Teaching American Literature at Tertiary
Level in Vietnam: A Discourse-
based Approach
By Tran Thi Ngoc LienHaiphong Private University, Vietnam
Current Situation
Time constraint
Limited Material Development
Conventional Teaching Method
Language-based Syllabus
Questions
What to better learners’ appreciation of literature in EFL class.
How to make a literature-based syllabus work;
How to access to a literary text;
Discourse analysis in application to analysis of literary texts
Interactions
Discourse Organization
Discourse Properties
Relevance between discourse analysis and literary appreciation
The Gift of Magi by O’Henry
Character – Character
Jim and Bella – A poor couple : Great Love
Author - Readers
Love : Sacrifice
Love makes people the wisest
Discourse organization
Discourse patterns:
- Problem-solution- Cause-effect- Conversation patterns- Etc.
Poem of Natureby Emily Dickinson
106“Nature” is what we –seeThe Hill – the Afternoon -
Squirrel-Eclipse-the Bumble bee-Nay-Nature is Heaven-Nature is what we hear-The bobolink-the Sea-Thunder-the Cricket
Nay-Nature is Harmony-Nature is what we know-Yet have no art to say-
So impotent Our Wisdom isTo her Simplicity
Emily Dickinson (cited in American Literature: A Course Book. College of Foreign Languages _Vietnam National University,
Hanoi, 2007)
824
The Wind begun to rock the GrassWith threatening tunes and low-He threw a Menace at the Earth-
A Menace at the SkyThe Leaves unhooked themselves from Trees-
And started all abroadThe Dust did scoop itself like hands
And threw away the Road!…………….
That held the Dams had parted holdThe Waters Wrecked the Sky,
But overlooked my Father’s House-Just quartering a Tree
Exerp from “Poem of Nature” by Emily Dickinson
What is Nature in Man’s life?
What is your impression of Nature in poem 824?
Questions cited from
Teaching American Book, ULIS, VNA
What I f?
Poem of Nature 106 - Sensory perceptions
Poem of Nature 106 - Sensory perceptions
Poem of Nature 824- Contrasting versifications
“Hills like the white elephants” by Hemingway
Conversation analysis:
Transaction
Exchange
Move
ActSinclair and Courthard, 1975
The warm wind blew the bead curtain against the table.
"The beer's nice and cool," the man said.
"It's lovely," the girl said.
"It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig," the man said. "It's not really an operation at all."
The girl looked at the ground the table legs rested on.
"I know you wouldn't mind it, Jig. It's really not anything. It's just to let the air in."
The girl did not say anything.
"I'll go with you and I'll stay with you all the time. They just let the air in and then it's all perfectly natural."
"Then what will we do afterward?"
INITIATION
RESPONSE
FOLLOW UP
"What makes you think so?""That's the only thing that bothers us. It's the only
thing that's made us unhappy."The girl looked at the bead curtain, put her hand
out and took hold of two of the strings of beads."And you think then we'll be all right and be
happy.""I know we will. You don't have to be afraid. I've
known lots of people that have done it.""So have I," said the girl. "And afterward they were
all so happy.""Well," the man said, "if you don't want to you
don't have to. I wouldn't have you do it if you didn't want to. But I know it's perfectly simple."
"And you really want to?“…
Violation of maxims => hesitant or neglected or struggling or disgusting?
Politeness strategies => deviant purposes
Farewell to armBy Hemingway
“Priest to-day with girls,” the captain said looking at the priest and at me. The priest smiled and blushed and shook his head. This captain baited him often.
“Not true?” asked the captain. “To-day I see priest with girls.”
“No,” said the priest. The other officers were amused at the baiting.
“Priest not with girls,” went on the captain. “Priest never with girls,” he explained to me. He took my glass and filled it, looking at my eyes all the time, but not losing sight of the priest.
“Priest every night five against one.” Every one at the table laughed. “You understand? Priest every night five against one.” He made a gesture and laughed loudly. The priest accepted it as a joke.
(Hemingway, 1929:2)
Discourse-based Syllabus for American Literature Teaching
Overview of literary text
Discourse Properties
Literary Appreciation
Experience beyond Literature