I COURSE DESCRIPTION The reading, discussion and analysis of

DEPARTMENT OF MODERN LANGUAGES & LITERATURES
________________PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY, FALL 2010______________________
Title: Spanish American Short Fiction
Professor: Bert Patrick
Course Num: MLL 459-01
Office: 416 Grubbs Hall
Prerequisite: Flang 350
Credit Hours: 3
Office Hours: 10-12 T-Th; 2-5 MW
or by appt.
Office Phone: 235-4711
Course Time: 11:00 MWF 203 Grubbs
Cell Phone: 404-9400 (before 10pm, please)
Office e-mail: bpatrick@pittstate.edu
Home e-mail: bertrick1940@yahoo.com
__________________________________________________________________________
I COURSE DESCRIPTION
The reading, discussion and analysis of selected 20th century
Spanish American short stories and a novella.
II PURPOSE OF COURSE To help the student develop a familiarity with selected works of
some of the major Spanish American writers of the 20th and 21st
centuries. Also, to teach the learner how to read works of fiction with greater critical and
analytical skills and for greater literary and cultural appreciation. Finally, to help the student
perfect his/her critical thinking, speaking and writing skills through the discussion and analysis
of these selections.
III COURSE OBJECTIVES At the end of this course students should be able to demonstrate
1) a familiarity with selected works of the prose writers of the
past two centuries, 2) greater critical and analytical skills and greater literary and cultural
appreciation in reading Spanish American short fiction and 3) an enhanced ability to read, think,
discuss & write critically.
IV TEXTS & MATERIALS
A)
B)
TEXT Cinco maestros: cuentos modernos de Hispanoamérica and Como agua para chocolate)
REFERENCE WORKS 1) A good Spanish-Spanish dictionary, especially the
PEQUEÑO LAROUSSE ILUSTRADO
2) A Guide to Literary Study
V COURSE PROCEDURES This course will be conducted in Spanish most of the time. The
teacher will a) lead discussions over assigned topics to
facilitate comprehension, and help you improve your speaking and analytical skills; b) ask a
question for you to answer in pairs or a small group; c) pose a question or two over the next
meeting's assignment to focus your reading and to facilitate discussion; and d) test you over the
works of each author.
Class time will usually be spent discussing aspects of the reading assignments or some other
related activity. Feel free to ask questions about anything over the topic being discussed on a
given day: from the meaning of a word or passage to the comprehension of a concept. Study with
other persons in the class is beneficial and is definitely encouraged.
Student Responsibilities
Work on task...the entire time we are in class. If you finish before others,
chat in Spanish about the class, review, look ahead…but stay on task.
Work cooperatively, in pairs, in small groups or as an entire class. Be the
best partner/member possible! Try to work with a different partner every
day; this permits you to meet every one and to play the three roles of
interacting with others.
Look only at your own information, if appropriate: don’t peek at your
partner’s.
Enunciate and speak clearly. Your partner(s) deserve to know what you
are saying. **If you are a native speaker, s-l-o-w d-o-w-n when speaking
with a non-native. Help them improve their listening comprehension skills,
just as others have helped you improve yours in English.**
Correct each other’s grammar/pronunciation/spelling… when needed.
Making mistakes….and learning from them…is why we are here. If you
had already mastered this information or had these skills, you wouldn’t need
to be in this class. However, correct each other in a supportive, non-critical,
non-judgmental way. Always be positive!!!
Speak only in Spanish; use gestures if needed to convey meaning. It is SO
easy to just say it in English, but staying in Spanish, using circumlocution
and struggling through the challenge is how we grow. This is true in every
aspect of life. No pain, no gain is a truism.
VI. OVERALL EVALUATION
A EXAMS There will be 6 tests in this course. The first five will be over the works of each
author; the sixth will be during finals week over a story you have probably never
read before, in order for you to demonstrate how well you have developed your skills to analyze,
organize your ideas and then express them effectively in writing. Do not retell the action or plot
of the story; rather, analyze as many aspect(s) of it as your ability will allow: the theme (the
significance of the action), the characterization (the essence of a/some characters or how
[s]he/they are developed), language, structure, setting, etc. You will be graded on both the
content of your analysis and the quality of your writing skills. The exam over each author’s
works is 15% of your grade, a total of 90%.
