ENG 243: Introduction to Chicano and Latino Literature

Description: As an introductory survey, this course emphasizes the formal, thematic, and cultural diversity of Latinx literature. We will read novels, poetry, short stories, and comics, among other media, by authors from a range of identities—including Mexican American, Guatemalan American, Cuban American, and Puerto Rican. Our literary analyses will account for cultural movements—e.g. the Chicano Movement, Nuyorican Poetry—and concepts—e.g. border thinking, gender and sexuality, mestizaje, migration—that shape the work of Latinx authors. Students will undertake creative and analytical writing projects that explore Latinx letters in terms of literary techniques and geographical, political, and social themes.

Required TextsPrint: The Mixquiahuala Letters, by Ana Castillo, Bilingual Press/Penguin, 1986/1992 Diary of an Undocumented Immigrant, by Ramón “Tianguis” Pérez, Arte Público Press, 1991 The Tattooed Soldier, by Héctor Tobar, Penguin/Picador, 1998/2014 America Vol. 1: The Life and Times of America Chavez, by Gabby Rivera and Joe Quiñones, 2017

~ The required print texts are available at The Duck Store.~ ~Additional required readings will be posted to Canvas~~Always bring required readings to class~

Grade Breakdown 5% Attendance 30% Micro essays15% Class participation (5% discussion questions, 5% contribution to in-class discussion, 5% oral presentation)

35% Final portfolio (5% annotated bibliography, 10% genre translation, 20% analytical reflective essay)

15% Reading annotations/ quizzes

Learning OutcomesThe goals of this course are:

1. To further students’ appreciation for and understanding of how Mexican American authors and artists have used reading and writing to construct culture. 2. To increase students’ abilities to critically read and analyze texts related to Mexican American life and its representation in the United States.3. To engage students in rigorous discussions about issues of culture, identity, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, history, community, and textual conventions.4. To provide students opportunities to increase their abilities to write creatively, reflectively, and analytically, to speak effectively in public, and to work collaboratively.

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Quarter: Fall 2018 Instructor: Brousseau, MarcelRoom: 254 STB Email: mbrousse@uoregon.edu Days/ Time: MW 10-11:20 AM Office: 317 PLCCRN: 16950 Office hours: MW 2-3:30 PM,

and by appointment

From America, Joe Quiñones, 2017

Assignments and Course Work• Expected Workload: This is a 4-credit undergraduate course. Expected student engagement hours are approximately 120 per quarter. The breakdown according to assignments and requirements are as follows: 1) Attendance: 30 hours; 2) Reading/viewing, annotations, discussion questions and preparation for group presentation: 60 hours; 3) Micro essays: 10 hours; 3) Final portfolio: 20 hours.

• Attendance: Attendance and preparation are mandatory. Attendance will be taken regularly in class. You are allowed two absences without excuse. More than two absences will result in the loss of your attendance grade.

• Reading Annotations: For every assigned pdf reading, you are responsible for submitting reading notes or annotations. Your annotations will take the form of notes that you make as you read, definitions you look up, and relevant responses you have to details of the film or reading. Your annotations may be written directly on the printout, and include highlighted words and marginal notes. You are required to scan or photograph and upload your annotations to Canvas before class on the day that the reading is due.

• Reading quizzes: To perform well in this course, you must complete required readings when they are due. In order to facilitate this requirement, we will have a number of unannounced reading quizzes that will be factored into your annotations grade and that cannot be retaken. Reading quizzes are an opportunity for you to demonstrate that you are keeping up with the reading for the course.

• Participation: In addition to attending, students are expected to arrive to class prepared, to bring the daily reading to class, to complete in-class projects, and to contribute to discussion. You will be responsible for one oral presentation based upon class material, and it is required that you have a conference with me during the quarter.

• Discussion questions: There are discussion forums on our Canvas site that require you to post one discussion question to Canvas for every night of reading. Your question must address the assigned reading(s) and be intended to inspire discussion. We will discuss this assignment in more detail.

• Micro essays: During the quarter you will write three 400- to 700-word essays and upload them to Canvas. These essays will help you to strengthen your critical reading, writing, and analysis skills, and to develop ideas about the course themes. We will discuss the essay guidelines.

• Grading: Grades will be determined on the basis of the following rubric. A+ = 98-100A = 93-97

A- = 90-92B+ = 87-89

B = 83-86 B- = 80-82

C+ = 77-79C = 73-76

C- = 70-72D+ = 67-69

D = 63-66 D- = 60-62

F = 0-59

• Final portfolioYour final portfolio will allow you to work creatively and analytically with questions of genre and form. Your task will be to choose a work that we read this quarter and to translate it into another genre. In order to effectively produce your translation, you will research your target genre and submit an annotated bibliography, comprising primary and secondary sources, that demonstrates a range of knowledge about the subject. Then, you will write a creative piece that translates one of the works we read into your target genre Finally, you will write an analytical essay that reflects upon your creative process and further analyzes your subject in accordance with the themes and concepts of this course. More details about the project will be made available on Canvas and in class.

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Course Policies • Respect: Respect for each other is necessary to facilitate discussion and to create a safe space that allows students to share their thoughts. Active participation includes listening carefully to others and being considerate in your own comments. There are times when discomfort can be productive, and it is important to have our ideas challenged, but at no time will we tolerate sexist, racist, homophobic, or transphobic statements in class. I reserve the right to ask any student to leave if he or she does not adhere to these guidelines. • Sensitive material: Many of the readings for this class feature disturbing language and images. You are responsible for all course readings; there are no substitute readings. Take the time to look over the course material and ensure that the violence, sexuality, and mature themes included in many readings will not prevent you from succeeding in the course.

