Reading Literature: Culture and Ideas - ENG 225 at Piedmont Virginia Community College
https://courses.vccs.edu/colleges/pvcc/courses/ENG225-ReadingLiteratureCultureandIdeas
Effective: 2022-03-31
Course Description
Examines a set of literary texts linked by a particular theme, with inquiry into the historical, cultural, and/or social contexts of the texts and the theme. Emphasizes interpretive and critical analysis skills developed through close reading and intertextual study, as well as highlights an exploration of cultural ideas. Engages works of diverse genres, authors, and time periods. Specific themes will vary by section. This is a UCGS transfer course.
Lecture 3 hours. Total 3 hours per week.
3 credits
The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.
General Course Purpose
ENG 225 introduces students to the study of culture and ideas through literature, focusing on the fundamental skills of close reading, interpretation, and literary analysis of literary texts and their contexts.
Course Prerequisites/Corequisites
Prerequisites: ENG 112, ENG 113, or departmental approval.
Course Objectives
- Critical Thinking
- Evaluate, interpret, and use information, ideas, and arguments from a variety of perspectives (including the written arguments of others) to analyze complex issues related to literature and its study
- Interpret and combine information to reach and/or evaluate well-reasoned conclusions
- Communication
- Explain the complex ideas of others
- Develop, convey, and exchange ideas in writing
- Develop writing that is appropriate to a given context and for a specific audience
- Cultural and Civic Engagement
- Assess the impact of culture across local, national, and global communities
- Use the humanities as a framework for developing knowledge and civic values necessary for contributing to civic life and the well-being of local, national, and global communities
- Literary Traditions
- Describe salient features of the writers, literary movements, genres and/or texts studied in the course
- Inquiry through the Humanities
- Construct and explore meaningful questions about diverse human experiences through literary study
- Texts and Contexts
- Explain connections between literary texts and related contexts, exploring, in particular, how attention to the historical, cultural, and/or social contexts of a work can deepen an understanding of thematic concerns
- Close Reading and Literary Analysis
- Analyze literary texts using appropriate vocabulary and a variety of methodological approaches or perspectives, exploring the ways literary texts reflect and challenge cultural values and beliefs
- Support interpretations of literary texts with valid textual evidence and use appropriate scholarly sources to further inquiry into literary texts
- Writing
- Compose literary analysis that is well-organized and features substantial, logical, and concrete development of ideas with appropriate documentation
Major Topics to be Included
- Literary Traditions
- Inquiry through the Humanities
- Texts and Contexts
- Close Reading and Literary Analysis
- Writing