ENGL 499 (Section 003, Schedule #40080)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Spring 2020
MW 2:00-3:15pm :: Hibbs 331
Prof. David Golumbia
Office: 333 Hibbs Hall
Spring 2020 Office Hours: MW 12:00-1:30pm

Senior Seminar: Contemporary Literature

This course surveys a few of the many themes and issues in contemporary literature. We'll focus in particular on the novel and longer narrative forms, and on material produced within the past 5-10 years, primarily from the US. Students will write two 10-page papers or one 20-page paper. Vigorous participation in class discussion is expected.

Texts

Texts for purchase:

• Ayobami Adebayo, Stay With Me (Vintage, 2018)
• Anna Burns, Milkman (Graywolf Press, 2018)
• Rachel Cusk, Outline (Picador, 2016)
• Esi Edugyan, Washington Black (Vintage, 2018)
• Tim Maughan, Infinite Detail (MCD x FSG Originals, 2019)
• Tommy Orange, There There (Vintage, 2018)
• Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give (Walker Books, 2017)
• Ocean Vuong, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous (Penguin, 2019)
• Albert Woodfox, Solitary (Grove Press, 2019)

Assignments and Evaluation

Evaluation will be based on written exercises and course participation as follows:

• Written Assignments: 50%. Students will write a single seminar paper of at least 5000 words, due at the end of the term, on a topic related to the semester's readings. The topic will be developed in consultation with the instructor. There is no other written work for the course.
• Course Participation: 50%. A combined grade reflecting vigorous course participation and attendance. Being in class, and being on time, most of the time and contributing to discussion at least occasionally in such a way as to reflect having done the course reading will result in full or nearly full credit for course participation.

Course-Specific Policies

• Attendance. This course is taught primarily via discussion. Your attendance and participation are vital to its success. Excessive absences and/or repeated late arrival at class will have a negative effect on your grade.
• No Late Work. No late work is accepted in this class. Work handed in late is automatically marked down one-third grade (e.g., a B becomes a B-) for each day it is late, and after one week becomes a failing grade for the assignment.
• Class Preparation. You are expected to have done the primary reading and any other primary course assignments before the beginning of course each week.
• Honor System. All work in this course is subject to the University's Honor System. You may work in teams for some assignments, but all written work must be solely your own, and any reliance on published work must be properly cited.

Official VCU Policy Statements

Students should visit http://go.vcu.edu/syllabus and review all syllabus statement information. The full university syllabus statement includes information on safety, registration, the VCU Honor Code, student conduct, withdrawal and more.

Week-by-Week Syllabus

Week One

• Mon Jan 13
• Weds Jan 15

Week Two. Milkman

• Mon Jan 20. No class (MLK Day)
• Weds Jan 22

Week Three. Milkman

• Mon Jan 27
• Weds Jan 29

Week Four. Outline

• Mon Feb 3
• Weds Feb 5

Week Five. No classes

• Mon Feb 10. No class (instructor away)
• Weds Feb 12. No class (instructor away)

Week Six. The Hate U Give

• Mon Feb 17
• Weds Feb 19

Week Seven. There There

• Mon Feb 24
• Weds Feb 26

Week Eight. Stay With Me

• Mon Mar 2
• Weds Mar 4

Week Nine. Spring Break

• Mon Mar 9. No class (Spring Break)
• Weds Mar 11. No class (Spring Break)

Week Ten. COVID-19 Spring Break

• Mon Mar 16
• Weds Mar 18

Week Eleven. Washington Black

• Mon Mar 23
• Weds Mar 25.

Week Twelve. Washington Black and On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

• Mon Mar 30
• Weds Apr 1. First paper due for students writing two papers by Thursday, Apr 2, 11:59pm.

Week Thirteen. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

• Mon Apr 6.
• Weds Apr 8. no class

Week Fourteen. Infinite Detail

• Mon Apr 13. Infinite Detail (complete text)
• Weds Apr 15. No class. Individual paper conferences

Week Fifteen. Solitary

• Mon Apr 20. Solitary (complete text)
• Weds Apr 22. No class. Individual paper conferences

Week Sixteen. Individual paper conferences (no classes)

• Mon Apr 27. No class. Individual paper conferences

Final paper is due by the end of the final exam period for the course, 3:20pm, Mon, May 4, 2020, per the registrar's exam schedule. The paper should be submitted on Blackboard. No late papers can be accepted for the final paper assignment. If you have conflicts with other exams you must notify the instructors of the courses ahead of time to make arrangements. There is no other final exam for the course.

Last updated  April 8, 2020.