ENGLISH

Four years of English at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School provide an integrated and diverse study of language and literature. The program is designed to teach the student to read effectively, to write well, and to speak persuasively.
In accordance with our belief that writing is best taught in conjunction with literature study, there is a strong emphasis on writing in all literature courses. Students are expected to write a minimum of four to six papers per semester as well as to complete frequent informal pieces. These papers will include both analytical and creative writing. Assessment of writing may include teacher comments and corrections, conferencing, draft revision and peer-editing.
Course placement in English classes is based upon student interest and need, teacher recommendation, parent approval and scheduling availability. To assist in the selection of appropriate classes, courses are ranked in difficulty from 1 to 5, with 1 being the most challenging. This designation is placed at the end of each course description.
All courses are open to grades 10-12 unless otherwise noted.

WRITING AND SKILLS COURSES
(001) NINTH GRADE COMPOSITION Full year course - 4 credits
AND LITERATURE
Open to: 9 only
Ninth grade English consists of the first semester focused on writing and the second semester focused on literature. In the writing semester, students are introduced to a variety of informal, formal, and creative writing experiences through weekly assignments.
Informal assignments may include personal narrative, journals and informal essays. Formal essays include brief analytical papers or persuasive essays. Short stories, poems, novels or films may be the basis for these assignments. Creative writing assignments include dialogues, poems, or short stories.
Classes focused on writing will practice skills such as: peer editing, writing from models, and the revision process from first draft to final composition. During conference time, teachers provide individual attention to specific writing problems.
The second semester concentrates on the intensive reading of literary texts organized around a specific theme, such as justice and vengeance, choice and responsibility, prejudice, family relations, etc. Literary study will emphasize the analysis of the various aspects of a work, such as style, structure, and setting.
Students will respond to the literature with various kinds of writing studied in the first semester. There will be a minimum of four to six major writing assignments per semester to which the teacher will respond seriously and critically.
Both semesters emphasize critical thinking and analytical skills in reading and writing. Reading skills are a central aspect of English study at L-S; it is essential that students develop reading skills in order to be successful in further course work and in order to understand requirements in other courses
.
(020-Semester 1) SHORT FICTION & POETRY
(021-Semester 2) Semester course - 2 credits
In this course, students will read short fiction, focusing on poetry and short stories. Such literature raises some of the following questions: how do authors convey plot, emotions, themes and other literary elements in such a short medium. How do authors create unique characters and develop their personalities? What kinds of diverse tones, moods and styles do poets use?
Students will read and respond to each of the texts and each term they will select an author to present to the class; the presentations will be both on poets and on short story authors. Students will be evaluated on participation in discussion, frequent in-class writing, reading quizzes, presentations, and formal analytical essays as well as a mid-term and final exam.
Some of the works to be used may include: Best American Short Stories, Best American Poetry, Perrine's Story and Structure (ed. Arp and Johnson), Junot's Diaz's Drown, The Story and Its Writer (ed. Charters), Yusef Komunyakaa's Neon Vernacular, Billy Collins's Sailing Alone Around the Room, Rita Dove's Thomas and Beulah, Philip Levine's What Work Is. (1-4)

(022- Semester 1) MEMOIR & PERSONAL WRITING
(023- Semester 2) Semester course - 2 credits

This is a course for those interested in reading modern-day memoirs (autobiographical novels) and exploring the art and craft of writing about one's life. A critical study of works such as the following - some in their entirety, some extracted - will drive the course: Girl, Interrupted, by Susannah Kaysen, Angela's Ashes, by Frank McCourt, Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris, Makes Me Wanna' Holler, by Nathan McCall, Colours of the Mountain, by DaChen, Autobiography of a Face, by Lucy Grealy, Memories of a Catholic Girlhood, by Mary McCarthy, A Child Called "It", by David Pelzer, and Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Albom.
Students are expected to write on a daily basis in their reflection journals and to do a variety of short in-class writings as well. Since the class will be run as a workshop, students should be prepared to present their writings, which will be based on their own life experiences, to the class on a regular basis. Four to six longer pieces of writing will be due throughout the semester and will reflect each student's unique voice and style. If time allows, the class will put together an anthology drawn from pieces written throughout the semester. The final exam will be based on the readings and writing techniques studies. (1-4)

