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ENGL 1031
Composition and Indigenous Literatures in Canada II

3.0 Credits

Description

This course is comparable to the second half of other first-year university English courses. Course requirements include reading: novels, a novel excerpt, one-act and full-length plays, and a wide range of poems. The six instructional units in this course cover a broad and exciting range and depth of literature written in English by Canadian Indigenous writers, beginning in the twentieth century. Students will develop an appreciation for both the significance of oral storytelling to contemporary Aboriginal writers as well as the diverse contributions of these writers to contemporary literature. Students will identify, analyze and discuss many literary conventions related to fiction, drama and poetry. In addition, students will receive further experience in composition and in writing critical essays, including a formal research paper.

Delivery Method

Delivery is self-paced, allowing you the flexibility to proceed through the course according to your own schedule. TRU-Open Learning has no admission requirements and you can register for this course at any time throughout the year.

Prerequisites

English 12 or equivalent. ENGL 1001 (previously ENGL 100) or ENGL 1021 (previously ENGL 102) (or equivalent) is strongly recommended.

Exclusions

This course satisfies the second half of the introductory English literature and composition requirement of TRU degrees. Students with credit for ENGL 1011 (previously ENGL 101) or SFU's ENGL 105 may not take this course for further credit. If in doubt, please contact your academic advisor.

Objectives

Successful completion of this course will enable you to:

  • Describe and analyze, with literary terminology, the components and basic structures of novels, plays, and poems, using specific examples from works studied in the course.
  • Identify the influence of the oral tradition on contemporary Aboriginal writers.
  • Respond to Native writing, with an awareness of cultural and historical contexts.
  • Identify and discuss literary patterns in a novel, play, or poem.
  • Identify and analyze the contribution to the work as a whole of important passages selected from the plays and poems studied in this course.
  • Write coherent and focused critical essays, including a formal research paper, on literary texts and topics.
  • Evaluate and compare different authorial treatments of particular themes and subjects in works of different genres.

Course Outline

  • Unit 1: Aboriginal Novels: Introduction to recent Native fiction, including a look at some important characteristics and beliefs shared by many Aboriginal cultures in Canada.
  • Unit 2: One-Act Plays and Oral Storytelling: Introduction to drama, with further insights into the Aboriginal tradition of oral storytelling.
  • Unit 3: Major Full-Length, Multi-Cast Plays: Examination of the first Aboriginal play that attracted wide mainstream notice and a later play that garnered similar notice.
  • Unit 4: Introduction to Native Poetry: Introduction to basic methods of explicating and analyzing poetry, and continuation of the course's study of the connection between Western forms of literature and Native orality.
  • Unit 5: Modern Poetry: Exploration of the themes and approaches of contemporary Aboriginal poets and, in particular, experiments with form.
  • Unit 6: Monkey Beach and the Literary Research Paper: Reading Eden Robinson's Monkey Beachand an introduction to the research paper.

Maximum Completion

30 weeks

Required Text and Materials

  1. Barnet, Sylvan. Reid, Gilbert. and William E. Cain. A Short Guide to Writing about Literature. 2nd Cdn. ed.. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada, 2004.
    Type: Textbook. ISBN 9780321105691
  1. Moses, Daniel David. and Terry Goldie, Eds. An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English. 3rd ed. Don Mills: Oxford University Press Canada, 2005.
    Type: Textbook. ISBN 9780195420784
  1. King, Thomas. Medicine River. Penguin Group (Canada), 2005.
    Type: Textbook. ISBN 9780143054351
  1. Dennis, Darrell. Two Plays: Tales of an Urban Indian/The Trickster of Third Avenue East. Toronto: Playwrights Canada Press, 2005.
    Type: Textbook. ISBN 9780887547720
  1. Highway, Tomson. The Rez Sisters. Calgary: Fifth House Limited, 1988.
    Type: Textbook. ISBN 9780920079447
  1. Clements, Marie. The Unnatural and Accidental Women. Vancouver: Talonbooks, 2005.
    Type: Textbook. ISBN 9780889225213
  1. Robinson, Eden. Monkey Beach. Toronto: Alfred A. Knopf, 2000.
    Type: Textbook. ISBN 9780676973228

Audiovisual Materials

  1. Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning. ENGL 103 DVD. Note: The DVD is included only in the print version of the course; in the web version, the clips of the audio and video materials are provided online.. 2009.
    Type: DVD

Additional Requirements

A DVD player and a dictionary.

Open Learning Faculty Member Information

An Open Learning Faculty Member is available to assist students. Primary communication is by phone if you are taking the print version of the course, and by web mail if you are taking the web version. You will receive a welcome letter from the Open Learning Faculty Member providing contact information when you start the course.

Assessment

In order to successfully complete this course, you must obtain at least 50 % on the final mandatory examination and 50 % overall. It is strongly recommended that students complete all assignments in order to achieve the learning objectives of the course. The total mark will be determined on the following basis:

Assignment 1 10%
Assignment 2 15%
Assignment 3 15%
Assignment 4 20%
Final Examination 40%
Total 100%

Students must pass the final exam to receive a passing grade in the course.



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