Academics

Course Highlights

Here are a few of the classes offered in our English Department. 

• English II CP-A: In English II, students study varied literary works focused on the relationship between the individual and society - the pressure to conform, the desire for recognition and power, the need for compassion, and the struggle to maintain humanity in the face of injustice. As an important part of the course, students explore the power of language to influence others. They analyze how the individuals and societies portrayed in literary works use language to support, persuade, and control others; how the author chooses words to impact and move others, and how they can use language to share ideas and feelings with others. In all cases, students examine the ability of language to build a sense of community or alienate us from each other. This course reinforces strategies for reading comprehension and annotation, emphasizes grammar and form in writing, and calls for students to construct thesis driven essays with supportive evidence from the text. Students should expect to read independently in preparation for class discussion and demonstrate their understanding through varied learning activities, such as informal journal writing, essays, public speaking, and projects.

• AP English Literature & Composition: This course introduces students to the intellectual challenges and academic rigor of a college-level English literature and composition course. Specifically, this course guides students to appreciate and analyze complex literature while also preparing them for the Advanced Placement English Literature Examination. The AP English Literature and Composition Exam tests the student’s understanding of literary concepts, their ability to interpret texts and support their interpretations with text evidence, and their ability to analyze how a literary concept or idea contributes to an interpretation of a literary work. Throughout the course and on the AP exam, students are asked to construct sound, evidence-based arguments to support their analyses.  Students are involved in an intensive study of literary works of recognized merit from various genres and periods, ranging from sixteenth century English poets and playwrights like John Donne and William Shakespeare, to the contemporary American fiction of Toni Morrison. In addition, students spend considerable time studying poetry from various time periods. They are expected to consider the social and historical values revealed in the literature while also reading for a deeper understanding of the work’s structure, style, and themes. Moreover, students are encouraged to make connections between and among centuries, genres, authors, and cultural movements. Since the Advanced Placement Literature Examination privileges writing about literature, writing is a major component of this course. Thus, analytical essays about literature are stressed, although other types of writing, including response journals, reaction papers, and creative writing may also be assigned to promote thinking and varied learning opportunities. Students will also practice writing the essay under timed conditions.