LIT 2090: Multi-Ethnic Literature
Tentative Course Schedule
TR 11:40-1:35
Spring 2019
NOTE: This schedule may change as needed. Your presence in class ensures correct assignments
WEEK 1
T 3/5 Introduction to the course; Review syllabus and texts & reading critically;
New Historicism & Working Definitions; How Can We Address Centuries of
Forming an Academic Argument
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/7):
- Complete Syllabus Quiz in Ulearn
- Read "Introduction to American Tensions" by William Reichard (See Course Readings)
- Read "Lullaby" by Leslie Marmon Silko (See Course Readings in Ulearn)
- Do Reader Response #1 by posting a 300 word min. response to
the following question by class time: How does Silko bear witness to history with her story and
use the work as a means of and a tool for social justice? Include a min. of one quote.
- Email Prof. Harmon the link to your blog @kenny.harmon@jwu.edu
R 3/7 Discuss Reichard & Silko; Quiz & Blog Post; Intro to
Fiction Terms
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/12):
For Next Time:
- Read “Run, Mourner, Run" by Randall Kenan (See Course Readings in Ulearn)
- Read "When I was a Young Soldier for the Revolution: Coming to Voice"by bell hooks
Do Reader Response #2 by posting a 300 word min. response to the following question
by class time: In what way(s) might we consider Kenan's story a "speaking out" against a
culture of domination? Include a min. of one quote.
WEEK 2
T 3/12 Discuss Kenan & hooks; quiz & blog post
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/14):
Read "A Temporary Matter" by Jhumpa Lahiri (See Course Readings
Do Reader Response #3 by posting a 300 word min. response to the following question by class
time: What role does the idea of sin or guilt and/or the pull of family play in the unraveling of
this relationship? Include a min. of one quote.
R 3/14 Discuss Lahiri; Quiz & blog post;
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/19):
- Read "Eddison, New Jersey" by Junot Diaz
- Do Reader Response #4 by posting a 300 word mi. response to the following question by
class time: How does this story shed light on the issues of class and family in American culture
and perhaps reorient our understanding of American identity? Include a min. of one quote.
WEEK 3
T 3/19 Discuss Diaz; Quiz and blog post; PRESENTATION 1
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/21):
- First Draft of Essay 1 due next class; min. 4 FULL pages (no more than 5); Upload to
Ulearn by class time; Go to: SUBMIT ESSAYS/ASSIGNMENTS > ESSAYS
- Submit draft of Essay 1 to SmartThinking before class via JWU LINK
- Identify a poem from an African American poet FROM COURSE READINGS IN
ULEARN that you would like to discuss next class
R 3/21 First Draft of Essay 1 due; Exchange papers; Why Critique? Intro to Poetry;
Discuss African American Poetry; Blog Post
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/26):
- Complete Typed Peer Critique of partner's paper; post to Ulearn by class time (TWO
PARTS: questions you wrote on draft as you read it the first time and answers to the critique
questions about your partner's draft); post as ONE MS WORD file; GO TO:
SUBMIT ESSAYS/ASSIGNMENTS > PEER CRITIQUES
- Upload Smart Thinking report and revision plan free write as one MS Word file; Go to
SUBMIT ESSAYS/ASSIGNMENTS <SMARTHINKING REPORTS &
REVISION PLANS
- Locate a poem by a Native American poet FROM COURSE READINGS IN
ULEARN that you would like to discuss next class.
WEEK 4
T 3/26 Peer critique; Native American Poetry
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/28):
- Work on Revisions for Essay 1
R 3/28 CLASS ONLINE; Watch The Hate You Give; Complete discussion board
post by answering the question posed in the forum in a min. of 500 words;
go to "Discussion Boards" link in Ulearn; after 11:59 pm today, return to the
same discussion board and respond to the posts of two other students for a
TOTAL of 600 words (combined for both)
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/2):
- Return to today's Gattaca discussion board and respond to the posts of two other students for a TOTAL of 600 words (combined for both)
- Final Draft of Essay 1 due with Reflection; Upload final draft and
Reflection to Blackboard (in same file); Must submit as MS Word document
- Locate a poem by an Asian America poet FROM COURSE READINGS IN
ULEARN that you would like to discuss next class.
WEEK 5
Discuss Selected Native American and Asian American Poets; Complete
initial post by 5 pm today; go to "Discussion Boards" link in Ulearn; After
5pm today, return to the same discussion board and respond to the posts of
two students for a TOTAL of 600 words (combined for both)
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/4):
- Return to today's poetry discussion board (after 5 pm) and respond to the posts of two other
students before class time on Thursday.