(072) EXPOSITORY WRITING Semester course - 2 credits
Students in this course make a serious effort to master more sophisticated forms of the personal essay, analytical essay and comparison-contrast essays. They are expected to demonstrate initiative and work independently to develop a personal voice. They should be prepared to work in groups and share their writing. Rewriting and critiquing are integral to this course. (1-3)

(073) CREATIVE WRITING Semester course - 2 credits
In a workshop format students explore several creative genres such as poetry, drama and the short story. They should be prepared to present their work to the class for discussion and constructive criticism. Appropriate readings may be assigned on an individual or class basis. Students should demonstrate initiative and self-discipline. (1-4)

(076- Semester 1) ENGLISH WORKSHOP
(078- Semester 2) Semester or Full year course - 2 credits
This class is for those students who want to become more confident learners by improving their skills. It may be recommended by your English teacher or guidance counselor. Using short stories, novels, plays, research materials, and movies, students learn and practice 5 paragraph essays, notetaking and outlining, vocabulary in context, and analytical and critical thinking skills. The first semester will give credit for World Literature. The second semester will give credit for American/British Literature. (3-5)

LITERATURE COURSES

The Department believes it is vital for students to know about the literature and ideas of their own culture and tradition and also to be aware of these aspects of other cultures. The Lincoln-Sudbury graduation requirements mandate that students earn two credits from the literature categories: American/British and World. Therefore, courses in literature are designated below, indicating the category to which each belongs. (see graduation requirements on page 3)

AMERICAN/BRITISH LITERATURE COURSES

(025- Semester 1) ANALYSIS IN CONTEXT Semester course - 2 credits
(027- Semester 2)
May be taken in addition to other regularly scheduled English courses without going through the double enrollment process.
This course will deal with themes, subject matter, style, and characterization in a variety of forms, including literature and film. Students will read from a range of literary genre--novels, plays, stories--and discuss authors' themes and techniques; there will also be some study of how some of these ideas have been transferred to film and interpreted by filmmakers.
Students will write essays of critical analysis on each unit studied. There will also be projects in which students demonstrate their critical understanding of the topics; projects may involve presentations, essays, screenplays or even some film making. (1-4)

(033- Semester 1) THE MAKING & REMAKING Semester course - 2 credits
(034- Semester 2) OF RACE THE MAKING and REMAKING OF RACE, subtitled "There is only one race, the human race," is a semester course which examines the construction of the idea of racial prejudice against African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans in the United States as reflected in its literature. The literature will come from such writers as Hawthorne, Stowe, Melville, Faulkner, Hughes, Baraki, Walker, Angelou, Ellison, et al. One history text, The Shaping of Black America by Lerone Bennett will be used. Students will be expected to work to the best of their ability in reading, writing and discussing. (1-4)

(042) SHAKESPEARE I Semester course - 2 credits
This course focuses on Shakespeare's plays as drama through close
reading and discussion of the plays. Shakespeare's England and the nature of the Elizabethan Theater are considered; however, central to the course is an examination of personality, power, and social history in the selected dramas. Works may include Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night's Dream, and Merchant of Venice. There are writing assignments on each play. (1-3)

(044) SHAKESPEARE IN PRODUCTION Semester course - 2 credits
This course is devoted to a production of a play by William Shakespeare. In addition to producing a play, the class will read four Shakespearean plays and learn about staging and stage history. Members of the class are expected to work on the production, either as actors or as members of the production crew. Although most of the work will be done during class or after school, there will be evening work in connection with the production; this work will constitute a major part of the grade. There will be at least one paper and exams on each play. (1-4)

(045- Semester 1) AMERICAN VOICES Semester course - 2 credits
(046- Semester 2)
This is a course in literature from North and South America. Students will examine the question of what "American" means by considering the diverse range of cultures represented here in school, in the United States and in the other Americas. The course includes all genres -- novel, poetry, short story, drama, non-fiction, and film -- and will emphasize United States literature by minority authors and by women, as well as American works from outside the United States.Works of prose include: Sula, Bright Lights, Big City, Dharma Bums, A View From the Bridge, The Assistant, The Moviegoer, Seize the Day, and The Women of Brewster Place. Poetry selections include: Turtle Island, The Book of Questions, and The Book of Light. Anthologies include: Eye of the Heart, Krik? Krak!, Black Voices, New Worlds of Literature, and Imagining America. This course will emphasize frequent, short writing assignments. (2-4)

