Office of International Affairs

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Literary Imagination Fall 2023

Course Syllabus
Instructor Matthew Benson Classroom

Office 320 Section No.

Office Hours Monday 10-12; Thursday 10-11 Class Time

Office Phone 02-970-7226 Email benson@language.seoultech.ac.kr

Class eclass.seoultech.ac.kr
Website

Description
This course gives students the opportunity to learn more about themselves and their worlds
through exploration of the literary imagination. By reading and discussing the ways a variety of
authors represent the most important issues in their own lives, we will gain insight not only into the
nature of literature, but also into the human condition itself. Late 19th and 20th century short fiction
from prominent U.S. authors will be our main focus.

Level: SeoulTech Reading Language Proficiency Level 5 or above

Goals
 Students will improve their skills in reading and understanding literature written in English
 Students will increase their understanding of the human experience by engaging with voices
and perspectives they may not have encountered before
 Students will develop their ability to think critically and skeptically
 Students will improve their English language skills

Textbook/Materials
● No textbook will be used in this course; all course materials will be provided by the
professor or links where they can be downloaded will be provided.
● Students must bring a file folder/binder for the above course materials.

● Students must bring a notebook and pencil/pen to each class.

Assessment Plan

Attendance and Participation (10%)

Students are expected to arrive on time for class, participate in class and be prepared with all
of their materials. Students who have unexcused absences, arrive late, are unprepared for class, or
do not actively participate will not receive full points for this grade.

Assignments (20%)
Assignments include homework and some activities completed in class. Late submissions
will receive a 0. Completing homework assignments is necessary to pass this course. Homework
assignments are worth 20% of the total grade. Therefore, failure to complete the homework will
affect your final rank/grade. To do well in the course, you should complete all assignments.
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Quizzes (30%)
One quiz will happen at the very beginning of class, so be on time. The second quiz will
happen in the 2nd or 3rd hour of class. If you miss a quiz, it cannot be made up (except in the case of
a legitimately excused absence).

Midterm and Final (40%)

Students will take both a midterm and final exam regarding the short stories they have read.

Grade Scale
Students’ letter grades are determined using the standard SeoulTech grading curve. The
grading system compares each student’s score with the scores of all other Literary Imagination
students taught by the same instructor. For example, if an instructor has a total of five Literary
Imagination classes, all of the students in those five classes are put together into one combined
group for grading. The students are then ranked and assigned grades based on university standards.
Grades are assigned based on the maximum of a 3.3 grade point average for the combined classes.
A+= 4.5, A0= 4.0, B+= 3.5, B0= 3.0, C+= 2.5, C0= 2.0, D+= 1.5, D0= 1.0, F= 0.0. Assignment of letter
grades of A+ through B0 will be based on student ranking using the 3.3 grading curve. Please take note
that a grade of C+, C0, D+, D0, or F is determined by their overall score in the course by percentages
listed below.

Grade A+ ~ B0 C+ C0 D+ D0 F
All Sections Student
75~79.99% 70~74.99% 65~69.99% 60~64.99% Below 60%
Combined Ranking

Class Schedule
Week Topic, Assignment, Language Outcomes, etc. Lesson Format
1 Introduction to course and syllabus; Dr. Suess, “The Lorax” In-person class
2 Jack London, “To Build a Fire” In-person class
3 Kurt Vonnegut, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” In-person class
4 Flannery O’Connor, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” In-person class
5 Leslie Marmon Silko, “Lullaby” In-person class
6 Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper” In-person class
7 Shirley Jackson, “The Lottery” In-person class
8 Midterm Exam In-person Exam
9 James Baldwin, “Going to Meet the Man” In-person class
10 Raymond Carver, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” In-person class
11 John Updike, “A&P” In-person class
12 John Steinbeck, “The Chrysanthemums” In-person class
13 Mary Gaitskill, “Tiny Smiling Daddy” In-person class
14 Earnest Hemingway, “Hills Like White Elephants” In-person class
15 Final Exam In-person Exam
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Email communication protocol

Students are encouraged to contact their professor with any concerns or questions that they
have about class. Students may either contact their professor through the eClass website or send an
email. Email must use the following protocol:

Students must email their professor at their work email listed above.
The email subject line (이메일제목) must include:
• Student’s full name
• Class title and section #
• Student #
e.g. Yoonju Choi, PEC-11005 01234567

If you do not follow this protocol, your professor may not read or respond to your email.

Attendance
Unexcused absences affect your attendance grade. In order to have your absence excused,
you must submit paperwork to the OIE office in room 115 within one week of your absence. Valid
reasons for absences can be found on the OIE website. Students who miss more than ⅓ of the
semester will automatically receive an F for the course in accordance with the SeoulTech
attendance policy.

Plagiarism
All work done in this class must be original work completed by the student. If, for any
reason, the instructor believes that you have plagiarized, he or she may fail you for the assignment
or for the entire class. This policy not only applies to homework, but also to in-class assignments
and formal testing as well.

*This syllabus is subject to change and/or adjustment at the professor’s discretion.