Lahore College for Women University

Department of English
BS English (Language & Literature)

Course Title: Academic Reading and Writing Semester: IV

Course Code: CC/Eng-207 Credit Hours: 3(3+0)

Course Description:
The main aim of this course is to familiarize the students with the main genres of English
Literature. Reading four different genres of literature will assist the students in understanding
how language works for expression in multiple ways. The course covers Poetry, One Act
Plays, Essays and Short Stories that exhibit diverse themes related to everyday life. The
course is expected to instill appreciation in the students for the written word and develop fine
writing skills as an outcome.

Course Objectives:
By the end of this course, the students should be able to:

 recognize the main genres of English Literature

 critically analyze various genres
 express their understanding of various writers’ points of view and relate it to their
own experiences

Course Contents:

Mid Term Final Term

One Act Plays Essays
i. Riders to the Sea by J.M. Synge i. The Pleasure of Reading
ii. Twelve Pound Look by J.M. Barrie (Viscount Grey)
Short Stories ii. Work (Bertrand Russell)
i. The Cask of Amontillado (Edgar Allan iii. On Babies (Jerome K. Jerome)
Poe) iv. On Not Answering the Telephone
ii. The Lady or the Tiger (Frank R. (William Plomer)
Stocketon) v. Of Friendship (Francis Bacon)
iii. The Scythe (Ray Bradbury) vi. Selected Snobberies (Aldous
iv. The Story of an Hour (Kate Chopin) Huxley)
v. A Clear-Well Lighted Place (Ernest Poetry
Hemingway) A selection of poems
vi. My Oedipus Complex (Frank O’
Connor)

Books to be consulted:

(i) Exploring Literature (Eng-506)

(ii) A Selection of English Verse (Eng-505)
 Lahore College for Women University
Department of English
Weekly Teaching Schedule

Mid Term

Weeks Syllabus Plan

Week 1 Day 1: Introduction to main genres of English Literature with
special focus on One-Act Plays, its features and format.

Day 2: Introduction of J M.Synge (A brief biography) Reading

and Explanation of the text Riders to the Sea with focus on
significance of title and character(s) analysis.

Day 3: (Continue) Text Reading and explanation of Riders to

the Sea with focus on themes and symbols.

Week 2 Day 1: Introduction of J M.Barrie (A brief biography) Reading

and Explanation of the text Twelve Pound Look with focus on
significance of the title and character(s) analysis.

Day 2: (Continue) Reading and explanation of Twelve Pound

Look with focus on themes, symbols and character analysis.

Day 3: Engage students in classroom activities how to exploit/

interpret text for the development of the concept/ideas and for
the evaluation of the characters.

Week 3 Day 1: Revise definition and elements of a short story.

Discussion on Edgar Allan Poe (A brief biography) Reading
and explanation of The Cask of Amontillado with focus on title,
characters and elements of short story

Day 2: Continue reading and explanation of The Cask of

Amontillado with focus on themes, symbols and important
aspects/questions from the point of view of examination.

Day 3: Engage students in classroom activities how to exploit/

interpret text. for the development of the ideas.

Week 4 Day 1: Introduction of Frank R. Stocketon (A brief biography)

Reading and explanation of The Lady or the Tiger with focus
on significance of the title and character analysis.

Day 2: Continue reading and explanation of the text of The

Lady or the Tiger with focus on themes, symbols and other
important aspects.

Day 3: Continue. Engage students in classroom activities how

to exploit/ interpret text for the development of the ideas.
Week 5 Day 1: Discussion on Ray Bradbury (A brief biography)
Reading and explanation of The Scythe with focus on title,
characters and elements of short story.

Day 2: Continue reading and explanation of The Scythe with

focus on themes, symbols and important aspects/questions from
the point of view of examination.

Day 3: Engage students in classroom activities how to exploit/

interpret text, extracting implied meaning, guessing
idea/meaning from the context, etc.

