Spring 2026
American Literature
American Literature (ENGL 2326 9M3) CREDIT 3 SCH Semester Credit Hours (3 Lec hours lecture, 0 Lab hours lab) MODE OF INSTRUCTION Online PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: A C or better in ENGL 1301 COURSE DESCRIPTION A survey of American literature from the period of exploration and settlement to the present. Students will study works of prose, poetry, drama, and fiction in relation to their historical and cultural contexts. Texts will be selected from among a diverse group of authors for what they reflect and reveal about the evolving American experience and character. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon successful completion of this course, students will: 1. Identify key ideas, representative authors and works, significant historical or cultural events, and characteristic perspectives or attitudes expressed in the literature of different periods or regions. 2. Analyze literary works as expressions of individual or communal values within the social, political, cultural, or religious contexts of different literary periods. 3. Demonstrate knowledge of the development of characteristic forms or styles of expression during different historical periods or in different regions. 4. Articulate the aesthetic principles that guide the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities. 5. Write research-based critical papers about the assigned readings in clear and grammatically correct prose, using various critical approaches to literature. CORE OBJECTIVES 1. Critical Thinking: To include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information. Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative research processes. 2. Communication: To include the effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written and visual communication. 3. Personal Responsibility: To include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making. 4. Empirical and Quantitative: To include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions. INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Ms. Ashley E. Thibodeaux, M.A. Email: aethibodeaux1@lit.edu Office Phone: (409) 880-8115 Office Location: Virtual Office Office Hours: By appointment only REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS Reliable access to the Internet. The instructor will provide information for any supplemental reading resources via Blackboard ATTENDANCE POLICY DROP POLICY If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process by the specified date as listed in the College Calendar on the Student Success web page. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. COURSE CALENDAR DATE TOPIC READINGS ASSIGNMENTS January 20 – 26 Unit 1: Introduction to American Literature a) Meet Your Instructor b) LIT Academic Calendar c) Syllabus d) Plagiarism e) MLA Citation Style Read all materials by January 22 at 11:59 p.m. a) Let’s Discuss! b) Plagiarism Quiz c) Building Your MLA-Formatted Word Document Complete all assignments by January 26 at 11:59 p.m. January 27 – February 2 Unit 2: Colonialism and Early Nationalism a) View the Timeline for Historical Context b) View the Themes for this Unit Read all materials by January 29 at 11:59 p.m. a) Let’s Discuss! Complete the assignment by February 2 at 11:59 p.m. February 3 – 9 Unit 2: Colonialism and Early Nationalism a) American Literature Selected Texts 1 and 2 b) The Legend of Washington Irving a) Unit Response Paper Complete the assignment by February 9 at 11:59 p.m. c) How to Research a Topic for an Essay Read all materials by February 5 at 11:59 p.m. February 10 – 16 Unit 3: (American) Romanticism a) Lecture b) View the Themes for this Unit c) What is Gothic Literature? d) Remnants of Dark Romanticism and Gothic Literature Podcast e) Poe Context and Background f) Timeline for Poe g) “The Black Cat” AND “Hop-Frog” Read all materials by February 12 at 11:59 p.m. a) First, Let’s Discuss! b) Reading Assignment Complete all assignments by February 16 at 11:59 p.m. February 17 – 23 Unit 3: (American) Romanticism a) Familiarize Yourself with the Historical Context and Author Backgrounds b) Excerpt from Walden Read all materials by February 19 at 11:59 p.m. a) First, Let’s Discuss! b) Unit Response Paper Complete all assignments by February 23 at 11:59 p.m. February 24 – March 2 Unit 4: Realism and Naturalism a) Realism in American Literature b) Charlotte Perkins Gilman c) “The Yellow Wallpaper” Read all materials by February 26 at 11:59 p.m. a) First, Let’s Discuss! b) Reading Assignment Complete all assignments by March 2 at 11:59 p.m. March 3 – 9 Unit 4: Realism and Naturalism a) “On the Influence of Naturalism on American Literature” b) Mark Twain c) Excerpt from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Read all materials by March 5 at 11:59 p.m. a) First, Let’s Discuss! b) Mid-Term Exam Complete all assignments by March 9 at 11:59 p.m. ***Mid-Term Exam cannot be accepted for late submission.*** March 16 – 23 Unit 5: Modernism a) Modernism in American Literature b) Ernest Hemingway c) F. Scott Fitzgerald a) First, Let’s Discuss! b) Reading Assignment d) Hemingway’s “Indian Camp” e) Fitzgerald’s “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” Read all materials by March 19 at 11:59 p.m. Complete all assignments by March 23 at 11:59 p.m. March 24 – 30 Unit 5: Modernism a) John Steinbeck b) Excerpt from The Grapes of Wrath Read all materials by March 26 at 11:59 p.m. a) First, Let’s Discuss! b) Unit Response Paper c) Topic Proposal for Research Paper Complete all assignments by March 30 at 11:59 p.m. March 31 – April 6 Unit 6: Southern Gothic a) Southern Gothic Literature Presentation b) Southern Gothic Literature (Lecture) c) Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” Read all materials by April 2 at 11:59 p.m. a) First, Let’s Discuss! b) Unit Response Paper Complete all assignments by April 6 at 11:59 p.m. April 7 – 13 Unit 7: Contemporary a) Contemporary Literature Lecture b) The Life of Kurt Vonnegut Lecture c) Art Speigelman’s “Maus” d) Lamar University Library Resources for Research Read all materials by April 9 at 11:59 p.m. a) First, Let’s Discuss! b) The Life of Kurt Vonnegut QUIZ c) Art Speigelman’s “Maus” QUIZ d) Research Paper OUTLINE Complete all assignments by April 13 at 11:59 p.m. April 14 – 20 Unit 7: Contemporary a) Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” b) Malcolm X’s “The Bullet or the Ballot” c) MLA Help Folder Read all materials by April 16 at 11:59 p.m. a) Discussion Checkpoint – Research Paper b) Research Paper ROUGH DRAFT Complete all assignments by April 20 at 11:59 p.m. April 21 – 27 Unit 8: The Research Paper – Common Assignment a) The Seven Cs of Good Writing Lecture b) Spelling Tips and Tricks Lecture a) Peer Review Participation Step 1: Submit your rough draft to the c) The Peer Review Process Read all materials by April 23 at 11:59 p.m. assignment link by APRIL 21. Step 2: Complete the peer review by APRIL 27. ***Peer Review Participation cannot be accepted for late submission.