English Inquiry

ENLT 140: English Inquiry

This course is offered every semester, but readings and assignments may vary.

Note: A custom anthology is required for this course and must be purchased through the bookstore; if you know someone who took ENLT 140 with Dr. Gangnes in a previous semester, their textbook may be sufficient, but you should compare its page numbering and contents with a classmate because readings sometimes change between semesters. Students are permitted to purchase/rent used copies or electronic versions of other course materials where available, as long as they are the same edition as shown in the bookstore. ISBN numbers are helpful here. Contact instructor if you’re unsure about the edition you plan to purchase.

Description

This course explores a selection of literary works, including novels, short fiction, poetry, drama, and graphic fiction, with the goal of gaining a greater and more nuanced understanding of English studies, including basic techniques of literary scholarship, theory, and research. Rather than approaching such texts chronologically or by region, we will actively draw connections between works from different time periods and genres. We will learn critical methods for examining works of literature, from their basic phrases to their broader themes. Naturally, this means a lot of reading, but our efforts will serve a crucial purpose: to encounter as many literary voices as we can and put them into conversation with one another and our own experiences. In so doing, we will learn how to read more actively, think more critically about what we read, and write more effectively about the ideas that reading provokes.

Syllabi