American Novel

This class is designed to teach the mature student how to read literature for style and theme. Students will learn to discuss, analyze, and synthesize the various elements of each work. Some of these novels and plays contain profanity and immorality, but these are dealt with from a Christian perspective. Students should read the works over the summer and then refresh their memories before the class session so that the details are fresh in their minds. The works to be covered are:

• Of Mice and Men
• The Chosen
• Dandelion Wine
• Member of the Wedding
• Their Eyes Were Watching God
• Raisin in the Sun
• The Crucible
• Death of a Salesman
• Ethan Frome
• Glass Menagerie

The format for the course is that three weeks will be devoted to each novel. The first week the basic elements will be discussed: plot, character, conflict, point of view, etc. The second week the students will present summaries of critical essays they have read on the author or the novel. Students will write a “What would God say?” for each novel to keep things in a Christian perspective. This second week will also include discussion of theme, symbols, and style. The third week will involve creative synthesis; students will recreate the theme or style in other genre. Some examples could include: writing Of Mice and Men as a poem or composing a song reflecting the conflict or rewriting a fairy tale in the style of the author. Students will compare and contrast the various authors.

Tutor: Cindy Herndon

 

Note to Parents of Prospective American Novel Students:

Due to the mature nature of some of the topics discussed in some of the literature, this course is recommended for 11th and 12th graders.  If you have specific questions regarding the topics, or how they will be approached, feel free to contact Mrs. Herndon at .