B CLASS DISCUSSION You will also be evaluated on the quality and frequency of your
contributions to the discussions of the works we read. This portion
is 5% of your final grade.
C CONVERSATION PARTNER You are to schedule a weekly conversation session
with a partner ASAP. Talk about the issues being explored in this course. For example,
retell the story or chapter in as great a detail as possible to test your recall and ability to
“narrate.” Analyze aspects of the story. For example, talk about the narrative point of
view and how it affects the information presented; the characters, their function and how
they are presented/developed; the structure of the work; the conflict and how it is
resolved; the setting and its effect on the action; the ideas; your reaction to the story, that
is, why you think it is good or not. In short, you have plenty to talk about each session;
take advantage of this opportunity to learn to express your ideas more effectively and to
discover what you think about the stories in the process of articulating your ideas. 5% of
course grade.
D CLASS ATTENDANCE I expect you to be in class every day, prepared to
participate fully. Should you miss class, it is your
responsibility to get the next day’s assignment (call me or a classmate) and return to class
prepared to participate fully in the activities. I take roll each day. Each class meeting
you miss, for whatever reason, will result in this portion of your grade being reduced
by five percent [5%]. Arriving in class after we have begun is considered a tardy
and is the equivalent of a half an absence. If on a given day, however, you have an
exam or a presentation to make in another class and you are not prepared, go ahead and
come to class; before class gets under way, ask me not to call on you on that day and I
will respect your request. You learn more by just being in class, observing and listening,
than you do by missing. This is 5% of your grade.
D. EVALUATION CRITERIA 1 Six exams over works of each author (6 X 14.66%) = 85%
2 Participation in class discussions
05%
3 Conversation sessions
05%
4 Attendance
05%
Total 100%
E. GRADING SYSTEM
A 100-90; B 89-80; C 79-70; D 69-60; F 59-00
VII IKE CREDIT This course counts towards the academic component of the IKE Certificate
of International Knowledge and Experience. The IKE Certificate may be earned by students in
any major. The academic component consists of five courses - two semesters of a foreign
language, and three courses with international content in three different disciplines. To receive
the certificate, students must also complete a second component, either by studying abroad, or by
participating in co-curricular activities on campus. Completion of the IKE certificate as an
undergraduate is noted on a student's PSU undergraduate transcript, although graduate students
may also earn the certificate. To be added to the IKE Angel group and start tracking your
progress towards the certificate, please e-mail your GUS number in a request to Megan Corrigan
mcorriga@pittstate.edu.
VIII KANSAS STATE DEPT OF EDUCATION (KSDE) TEACHING STANDARDS This
course meets the following KSDE teaching standards:
Standard #1
Knowledge 1, 2, 3, 4.
Performances 1, 2.
Standard #2
Performance 8.
STUDY ABROAD
The department strongly recommends that all Modern Languages and Literatures
majors and minors participate in an accredited study abroad program. PSU offers
study abroad scholarships as well as assistance with other financial aid. To learn
about accredited programs, contact Megan Corrigan, Study Abroad Coordinator,
at 235-4221 or visit 118C Whitesitt Hall. For information on transfer credits,
consult with Judy Berry-Bravo, Chair of Modern Languages and Literatures, at
235-4708 or visit 429 Grubbs Hall.
HORARIO DE CLASES
AUG 23 Introducción
25 “Fiction” , 11-33
27 Juan Rulfo v-vii, 117-119;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQHbz4F14ho (homenaje a Rulfo 3’12”);
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Rulfo; http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Rulfo
(versión en español); http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7495550766501139260#
(entrevista a Rulfo en televisión española); cualquier otra fuente biográfica acerca de
Juan Rulfo.
