Online English 2030
Introduction to the Lessons
and Study Sheets
The material in our anthology has been divided into twelve lessons which cover two chapters each, except for the three drama lessons which cover only one. The text offers a wealth of terminology which is thoroughly explained and reinforced in the glossary at the back of the book. I have also made online resources available for further clarification and examples: Dictionary of Literary Terms and The Bedford's Glossary among many. You can access these easily from each lesson by selecting the Supplementary Resources link from the navigation tools at the left and bottom of each page. You should become familiar with all these terms, but I will select the most critical for you and ask that you are able to define them and provide clear examples of them from your reading as part of the work on your study sheets, essays, and exams.
It is always an excellent idea for you to become familiar with all the components of your assigned texts with a thorough perusal. I extend an invitation to read not only the selections assigned, but beyond. Brief biographies and pictures of the short fiction writers and playwrights are offered with their pieces. This information will be useful in determining the time periods and cultures represented by the literature, which will aid in making thematic connections/comparisons. In addition to what the text provides in this area, links to many authors' web sites and other informational resources from the Internet are available from the Supplementary Resources section of this site; some will also be offered from the individual lessons. You should also be familiar with the basic organization of the chapters so that you can find material you need easily.
The text also provides thought provoking questions based on the readings. The wise student will make use of these in insuring a careful and in depth study. Some of the items on the study sheets as well as the topics appearing on the discussion forums will be modeled after these.
One suggestion which will help you review for the exams for each unit is to begin a list of the terms offered in each of the lessons AND a list of the readings where you make note important details such as title, author, setting, point of view, theme, and the like; you will also want to note the date the piece was written/published and the author's cultural background so we can determine how time and culture impact thematic concerns. These lists will save you time as you prepare for the exams and will allow you to rethink important aspects of each story, poem, or play as you peruse your notes.
To complete the lessons successfully, follow these simple directions focusing on the pieces of literature specifically assigned/listed in the Lessons:
Note: Please, disregard the mention of chapter numbers in the short, narrated PP mini-lecture. As the editions change, so do the numbers; the titles stay the same.The content of the mini-lectures is accurate and useful; I recommend you spend the 5-8 minutes listening to them as they expand on the text below and reinforce the contents of the chapters.
I also ask that you forgive your instructor's annoying habits of 'lip smacking' and 'hummmmms' in the narration!
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Dr. Maria A. Clayton
P.O. Box 70
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132