Resident · College of Arts & Sciences · English

Literary Criticism
ENGL-433
Fall R 2021 Section 001 08/23/2021 to 12/17/2021 Modified 08/21/2021

 Meeting Times
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 3:15 PM to 4:05 PM, DH 4124

 Contact Information

Professor: Dr. Stephen Bell

Email: sjbell3@liberty.edu
Office: DH 4442-R
Phone: 4345923714
Website: https://www.liberty.edu/arts-sciences/english/faculty/stephen-bell/ (https://www.liberty.edu/arts-
sciences/english/faculty/stephen-bell/)

Office Hours
DH 4442-R

MW 9:15-10:15; 1:00-3:00
T 8:30-9:30

 Course Description
A study of the major philosophies and theories, both historical and contemporary, with attention also given to understanding the
various views of literary theory and to the student's development of his own defensible literary theory.

Requisites
ENGL 101, 102, and the general education course in literature

It is the student's responsibility to make up any prerequisite deficiencies, as stated in the Liberty University Catalog, which would
prevent the successful completion of this course.

 Rationale
Over the last century, the academic field of English has become increasingly concerned with theoretical questions—including what one
should read, why one should read, and how one should read. These theoretical concerns have redirected academic attention from
focusing solely on literary texts to considering also questions of aesthetics, representation, authorship, readership, identities, and
power structures. And with the introduction of competing schools of critical thought, the English discipline has become a site of
struggle over control of the literary canon and of the goals, values, and techniques of literary study itself. Regardless of one’s personal
feelings about theory, the role it has played in shaping the contemporary state of the English discipline cannot be denied, and studying
these critical approaches and considering their underlying concerns and implications will empower students of literature to
participate more fully in their own education.

 Measurable Learning Outcomes

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 When students have completed this course, they should be able

1. to explain the goals of literary criticism and the basic theoretical concepts of both classic works of literary theory and modern
schools of literary theory
2. to employ theoretical concepts in interpreting literary texts (both orally and in writing)
3. to compare the major differences between classic works of literary theory and between the modern schools of literary theory
4. to evaluate the major theories of literary criticism from a biblical perspective
5. to develop a personal literary philosophy, based on analysis and evaluation of the work of major literary theorists, and to defend
that philosophy in a well-developed and well-supported critical argument

 Course Resources
Each student must purchase his or her own copies of these required textbooks and bring the corresponding book to class when
reading has been assigned from it.

1. Critical Theory Today: A User Friendly Guide by Lois Tyson (3rd edition), ISBN 9780415506755
2. Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism edited by Vincent Leitch, et al. (3rd edition), ISBN 9780393602951

 Course Assignments
Quizzes (LO 1-3): These quizzes will cover primarily the reading assigned. Except in rare cases, quizzes cannot be made up (death in
the family, LU sponsored event, medical emergency); contact instructor with these requests.

Poetry memorization and recitation (LO 1-4): Students will be responsible for memorizing and reciting to me 14 lines of a particular
favorite poem found in one of your literature anthologies, followed by a brief discussion of how one may analyze it through the lens of
a specific theory we've studied this semester. Due dates vary.

Comparison Essay #1 (LO 1 and 3): This 750 to 1,000-word essay compares two classical texts (or portions thereof) we’ll be reading
during the first weeks of the semester, especially centering on their assumptions about literature and interpretation. See Canvas for
more details.

Comparison Essay #2 (LO 3): This 1,000 to 1,250-word essay requires you to compare two journal articles that analyze the same
literary work from different critical perspectives. See Canvas for more details.

Research Essay (LO 2, 4, and 5): You will write a conference-length research essay (2,000 to 2,500 words) that explores a central
issue in literary criticism or theory; the prompts for this paper are available on Canvas under Week 14 module.

Tests (LO 1, 2, 3, and 4): To ensure a more complete understanding of the theories we’re covering, you will take periodic in-class tests
(see schedule below), covering key terms and their use, critical techniques, and evaluation. These tests will be a combination of
objective and analytical questions.

 Course Grading
Assessment / Evaluation

Quizzes 150

Poetry mem./recit. 50

Comparison Essay #1 100

Comparison Essay #2 125

Tests (3) 125 for first two, 150 for final exam
(400 total)

Research Paper 175

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 Course Policies
Dress Code: Students are expected to come to class dressed in a manner consistent with The Liberty Way.

