Literary Studies 2331 – 002

Masterpieces of World Literature

Fall 2005

Numair A. Choudhury
University of Texas at Dallas
School of Arts & Humanities

*DAYS/TIME :Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

*LOCATION : CB 1.110

*Office: JO 4.314

*Office Hours: Thursdays 3:30pm-4:30pm

*Phone: 972-883-2018

*Email: nac032000@utdallas.edu

The reality of the other person is not in what he reveals to you, but in what he cannot
reveal to you. Therefore, if you would understand him, listen not to what he says, but
rather to what he does not say.
- Khalil Gibran (Sand and Foam)

Course Description

This course will examine several literary masterpieces of the world with an interest in
identity formation and their role in the communication of narratives, specifically novels.
One can loosely classify the course trajectory as consisting of two parts- the first would
be the reading of texts where fiction overtly engages with the human psyche and its need
to carve out a particular niche; and second, the scrutiny of narratives where the personal
quest for social distinctiveness is replaced or cloaked by obsessive interests.

Defining identity may be as complex as developing one's identity; even Eric Erikson
(1968) was hesitant to offer a definitive explanation. It may be that the definition includes
the unity and integration of all aspects of self, including the conscious and unconscious. It
may be that another way to define identity is through answering the question, "who am
I?" While the course will not be primarily concerned with the psychological
underpinnings and nuances of specific manifestations of ego, it will be directed towards
examining their impact on the construction of texts.
Required Texts & Supplies

1) Narrow Road to the Interior : And Other Writings (Shambhala Classics)

by Matsuo Basho, Sam Hamill (Translator)
ISBN: 1570627169

2) Don Quixote
by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, John Rutherford (Translator), Roberto Gonzalez
Echevarria (Introduction)
ISBN: 0142437239

3) Goethe's Faust
by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, Walter Kaufmann (Translator)
ISBN: 0385031149

4) Madame Bovary (Bantam Classics)

by Gustave Flaubert
ISBN: 0553213415

5) Heart of Darkness: An Authoritative Text, Backgrounds and Sources, Criticism

(Norton Critical Editions)
by Joseph Conrad, Robert Kimbrough (Editor)
ISBN: 0393955524

6) Things Fall Apart: A Novel

by Chinua Achebe
ISBN: 0385474547

7) The Grass Is Singing : A Novel (Perennial Classics)

by Doris Lessing
ISBN: 0060953462

8) Eva Luna by Isabel Allende, Margaret Sayers Peden (Translator)

ISBN: 055357535X

9) Shame: A Novel
by Salman Rushdie

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ISBN: 0312270933

10) Akhenaten: Dweller in Truth

By Naguib Mahfouz, Tagreid Abu-Hassabo (Translator)
ISBN: 0385499094

The following is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

Attendance Policy

Because participation is vital to successful completion of Litrature 2331, you should

attend every class. If you must be absent, check with your classmates or with me for any
work you missed that can be made up. Much of the work is done collaboratively in class.
Alternative assignments are generally not given, nor can the instructor “re-teach” missed
classes for individual students. If you miss more than three classes, your grade will be
negatively affected and/or you may be encouraged to drop the class. Two tardies will
count as one absence. Chronic tardiness is unacceptable, as are coming to class
unprepared, doing work that is not for this course during class, sleeping in class, or using
the computers or other personal electronic devices for personal messaging, research, or
entertainment. Please turn off cellular/mobile phones, pagers, and other personal
electronic devices during class.

Drop Policy

See here for details on deadlines and procedures for dropping:

http://www.utdallas.edu/student/class/current/newpolicywpwf.htm

Office Hours

Please note my regular office hours above. You also can arrange to see me at other times
that are mutually convenient. Office hours belong to you just as much as our class time.
Don’t hesitate to take advantage of my availability and the help I am ready to offer. If
you need to contact me outside of class time or office hours, it is best to communicate
with me by email (nac032000@udallas.edu) rather than the office phone.

Email Policy

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO UTD STUDENTS: As of August 1, 2004, all email

correspondence with students will be sent ONLY to the student's U.T. Dallas email
address. U.T. Dallas provides each student with a free email account that is to be used in
all communication with university personnel. This allows the university to maintain a
high degree of confidence in the identity of all individuals corresponding and the security

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of the transmitted information. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas
provides a method for students to forward email from other accounts to their U.T. Dallas
address and have their U.T. Dallas mail sent on to other accounts. Students may go to the
following URL to establish or maintain their official U.T. Dallas computer account:
http://netid.utdallas.edu/

Grading Policy
The following grade criteria describe very general indicators that both you and your
instructor may take into consideration when assessing your work and progress in the
course. Your estimation of your mid-term and final grades should be more detailed and
specific and may include a ‘+’ or ‘–‘ if your work tilts above or below the central grade
for which you argue. But the final interpretation and assessment of your grade remains
the responsibility of your teacher.

A: Represents outstanding participation in all course activities (including attendance and

promptness); all assigned work completed on time, with very high quality in all work
produced for the course

B: Represents excellent participation in all course activities (including attendance and

promptness); all assigned work completed on time, with consistently high quality in
course work.

