U.S. Literature – Honors Course Overview and Curriculum Outline

U.S. Literature – Honors Course Description

  • The Honors U.S. Literature course aims at students preparing for the AP English Literature and Composition Exam.

  • Analyzes literature through a chronological study of multiple genres.

Course Structure

  • First Semester divided into three studies:

    • The Tradition (Literary Beginnings to 1750)

    • The American Revolution (1750-1800)

    • New England Renaissance Prose (1800-1860)

  • Second Semester divided into three studies:

    • New England Renaissance Poetry (1800-1860)

    • The Civil War and Frontiers (1860-1900)

    • Modern Fiction and Drama (1900-2007)

Skills Development

  • Students are encouraged to develop skills in:

    • Listening

    • Reading

    • Speaking

    • Writing in relation to literature

  • Activities include:

    • Writing well-developed expository, analytical, and argumentative essays

    • Memorizing and reciting poetry

    • Teaching via the Feynman Technique

    • Group projects

    • Video and drama productions

    • Creative writing

    • U.S. Lit Jeopardy

    • Oral presentations on selected American authors

    • Artistic interpretations of subject matter

Course Texts

  • Primary Texts:

    • United States in Literature - Medallion Edition

    • Literature and the Language Arts – The American Tradition

    • The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    • Billy Budd by Herman Melville

    • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

    • To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

    • The Testament by John Grisham

    • The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams (included in textbook)

First Semester Studies

The Tradition (Literary Beginnings to 1750)

  • Introductory Material:

    • Bernard Malamud – The Magic Barrel

    • Focus on: Characterization, Dialect

    • Assignment: Short responsive paper on the story (argumentative)

    • John Steinbeck – Leader of the People

    • Focus on: Characterization, Symbolism, Theme

    • Assignment: Short responsive paper on symbolism (literary)

    • Steinbeck examines: Relationships between the strong and the weak; Symbols and themes introduced.

Literary Beginnings

  • John Smith – The General History of Virginia

    • Focus on: Propaganda

    • Assignment: Two-paragraph paper comparing/contrasting

  • William Bradford – Of Plymouth Plantation

    • Focus on: Irony of situation

    • Assessment: In-class quiz and discussion

  • Anne Bradstreet – To My Dear and Loving Husband and Upon the Burning of Our House

    • Focus on: Hyperbole, Oxymoron

    • Activities: Reading and discussion in class, homework questions on pages 116-117.

  • Jonathan Edwards – Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

    • Focus on: Extended metaphor

    • Assignment: One paragraph paper on the extended metaphor

    • Class discussion on the metaphor.

    • Assign editorial topic on The Scarlet Letter (Chapters 1-13) focusing on symbolism: What social comments and themes does Hawthorne advance?

The American Revolution

  • Benjamin Franklin – The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

    • Materials: Selected works from Poor Richard’s Almanac

    • Focus on: Autobiography, Proverb/Aphorism

    • Activities: In-class discussion and a one-paragraph autobiographical experience for homework.

    • Oral Assignment: Presenting and discussing valid interpretations of aphorisms from PRA.

  • Patrick Henry – Speech to the Virginia Convention

    • Focus on: Rhetorical questions

    • Activities: Memorize and recite last paragraph of speech.

    • Class selects best presentation.

  • Court Activity on The Scarlet Letter

    • Objective: Judge Hester’s guilt, contributions as prosecutors, defense attorneys, jury members.

    • Grading: Essays based on trial testimony.

New England Renaissance Prose

  • Nathaniel Hawthorne – Focus on The Scarlet Letter, Rappaccini’s Daughter, The Minister’s Black Veil

    • Focus on: Symbol, Allusion, Romanticism, Theme, Characterization, Parable

    • Group Activity: Teach a selected short story including analysis of literary techniques.

  • Washington Irving – The Devil and Tom Walker

    • Focus on: Symbol, Dramatic Irony

    • Activities: Class reading and homework identifying symbols.

  • James Fenimore Cooper – The Rescue: from the Deerslayer

    • Focus: Romanticism

    • Activities: Identify elements of romanticism in the story.

  • William Cullen Bryant – Thanatopsis

    • Focus: Blank verse, Romanticism

    • Homework: Answer questions on page 294, write original blank verse.

Edgar Allan Poe

  • Works discussed include:

    • The Pit and the Pendulum

    • The Cask of Amontillado

    • Hop Frog

    • The Raven

    • Annabel Lee

    • To Helen

    • Focus Areas: Rhyme, Alliteration, Meter, Mood, Gothic tales, Irony

    • Group Activity: Teach selected Poe story with emphasis on literary techniques.

    • Essay prompts provided for exploration of each story.

Modern Fiction and Drama

Herman Melville

  • Discussion on: Billy Budd, What Redburn Saw in Launcelott’s-Hey, from Moby Dick – Chapter 32

  • Emphasis on use of allusion as a part of Melville’s style.

  • General plot summary of Moby Dick with video excerpts.

  • Activity: The Kare Game - Powerpoint.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

  • Works discussed:

    • Fable

    • Self-Reliance

    • Concord Hymn

  • Focus on: Essay writing, themes, aphorisms, metaphors, meter, apostrophes, and alliteration.

  • In-class timed essay based on student selected Emerson quote.

Henry David Thoreau

  • Discussion of selections from Walden

    • Focus Areas: Allusion, Aphorism, Tone

    • Activities: Discussion and quizzes.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

  • Study of works:

    • The Village Blacksmith

    • The Wreck of the Hesperus

    • A Psalm of Life

    • The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls

    • Additional options for analysis found in: Evangeline, Song of Hiawatha, The Courtship of Miles Standish

  • Focus: Imagery, alliteration, narrative poem structure.

  • Background and analysis followed by selecting and discussing a personal favorite poem from Longfellow.

Robert Frost

  • Selected Poems including:

    • Mending Wall

    • Home Burial

    • Birches

    • Once by the Pacific

    • Fire and Ice

    • Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

    • Focus Areas: Pun, symbol, vignette, metaphor, personification, rhyme, rhythm, alliteration.

  • In-class and group readings/discussion.

Grading Policy

  • Points System:

    • Class assignments/homework: 35%

    • Biweekly essays: 40%

    • Comprehensive final: 25%

  • Monthly participation in U.S. Lit Jeopardy for review and final exam preparation.

  • Extra Assignments Options:

    • Novel review

    • 100 AR points (assigned novels not included) with at least an 85% test average and average reading level of 7.0.

    • Special project.

  • Completing extra assignments does not raise the letter grade but makes students eligible for earned grades.

  • Late assignments result in grade penalties.

  • Students completing multiple extra assignments can achieve grade boosts or recognition.