Limits of Confidentiality: Students are encouraged to share prayer requests and life concerns with the professor in this class. Not
only will the professor pray for and care for students, but can guide students to appropriate University resources if desired.

However, in the event of a student’s disclosure, either verbally or in writing, of threat of serious or foreseeable harm to self or others,
abuse or neglect of a minor, elderly or disabled person, victim or witness of a crime or sexual misconduct, or current involvement in
criminal activity, the faculty, staff, administrator, or supervisor will take immediate action. This action may include, but is not limited to,
immediate notification of appropriate state law enforcement or social services personnel, emergency contacts, notification of the
appropriate program chair or online dean, or notification to other appropriate University officials. All reported information is treated
with discretion and respect, and kept as private as possible.

Classroom Policies: The inappropriate use of technology, such as cell phones, iPods, laptops, calculators, etc. in the classroom is not
tolerated. Other disruptive behavior in the classroom is not tolerated. Students who engage in such misconduct will be subject the
penalties and processes as written in The Liberty Way.

Academic Advising: English majors, please feel free to seek my advice or that of another English professor before registering for next
semester’s classes. Please see the English Department Chair for course substitutions, prerequisite overrides, DCP assistance, and
other official registration-related business.

 Policies

Disability Assistance
Students with a disability and those with medical conditions associated with pregnancy may contact Liberty University’s Office of
Disability Accommodation Support (ODAS) at ODAS@liberty.edu or in DeMoss Hall 1264 for accommodations. Such
accommodations require appropriate documentation of your condition. For more information about ODAS and the
accommodations process, including how to request an accommodation, please visit www.liberty.edu/disabilitysupport. Requests
for accommodations not related to disabilities or pregnancy must be directed to the Registrar’s Office, which generally handles
medical needs support.

For all disability testing accommodation requests (i.e. quieter environment, extended time, oral testing, etc.) Testing Services
(DeMoss Hall 1036) is the officially designated place for all tests administered outside of the regular classroom.

If you have a complaint related to disability discrimination or an accommodation that was not provided, you may contact ODAS or
the Office of Equity and Compliance by phone at (434) 592-4999 or by email at equityandcompliance@liberty.edu. Click to see a
full copy of Liberty’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy or the Student Disability Grievance Policy and
Procedures.

Attendance Policy
In general, regular and punctual attendance in all classes is expected of all students. However, at times, students will miss
classes.

For 100-200 Level courses

Absences for 100-200 level courses fall into two categories:

1. University Approved Absences

a. University Approved Absences include Liberty University sponsored events, athletic competition, short-term (one week or
less) or emergency military mobilizations, and other Provost-approved absences.
b. The student must provide written documentation in advance for University Approved Absences. For military duty related
absences, students who have received advanced notification orders are required to provide documentation for their
military-related absence two weeks prior to the absence when feasible; however, students should turn-in documentation

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 as soon as the orders are received. Whenever possible, students are required to be proactive by turning in pre-assigned
coursework before their military related absence begins. In the event of a short notice military obligation (e.g. State
Active Duty, emergency mobilization, rescheduled training assembly, etc.), students must notify faculty members as
soon as possible.
c. Work missed for University-approved absences may be made up.
2. Student Elective Absences
a. Student Elective Absences include, but are not limited to, illness and bereavement.
b. Work missed for Student Elective Absences may be made up at the discretion of the faculty member. Questions
regarding missed work for Student Elective Absences must be addressed by the student with the professor within one
week of returning to class. In cases where this is not possible, the student must notify the Professor in writing of the
circumstances impacting his or her absence. The student may appeal the Professor's decision in writing to the
respective Chair within one week. Final appeals may be made to the Dean in writing within one week of the Chair's
decision and the Dean's decision is final.
c. When circumstances result in excessive absences (e.g., serious medical illness, family crisis), upon return to campus,
the student shall communicate in writing with the Registrar's Office (Registrar@liberty.edu) and provide an explanation
of his or her situation with appropriate documentation. The Registrar will consult with the faculty member before making
the final decision and will notify, in writing, the student and the faculty member.
d. Students who are more than 10 minutes late for class are considered absent.
e. Students who are late for class 10 minutes or less are considered tardy but present for the class. If a student misses in-
class work due to tardiness, the faculty member may choose not to allow the student to make up this work. Three class
tardies will be counted as one absence.
f. Number of Student Elective Absences Permitted:
i. For classes that meet three times per week, the student will be permitted four elective absences for semester-long
courses and up to two elective absences for 8-week courses.
ii. For classes that meet twice per week, the student will be permitted three elective absences for semester-long
courses and one elective absence for 8-week courses.
iii. For classes that meet once per week, the student will be permitted one elective absence for semester-long and 8-
week courses.
3. Penalties for each absence over the permitted number of elective absences per semester will be as follows:
a. 50 points for classes that meet 3 times per week
b. 75 points for classes that meet 2 times per week
c. 100 points for classes that meet once per week

