English (ENGL) 308

Overview

English 308: Indigenous Literature in Canada begins with the origins of Indigenous literature in the oral tradition and leads to contemporary Indigenous writing in English. The course also examines related areas such as the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). Assigned readings from the TRC will inform many of the topics and themes found in Indigenous literature.

English 308 is designed to provide you with the basis for a deeper understanding of the literature of Indigenous nations in Canada. The course is divided into seven units and progresses from orature and stories from the oral tradition through written poems, stories, drama, and a novel.

Outline

• Unit 1: Introduction to Indigenous Literature
• Unit 2: Family Stories and the Oral Tradition—Earth Elder Stories
• Unit 3: Myths, Legends, and Trickster Stories
• Unit 4: The Rez Sisters by Tomson Highway
• Unit 5: Culture, History, and Politics in Modern and Contemporary Poetry
• Unit 6: The Legacy of Residential Schools
• Unit 7: The Contemporary Novel in Depth—Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach

Learning outcomes

After completing ENGL 308, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate familiarity with Indigenous literature in Canada, including its origins, diversity, and contemporary forms.
• Examine the cultural aesthetics surrounding the tradition of oral storytelling and its connection to contemporary Indigenous literature.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the legacy of the residential school system and its expression in literature.
• Analyze the values, politics, and concerns addressed in works of Indigenous literature.
• Assess the use of literary elements such as theme, symbolism, and poetic devices in the assigned works.

Evaluation

To receive credit for ENGL 308, students must complete and submit all three written assignments and write a final exam. Students must achieve a minimum grade of D (50 percent) on the final exam and an overall grade of at least D (50 percent) for the course. Note, however, that other postsecondary institutions might require a higher average grade for the purposes of transfer credit.

Students will be evaluated on their understanding of the concepts presented in the course and on their ability to apply those concepts. The final grade in the course will be based on the marks achieved for the following activities.

Activity	Weight
Essay 1	10%
Essay 2	25%
Essay 3	25%
Final Exam	40%
Total	100%

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Materials

Digital course materials

Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:

Highway, Tomson. The Rez Sisters. Fifth House, 1988.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future: Summary of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. 2015.

Physical course materials

The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:

Robinson, Eden. Monkey Beach. Vintage, 2001.

Ruffo, Armand Garnet, Katherena Vermette, Daniel David Moses, and Terry Goldie, editors. An Anthology of Indigenous Literatures in English: Voices from Canada. 5th edition. Oxford University Press, 2020.

Wolfe, Alexander. Earth Elder Stories: The Pinayzitt Path. Fifth House, 1988.

Other Materials

All other course materials can be found online.

Content Warning

Topics in this course include racism; physical and cultural genocide; residential schools; Missing Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S+); the Indian Act and the TRC; violence (including sexual and domestic); exploitation and injustice; systems of power and agency; as well as kinship, belonging, and resurgence.

If you have any concerns about this, do not hesitate to contact your tutor before starting the course. They can help you navigate the reading schedule (including alerting you to page numbers where difficult materials are depicted in the texts).

Challenge for credit

Overview

The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.

Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Evaluation

To receive credit for the ENGL 308 challenge registration, students must achieve a grade of at least 50 percent on the exam, and a grade of at least D (50 percent) overall.

Activity	Weight
Research Essay	50%
Exam	50%
Total	100%

Challenge for credit course registration form

Important links

• Academic advising
• Program planning
• Request assistance
• Support services at AU