• Punctuality: Please arrive on time for class. Alert me beforehand if you will be late, or if you need to leave early. Missing more than 15 minutes of class may result in a loss of attendance for the day.

• Print texts: Please bring all readings to class as print texts. You are responsible for printing out pdfs prior to class.

• Phones, laptops, tablets: When in class, personal devices like laptops or tablets must be turned off. Phones must be off, or on silent. Use of your phone, laptop, or tablet for anything not related to the class may result in a loss of attendance for the day.

• Accessibility Statement: The University of Oregon seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services, and activities for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, learning, and psychiatric disabilities. The Accessible Education Center (AEC) works to create and sustain physical, curricular, and informational environments that are informed by and responsive to the diverse characteristics and experiences of students with disabilities and variations of ability. Please notify me if there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that result in disability-related barriers to your participation. If you will need accommodations in the class, you are encouraged to contact the AEC in 360 Oregon Hall at 541-346-1155 or uoaec@uoregon.edu. The AEC will work with you and I will gladly make arrangements for accommodations. All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the AEC.

• Personal Responsibility Statement: Each student will be responsible for the grades that she or he earns in this course. Except under exceptional, documented conditions, no requests for grade modification (including those for a grade of “Incomplete”) for personal circumstances outside the purview of the course (e.g., probationary standing, financial aid eligibility, scholarship status, etc.) will be considered. Grade modification requests must be made in writing. Please monitor your grades carefully throughout the quarter. If extra-credit opportunities are offered during the quarter, you will be encouraged to take advantage of them. No additional extra-credit opportunities will be allowed on an individual basis.

• Contact: You can contact me by email; I will answer within 48 hours. Please make an appointment if you cannot make my normally scheduled office hours.

• Canvas: You are responsible for effectively utilizing email and Canvas in order to submit assignments and participate in the course. To access Canvas, go to http://canvas.uoregon.edu/

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• Academic Integrity: Any work submitted by a student in this course for academic credit will be the student's own work. Any academic misconduct will be dealt with according to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. The University Student Conduct Code (available at conduct.uoregon.edu) defines academic misconduct. Students are prohibited from committing or attempting to commit any act that constitutes academic misconduct, such as plagiarism. If there is any question about whether an act constitutes academic misconduct, it is the students’ obligation to clarify the question with the instructor before committing or attempting to commit the act. Students should not give or receive (or attempt to give or receive) unauthorized help on assignments or examinations without express permission from the instructor. Students should properly acknowledge and document all sources of information (e.g. quotations, paraphrases, ideas) and use only the sources and resources authorized by the instructor. Additional information about plagiarism is available at researchguides.uoregon.edu/citing-plagiarism.

• Syllabus: The instructor retains the right to vary the syllabus and schedule for the course.

ScheduleReadings and assignments are due on the day they are listed. The schedule is subject to change; I will post any changes to our Canvas site. You are responsible for checking Canvas for updates. Week Genre Day Assignment

19/24 M Introduction to the course. Discussion of themes and concepts.

Theory 9/26 W Reading: Ralph Rodriguez, “Introduction: What We Talk About When We Talk About Latinx Literature” (Canvas); Mays, “What Are the Genres of Literature?” (Canvas)

2Folklore 10/1 M Reading: Jovita González, excerpts from The Woman Who Lost Her

Soul and Other Stories (Canvas)Short Story

10/3 W Reading: Americo Paredes, “The Hammon and the Beans,” Helena María Viramontes, “The Cariboo Café” (Canvas)

3Poetry 10/8 M Reading: Poetry by various authors

Novel10/10 W Reading: Castillo, The Mixquiahuala Letters (1-64) (Letters 1-18)

10/11 R Micro Essay 1 Due

410/15 M Reading: The Mixquiahuala Letters (65-end) (Letters 19-40)

10/17 W Research Day

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Novel

10/22 M Reading: Ramón “Tianguis” Pérez, Diary of an Undocumented Immigrant (1-86)

10/24 W Reading: Diary of an Undocumented Immigrant (87-163)

10/25 R Micro Essay 2 Due

610/29 M Reading: Diary of an Undocumented Immigrant (163-end)

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Drama 10/31 W Reading: Cherríe Moraga, Heroes and Saints (Canvas)

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Novel

11/5 M Reading: Héctor Tobar, The Tattooed Soldier (1-80)

11/7 W Reading: The Tattooed Soldier (83-150)

11/8 R Micro Essay 3 Due

811/12 M Reading: The Tattooed Soldier (153-226)

11/14 W Reading: The Tattooed Soldier (227-end)

11/15 R Annotated bibliography due

9Short Story

11/19 M Reading: Gil Cuadros, “Chivalry”; Carmen Maria Machado, “The Husband Stitch” (Canvas)

11/21 W Student conferences

10Comics 11/26 M Reading: Gabby Rivera and Joe Quiñones, America Vol. 1: The Life

and Times of America Chavez11/27 T Genre Translation due

11/28 W Class wrap up

11 12/5 W Analytical reflective essay due on Canvas

In Case of EmergencyEMERGENCY – CALL 911Call the UO Police Department (541) 346-2919 for non-emergency assistance.If we need to evacuate the building during class, two possible evacuation routes include: _______________________________If we need to evacuate the building during class, our designated assembly point is: _______________________________Be sure your cell phone is set up to receive UO Alert text messages: 1) Login to DuckWeb2) Click on the “Personal Information” menu3) Click on “Enter/Update Emergency Alert Phone.”More information on emergency preparedness can be found online: https://safety.uoregon.edu/emergency-management-continuity

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