Engl 2110 American Literature to 1865, O'Donnell, ETSU, Fall 2026

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Policies
last update: August 23, 2026

Course and Instructor

Engl 2110 American Literature to 1865, MWF from 10:30 to 11:25am in Academic Building room 301.

Dr. Kevin O'Donnell, instructor; odonnell@etsu.edu faculty.etsu.edu/odonnell/

East Tennessee State University, Department of Literature and Language

Office: Burleson Hall 214

Course Description

This semester, we will read broadly from the early American literary canon, mostly from the first half of the 19th century. We will discuss major authors, texts, and themes. We will read some remarkable works. You will learn strategies for reading unfamiliar texts, and you will learn about American history and literary history.

Course Text

- The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 10th edition -- Package 1: Beginnings to 1865 (includes Volume A, "Beginnings to 1820" and Volume B "1820-1865"). ISBN: 978-0-393-88442-5. List price $101.55. Available for less from various online sources.

Assignment Overview/ Final Grade Breakdown

- Two exams: 50% (25% each)

- Four surprise reading quizzes: 20% (5% each)

- Five reading responses, at least 500 words each, posted to a D2L discussion board: 20% (4% each)

- Participation -- including having the course textbook with you in class and being prepared to discuss the readings assigned for the day: 10%

Calendar Overview

Weeks 1-2 – Romantic short stories

Weeks 3-4 – Slavery in nonfiction and fiction

Week 5 – Documents related to Cherokee Removal

Week 6 – Transcendentalism

- Exam 1 – Weds Oct 7

- Fall Break – Mon Oct 12

Weeks 7-9 – The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (1850)

Week 10 – Abe Lincoln; and related poems

Week 11 – Anne Bradstreet and Phillis Wheatley

Week 12-13 – The Enlightenment and the Revolution

- Thanksgiving holiday – Weds and Fri, Nov 25 and 27

Week 14-15 – Emily Dickinson

- Exam 2 during final exam period – Weds, Dec 9, 8-10am

Attendance and Due Dates

The official Department of Lit and Language attendance policy is that, if you have more than 9 unexcused absences, you fail the course.

I strongly encourage you to attend class meetings when you can. In my experience, students who miss class tend to be lost during discussion when they do show up, and they tend to do poorly on quizzes, reading responses, and exams.

Missed reading quizzes cannot be made up.

Statement about Artificial Intelligence

New research suggests that using AI to do your writing for you can actually rewire your brain in a way that diminishes your capacity to think. Do not surrender your brain capacity to soul-less digital overlords. Please do not use artificial intelligence to write your reading responses. I have no desire to be the AI police. Nor do I have any fool-proof way of detecting your AI use. However, if I do detect that you have used it to produce an assignment without disclosing that fact, then your score for that assignment will be zero.

ETSU Syllabus Attachment

The ETSU syllabus attachment includes all kinds of helpful information related to this and other ETSU courses: