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MLC 212: Survey of East Asian Literature

Spring 2006 - 3 credits

Professor: Dr. Christopher T. Keaveney

E-mail: Please use the e-mail tool on the WebCT Course Page.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

East Asia boasts a remarkable literary legacy that offers one important avenue for understanding present-day cultural and social values in Asia. In this course we will encounter works of literature from China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. Readings in the course will include a variety of genres including fiction, poetry, drama and essays. We will seek to discover in our readings the qualities distinct to the cultural milieu in which each work was written while also attempting to identify what these works have in common with works from Western literature with which we are familiar.

TEXTS:

McCann, David R. Early Korean Literature: Selections and Introductions, New York: Columbia University Press, 2000

Barnstone, Tony, ed. Literatures of Asia, Prentice Hall, 2001.

COURSE OBJECTIVES/ EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

   • To come to a greater understanding and appreciation of the cultural foundations of East Asian Culture.

   • To develop critical thinking skills through frequent reading, writing and discussion.

   • To discuss what role traditional cultural values play in the literary works we encounter.

   • To discuss works of Asian literature in the context of works from the Western tradition.



PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH:

This course will take the form of an on-line course facilitated via the WebCT platform. WebCT is an instructional delivery system currently used throughout Linfield College. It permits instructors to distribute material and assignments to students, assess student performance and to communicate with students and to facilitate communication between students all in a secure course site. All assignments and evaluation will take place via the WebCT course web site in conjunction with e-mail. Students will be encouraged, though not required, to visit the course instructor during the semester.
Formal Writing: There will be two formal response papers of 3-5 pages each written in response to specific literary works. These will involve responses to
specific readings from among homework readings.

Discussion Groups: You will be given weekly discussion questions, which you will be asked to discuss in small groups using the “Discussion” tool on 
WebCT. You will be evaluated on the your engagement in these discussions and the frequency and quality of your input.

Final Examination: The final exam will include two sections: an identification of key terms and two essay questions. The questions will be concerned with 
larger themes among those we have discussed throughout the course of the semester with reference to specific literary works.
AREA OF INQUIRY: In this course, we will read and discuss a variety of works of literature from East Asia in English translations. Insofar as the focus of this course is on the reading and critical analysis of works of literature, the Images and Arts (IA) designation is most appropriate. In keeping with the catalog description of the IA designation, this course will “explore creation, performance, and critical appreciation of artistic expression.” Moreover, the works we will encounter in class all come from the East Asian tradition, thus, a Global Diversity (DG) designation is appropriate.

Week Topic

WEEK 1
Introduction to Course/Overview of Asian Literature

Confucianism and The Analects

WEEK 2
Confucianism and Confucian Orthodoxy: The Five Classic

Daoism: Dao de Jing

WEEK 3
Sima Qian and Historical Writing in China

Daoism: Zhuangzi

WEEK 4 Two Tang Period poets: Li Bai and Du Fu

WEEK 5 Korean Fiction: The Three Kingdoms
Korean Drama: The Pansori Drama

WEEK 6 Japanese Literature: Selections from Tale of Genji

WEEK 7 Vietnamese Literature

WEEK 8 Korean Poetry: The Sijo Form

WEEK 9 Chinese Drama: The Beijing Opera
Listening to Beijing Opera on the Internet

WEEK 10 Chinese Traditional Fiction

WEEK 11 Samurai Values and the Zen Arts: Haiku, Nô

WEEK 12 Popular Theater in Feudal Japan: Bunraku and Kabuki

WEEK 13 Popular Literature in Contemporary Asia

WEEK 14 EXAM



CRITERIA USED FOR ASSIGNING GRADE:

1. Formal Writing:                                                         40%

2. Group Discussions:                                                    30%

3. Final Exam:                                                               30%

GRADING SCALE:

95-100=A                               88-90=B+                               78-80=C+                               65-70=D+

91-94 =A-                              83-87=B                                 73-77=C                                  < 65= F

                                                 81-82=B-                                71-72=C-

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:

In case of academic dishonesty, the guidelines in the Linfield College Catalog will be followed. An “F” grade will be given automatically for any form of plagiarism. We will discuss in class what constitutes plagiarism.

DISABILITY STATEMENT:

College Policy: Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, who have any emergency medical information the instructor should know of, or who need special arrangements in the event of evacuation, should make an appointment with the instructor as early as possible, no later than the first week of the term.