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ENG 250

I. TITLE: Contemporary World Literature

II. CATALOG DESCRIPTION: A study of selected novels, short stories, plays, and poetry from world literature of the last thirty years. Works studied will be by important new authors not native to the United States and will illustrate contemporary literary trends. Works selected will include representative texts from North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Africa.

III. PURPOSE: This course is designed to introduce students to significant contemporary authors and to increase awareness of the relationship between a literary work and the culture from which it emerges. ENG 250 cultivates the following Characteristics of an MSU graduate:

Characteristic 1: Engage in mature, independent thought and express that thought effectively in oral and written communication. ENG 215 will improve students’ ability to read, analyze, and compare literary works from a variety of traditions and to discuss and write about the issues they raise;

Characteristic 2: Understand the critical and scientific methodologies academic disciplines employ to discover knowledge and ascertain its validity. By exposing students to a wide variety of diverse literature, ENG 250 will help students understand the underlying principles and techniques of literature in general;

Characteristic 3: Apply sound standards of analysis and evaluation to reach logical decisions. Students will learn to analyze and compare literary works from a variety of cultural traditions;

Characteristic 5: Demonstrate a critical understanding of the world’s historical, literary, philosophical and artistic traditions. ENG 250 will introduce students to significant literary works and the historical and cultural traditions from which they emerged;

Characteristic 6: Understand the dynamics of cultural diversity, of competing economic and political systems, and of complex moral and ethical issues. By reading and analyzing literary works from all over the globe, students will emerge with a greater understanding of the different ways authors from diverse cultural traditions view the world and express basic human concerns.

IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of ENG 250, students should be able to
A. Demonstrate a familiarity with current trends in world literature;
B. Understand how literary works from different cultural traditions reflect the concerns of the culture from which they emerge;
C. Demonstrate an understanding of the basic techniques found in literary works;
E. Communicate their understanding of literature in both clearly-organized essays and in oral presentations.

V. CONTENT OUTLINE: All sections of ENG 250 will share a common purpose and will include texts from around the globe. However, since by definition there are no canonical texts in contemporary literature, the specific works chosen and the structural basis of the course will vary from semester to semester. In different semesters, the course will take one of the following forms: A) an analysis of a single genre employed by writers in different cultures; B) a survey of significant works from different traditions; C) a study of a selected theme as depicted in a variety of works.

VI. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:
A. Active learning methodologies: The class is conducted through a number of methodologies, including class discussions, student oral presentations, small group discussion, multimedia presentations, and background lectures.

B. Reading, writing, speaking, and critical thinking requirements: Students will be required to read a substantial selection of literary works from around the globe. They will be assigned papers totaling at least 2000 words and they will take 2-4 examinations. Students will be required to make one oral presentation. The ability to communicate orally will count as part of a student’s grade.

C. Computer technology: As Murray State has many labs available for student use, students will use the internet for research.

VII. FIELD AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCES: If an appropriate play or exhibit is available, students may be assigned to see it. Students will be required to attend showings of the Cinema Internationale.

VIII. RESOURCES: Resources utilized in ENG 215 include books, essays, and films available at the Waterfield library. Students also have access to Internet sites appropriate for the study of contemporary literature.

IX. GRADING PROCEDURES: Grading in the course will be based on the student’s performance on the required work. At least 20% of the course grade will come from examinations; at least 20% from papers; at least 10% from oral presentations; and at least 10% from participation and quizzes. The evaluation of all written work will weigh the quality of insights, the kind and quality of evidence, and the clarity of the work as well as the level of correctness. Student writing will reflect the broad variety of world wide web resources on this subject.

X. ATTENDANCE POLICY: Students are expected to attend each class meeting. Their course grade will be lowered one third of a letter grade for each unexcused absence over 3. If for any reason students miss one fourth or more of the class meetings, they will not receive a passing grade for the course.

XI. ACADEMIC HONESTY: See attached college and university policies.

XII. TEXTS AND REFERENCES: Texts will vary in accordance with the emphasis chosen by the instructor. Texts will likely include collections of stories of a particular region, such as A
Hammock Beneath the Mangoes, one of a number of anthologies of modern Latin American short stories currently in print. Penguin and many other trade publishers publish similar collections of contemporary stories translated from Spanish, France, German, Russian, and third-world languages, as well as stories written in English in former Commonwealth countries. New novels by foreign authors, in translation where necessary, are easily and cheaply available in paperback. Poetry is available either in the form of individual works (such as Derek Walcott’s West Indian epic Omeros) or as part of anthologies or journals such as Poetry.

XIII. PREREQUISITES: ENG 101 and 102 or ENG 104 (or the equivalent).

Last updated February 14, 2000. Designed and maintained by Kyosung Koo