For 300-400 Level courses

Absences for 300-400 level courses fall into two categories:

1. University Approved Absences

a. University Approved Absences include Liberty University sponsored events, athletic competition, short-term (one week or
less) or emergency military mobilizations, and other Provost-approved absences.
b. The student must provide written documentation in advance for University Approved Absences. For military duty related
absences, students who have received advanced notification orders are required to provide documentation for their
military-related absence two weeks prior to the absence when feasible; however, students should turn-in documentation
as soon as the orders are received. Whenever possible, students are required to be proactive by turning in pre-assigned
coursework before their military related absence begins. In the event of a short notice military obligation (e.g. State
Active Duty, emergency mobilization, rescheduled training assembly, etc.), students must notify faculty members as
soon as possible.
c. Work missed for University-approved absences may be made up.
2. Student Elective Absences
a. While the University believes that consistent attendance in all classes is the largest contributor to students earning good
grades, the University Attendance Policy allows students in upper-level classes the opportunity to make their own
decisions concerning attendance.
b. Work missed for Student Elective Absences may be made up at the discretion of the faculty member. Questions
regarding missed work for Student Elective Absences must be addressed by the student with the professor within one
week of returning to class. In cases where this is not possible, the student must notify the Professor in writing of the
circumstances impacting his or her absence. The student may appeal the Professor's decision in writing to the
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 respective Chair within one week. Final appeals may be made to the Dean in writing within one week of the Chair's
decision and the Dean's decision is final.
c. When circumstances result in excessive absences (e.g., serious medical illness, family crisis), upon return to campus
the student shall communicate in writing with the Registrar's Office (Registrar@liberty.edu) and provide an explanation
of his or her situation with appropriate documentation. The Registrar will consult with the faculty member before making
the final decision and will notify, in writing, the student and the faculty member.

Grading Scale
A B C D F

900-1000 800-899 700-799 600-699 0-599

For courses with a Pass/NP final grade, please refer to the Course Grading section of this syllabus for the assignment
requirements and/or point value required to earn a Passing final grade.

Honor Code
Liberty University comprises a network of students, Alumni, faculty, staff and supporters that together form a Christian
community based upon the truth of the Bible. This truth defines our foundational principles, from our Doctrinal Statement to the
Code of Honor. These principles irrevocably align Liberty University’s operational procedures with the long tradition of university
culture, which remains distinctively Christian, designed to preserve and advance truth. Our desire is to create a safe, comfortable
environment within our community of learning, and we extend our academic and spiritual resources to all of our students with the
goal of fostering academic maturity, spiritual growth and character development.

Communities are predicated on shared values and goals. The Code of Honor, an expression of the values from which our
Doctrinal Statement was born, defines the fundamental principles by which our community exists. At the core of this code lie two
essential concepts: a belief in the significance of all individuals, and a reliance on the existence of objective truth.

While we acknowledge that some may disagree with various elements of the Code of Honor, we maintain the expectation that our
students will commit to respect and uphold the Code while enrolled at Liberty University.

Adherence to the principles and concepts established within facilitates the success of our students and strengthens the Liberty
community.

The Code of Honor can be viewed in its entirety at https://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=1417

(https://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=1417)

Add/Drop Policy
No course can be added after the first week of classes without signed approval from the course instructor and the Registrar’s
Office. A Fall/Spring course may be dropped up to and during Drop/Add Week.

Late Assignment Policy

Course Assignments should be submitted on time.

If the student is unable to complete an assignment on time, then he or she must contact the instructor prior to the assignment due
date.

Assignments that are submitted after the due date without prior approval from the instructor will receive the following deductions:

1. Late assignments submitted within one week after the due date will receive a 10% deduction.
2. Assignments submitted more than one week and less than 2 weeks late will receive a 20% deduction.
3. Assignments submitted two weeks late or after the final date of the course will not be accepted.
4. Group projects/assignments will not be accepted after the due date.

Special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, personal health issues) will be reviewed by the instructor on a case-by-case basis.

