EN2717 Literary and Cultural Studies

Semester A, 2015/16
City University of Hong Kong
Course Aims
This course aims to introduce students to key concepts and major critical approaches to literary and
cultural studies. It will develop students skills of close reading and textual analysis, and enhance their
ability to analyse and interpret diverse literary and cultural texts, such as fiction, poetry, drama, creative
nonfiction and film, through discussions of form, genre, style, and innovations on traditional creative
paradigms and themes. Students will generate creative and critical responses to the texts throughout the
course.
Course Intended Learning Outcomes

Identify key texts and explore their cultural and literary significance
Analyse the aesthetic and creative aspects of literature and culture by exploring genres,
forms and styles of diverse texts
Apply critical reading, thinking, and writing skills in interpreting literary texts
Discuss the characteristics of literary and cultural texts and understand their
interdisciplinary character
Generate creative and critical responses to various works of cultural production

Canvas
All course materials will be uploaded onto Canvas. Please check it regularly for course updates.

Required Reading
Most of the required readings are put under Files on Canvas. You are, however, required to
purchase Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf and The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon. The novels are
available for purchase at the University bookstore.

Course Schedule

Week Topic and Readings

1
Introduction to Literary and Cultural Studies
2

Life and Art

3-4

William Wordsworth, The Prelude (selections from Book 1); The

Preface to the Lyrical Ballads
Literature and Society

Charles Dickens, The Signal-Man, A Visit to Newgate

Susan Glaspell, Trifles

Gender and Narrative

Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warriors: Memoirs of a Girlhood

Among Ghosts (selections)
Identity and Representation
In-class screening: The Stuart Hall Project (excerpt)
City Voices: Hong Kong Writing in English 1945 to the Present
(selections)

Notes/Reference

Introducing group
project and forming
groups

Each group submits a

short abstract (100200 words) outlining
the project
ideas/plan to the
instructor at the
beginning of the class

Adaptation and Appropriation

In-class screening: Elementary (2012) (excerpt)
Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet (selections)

Group Project Presentation and Discussion

*Note: each group will need to post the website link on Canvas BEFORE the class starts

Modernism: Inside/Outside

10

Virginia Woolf, Mrs Dalloway (pp.1-112)

Time, Place and Memory

Essay Questions
Released
(via Canvas, 26 Oct)

Virginia Woolf, Mrs Dalloway (p.112 till the end)

11-12 Postcolonialism and Multiculturalism

11

Sam Selvon, The Lonely Londoners (pp.1-82)

12

Sam Selvon, The Lonely Londoners (p.83 till the end)

13

Conclusion

Instructor: Dr Klaudia Lee

Essay submission via

Turnitin by 11.59pm,
20 November

hiuylee@cityu.edu.hk ; office hour: Tuesday, 12-1 pm, CMC M8082

Recommended references:
Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Fort Worth : Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1999.
Lodge, David. The Art of Fiction. London: Vintage, 2011.
Mays, Kelly J. Ed. The Norton Introduction to Literature. Shorter 11th Edition. New York: Norton,
2013.
Pope, Rob. The English Studies Book. London: Routledge, 2001.

Assessment Tasks
Critical Essay (35%) (1200-1500 words)
Multimodal Creative Project (25%) *the total marks include website (15%) and presentation (10%)
Participation (10%)
Final examination (30%)

The Department of Englishs policy on attendance, plagiarism and assignment submission applies to this course:
http://www.english.cityu.edu.hk/en/students/conduct.jsp
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is using the words or ideas of another writer (copied from books, articles, internet web pages and other
sources) without proper attribution. The Department of English takes cases of plagiarism very seriously and deals
severely with students who have been found to have plagiarised their work. Students who have been caught
plagiarising will receive an 'F' grade on the assignment concerned and, depending on the severity of the case, may
receive an 'F' for the entire course. Cases of plagiarism will be dealt with on an individual basis.
Assignment submission
Students are expected to complete all written assignments on time, and to hand in their work punctually. In this
context, please note the following points:
Assignments more than 7 days late will NOT be accepted.
Late assignments will be given a lower grade;
i.
ii.

For each day an assignment is late, it will lose one band of a letter grade. For example, a B assignment will
receive a B- if it is one day late;
Extensions will only be given if accompanied by written proof of the need for an extension with a valid
reason (e.g. a medical certificate).

Absenteeism
Full-time undergraduate students are expected to attend all classes. Students with more than two unexcused
absences will fail the course. Absences can be excused in the case of valid personal or medical concerns, but
appropriate documentation has to be provided to the instructor. Punctuality is also required, and students are
expected to be in class for the entire session.

For each assessment task, you will receive a score out of 100. Please refer to the following Grade Conversion
Table for the corresponding letter grade.

A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F

95-100
90-94
85-89
80-84
75-79
70-74
67-69
64-66
60-63
50-59
0-49
4