember to use present tense. The events you're writing about took place in the past, but the act of reading and talking about them takes place in the present.

This assignment is worth 200 points. Papers will be graded on the quality of the ideas and argument, the clarity of the writing, the effectiveness of the organization, and the understanding of concepts from the course. Grading standards for written assignments are included in the syllabus.


Papers are due at the beginning of class as follows:

Students whose last names begin with the A - F Friday, April 7Students whose last names begin with the G - L Friday, April 14Students whose last names begin with the M - W Friday, April 21

Do not email Position Papers.

You will receive credit only if the essay meets the above technical requirements, fulfills the given assignment, and is properly submitted by the due date. Late submissions, those that consist solely of plot summary, or those of inadequate length will not be graded.

A Writing Center tutoring session (Thompson 109) is required for the Position Paper assignment. You may use your tutoring session at any point during the drafting and revising process (brainstorming, revision, or editing) and as many times as you wish. The Writing Center will notify me by email that you have completed your session. There are a limited number of appointment slots, though, so please plan ahead and make your appointments early. To make an appointment, submit a paper for online tutoring, or to find out about drop-in hours, visit http://uca.edu/writingcenter/home. The Academic Success Center is also available to help you with all aspects of college work: http://uca.edu/success.


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