- Complete Midterm Evaluation
- Locate a poem by a Latino poet FROM COURSE READINGS IN ULEARN that you
R 4/4 Discuss Selected Latino Poets; Blog Post; Discuss Essay 2
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/9):
- Read Opening Pages and "Autumn" section of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye (up through
page 58)
- Do Reader Response #5 by posting a 300 word min. response to your
blog to the following question by class time on M 4/8: How does the content of this section
connect to one of the poems that we read this term? Be sure to include a min. of one quote.
WEEK 6
T 4/9 Quiz; Discuss opening section of The Bluest Eye; PRESENTATION 2
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/11):
- Read "Winter" section of The Bluest Eye , pp. 61-93
- Do Reader Response #6 by posting a 300 word min. response to your blog to the
- following question by class time: How does the content of this section
connect to one of the poems that we read this term? Be sure to include a min. of one quote.
R 4/11 Quiz & Blog Post; Discuss The Bluest Eye
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/16):
- First Draft of Essay 2 Due; Upload Draft to Ulearn; Go to;
SUBMIT ESSAYS/ASSIGNMENTS >ESSAYS > ESSAY 2, 1ST DRAFT
- Upload copy of draft to SmartThinking as well via link.jwu.edu
WEEK 7
T 4/16 First Draft of Essay 2 due; exchange papers with partner for critique; Why
Critique? Watch Black Museum episode of Black Mirror series (Colm
McCarthy, 69 min.); In class blog: Connections between Black Museum and
The Bluest Eye
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/18):
- Complete Typed Peer Critique of partner's paper; post to Blackboard
- Read pp. 97-131 of The Bluest Eye
Upload Smart Thinking report and revision plan free write responding to tutor's comments as
one MS Word file; Go to SUBMIT ESSAYS/ASSIGNMENTS <SMARTHINKING
REPORTS & REVISION PLANS
R 4/18 Quiz; Peer Critique, Essay 2; Discuss The Bluest Eye; PRESENTATION 3
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/23):
- Final Draft of Essay 2 Due w/Reflection; Upload final draft and
reflection to Ulearn (as one MS Word file)
WEEK 8
Discuss Chrystos & Lorde; Watch Two Spirit Video
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/25):
- Read pp. 132-183 of The Bluest Eye
- Do Reader Response #7 by posting a 300 word min. response to your blog to the following
question by class time: ? Be sure to include a min. of one quote.
T 4/25 Quiz & Blog Post; The Bluest Eye
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/30):
- Read 187-216 of The Bluest Eye
WEEK 9
T 4/30 Discuss The Bluest Eye: PRESENTATION 4; History of the Vietnam War & Thi
Bui's The Best We Could Do
HOMEWORK (DUE 5/2):
- Read Chapters 1-3 of The Best We Could do
- Do Reader Response #8 by posting a 300 word min. response in Ulearn to the following question by class time: Make a connection between this section of the text and one of the short
stories or poems that we read this term. Provide specific examples from each text and include
a min. of one quote.
R 5/2 Quiz & Blog Post; Discuss The Best We Could Do
HOMEWORK (DUE 5/7):
- Read Chapters 4 & 5 of The Best We Could Do
- Complete Reading Quiz in Ulearn
- Do Reader Response #9 by posting a 300 word min. response to
the Ulearn discussion board by class time: Make a connection between this section of the text
and one of the short stories or poems that we read this term. Provide specific examples from each
text and include a min. of one quote.
WEEK 10
T 5/7 Watch Black Panther (Ryan Coogler, 2018, 132 min.)
HOMEWORK (DUE 5/9):
- Read Chapters 6-10 of the Best We Could Do
- Do Reader Response #10 by posting a 300 word min. response in Ulearn to the following
question by class time: In what ways does this text demonstrate what it means to be a citizen in
a democracy, and how does it point out that the simple binary (us/vs) history lesson that most
of us learned as children is much more complicated than what we were taught when we were
younger? Provide specific examples from each text and include a min. of one quote.
- Begin work on Final Exam
R 5/9 Final Reading Quiz; Black Panther Blog Post: In his introduction to American
tensions, William Reichard remarks that "who we are as Americans is a messy
fractious web of cultures, myths, relationships, and races" (xvii). How does
this film speak to these ideas?
HOMEWORK (DUE 5/16):
- Final Exam due with Reflection; upload both to Ulearn as one MS Word
file
WEEK 11
T 5/14 Reading Day
