A123 A COURSE Introduction UNIT 1: GETTING STARTED

INTRODUCTION  The Introductory Block provides you with important points on how to read a text, take notes, follow arguments, and write essays.  The Introductory Block introduces you to the Humanities Disciplines (Subjects) you will be studying.

READING & MAKING NOTES  The English Department is based upon courses provided by the Open University of England, and the language used in the books is very advanced.  Therefore, you will be spending a large portion of your time reading, researching, surfing the net, and taking notes.  For the most benefit, you need to develop effective reading and making notes strategies.

THE FIVE DISCIPLINES  The course A123 is the 1st Literature course in the English Department.  It is an introduction to the five disciplines (Subjects or Branches) that you will study throughout the four years of your English Diploma.  These disciplines help you understand and study better the Literature courses.

THE FIVE DISCIPLINES II The five disciplines introduced in A123 are an approach to the subjects studied, and they are in the order in which they first appear in the course:  Art History  Literature  History  Philosophy  Classical Studies

ART HISTORY  Studying Art History requires the use of the sight and touch senses and through thinking and imagination skills.  Studying Art History means to study various Paintings, in which you study how to read colors, shapes, lines, shadows, … etc.  The most important skill you will learn in Art History is how to understand the story behind any painting and its meaning.

 Almost every painting has a purpose, a message, or even a morality to tell.  These could be artistic, literal, romantic, or even political.  The main task of the art historians is to relate to the paintings through studying and understanding the historical circumstances behind their productions.  Therefore, art historians would be able to interpret any painting.

LITERATURE  Studying Literature is like studying Paintings. The Painting Artist plays with various colors and shapes while the Literature Writer plays with words.  Literature usually deals with human emotions, historical and political facts, as well as aiming entertainment.

LITERATURE II  Studying Literature as a discipline examines a literary text through:  (a) its place in the literary tradition  (b) the historical circumstances in which a text was produced  (c) the particular circumstances of the writer  Studying Literature, therefore, helps you understand the cultural aspects of any nation.

HISTORY  History is the discipline that records, narrates, and interprets past events involving Human Beings.  History is also the continuum of events occurring in succession leading from the past to the present and even into the future.  Studying History helps us understand our Past, try to live a good Present, and prepare for a better Future.  History, as a discipline, provides the knowledge of the past essential to the understanding of the present.  History depends upon the specialized analysis of documents of the past to provide a context or perspective for the historical study of Art, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Religion, and Science.

philosophy  Philosophy is usually a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted by some group or school, which shows people how to live or how to deal with a situation.  Philosophy is mainly the skill of rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics.  Philosophy interpretation differs because of a person’s religion, culture, education, ethics, morals, and political opinions.  Philosophy, however, can be adopted easily by many ethnic and international groups.  Philosophy cannot be observed from the sidelines, simply because it requires an active and critical engagement with the ideas being studied or discussed.

Classical studies  Classical Studies is the discipline that investigates all aspects of ancient societies through the study of their literature, art, politics, history, philosophy, society, artifacts, technology, cities, houses, and people.  Classical Studies applies various techniques and approaches from literary and historical analysis to archeological and art-historical investigation.  Classical Studies is the discipline that focuses upon a particular time period and a geographical area to understand the development or the nondevelopment of a nation.