English 4345: Topics in Critical Theory: Reader-Response Theory

Summer II, 2007

MTWR 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

Preston Hall 210

Professor Kevin Porter

100B Carlisle Hall

Office Hours: MW 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Office Phone: 817-272-3112

Email: kporter1@uta.edu

Course Description

A. J. Greimas once remarked that “[t]here is perhaps a mystery of language, and this is a question of philosophy; there is no mystery in language.” The question I wish to pose is this: Is there mystery in reading? For people immersed in texts, what could seem less mysterious than reading? Like breathing, reading calls attention to itself as such only when it becomes difficult or impossible. Isn’t it simply something that we do almost constantly, effortlessly? Aren’t we doing it right now? In this (appropriately) reading-intensive course, we will survey various attempts to theorize what people do when they read.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students should be able to employ proper grammar, punctuation, spelling in writing.
Students should be able to employ standard MLA or APA guidelines for formatting assignments and citation.
Students should be able to write with clarity to communicate effectively with scholars interested in critical theory.
Students should be able to respond critically to course material, using synthesis and analysis.
Students should be able to assimilate existing information to formulate new ideas.
Students should be able to express ideas or arguments in oral form.
Students should be able to develop active listening skills including paraphrasing and synthesizing ideas expressed in class.
Students should be able to develop methods and strategies for analyzing and interpreting texts.
Students should be able to evaluate an oral, visual, or written argument for sound or faulty (fallacious) reasoning.
Students should be able to compare and contrast major themes, issues, or topics in more than one text.
Students should be able to respond critically to the writing of others in primary and secondary sources.
Students should be able to create and edit documents using word processing or other computer programs.
Students should be able to explain the major tenets of Stanley Fish, Wolfgang Iser, and Louise Rosenblatt.
Students should be able to critically analyze the notions of reader, reading, writer, writing, text, and response.

Required Texts

• Fish, Stanley. Is There a Text in This Class?: The Authority of Interpretive Communities. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2005. [ISBN: 0-674-46726-4]

• Iser, Wolfgang. The Act of Reading: A Theory of Aesthetic Response (New ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1980. [ISBN: 0-8018-2371-4]

• Rosenblatt, Louise M. The Reader, the Text, the Poem: The Transactional Theory of the Literary Work. Southern Illinois UP, 1994. [ISBN: 0-8093-1805-9]

Note: ISBN numbers are provided for those students who wish to purchase their textbooks somewhere other than the university bookstore.

Major Assignments

Students will submit 15 reading cards (see below) and complete 3 take-home exams.

Grade Distribution

Reading Cards 30%

Exam 1 30%

Exam 2 40%

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory, and active participation is expected. Attendance will be taken in the following way. At the start of each class, you must submit a 4x6 index card that contains the following: your name, the date, a 1-2 sentence summary of a single chapter from the assigned reading, and 1 question that I may announce—anonymously, of course—for general discussion.

Important:

• If you are running late for class (i.e., no more than 30 minutes), please hand your card to me as soon as you enter the classroom. If I have not yet collected the reading cards, you will receive full credit; if I have already collected them, you will receive ½ credit.

• Cards submitted later than 30 minutes after class has started will not receive credit.

• Cards that include only a question or a summary will receive half-credit.

• Cards that explain why you have not written a summary and question will not receive credit!

• Excluding the first day of class, we have 17 scheduled meetings that involve newly assigned readings. Because it is not always possible to attend class, I will expect from you a maximum of 15 cards, which means that you have two excused absences. Any additional cards will each count as 1% extra-credit toward your final course grade.

Drop Policy

UTA instructors cannot drop students for any reason. You may choose to drop the course with an automatic “W” by July 27^th. According to the University’s new drop policy, students who are dropping an English class may no longer go to the English department to do so—unless they are English majors; instead, students must first bring their instructors a form that they will sign indicating that they have discussed the reason(s) for dropping. The students then bring this form to their major advisors. Students who are undeclared must go to the University Advising Center.

Note: The state of Texas has recently adopted a bill that will limit students entering an institution of higher education in Fall 2007 to 6 courses that they can drop in their academic career. There is no differentiation in the credit hours of the course: a 1-hour course is one drop and a 5-hour course is one drop.  

Schedule of Assignments

I reserve the right to modify the following schedule of assignments as needed. I strongly recommend that you do not simply keep pace with our schedule of readings, but that you read as far ahead as possible because some texts—and some chapters within texts—are more challenging than others.

All texts marked *** are available for download as PDF files. Because of the files are rather large, save them to your computer rather than trying to open them directly through your internet browser (i.e., right-click on the link and then use the “Save Target As” command); otherwise, your browser might crash.

R 7/5 Introduction to the course

M 7/9 The New Criticism

*** Ruskin, “Pathetic Fallacy”

*** Wimsatt & Beardsley, “Intentional Fallacy” and “Affective Fallacy”

T 7/10 Rosenblatt, Ch. 1 & 2

W 7/11 Rosenblatt, Ch. 3 & 4

R 7/12 Rosenblatt, Ch. 5 & 6

M 7/16 Rosenblatt, Ch. 7 and Epilogue

T 7/17 Iser, Ch. 1

Exam 1 (“New Criticism & Rosenblatt”) assigned

W 7/18 Iser, Ch. 2

R 7/19 Iser, Ch. 3

M 7/23 Iser, Ch. 4

T 7/24 Iser, Ch. 5

W 7/25 Iser, Ch. 6

R 7/26 Iser, Ch. 7

M 7/30 Iser, Ch. 8

Exam 1 due

T 7/31 Fish, Ch. 1 & 3

W 8/1 Fish, Ch. 9 & 11

R 8/2 Fish, Ch. 13 & 14

M 8/6 Fish, Ch. 15 & 16

Exam 2 (“Iser and Fish”) assigned

Exam 2 is due by 1:00 p.m. on Friday, August 10^th. I assume that they will be sent to me via email attachment; if this is impossible for you, please make alternative arrangements with me ASAP. No late work will be accepted.

Americans with Disabilities Act

The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; reference Public Law 92-112 - The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. With the passage of federal legislation entitled Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), pursuant to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by all citizens.

As a faculty member, I am required by law to provide "reasonable accommodations" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Student responsibility primarily rests with informing faculty of their need for accommodation and in providing authorized documentation through designated administrative channels.  Information regarding specific diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining academic accommodations can be found at www.uta.edu/disability.   Also, you may visit the Office for Students with Disabilities in room 102 of University Hall or call them at (817) 272-3364.

Academic Integrity

It is the philosophy of The University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the University.

"Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts." (Regents’ Rules and Regulations, Series 50101, Section 2.2)

Student Support Services Available

The University of Texas at Arlington supports a variety of student success programs to help you connect with the University and achieve academic success. These programs include learning assistance, developmental education, advising and mentoring, admission and transition, and federally funded programs. Students requiring assistance academically, personally, or socially should contact the Office of Student Success Programs at 817-272-6107 for more information and appropriate referrals.

E-Culture Policy

The University of Texas at Arlington has adopted the University email address as an official means of communication with students. Through the use of email, UT-Arlington is able to provide students with relevant and timely information, designed to facilitate student success. In particular, important information concerning registration, financial aid, payment of bills, and graduation may be sent to students through email.

All students are assigned an email account and information about activating and using it is available at www.uta.edu/email. New students (first semester at UTA) are able to activate their email account 24 hours after registering for courses. There is no additional charge to students for using this account, and it remains active as long as a student is enrolled at UT-Arlington. Students are responsible for checking their email regularly.