English Department

The objective of English II is to involve students in the exploration of World Literature from a global perspective through an integrated approach which links reading, writing, listening, and speaking.  Students in this course will consider themes of diversity, identity, and acceptance of others through a study of classic, modern, and contemporary World Literature.  The selections of literature will be predicated on specific global locations and lenses. In addition, the reading selections will incorporate a study of history to better supply a context for an appreciation and understanding of the literature, emphasizing a variety of prose and poetic genres. The course is designed to improve students' ability to read for a variety of purposes, plan and write for a wide range of audiences, apply standard English grammar and usage, speak effectively while simultaneously listening responsively, and develop and apply higher order (critical) thinking skills. In addition, the course will take a process approach to the teaching of writing. Students will work to refine the writing skills developed in Freshman English. Assignments will focus on writing in a multitude of genres. Activities and assessments will afford students the opportunity to expand their vocabulary, refine their analyses of the literature and their understanding of various media, and improve their speaking, listening, and presentation skills. Students will write critical and argumentative essays, engage in creative writing projects, and make technology-assisted oral presentations. Selected texts may include Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Like Water for Chocolate, Macbeth, and Purple Hibiscus. 

Advanced Placement Literature and Composition students will engage in close reading and rigorous analysis of college-level works from a range of genres including novels, short stories, poetry, and drama.  Every student is expected to be an active participant in all aspects of the course in order to establish connections between their observations and the author’s intentions, ultimately working towards an interpretive conclusion. 

The central focus of the course will be intensive analysis of the literature and secondary critical essays through class discussions, oral presentations, and formal writing assignments. In conjunction with the literature, students will also develop skills including sophisticated use of literary terminology. Emphasis is placed on thoughtful and cogent readings using theoretical frameworks. As such, students will write expository, analytical, and argumentative essays on the literature. Students will also compose a research paper responding to a piece of literary criticism. 

Texts will range from contemporary works such as Morrison’s Beloved and Hamid’s Exit West to selections from classic literature including Shakespeare, Sophocles, Kafka, Camus, Shelley, Ibsen, Perkins Gilman, Hemingway, Chopin, Hurston and Conrad.

This course seeks to answer fundamental questions about the human experience. Why are we so drawn to narratives about monsters? What makes something ‘monstrous?’ Are there stories that should not be told because of their monstrous content? Seniors begin the year reflecting and analyzing a text read over the summer which addresses what one might consider 'monstrous' characters or behavior. Students also present ecocriticism analyses of the book, exploring the role of the environment in the story. This opening unit culminates with students' first major paper and then transitions into the course’s second text, No Country for Old Men. Simultaneously, students will read and analyze an anthology, Monsters: A Bedford Spotlight Reader, a collection of academic essays seeking to understand our fascination with monsters. This text discusses myth and iconic films. The course culminates with a brief introduction to film analysis, followed by a viewing of the Coen Brothers' vision of No Country for Old Men. By the end of the trimester, students will have developed the following skills: thinking critically, close reading, writing in several different modalities, working collaboratively, and public speaking.

Creative writing students will be given the opportunity to develop their voice as a writer by engaging in various writing exercises including mimicking styles, developing pieces based on audio and visual prompts, writing in groups, and writing on specific themes.

The central goal of the course is for students to further develop an appreciation and enjoyment of literature. Successful writers excel because they are also avid readers, so it is recommended that every student read as much as possible. Creative writers will sharpen their critical reading skills through reading, discussing, presenting and writing, and they will learn the conventions of critique in a workshop setting. Students will learn as well as practice skills that will help them create original, provocative, and insightful work of their own. Students will have an increased understanding of how a published writer structures his/her work. Students are encouraged to bring their own creative as well as academic goals to the class. At the end of the course, students will have produced a portfolio of work consisting of poems, short stories and a one-act play.