Spring Arbor University FRENCH 306 Introduction to French Literature and Culture Spring 2009

Spring Arbor University
FRENCH 306
Introduction to French Literature and Culture
Spring 2009
Dr. David Hamilton
SDH 209
Office telephone: 750-6418
Home telephone: 524-7231
Office location: Dietzman Hall (lower)
Email: [email protected]
Textbook: A Votre Tour by Valette and Valette
This course is designed for students who have had extensive background in French at the
elementary level and at the intermediate level. All four language skills will be emphasized and
the course will also serve as a bridge to upper level courses in literature and civilization.
The course begins with a quick review of personal description and activities, and basic
contemporary French culture. The students will also quickly review the passé compose and
personal pronouns. The review section concludes with a short story.
Unit I
The students will continue to study personal description and “la vie quotidienne”. The students
will use reflexive verbs to assist in this process. This unit includes a short story by Ionesco. The
culture portion includes impressionism and surrealism.
Unit II
Students will be able to describe typical everyday activities such as household chores, mowing
the lawn, and watering the garden. Students will review uses of the subjunctive (has extensive
background in French 201). Students will read a medieval fable and excerpts from la Chanson
de Roland and study early French civilization (Celtic, Roman, and early medieval).
Unit III
Students will learn about the “green movement”. Students will differentiate between uses of the
passé compose and the imparfait. Students will be introduced to the passé simple (for reading
purposes). Students will read the short story entitled King. Students will also read a synopsis of
Cyrano de Bergerac. The unit concludes with a study of the Renaissance and Golden Age.
Unit IV
Students can describe everyday shopping experiences. Students will study the use of y and en as
well as word order for double personal pronouns in a sentence. Students will study aspects of
French music, both contemporary and classical.
Unit V
Students will use vocabulary and expression to describe travel. Students will be reintroduced to
negative expression as well as the future and conditional tenses and their use in si sentences.
Students will read a short story. Events of the French revolution and the Napoleonic Era will be
studied. They will also read a synopsis of les Miserables.
Unit VI
Students will study expressions needed for overnight accommodations. They will read a short
story from the World War II era. They will study the modern era (nineteenth and twentieth
century French history). Students will read a synopsis of Au revoir les enfants and watch
excerpts from the film.
Unit VII
Students will study expressions necessary for personal health and the French health care system.
Students will study further uses of the subjunctive. Students will read En Voyage by Maupassant.
Unit VIII
Students will study the conditionnel passé and the plus-que-parfait and their use in the si
sentences. Students will then read les Pêches by Theuriet. Students will study the French
Antilles.
Unit IX
Students will study stages of life and uses of the relative pronoun. Students will then read le
Bracelet and finish the unit with a study of aspects of life in francophone Africa. Students will
read an African legend entitled la Légende baoule.
Unit X
This unit includes expressions regarding occupations. Further uses of the subjunctive are
presented. Students will read le Portrait by Theriault and study aspects of Franco-American
history.
Experts from literature from the various periods will also be included with those found in the text.
Grading Criteria:
60%
20%
20%
Tests and quizzes - There will be three major exams (language usage, literature, and
culture)
Preparation for class and participation
Final project
Grading scale: A 94-100
A- 90-93
B+ 87-89
B 82-86
B- 80-81
C+ 77-79
C 72-76
C- 70-71
D+ 66-69
D 62-65
D- 60-61
U Below 60
Important Note: Class attendance is extremely important in a skill-based course like language
instruction. It is the expectation that the student will attend all class sessions. If for some reason
the student must miss a class session, it is expected that the student will contact the professor
prior by telephone at his office (voice mail is acceptable) or by email. It is the student’s
responsibility to make arrangements with the professor to make up all work missed due to the
student’s absence from class.
Students will comply with the academic integrity policy of the university.
Academic integrity: The student will be expected to honor the academic integrity codes as
adopted by the University’s faculty. It is expected that all work submitted and tests taken will
reflect the student’s own efforts.