10 minute read

English

Next Article
Grade 12

Grade 12

Course Descriptions

English

English I and English I Honors

Ninth grade English strikes a balance between the study of literature and writing and a focus on the strengthening of critical writing skills: the formulation of a clear and defensible thesis statement, the development of logical textual support, the mastery of grammar and mechanics, and the development of an authentic voice through control of language. Readings consist of contemporary and classic works from a range of cultures and literary genres. With each work, students are encouraged to develop as astute, close readers to become aware of both the denotative and connotative aspects of the literature and to understand the significance of a variety of rhetorical devices. English assignments include analytical writing (papers and in-class essays), tests, personal essays, creative writing, and projects. Students at the Honors level have proven through their 8th grade English coursework or in their placement essay that they can develop critical arguments more deeply and independently. Admission to English I Honors requires completion of an application process and approval by the English Department.

English II and English II Honors

The aim of this course is to help students sharpen their thinking skills while refining and broadening their powers of comprehension and expression. Classes read literary works representing a range of voices, traditions, and genres. Students write papers both out of class and in class. The objective of the papers is to explore the ideas of the novels, stories, plays, and poems they are reading. Some creative writing is assigned, but the purpose of the course is to develop a student’s ability to write clear, analytical prose. In both written and oral responses, students at the Honors level are expected to demonstrate the ability to work independently in developing original and insightful analyses free of irrelevant plot summary. Admission to English II Honors requires completion of an application process and approval by the English Department.

English III and English III Honors

This course offers students opportunities to make connections between themes in American literature and topics in American history studied by all 11th graders. The curriculum includes major works from a variety of genres, voices, and time periods, which are often supplemented with readings that provide historical or critical background. Writing assignments range from analytical to creative to personal; studies that draw art and music together are also included. Honors students also focus on analyzing the language authors use to convey ideas and synthesizing a variety of outside sources. They also assume greater independence in developing paper topics and thesis statements. Admission to English III Honors requires completion of an application process and approval by the English Department.

ENGLISH IV OFFERINGS:

All English IV offerings are semester-long courses (unless otherwise noted). Semester offered is to be determined. Admission to English IV Honors requires completion of an application process and approval by the English Department.

An Introduction to Critical Theory**

#MeToo. Black Lives Matter. We are the 99%. Each of these slogans expresses a distinct understanding of how society fails to live up to the democratic ideal of equality for all people. They seek to identify the limits of our thoughts and actions. In this sense, these slogans are grounded in a 250-year-old intellectual tradition of Western thought called “critical theory.” Most broadly: critical theory incorporates a wide range of voices arguing about the proper way to understand our society, its fundamental problems, and the best ways to overcome them. In this course, we introduce some of the primary debates of this tradition and reflect on the value of social critique. We visit important milestones in the history of critical thought and relate them to our contemporary moment. And, we practice the art of criticism in discussion and writing, seeking to better ourselves as a means of producing a more just human community.

Art and Literature**

Studying the intersection of art and literature provides an opportunity to better understand the ways in which visual renderings and the written word influence one another, and, together, they serve to help us better understand the human condition. From the very first drawings of cave dwellers, the origins of storytelling have long been rooted in visual imagery. The Greek myth of Pygmalion, first recorded by Ovid, tells of a sculptor who fell in love with his own statue. This myth – which has since sparked a myriad paintings, plays, novels, short stories, and even ballet – is perhaps one of the prime examples of the cyclical interaction between art and the written word throughout the ages. From Ovid to modern-day slam poetry, literature demands to be taken off the page as a way to better understand it. Students extend their knowledge and experience of the arts and literature while developing their critical and reflective abilities.

A Whole New World: Utopian, Dystopian, and Apocalyptic Literature**

Have you ever wished for a perfect world? Is this even possible? Does that world, in turn, re-shape our definition of humanity? In this course, students discuss the effects of technology, government, and science on our world. By constructing fictional and imaginative, often futuristic, worlds, authors of this genre comment on our present society—revealing its disconnection, problems, laws, and conditions. Students in this course explore classic dystopian texts, film adaptations, as well as the resurgence of this genre in recent years in popular works like the Hunger Games series. Are the Hunger Games just Shirley Jackson’s version of her lottery by another name?

Creative Nonfiction**

Have you been captivated by Tara Westover’s storytelling in Educated? Or, perhaps you have read or been interested in checking out Cheryl Strayed’s book Wild or Michelle Obama’s Becoming. If these sorts of books appeal to you, then you are among the ever growing fans of creative nonfiction. Creative nonfiction utilizes the techniques and artistry of fiction to tell the stories of real people, events, and issues. This course examines long form articles, essays, and memoirs with the opportunity to craft and workshop our own creative nonfiction. This course is ideal for readers who are captivated by “true” stories and are drawn in by a strong written voice as well as writers looking to hone their craft.

