Objectives
This course is designed to provide students with a grounding in the fundamental concepts of literary theory, the history of literary criticism, techniques of literary research, and strategies for scholarly writing in the field. Within its broad representation of current approaches to literary scholarship (along with their historical antecedents), the course will give students opportunities to identify their own orientations within the domain of literary studies and to develop the research methods, interpretive procedures, and conceptual frameworks that are most conducive to the critical projects they plan to undertake. In addition to developing students’ expertise as professional researchers and writers, the course also encourages them to become confident, critical readers of philosophical and theoretical materials. Discussions will emphasize the rhetorical and aesthetic dimensions of the texts of theory alongside their conceptual content. Through this close reading of theoretical discourse, I hope to encourage students to view philosophical, metacritical speculation on the nature of language, textuality, culture, and the human subject as a creative pursuit in itself, one that cannot be easily separated from literary production as we typically recognize it. Throughout the semester, our discussions will address the problems attendant upon “applying” theoretical concepts to the individual texts or objects we study.
The seminar will be devoted primarily to discussion of the issues raised by the assigned reading, facilitated in part by student presentations and reports on research. In addition to a term paper (for which you will be asked to submit a draft), students will produce a brief review essay as part of an exercise in research methods. They will also develop a set of learning materials on a particular theoretical tradition or an individual theorist and employ them in their in-class presentations.
Texts
Leitch, Vincent, gen. ed. The Norton Anthology of Literary Theory and Criticism. Norton, 2001. Gibaldi, Joseph. The MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing. MLA, 1998. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Ed. Robert Kimbrough. Norton Critical Editions. Norton, 1987. O’iwi: A Native Hawaiian Journal. Volume 2. Kunihi ka Mauna. Kuleana O’iwi Press, 2002.
Course Packet
the packet is available from Campus Copies in the Student Center
Blog and Online Materials
our course blog is located at
http://www.hitheory.blogspot.com
and some readings and resources will be available at
http://maven.english.hawaii.edu/zuern/625/online
Connectivity
You must have an active email account and reliable access to the Internet with a current browser.