ENGL 210: American Literature

Term: Fall 2026

Credits: 3.0

Meeting Schedule & Location: Tuesday & Thursday 1:00–2:15 p.m., Lovell Hall 305

Modality: In-Person Seminar & Discussion

Instructor Information

• Instructor: Dr. Leila Haddad (Professor of English; Chair of the University Curriculum Committee)
• Email: lhaddad@university.alkimi.ai
• Office: Lovell Hall 332
• Office Hours:
• Tuesday & Thursday: 2:30–4:00 p.m. (In person, Lovell Hall 332)
• Wednesday: 10:00–11:00 a.m. (Virtual via Zoom; link posted in Canvas)
• Additional appointments available upon request.

Course Description

American fiction, poetry, and essays from the early republic to the present. This course interrogates how writers have defined, contested, and reimagined the concept of "America." Tracing literary movements from early national mythmaking and Romantic transcendentalism through dark romanticism, the abolitionist slave narrative, realism, naturalism, and modernism, we examine how aesthetic forms grapple with democracy, individualism, race, gender, empire, and industrialization. Central authors include Washington Irving, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Frederick Douglass, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, and Kate Chopin.

Prerequisites

Completion of the Alkimi Core Writing I requirement (WRIT 101 or equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher. Satisfies 3 credits of the Alkimi Core Humanities requirement and serves as a foundational requirement for English majors and minors.

Measurable Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of ENGL 210, students will be able to:

1. Execute Textual Close Reading: Perform rigorous, nuanced close readings of American literary texts, analyzing formal elements such as diction, figurative language, narrative perspective, syntax, and tone.
2. Contextualize Historical Aesthetics: Situate literary works within their historical, theological, and ideological environments—such as the Enlightenment, Transcendentalism, the Civil War, and the Gilded Age.
3. Analyze Cultural Contradictions: Articulate how American literature exposes foundational tensions between democratic ideals of liberty and historical realities of chattel slavery, patriarchy, and economic inequality.
4. Construct Literary Critical Arguments: Formulate persuasive, thesis-driven critical essays supported by primary textual evidence and adhering to MLA (Modern Language Association) 9th edition conventions.
5. Engage in Scholarly Dialogue: Articulate complex analytical insights orally during seminar discussions and respond critically to peer interpretations.

Required Course Materials & Costs

1. Primary Readings: All required texts for the first half of the semester are in the public domain and are provided free of charge as curated digital PDF editions on the Canvas course site and Alkimi Workspace.
2. Anthology (Recommended): Levine, Robert S., ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature (Shorter 10th Edition, Vol. 1 & 2). W. W. Norton & Co. (Optional; approx. $55 used / $30 digital rental; copies on 2-hour reserve at Whitcombe Library).
3. Total estimated cost: $0 to $55.

Generative AI Policy (AI Level 1: Not Permitted for Graded Work)

In accordance with university academic policies (Student Handbook §5.8), ENGL 210 operates under AI Level 1.

• What is permitted: You may use generative AI tools (such as the ENGL 210 Alkimi Learning Assistant) solely for personal study: exploring general historical timelines, reviewing literary terminology (e.g., distinguishing metonymy from synecdoche), or querying biographical details of authors.
• What is strictly prohibited: Generative AI tools are NOT permitted for any graded coursework. You may NOT use AI to generate paper thesis statements, draft discussion posts, produce textual interpretations, summarize reading assignments, or polish your essay prose.
• Pedagogical Rationale: The study of literature is fundamentally an exercise in human empathy, original critical perception, and voice. Outsourcing analysis to an algorithmic language model short-circuits the interpretive wrestling that fosters genuine intellectual growth.
• Integrity Enforcement: Any essay, response, or exam containing text derived from generative AI will be deemed an academic integrity violation and referred to the Office of Academic Integrity.

Grading Components and Weights

• Close Reading Essay 1 (Assignment 1): 15% (Due Friday, September 18)
• Midterm Examination: 20% (Thursday, October 8, in class)
• Major Comparative Research Essay (5–7 pages): 25% (Due Friday, November 20)
• Weekly Reading Journal & Discussion Forum: 15% (Canvas posts due Tuesdays by 10:00 a.m.)
• Seminar Attendance & Active Participation: 10%
• Final Comprehensive Examination: 15% (Monday, December 14, 1:00–3:00 p.m.)

Grading Scale (Alkimi University Standard)

• A: 93–100% | A-: 90–92%
• B+: 87–89% | B: 83–86% | B-: 80–82%
• C+: 77–79% | C: 73–76% | C-: 70–72%
• D+: 67–69% | D: 60–66% | F: Below 60%

15-Week Course Schedule (Fall 2026)

Course Policies

Attendance and Seminar Discussion Policy

Literature seminars depend upon the dynamic exchange of ideas. Students who miss the first two class meetings without prior notification will be dropped (Student Handbook §6.1). You are permitted up to two unexcused absences without penalty; subsequent unexcused absences deduct 3% each from your overall course grade.

• Religious Observances: Written notification required within the first two weeks (by Wednesday, September 9, 2026).
• University Activities: Sponsoring office letter required at least one week in advance.

Late Work Policy

Reading journals must be posted prior to class discussion and cannot be submitted late for credit. Formal essays incur a deduction of one-third of a letter grade per calendar day late (e.g., an A becomes an A- if submitted 24 hours late; a B+ becomes a B). Essays more than four days late receive a failing grade.

Final Exam Rescheduling Policy

Under university policy (Student Handbook §6.4), any student with three or more final exams scheduled on the same calendar day may petition to reschedule the middle exam by contacting Dr. Haddad in writing no later than Wednesday, December 9, 2026.

Academic Integrity

The university Academic Integrity Policy (Student Handbook §5.1) applies rigorously to all written work. Plagiarism—including incorporating uncited secondary scholarship, purchasing essays, submitting papers written for other courses, or generating text with AI models—is strictly forbidden. Violations are reported to the Office of Academic Integrity (Lovell Hall 315, integrity@university.alkimi.ai, (555) 555-0163).

Accessibility Services & Accommodations

Students with documented disabilities requiring academic accommodations must register with the Office of Accessibility Services:

• Office: Harlan Hall 204 | Phone: (555) 555-0155 | Email: access@university.alkimi.ai

Deliver your accommodation letter within the first two weeks of class so appropriate accommodations can be established.

Campus Student Support Services

• Academic Advising Center: Lovell Hall 101 | (555) 555-0158 | advising@university.alkimi.ai
• Writing Center: Whitcombe Library 2nd Floor | Excellent for thesis development, textual evidence integration, and style refinement.
• Hollis Health & Counseling Center: Hollis Center | (555) 555-0190 | 24/7 Crisis Line: (555) 555-0199