Grades Breakdown Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 4 Final Quarter 3
Course Objectives: In Honors American Literature, the instructor will: 1. Expose students to the Jeffersonian Ideal and the extent to which it has shaped both the American character and the American Dream. We ll explore whether America has enabled "all men" who are "created equal" to pursue life, liberty, and happiness, and will examine various works of literature, art, and music that provide commentary about the myth and reality of inalienable rights ; 2. Endow students with fundamental knowledge of various American schools of thought, or Isms, along with an acute awareness of how such philosophies are not only influenced by historical and socio-economic climates, but also how these ideas are reflected in and shape what was destined to become a distinctive form of American literature; 3. Allow students to observe the ever-changing face of the American literary canon and wrestle with the attributes that both define and differentiate a classic; 4. Increase student awareness of the historical, social, and economic forces that cause the canon to change. The Curriculum: *Subject to changes as determined by the needs of this year s students 1) Colonialism: What is the Jeffersonian Ideal? How does it lay the foundation for the American Dream? What is the American Dream? Is it real, is it a myth, or a complex combination of myth and reality? What are traditional sources of pride that Americans value? Conversely, in what ways do these sources of pride have a dark side? From what foundations does the American character and its literary, artistic, and philosophical styles emerge? How do American writers address basic philosophical questions? (e.g. What is man s relationship to God and Nature? Is man naturally good or evil? Does man use his heart or his head to make decisions? Does fate or free will influence man s behavior and actions? Is the individual, or the needs of the larger society, more important?) a) Philosophies studied: Calvinism and Neo-Classicism b) *Works studied: William Bradford s Of Plymouth Plantation, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Anne Bradstreet s Upon the Burning of Our House, Jonathan Edwards Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, excerpts from Dante s Inferno, Benjamin Franklin s The Autobiography, Patrick Henry s Speech to the Virginia Convention and Thomas Paine s The Crisis, The Declaration of Independence., The Crucible 2) Models and Innovations: How did the first American literary masters take the best from Europe and re-shape it into distinctively American tales that mark the golden age of American literature? What historical and social forces cause American philosophical views to shift like a pendulum from one extreme to another? a) Philosophies studied: Romanticism and Transcendentalism b) *Works studied: Washington Irving s short stories, Thanatopsis, Short stories of Hawthorne, Poe, selected works of Emerson and Thoreau, and Melville, The Scarlet Letter. Artistic Genius and Innovation: Two American Icons What personal attributes and poetic sensibilities distinguish Whitman from Dickinson? How do both the explosive and implosive qualities of each poet literally define modern poetry? c) *Works Studied: poetry of Dickinson and Whitman 3) A Nation Divided: How did the horrific realities of the Civil War bring about profound shifts in artistic and philosophical perspectives? Why do American writers adapt a notably pessimistic view about the human condition? a) Philosophies studied: Realism and Naturalism b) *Works Studied: An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge, The Gettysburg Address Emerging From the Ashes: As the turn of the century looms large, where do Americans turn to re-discover the American Dream? Can they look West for salvation? How do we re-define the American character? How do various tenets of Realism shape the way writers tell the American story? What new artistic voices emerge from the ashes? And, how does The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn shape American literature as we now know it? c) Philosophies Studied: Realism and Naturalism d) *Works studied: Huckleberry Finn, Jack London s To Build a Fire Re-assessment of the American literary canon: What is the canon? How does Kate Chopin reflect newly-emerging voices of women? e) *Works studied: Willa Cather s A Wagner Matinee, The Story of an Hour 4) Depression and Disillusionment: How did World War I, the forces of industrialization, the Dust Bowl, cultural drift, and the dark side of the American Dream and materialism bring about the violence, vulgarity, and spiritual void that shaped the Lost Generation? a) Philosophies studied: Imagism, Modernism, Existentialism b) *Works studied: modern American poets, short stories by Hemingway and Faulkner, discussion of The Great Gatsby, excerpt from The Grapes of Wrath, Unbroken/Farewell to Manazanar, Miniver Cheevy, Robert Frost, Harlem poets, 5) Prosperity and Protest: a) Philosophies studied: Post- Modernism, Confession poetry b) *Works studied: Flannery O Connor s short stories, Plath & Sexton, JFK/MLK, To Kill a Mockingbird
SYLLABUS CONTRACT Student Name: Course: Period: Please complete and detach this contract agreement and return to Mrs. McCloskey in Room 113 no later than Friday, September 1, 2017. The syllabus itself should remain in the front of your binder. I, (print student name), have completely read and understood the contents of this syllabus, the classroom procedures, and class policies. I agree to abide by the guidelines outlined within. Student signature: I, (parent(s)/guardian(s) printed name(s)), have complete read and understood the contents of this syllabus, the classroom procedures, and class policies. I agree to support their implementation. I further understand that my child will need to access to a Chromebook in order to read his/her textbook and complete course assignments. Parent(s) / guardian(s) signature: **The rules, policies, and curriculum outlined in this syllabus are intended to ensure the success of each student and therefore are subject to adjustment. If changes become necessary, I will clearly communicate said changes.