 Schedule
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When Topic Notes

Week 1 (Aug Class introduction Read for W: Tyson, 1-10, Chapter 1: Everything you wanted to know about critical theory but were afraid to ask
23-27) Read for W: Norton, 1-7, Introduction to Theory and Criticism, "What Is Interpretation? And What Is Literature?"
Read for F: Norton, 7-8, Introduction to Theory and Criticism, Classical Theory and Criticism; Norton, 89-95, Plato,
selection from "Phaedrus" (circa 370 BC); headnote (pages 43-46)

Week 2 (Aug Classical, Medieval, Read for M: Norton, 127-131, Aristotle, selections from "On Rhetoric" (circa 340 BC); headnote (pages 95-99)
30-Sep 3) and Renaissance Norton, 131-144, Horace, headnote & "Ars Poetica" (circa 10 BC)
criticisms Read for W: Norton, 8-10, Introduction to Theory and Criticism, Medieval Theory and Criticism; Norton, 164-177,
Augustine, headnote & selection from "On Christian Teaching" (circa 395); Norton, 194-199, Dante Alighieri,
headnote & selections from "Il Convivio" & from Letter to Can Grande (1321)
Read for F: Norton, 10-11, Introduction to Theory and Criticism, Renaissance and Neoclassical Theory and
Criticism; Norton, 307-310, John Dryden, headnote & selection from “An Essay of Dramatic Poesy” (1668)

Week 3 (Sep Romantic, Victorian Read for M: Norton, 383-390, Samuel Johnson, headnote & “On Fiction” (1750)
6-10) criticism Read for W: Norton, 12-13, Introduction to Theory and Criticism, Romantic Theory and Criticism; Norton, 587-600,
Samuel Coleridge, headnote & selection from "Biographia Literaria" (1817)
Read for F: Norton, 703-710, Matthew Arnold, selection from "Culture and Anarchy" (1867); headnote (pages 681-
683)

Week 4 (Sep Psychoanalysis Read for M: Tyson, 11-25, through “The meaning of sexuality”; Norton, 15-17, Introduction to Theory and Criticism,
13-17) Psychoanalysis; Norton, 783-799, Sigmund Freud, headnote & selections from "The Interpretation of Dreams"
(1900)
Review for W: Tyson and Freud readings
Read for F: Tyson, 25-33, “Lacanian psychoanalysis”; Norton, 1117-1129, Jacques Lacan, selection from "The
Agency of the Letter in the Unconscious" (1957); headnote (pages 1105-1111)

Apply Assignment: Comparison essay #1 (upload to Canvas by 11:59 pm on Friday, Sep. 17)

Week 5 (Sep Psychoanalysis and Read for M: Tyson, 33-38, through “Some questions. . .”; Norton, 1952-1965, Laura Mulvey, headnote & “Visual
20-24) Intro to Marxism Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” (1975)
Read for W: Tyson, 38-48, psychoanalytical reading of "The Great Gatsby"
Read for F: Tyson, 51-52, through “The fundamental premises of Marxism”; Norton, 13-15, Introduction to Theory
and Criticism, Marxism; Norton, 659-666, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, selections from “The German Ideology”
(1845-46), "The Communist Manifesto" (1848); & Grundrisse (1857-1858); headnote (pages 652-655)

Week 6 (Sep Marxism Read for M: Tyson, 52-61, through “Human behavior, the commodity, and the family”
27-Oct 1) Read for W: Tyson, 62-66, through “Some questions. . .”; Norton, 1335-1350, Raymond Williams, headnote & “Base
and Superstructure in Marxist Cultural Theory” (1973)
Review for F: Tyson and Williams reading from Wed.

Week 7 (Oct Feminism Read for M: Tyson, 66-75, Marxist reading of "The Great Gatsby"; Norton, 973-996, Walter Benjamin, headnote &
4-8) “The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility” (1936)
Read for W: Norton, 504-514, Mary Wollstonecraft, headnote & selections from "A Vindication of the Rights of
Women" (1792)
Read for F: Tyson, 79-87, through “Traditional gender roles”; Norton, 24-26, Introduction to Theory and Criticism,
Feminism

Apply Test 1 (Take exam on Canvas by 11:59 pm, Friday, Oct. 8. You will have 50 minutes to complete the exam.)

