MLL 430 Survey of Francophone Lit, Chang

MLL 430­01 WL Fall 2008 Survey of Francophone Literature INSTRUCTOR: Zuowei Chang EMAIL: [email protected] OFFICE: 411 Grubbs Hall OFFICE HOURS: M/F: 11am­1:30 pm; W: 11am­12pm; 1­ 2pm T: 8­9am; 3:30­5:30pm FRENCH TABLE: W: 12­1pm TEXTS: Une si longue lettre (Mariame Bâ) Cahier d’un retour au pays natal (Aimé Césaire) Moi, Tituba Sorcière ... (Maryse Condé) Femmes d’Alger dans leur appartement (Assia Djebar) Pays sans chapeau (Dany Laferrière) Belles sœurs (Tremblay) Texts on hold at Axe Library COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to the literature of the French­speaking world. It will expose the students to a variety of Francophone literature from Africa, Europe, North American and the Caribbean. We will focus on the impact of historical events during the colonial and post­colonial eras on francophone literature. The socio­cultural and economic traditions and issues in different countries will also be discussed. STUDENTS RESPONSIBILITIES: Attendance & Participation Attendance and participation count heavily in the final grade and should be taken seriously. Students will be dropped out of the class for excessive absences. Three absences (excused or unexcused) are permitted, but any absence will affect the Class Preparation & Participation portion of the student’s final grade. Students who miss class are responsible for work assigned on the missed day. Presentation During the semester, students are required to do an oral explication de texte on a poem or a short essay. Homework Students are expected to read all assigned texts and complete all assignments for a given day before coming to class. Students will have to turn in written homework (answering questions on the assigned readings). Homework must be turned in on time (via email at least 3 hours before class). Tests There will be 2 tests during the semester. Please note that there will be no make­up tests except in the case of an extreme emergency. Papers Students will be asked to write 3 short “thought papers” (2­4 pages) on selected works studied and a final paper (5­7 pages) on one of these three novels: Une si longue lettre (Mariame Bâ); Moi, Tituba
Sorcière ... (Maryse Condé); Pays sans chapeau (Dany Laferrière), that will be due on the first day of final exams. Students will be required to spend ½ hour per week in conversation with a native French speaker (conversation partner). His/her schedule will be made available to you, and you will sign up for a permanent time­slot to meet with him/her each week. If you miss your appointment, you will not receive credit for it. Unfortunately, the Foreign Language Department budget cannot afford to pay your conversation partner twice for your session­­for the time you missed and for your make­up appointment. You may call and reschedule, but a missed appointment will be a missed appointment. SPECIAL CONCERNS: Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact me as soon as possible to make necessary accommodations. STATE STANDARDS: Students make progress towards meeting standards required for the PreK­12 Teaching Field in Foreign Language, including: Standard # 1: The teacher of a foreign Language has knowledge in specific areas related to the target language, its literature, and its culture appropriate to the developmental needs and interests of students. Knowledge # 1: The teacher is aware that language manifests itself in all aspects of life. Knowledge # 2: the teacher knows how the target culture and target language interrelate. Knowledge # 3: The teacher understands linguistic and cultural realities as dynamic and complex and views perspectives of language and culture in relation to practices and products. Knowledge # 4: The teacher knows both formal and informal aspects of the target language: geography, history, economics, the arts, religion, politics, daily living and customs, social sciences, literature, and origins of the language. Performance # 1: the teacher presents the target language, its literature, and its culture in contextually meaningful situations. Performance # 2: The teacher explains the interrelated connections between the target language and the target culture. Examples of Required Performance: Write short thought papers, short essays for examinations and a developed essay for a Final Paper, paticipate in class discussion, give an oral and a written explication de texte. GRADING POLICIES: Your grade will be calculated as follow: Grading scale: Attendance & Participation: 20% A = 90% ­100% Presentation: 10% B = 80% ­89% Tests: 20% C = 70% ­79% Thought Papers & Homework: 30% D = 60% ­69% Final Paper: 20% F = 0% ­59%
Tentative syllabus Semaine 1­2 Panorama du monde francophone La Francophonie /l’histoire / une singularité francophone Documentaire : Colonisation et décolonisation Semaine 2­5 La littérature francophone du Magreb Assia Djebar, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Leila Sebbar, Albert Memmi, etc. Vidéo clips: La saison des hommes Documentaire : Une jeunesse entre deux rives (First thought paper) Semaine 5­7 La littérature francophone de Belgique et de Suisse Sylviane Chatelain, René Kalisky, Amélie Nothomb. Vidéo clips : Ce jour­là / 25 degrée en hiver Semaine 7­9 La littérature québécoise Anne Hébert, Gabrielle Roy, Tremblay. Vidéo clips: Les aimants/ Un gars une fille Interro 1 (Second thought paper) Semaine 10­13 La littérature francophone de la Caraïbe Edouard Glissand, Aimé Césaire, Maryse Condé, Frantz Fanon, Dany Laferrière, etc. Documentaire : La Guyane Semaine 13­16 La littérature francophone d’Afrique Mariame Bâ, Léopold Senghor, Camara Laye, Ferdinand Oyono, Ahmadou Kourouma, Henri Lopes, etc. Vidéo Clips: Baara, Tilaï Documentaire : Léopold Senghor / Enfance : Niger et Mali Interro 2 Conclusion (Third thought paper)