English

American Literature is taught in the interdisciplinary Junior Collegio course.  The curriculum focuses on literature and composition. The English Department seeks to develop in students those skills that will enable them not only to be successful in college and careers, but also to be leaders in the various roles they will have in their lives. To that end, we strive to provide students with the writing skills that will allow them to express complex ideas clearly and the reading skills that will enable them both to comprehend and evaluate the ideas of others. Our readings challenge students to think about settings, people, and questions beyond their own experiences in order to better understand themselves and their world. Furthermore, we work to help our students master these skills not only for practical applications, but also that they may live lives enriched by the love of language. Works read include: The Scarlet Letter, Beloved, The Great Gatsby, The Things They Carried, When the Emperor was Divine, poetry of the Harlem Renaissance, and various short stories and essays on the themes of immigration and civil rights.

AP English will make you more alive to the beauties and nuances of the English language while honing your abilities to deliver clear, well-reasoned arguments. It will also make you think in new ways about love, justice, freedom, loyalty, sacrifice, and suffering. The level of careful reading and rigorous analysis we’ll practice together is great preparation for the kind of writing you’ll be expected to do in college—and will help you in almost any profession. But beyond that, being able to engage deeply with literature can be a lifelong source of joy and interest. It might even improve your interpersonal communication and quality of life. Together we’ll read some of the finest poetry, plays, novels, and short stories in English, including works by Toni Morrison, Amy Tan, Charles Dickens, and William Shakespeare. We’ll get familiar with the techniques of language, imagery, character, mood, and setting that writers use to create a range of effects. You’ll practice coming up with your own interpretations and supporting them with details from the text; and you’ll bring your interpretations into conversation with those of others (classmates, teacher, and published scholars), testing and sharpening them. Particular emphasis will be placed on preparation for the Advanced Placement exam in May, but the real goals are deeper reading, clearer writing, and a lifelong love of great literature. (Year-long Course)

Contemporary Literature focuses on works by recent American authors that deal with contemporary issues.  Students will read and write about a variety of genres and styles of literature and will hopefully be inspired to become lifelong readers.  Papers include literary analysis and personal responses to the reading.  Students will be asked to master organization, logical development of ideas, and revision of their work.  In addition, students will engage in group and individual projects that include literary analysis and creative responses to the course content.  (Semester Course)