30 Juan Rulfo: No oyes ladrar los perros 158; Rulfo lee el cuento:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cewv7qyUpsA
SEP 1 Rulfo: Es que somos muy pobres 121
3 Rulfo: Luvina 147 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZEu5r75ztQ 5’42”)
6 Día del Trabajo: ¡ no hay clase!
8 Rulfo: El hombre 127
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7Le0taJMXg&feature=related 7’52”)
10 Rulfo: ¡Diles que no me maten! 138;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s28GY7ImKA4&feature=related (Rulfo lo lee – Parte 1);
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8J906FHMNA&feature=related;
13 1o Examen: Los cuentos de Juan Rulfo
15 Gabriel García Márquez v-vii, 223-225;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Garc%C3%ADa_M%C3%A1rquez ;
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Garc%C3%ADa_M%C3%A1rquez (versión en español);
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMpsqbge99c ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iz3bhmqyY&NR=1 ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4MZ_X1DnwA&feature=related (estos tres
videos componen una entrevista de GGM más escenas de sus obras filmadas y del mundo del que
él escribió) ;
http://www.documen.tv/asset/view_trailer_html.php?trailer_filename=zarafa/STARTPreviewGA
BRIELGARCIAMARQUEZProgD512Kbps.mov&trailer_pub=PUB/STARTPubSansuiProgD1M
bps001.mov (fragmento de una entrevista de GGM y escenas de Macondo, Colombia) ;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AOh8L2AP0s (carta de despedida…en inglés) ;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJcubSlYWnQ&feature=related (carta de despedida..en
español)
17 GGM: La viuda de Montiel 256
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dumYp3k9YWQ 10’33”)
20 GGM: La siesta del martes 264
22 GGM: La prodigiosa tarde de Baltasar 247
24 GGM: Los funerales de la Mamá Grande 227
27 GGM: 2o Examen: Los cuentos de Gabriel García Márquez
29 Julio Cortázar: v-vii, 59-61;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio_Cort%C3%A1zar ;
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio_Cort%C3%A1zar (versión en español) ;
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3562250863327291954&sourceid=docidfeed&hl=es/#
(entrevista a fondo de Cortázar) ;
OCT 1 Cortázar: Casa tomada (story & vocab available at Lessons on
Angel) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWP5oaNtJzU&feature=related 5’36” Cortázar lee
el cuento; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaTh4YRwNHo&feature=related 2’01”;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0XGjCC8mcg&feature=related 9’15”;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WCkhLhR2xk&feature=related 7’50”;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4MV_q2N0jo&feature=related 1ª parte 5’56”;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsggfN4hBRg 2ª parte 6’04”;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q8Zx2toato&feature=related 3ª parte 6’40”)
4 Cortázar: Fin del juego (available at Lessons on Angel)
6 Cortázar: La puerta condenada (available at Lessons on Angel)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cEPodT0b60&feature=related 1a parte 8’29”;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWd3HSA4iWQ&feature=related 2a parte 8’03”)
8 No hay clase
11 Cortázar: La salud de los enfermos 98
13 3o Examen: Los cuentos de Julio Cortázar
15 Jorge Luis Borges: v-vii, 3-6;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Luis_Borges; http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Luis_Borges
(en español); http://www.ubu.com/film/borges.html (video)
18 Borges: La intrusa 50
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmFIpW1anY8&feature=related 6’12”)
20 Borges: El Sur 41
22 Asueto otoñal
25 Borges: La muerte y la brújula 27
27 Borges: Deutsches Requiem 9
29 No hay clase
NOV 1 Borges: El milagro secreto 18
3 4o Examen: Los cuentos de Jorge Luis Borges
5 No hay clase
8 Laura Esquivel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Esquivel;
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Esquivel_(escritora) ;
10 Esquivel: Como agua para chocolate Cap. 1
12 Esquivel: Cap. 2
15 Esquivel: Cap. 3 y 4
17 Esquivel: Cap. 5
19 Esquivel: Cap. 6
22 Esquivel: Caps. 7 y 8
24-26 **Vacaciones para el Día de Gracias**
29 Esquivel: Cap. 9 y 10
DIC 1 Esquivel: Cap. 11
3 Esquivel: Cap. 12
6 Película: Como agua para chocolate
8 Película: Como agua para chocolate
10 5o Examen: Como agua para chocolate
DIC 13-17 Semana de exámenes finales 6o Examen: análisis de un cuento