Assign assignment.

Week 6 Day 1: Discussion on Kate Chopin (A brief biography)

Reading and explanation of The Story of an Hour with focus on
title, characters and elements of short story

Day 2: Continue reading and explanation of The Story of an

Hour with focus on themes, symbols and important
aspects/questions from the point of view of examination.

Day 3: Continue to complete. Engage students in classroom

activities how to develop question and evaluate characters.

Week 7 Day 1: Introduction to Earnest Hemingway (A brief biography)

Reading and explanation of A Clear-Well Lighted Place with
focus on significance of the title and character analysis.

Day 2: Continue reading and explanation of A Clear-Well

Lighted Place with focus on themes, symbols and important
aspects/questions from the point of view of examination.

Day 3: Continue. Engage students in classroom activities how

to exploit/ interpret text to extract meaning and to evaluate
characters.

Week 8 Day 1: Introduction to Frank O'Connor (A brief biography)

Reading and explanation of My Oedipus Complex with focus on
significance of the title and character analysis.

Day 2: Continue reading and explanation of My Oedipus

Complex with focus on themes, symbols and important
aspects/questions from the point of view of examination.

Day 3: Revision. Engage students in classroom discussion on

elements of short story with reference to different short stories
they have read. Discuss/ revise important aspects of these short
stories.
Mid Term Examination
 FINAL TERM

Weeks Syllabus Plan

Week 9 Day 1: Introduce Essay as a genre of English Literature.
Discuss its main features of Essay.

Day 2: Start The Pleasure of Reading by Viscount Grey.

Explain the main themes and ask students relevant questions to
make it an interactive session.

Day 3: Finish reading of the essay The Pleasure of Reading.

Ask students questions to assess their understanding of the
essay.
Week 10 Day 1: give an introduction to Bertrand Russell and his style of
writing. Start his essay Work

Day 2: Complete the essay Work. Discuss the important points

and ask relevant questions to assess students’ understanding.

Day 3: Introduce Jerome K. Jerome. Start his essay On Babies.

If left unfinish, ask the students to finish reading as homework.
Give them questions to ponder on.
Week 11 Day 1: Give an introduction to William Plomer and his style.
Start his essay On Not Answering the Telephone. Make
connections with real life to make the session an interactive and
interesting one.

Day 2: Wind up the Essay On Not Answering the Telephone,

give students a writing assignment to share their experiences
related to telephone. Introduce Francis Bacon and his essay Of
Friendship.

Day 3: Complete reading of the essay Of Friendship. Ask

students relevant questions and have an interactive discussion
in class.
Week 12 Day 1: Introduce the writer and start Selected Snobberies by
Aldous Huxley

Day 2: Finish the essay and assess students’ understanding by

asking questions.

Day 3: Give an introduction to Poetry as a genre. Familiarize

the students with main types and figures of speech commonly
used in poetry. Introduce them to the ways surface and in-depth
interpretations of poems.
Week 13 Day 1: Start The Wind Began to Rock the Grass after giving an
introduction to the poet. Cover the main themes and ask
students to make an attempt at analysis.

Day 2: Cover two poems People and Self-portrait. Ask students

 for their opinions at interpretations of poems.

Day 3: Introduce William Wordsworth, and cover the poem

Lucy by him.
Week 14 Day 1: Cover the poem How do I love thee. Discuss how the
poet has expressed her passion.

Day 2: Read and explain the poem I shall paint my nails red.

Day 3: Read and interpret To see a world in a grain of sand.

Ask students their perspectives.
Week 15 Day 1. Read Fog, see how the comparisons have been made.

Day 2: Reinforcement. Answer students’ questions and solve

difficulties. Ask students to interpret poem and explain a stanza
with reference to context.

Day 3: Continue the practice of explanation with reference to

context.
Week 16 Revision Week
Revision of all essays and poems covered in class.

Final Term Examination