Everybody’s Talking: Exploring Communication Styles and Sociolinguistics**

Have you ever considered how many ways you communicate on a daily basis? Do women and men communicate differently? What helps and hinders personal communication with family and friends? This seminar explores the answers to these questions and more. Emphasis is placed on the work of sociolinguist Deborah Tannen as students explore how language is influenced by social factors, such as class, gender, region, and culture. Students examine closely the language in literature, magazines, political speeches, and film in order to detect patterns in communication, both spoken and unspoken, as well as construct and analyze case studies from their own experiences to track patterns and meaning in language.

Gender, Race and Justice in True Crime Literature**

In this course, students explore the significance of the intersection between race and gender in true crime literature and how we as a society can strive for justice by recognizing the role that gender and race play in crime today. The course is divided into three parts: understanding who the missing and murdered are, investigating who the perpetrators are, and considering whether or not justice was served. In addition to breaking down the demographics of victims and how their identities are targeted, students discuss why true crime literature has so many female fans, why some cases are investigated, and some aren’t, and how publications choose to cover the criminals and victims they do.

Imprisonment and Captivity Literature**

The literature in this course focuses on the broad concepts of imprisonment and captivity. Some literature selections depict life behind bars, and other pieces may have been written from behind bars. However, students also explore the many ways one can be metaphorically imprisoned or held captive, too. Other forms of imprisonment include mental, physical, social, and emotional confinement. Students also consider why people find themselves restricted or incarcerated as well as delve into the minds of those who put them there and how those on the outside, whether they be family members, friends, or the public, respond to such captivity. Additionally, students in the class tackle the work of contemporary scholars on race and racism and their thoughts on anti-prison activism and prison reform.

Movements in the History of Anglophone Literature

PART ONE: LITERARY ALBUMS FROM AGES PAST

At first glance, artists like Beyoncé, Alanis Morrisette, Public Enemy, Dolly Parton, and The Beatles seem to have little in common. But if we agree they all make pop music–a genre that arose in the 1940s and ‘50s thanks to a confluence of new recording technologies, mass communication, and young people with historically-unusual expendable income–we see fundamentals that unite these artists. Culture is like that. We often judge the artifacts of our society forgetting they are shaped more by our way of life than the choices of individual artists. This course surveys works from the history of anglophone literature before the 20th century to think about how different forms of literary expression (like, say, the epic poem and the Victorian novel) reveal different ways of living. Our object is to create conversations between several authors from each moment we consider to sharpen our awareness of how anglophone literature reinvents itself alongside the anglophone world.

PART TWO: LITERARY ERUPTIONS FROM THE 1900S

Self-assertion and lost illusions: the 20th century was a time of profound change, as the consequences of globalization were realized in exultation and despair. Whatever the verdict on its politics and history, this is a period of great literary creation. Violently experimental and revolutionary, even in its most reactionary expressions, the 20th century, in every decade, sees more diverse walks of life given voice. This course offers a framework for making sense of those voices. Specifically, we explore three stages of literature’s development: naturalism, modernism, and postmodernism. As we define the features of these, we contextualize them by looking at significant works of poetry, drama, and fiction by writers struggling through moments of profound reckoning: whether over cultural identity in the Harlem and Irish Literary Renaissances, in arguments over racist representations of people living in Africa, or through the complex struggle for selfhood in India. In each case, our goal is to learn from the previous century’s writers how to effectively engage our own, whose changes seem even more rapid and profound than those of the last. Note: This is a year-long course.

Nobel Prize Winners**

This course examines the work of some of the winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature since it was established 121 years ago. Some of the authors are very familiar to American readers (Hemingway, Steinbeck, Faulkner); some are not (Odysseus Elytis? Bjornstjerne Bjornson?). Students look at the work of a mixture of well-known and obscure authors, taking into consideration the rule that Nobel set forth in his will – that the nationality of the author should not be a factor in the choosing of his or her work. This is not, however, a course purely in literature appreciation. Just because the Nobel committee liked an author or his work doesn’t mean we have to. The Nobel Prize has an, at times, chequered past, and so students explore the changing aesthetics, politics, and cultural mores that inform the awarding of such a significant prize, and the changing values of literature over the course of the twentieth century.

Reading in the Dark: A Course in Film Analysis**

This course is designed to give students the basic tools to “read” and analyze film. By looking deeply at elements like cinematography, sound, light, editing and mise-en-scene, and then discussing how these elements work to create meaning in film, students gain the ability to read beneath the surface of film. But that’s not all. The course also looks at film as a vehicle which tells a story. As such, students hone their skills in analyzing narrative devices such as plot, characterization, irony, and symbolism. In this class, students have an opportunity to apply critical reading skills to writing analytical essays about the films and filmic excerpts watched in class. In addition, the course gives students an overview of the history of film in the United States. There are discussions about the development of technology, the studio system, film theory and censorship. At the end of the course, students complete a final project and present it to the class.

This article is from: