Overview
This lecture introduces English Composition 2, focusing on key course concepts such as analysis, appreciation (cultivation), and critical thinking, and it applies these to poetry through terms and sample analyses.
Course Introduction & Structure
- The course covers three writing genres: poetry, short fiction, and drama.
- Students should read the syllabus for details on assignments, grading, and expectations.
- Use email or discussion boards for questions about the course.
Key Course Objectives: Analyze, Cultivate, Critical
- Analyze: Learn the difference between summarizing (what happens) and analyzing (why/how it happens).
- Cultivate: Develop appreciation and awareness for literature, and the ability to decode coded language in texts and interactions.
- Critical: Engage actively and thoughtfully with texts and situations, not just passively consume them.
Core Poetry Terms & Concepts
- Speaker: The narrative voice of a poem, which may differ from the author.
- Setting: Includes both temporal (time) and spatial (place) aspects, shaping expectations.
- Situation: The context or scenario within the poem.
- Theme: Central idea or message, often expressible in a word or phrase.
- Tone: The emotional quality or attitude conveyed through language.
- Imagery & Symbols: Descriptive language and objects that represent deeper meanings; meaning is influenced by context and audience.
Poem Analyses
- "Richard Cory" by Edwin Arlington Robinson:
- Speaker is a collective "we," not Richard Cory himself.
- Setting and time are intentionally vague, making the poem's themes universal.
- Themes include class dynamics, the limitations of appearances, and celebrity.
- Uses symbols like "meat" (privilege) and "bread" (commonality/poverty); tone shifts from reverence to subtle antagonism.
- "Divorce" by Billy Collins:
- Short, universal poem with an objective, detached speaker.
- Uses kitchen utensils as symbols for relationship change (spoons to forks to knives).
- Themes include relationship deterioration and the general nature of divorce.
- Form (brevity) mirrors the poem’s message—relationships can be quickly reduced to cliché.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Analysis — Explaining why/how something happens in a text beyond just what happens.
- Cultivate — To develop deeper appreciation and understanding.
- Critical — Actively questioning and engaging with material.
- Speaker — The narrative voice in a poem, distinct from the author.
- Theme — The central topic or underlying idea.
- Tone — The attitude or emotional quality expressed by the author.
- Imagery — Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.
- Symbol — An object or image that represents a deeper meaning.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Read or re-read the assigned poems in the textbook.
- Participate in the discussion forum: answer two posted questions by Friday (11:59 pm), respond to two classmates by Sunday.
- Listen to/read Bruce Springsteen’s "Nebraska" and consider comparing the reading and audio versions.
- Review the syllabus and contact the instructor with any questions.