Literature of Chicago

 

 

Required Texts:                                                                                                    Required Texts:

Smokestacks and Skyscrapers (Packet Provided)                                                  Chicago Street Map

A Raisin in the Sun                                                                                                 Notebook

Native Son                                                                                                             Assignment Book

Chicago Poems

Chicago: City on the Make

 

            Welcome to the Literature of Chicago, a course that has been a Maine South tradition for over thirty years!  While it is an English course that focuses on the writers and literature from and about the city, the course will also lead you through an exploration of Chicago’s history, geography, architecture, art, politics and social issues.  It truly is a dynamic course that will challenge you, while at the same time provide you with information that will last a lifetime.

 

Participation:

Positive participation is the key to enjoying and succeeding in this class.  Actively contributing to discussions, taking pride in your assignments and striving for effective groupwork will ensure a beneficial experience in this course.  The material we will cover is interesting and practical, so I strongly encourage you to take an active role in the class and get the most that you can out of it. 

 

Homework:

Completing all of your assignments on time is the key to earning a desirable grade in this class.  Even seemingly minor assignments do add up over the course of a semester, and failure to complete them will have a negative impact on your grade.  I do not accept any late homework unless you have a valid reason for not being in class on the day that I assigned it.

 

Attendance:

Coming to my class everyday is the key to staying on my good side.  I try to make every class worthwhile and therefore believe that it is essential you attend them.  If a student “cuts” my class, I take it personally and will exact the swiftest and severest punishment that I can.  Also, I do not appreciate students who frequently miss class even if they are “excused.”  As a student, your role is to be in the classroom learning.  You fulfill your obligation, and I’ll fulfill mine.

 

 

“I adore Chicago.  It is the pulse of America.”—Sarah Bernhardt