Purposes &
Objectives
The
purpose of this course is to increase your ability to analyze poetry and
improve your writing skills at the same time.
The objectives in teaching this awareness are as follows:
1.
To focus on individual techniques used in poetry (such as connotation,
denotation, simile, metaphor, symbol, allegory, irony, satire, paradox, and
allusion) and enable you to write clear definition papers that define such
terms and show how they are used by specific poets to create a poem’s meaning.
2.
To teach the terminology specific to poetry that enables a person to
describe a poem’s melody sounds, rhythm, rhyme, and specific format (if one is
used.)
3.
To introduce you to a variety of poets representing different eras,
approaches, and styles.
4.
To bring in live poets who are published and have them read some of
their work to you and answer your questions about the way they work and create.
5.
To show how poetry as an art form can be seen from many different
perspectives and how widening your perspectives can enable you to enjoy or to
at least understand poetry that otherwise might have seemed strange or
unintelligble.
Your goals in this class
are:
1.
To be able to convey your ideas about what you read and interpret in
clear, concise, well organized writing.
2.
To be able to correctly use poetic terminology to analyze the
techniques you describe.
3.
To be able to correctly document your writing
as needed.
4.
To be able to edit your writing for correct
mechanics and use an awareness of stylistic techniques like paralellism, active
voice, sharpening, and tightening to make your writing more effective.
5.
To be able to work cooperatively and productively in a writing group to
increase your ability to give and receive constructive feedback on your own and
others’ writing.
6.
To show commitment to a learning community endeavor by being present,
prepared, and willing to contribute your ideas.