C: Represents good (but average) participation in all course activities; all assigned work
completed, with generally good quality overall in course work

D: Represents uneven participation in course activities; some gaps in assigned work

completed, with inconsistent quality in course work.

F: Represents minimal participation in course activities; serious gaps in assigned work

completed, or very low quality in course work. Evidence of development is not available.

UTD Grading scale

(http://www.utdallas.edu/student/catalog/undergrad02/progress.html#Grading%20Scale)

Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism is the representation of another person’s work as your own, whether you mean
to or not. For example, copying or paraphrasing passages from another writer’s work
without acknowledging that you’ve done so is plagiarism. Allowing another writer to
write any part of your essay is plagiarism. Copying or purchasing a paper from any
source is plagiarism.

Plagiarism is a serious offense. The possible consequences range from failing the
assignment to failing the course, or worse. Each incident of plagiarism at UTD must be
reported to the administration. If you are not sure how to properly cite a quoted or
paraphrased source, or if you need help with the format of a citation, check with the New

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Century Handbook and/or with your teacher. Although you can (and, in fact, should) seek
help and advice from friends, classmates, tutors, and others, be sure that your written
work is your own.

See the Undergraduate Catalog for information about the consequences of Scholastic
Dishonesty, or view the policy here (which is also a link on the Rhetoric Program
website):

http://www.utdallas.edu/student/slife/dishonesty.html.

Major Assignments

YOU MUST BRING A PRINTED COPY OF BOTH PAPERS BY CLASSTIME OF

THE DAY THE PAPER IS DUE.

First Essay due 9/27: Essay should be 4-5 double-spaced pages using MLA format for
Works Cited. 30% of grade .

Second Essay Due 11/24: Essay should be 5-6 pages double-spaced pages using MLA
format for Works Cited. 40% of grade .

In addition every student must submit a one-page handout on the day of their book
presentation. This is an important part of class participation and attendance, which
accounts for 30% of grade .

Syllabus Itinerary (subject to change)

Week 1

Thu 8/18: Introduction to course and syllabus.

Assignments: Read handouts and start Narrow Road to the Interior : And Other
Writings by Matsuo Basho.

Week 2

Tue 8/23: No class.

Thu 8/25: In-class: We will discuss the following questions: How does identity formation
figure in communication? In literature?
Assignments: Start reading Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert.

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Week 3

Tue 8/30 and Thu 9/1: In-class: Discussion of Narrow Road to the Interior : And
Other Writings.

Assignments: Finish reading Madame Bovary.

Week 4

Tue 9/6 and Thu 9/8: In-class: Discussion of Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert.
Student presentations.

Assignments: Finish reading Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.

Week 5

Tue 9/13 and Thu 9/15: Discussion of Things Fall Apart. Student presentations.

Assignments: Start reading Don Quixote, part 1. Reminder: First Paper due 9/27 (4-5
pages).

Week 6

Tue 9/20: Class discussion of paper topics and explanation of requirements.

Thu 9/22: Class workshop on papers.

Assignments: Finish work on First Paper due Tue 9/27. Finish Don Quixote, part 1.

Week 7

Tue 9/27 and Thu 9/29: Class discussion on Don Quixote, part 1. Student presentations.

Assignments: Finish reading Faust by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe.

Week 8

Tue 10/4 and Thu 10/7: Class discussion on Faust. Student presentations.

Assignments: Finish reading Eva Luna.

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Week 9

Tue 10/11 and Thu 10/13: Class discussion on Eva Luna. Student presentations.

Assignments: Finish reading Shame .

Week 10

Tue 10/18 and Thu 10/20: Class discussion on Shame. Student presentations.

Assignments: Finish reading Heart of Darkness.

Week 11

Tue 10/25 and 10/27: Class discussion on Heart of Darkness. Student presentations.

Assignments: Finish reading The Grass is Singing.

Week 12

Tue 11/1 and Thu11/13: Class discussion on The Grass is Singing. Student
presentations.

Assignments: Finish reading Akhenaten: Dweller in Truth.

Week 13

Tue 11/8 and Thu 11/10: Class discussion on Akhenaten: Dweller in Truth. Student
presentations.

Assignments: Start researching topics for Second Paper, due 11/24. (5-6 pages)

Week 14

Tue 11/15 and Thu 11/17: Individual meetings to discuss progress on papers.

Week 15

Tue 11/22: Second Paper due. Course evaluations.

Thu 11/24: Thanksgiving Holiday!

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Muhammad Betz: Konrad Lorenz, Nobel Laureate, has stated, "Everything we know about
the material world in which we live derives from our phylogentically evolved mechanisms
for acquiring information..." My first take on the current discussion relates to the
evolutionary view in general, and specifically, to the relationship between homo sapiens and
the computer, and as Lorenz has stated, this is an interactive, reciprocating relationship. The
question: Does this phenomenon indicate an evolutionary event? No, not yet. Evolution does
not occur within one generation.