The world of Winston Smith leads to an examination of the degree to which the media can be agents of manufacturing consent in a modern society. In the second term, a mid-Victorian Pip meets a mid twentieth century Holden Caulfield. Salinger's vision of the child is seen in the tradition of Romantic poets such as Blake, Coleridge and Wordsworth and is then contrasted with the darker world of Golding's youths. Finally, a study of a Shakespearean drama remains a significant feature of the course. Writing focuses on the study of and practice in various forms of the essay.
Models are wide-ranging as are the assignments.
There are also opportunities for more personal reflective writing as well as poetry. The course will develop students' abilities to read and view critically, and to communicate effectively in a variety of genres, oral and written. Practice in the expository essay builds on the skills developed in the previous year. A multi-genre approach will provide students with the opportunity to explore a wide range of literature, including essays, short prose fiction, poetry, drama, and novels. The literature selected for study attempts to provide senior students with a broader and more demanding understanding of the human experience.