Week 8 (Oct Feminism Read for M: Tyson, 87-103, through “Multicultural feminism”
11-15) Read for W: Tyson, 103-115, through “Some questions. . .”; Norton, 1839-1853, Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar,
headnote & selection from "The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary
Imagination" (1979)
F: Fall Break--NO CLASS

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When Topic Notes

Week 9 (Oct Formalism/New Read for M: Tyson, 115-125, feminist reading of "The Great Gatsby"; Norton, 854-56, Virginia Woolf, headnote &
18-22) Criticism selections from "A Room of One’s Own," Ch. 2 (1929)
Read for W: Tyson, 129-137, through “Literary language and organic unity”; Norton, 17-18, Introduction to Theory
and Criticism, Formalism; Norton, 899-911, John Crowe Ransom, headnote & “Criticism, Inc.” (1938)
Read for F: Tyson, 137-144, through “The question. . .”; Norton, 1179-1195, Cleanth Brooks, headnote & selection
from "The Well Wrought Urn" (1947)

Apply Assignment: Comparison essay #2 (upload to Canvas by 11:59pm, Saturday, Oct. 23).

Week 10 (Oct Reader-Response Read for M: Tyson, 144-157, New Critical reading of "The Great Gatsby"; Norton, 1195-1211, William K. Wimsatt Jr.
25-29) criticism and Monroe C. Beardsley, headnote & “The Intentional Fallacy” (1946)
Read for W: Tyson, 161-166, through “Transactional reader-response theory”; Norton, 18-21, Introduction to
Theory and Criticism, Reception Theory & Hermeneutics
Read for F: Tyson, 166-178, through “Social reader-response theory”

Week 11 Social Reader Read for M: Norton, 1450-1460, Wolfgang Iser, headnote and "Interaction between Text and Reader" (1960)
(Nov 1-5) Response, Intro to Read for W: Tyson, 178-181, through “Some questions. . .”'; Norton, 1896-1909, Stanley Fish, headnote & selection
Structuralism and from "Is There a Text in This Class?" (1980)
Semiotics Read for F: Tyson, 181-193, reader response critique of "The Great Gatsby"; Tyson, 198-207, through “Semiotics”;
Norton, 21-22, Introduction to Theory and Criticism, Structuralism and Semiotics

Apply Test 2 (Take exam on Canvas by 11:59 pm, Sunday, Nov. 7. You will have 50 min. to complete the exam.)

Week 12 Saussure and Post- Read for M: Norton, 820-840, Ferdinand de Saussure, headnote & selections from "Course in General Linguistics"
(Nov 8-12) structuralism (1906-13)
Read for W: Norton, 22-24, Introduction to Theory and Criticism, Poststructuralism and Deconstruction; Tyson
235-44, through "Deconstructing human identity"
Read for F: Tyson, 244-252, through “Some questions. . .”

Week 13 Deconstruction and Read for M: Norton, 1602-1613, Jacques Derrida, headnote & selection from "Dissemination" (1972)
(Nov 15-19) New Historicism Read for W: Tyson, 252-264, deconstructive reading of "The Great Gatsby"; Norton, 1277-1282, Roland Barthes,
"From Work to Text" (1971); headnote (pages 1262-1266)
Read for F: Tyson, 267-276, through “New historicism”; Norton, 27-32, Introduction to Theory and Criticism,
Postcolonial Studies and Race and Ethnicity Studies, New Historicisms, and Cultural Studies; Norton, 2027-2040,
Stephen Greenblatt, headnote & selection from "Resonance and Wonder" (1990)

Thanksgiving NO CLASS
Break
Nov. 22-26

Week 14 New Historicism, Read for M: Tyson, 276-287, “New historicism and literature” through "Some questions..."; Tyson, 287-297, New
(Nov 29-Dec Cultural Studies, and Historical reading of "The Great Gatsby"
3) Post-colonialism Read for W: Norton, 1805-1821, Edward Said, selections from "Culture and Imperialism" (1993); headnote (pages
1780-1783)
Read for F: Tyson, 398-412, Postcolonial Criticism through "Globalization and the 'End' of Postcolonial Theory";
Tyson, 421-28, Postcolonial criticism and literature through "Some questions postcolonial critics ask..."

Apply Assignment: Research paper (Upload to Canvas by 11:59pm, Sunday, Dec. 5)

Week 15 Final class Read for M: Norton, 1684-1701, Richard Ohmann, headnote & selections from “The Shaping of a Canon: U.S.
(Dec 6) Fiction 1960-1973” (1983)

Apply Final Exam (Dec. 13, 3:30-5:30 pm)

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