Introduction to Literature 1 is a first-year required course. This course is the first encounter with Literature for most of the students entering the department. In this course students will be reading fiction and will be introduced to plot, character, point of view, setting, language, style, irony, theme, symbol, and other aspects of literary texts. They will learn about these elements of literature by reading both traditional and modern pieces of fiction. Another important and ambitious goal of this class is that students will enjoy reading literature as well as learn to understand themselves and the world around them better. Reading is delightful and over the course of this semester students will hopefully come to form a community of readers who are willing to share ideas and help one another understand. Active participation is essential to the success of this class.

To guide the students to 1) get aquainted with some basic literary knowledge and skills for reading certain representative works penned by the major writers of English. 2) develop a clear understanding of dufferent literary genres and styles. 3) cultivate an interest in exploring the beauty and wisdom conveyed through the masterpieces chosen. 4) be able to contextualize the relationships between a literary piece, its author, and the time in which its written, as well as to analyze them.

Perrines Literature: Stuecture, Sound, and Sense (Tenth edition)
Edited by Thomas R. Arp and Greg Johnson