Outside reading is a course requirement. This course parallels the curriculum of Sophomore Composition and Literature but is designed for students seeking additional challenges, who are willing to read substantial literature and to undertake complex and extensive writing assignments. This course is intended for confident readers who are college-bound students who are prepared to write extensively. Students study the literature of Puritanism, Classicism, Romanticism, and Transcendentalism and major authors up to the Civil War period. Course content emphasizes rhetorical techniques and their application to a variety of writing situations, ranging from brief essays to substantial research papers.
Students analyze nonfiction prose and write in a variety of modes.
Summer reading and extensive outside reading are expected. May. This course will fulfill the district requirement for American Literature. Students encounter the American literary heritage from its beginnings through the Civil War. They become familiar with Puritanism, Classicism, Romanticism, and Transcendentalism and read essays, poetry, short stories, and novels written by key American writers. Students conduct research and write expository, analytical, and persuasive essays reflecting their ability to understand literature in its historical and cultural context.