*** April 28 – May 4 Unit 9: Conclusion of American Literature Research Paper FINAL DRAFT DUE MAY 4 ***Final Draft cannot be accepted for late submission.*** May 5 – 12 Unit 9: Conclusion of American Literature Final Examination DUE MAY 12 ***Final Exam cannot be accepted for late submission.*** May 14 Final Grade Posted via Self-Service Banner COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: • Participation 10% • Daily Work Assignments 40% • Mid-Term Exam 15% • Research Paper—Common Core Assignment 20% • Final Exam 15% • Total 100% GRADE SCALE • 90-100 A • 80-89 B • 70-79 C • 60-69 D • 0-59 F TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS For the latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc., review the Minimum Computer and Equipment Requirements on the LIT Online Experience page. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or WiFi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. DISABILITIES STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. LIT provides reasonable accommodations as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to students with a diagnosed disability. The Special Populations Office is located in the Eagles’ Nest Room 129 and helps foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff, as well as promoting awareness among all members of the Lamar Institute of Technology community. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator at (409)-951-5708 or email specialpopulations@lit.edu. You may also visit the online resource at Special Populations - Lamar Institute of Technology (lit.edu). STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENT It is the responsibility of all registered Lamar Institute of Technology students to access, read, understand and abide by all published policies, regulations, and procedures listed in the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook. The LIT Catalog and Student Handbook may be accessed at www.lit.edu. Please note that the online version of the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook supersedes all other versions of the same document. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STATEMENT Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) recognizes the recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, have changed the landscape of many career disciplines and will impact many students in and out of the classroom. To prepare students for their selected careers, LIT desires to guide students in the ethical use of these technologies and incorporate AI into classroom instruction and assignments appropriately. Appropriate use of these technologies is at the discretion of the instructor. Students are reminded that all submitted work must be their own original work unless otherwise specified. Students should contact their instructor with any questions as to the acceptable use of AI/ChatGPT in their courses. STARFISH LIT utilizes an early alert system called Starfish. Throughout the semester, you may receive emails from Starfish regarding your course grades, attendance, or academic performance. Faculty members record student attendance, raise flags and kudos to express concern or give praise, and you can make an appointment with faculty and staff all through the Starfish home page. You can also login to Blackboard or MyLIT and click on the Starfish link to view academic alerts and detailed information. It is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to these emails and information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES/INFORMATION This course is conducted entirely online. There are no in-person class meetings, and students are expected to attend and engage remotely through Blackboard and LIT email. Attendance is measured by active participation, which directly impacts your grade. Participation includes discussion posts and course analytics. • Discussion posts require one original post responding to the prompt and one peer response that adds value to the discussion. • Student activity within Blackboard will be monitored to ensure consistent engagement. This includes logging in, accessing course materials, submitting assignments, and interacting with peers. Failure to participate in discussions or engage with course materials may result in a lower participation grade. Students are responsible for managing their time and staying current with all course requirements. Any assignment not submitted by the stated due date will automatically receive a zero, regardless of whether late work is accepted. Students must refer to the instructor’s late-work policy for details regarding eligibility, penalties, and deadlines for late submissions. If late work is accepted, the zero will remain until the assignment has been submitted and graded. It is the student’s responsibility to regularly review their grades and notify the instructor if a zero remains after grading has occurred. Timely submission of assignments is essential for academic success and fairness. As such, late work is not accepted under normal circumstances. In the event of an unavoidable situation, late work may only be considered when the following conditions are met: • The student notifies the instructor within 24 hours of the incident. • The student provides official documentation supporting the claim (e.g., medical note, legal notice, etc.). Unavoidable circumstances may include the following: • Serious illness or injury requiring medical attention • Death or critical illness of an immediate family member • Court appearances or legal obligations • School-sponsored events with prior approval • Severe weather or emergencies (e.g., mandatory evacuation, power outage, etc.) Note: Work obligations, extracurricular activities, vacations, and general scheduling conflicts do not qualify as unavoidable circumstances. Additionally, the mid-term exam, peer review participation, research paper final draft, and final exam cannot be accepted as late work. Students are encouraged to plan ahead and communicate proactively to avoid conflicts.