(048) EARLY BRITISH LITERATURE Semester course - 2 credits
Legends and stories from Beowulf to King Arthur and his knights to The Canterbury Tales are an important part of early British literature. In addition to such works, the course will involve the study of a play from the
Elizabethan era, readings from Milton's Paradise Lost and examples of satire of the eighteenth century. We will conclude the semester with a selection by Jane Austen. As we study these works, we will look at the world that produced them and the ideas that shaped them. Possible readings include: Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Paradise Lost, The Tempest, Henry V, The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus, Moll Flanders, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, the poetry of John Donne, Edmund Spenser, Alexandra Pope, and others.
Students will do individual reading and study on writers they choose and share some of their knowledge with the class. Writing assignments will include analytical and creative pieces for each unit. There will be oral presentations. (1-3)

(049) MODERN BRITISH LITERATURE Semester course - 2 credits
What are the dangers and pitfalls of modern society? What kinds of behavior are admired and criticized? In MODERN BRITISH LITERATURE, we will explore the world since the nineteenth century, beginning with the romantic poets. We will explore the Romantic Era’s sinister cousin, Gothic literature, then move through the Victorian era and finally look at the modern age. As we study these works, we will look at how the rapidly changing world influenced these writers. Possible readings include the poetry of Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Keats, Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, the poetry of Tennyson, Robert and Elizabeth Browning, and other Victorian poets, Hard Times, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Heart of Darkness, The Importance of Being Ernest, 1984, writings by Virginia Woolf, poets of the early twentieth century, and others.
Students will focus on individual reading and study writers they choose, then share some of their knowledge with the class. Writing assignments will be both expository and creative for each unit. There will be oral presentations as well. (1-3)

(051) AMERICAN LITERATURE Full year course - 4 credits
This course studies American Literature primarily from the 19th and 20th centuries. Artistic, social, and historical contexts may be considered and common "American" themes across the literary periods may be explored. Possible authors include Hawthorne, Whitman, Twain, Dickinson, Chopin, Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Hurston, Ellison, O'Connor, Kesey, Walker and Morrison. Much reading and discussion are required. There will be frequent writing assignments. (1-3)

(055) TOPICS IN LITERATURE Full year course - 4 credits
TOPICS IN AMERICAN LITERATURE will focus on the development of reading skills. Using the works of American authors, students will explore the major literary genres: novels, short stories, plays, poetry, and non-fiction. Students will also enhance their skills in vocabulary, grammar, and writing related to works studied in class. (3-5)
WORLD LITERATURE

(026) ADOLESCENTS IN LITERATURE Semester course - 2 credits
Readings in this course focus on conflicts young people face as they mature in a complex, bewildering society. They emphasize the choices facing young people in America and other cultures, and the consequences of their choices. Films, television programs, speakers, and other activities are used to clarify and deepen students' understanding of the pressures they experience during these crucial years. Writing is designed to encourage students to reflect on the issues and their own experience. (2-4)

(030) HEROES IN LITERATURE 2nd Semester course - 2 credits
In this course students examine the idea of the hero and heroine, and there is frequent reference to the definition of the hero and heroine in the modern world. Students work on some of the reading and writing in class to enable them to sharpen their skills and to develop their ability to write essays and papers about their reading. There are nightly reading assignments, regular writing assignments, and a project. Readings include such works as Greek and world myth, Medea, The Moon Is Down, Lady Sings the Blues, The Stranger, The Visit, "The Guest", "The Wall", Finding Courage, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch. (2-4)

(031- Semester 1) IRISH LITERATURE Semester course - 2 credits
(037- Semester 2)
This course covers Irish literature from the Celtic past through the twentieth century. Since the literature of Ireland reflects its troubled past and rich culture, students will study the history and culture to understand the myth and tragic reality of a torn nation. One of the core questions students will pursue will be: "What is Ireland?"
Novels include: Joyce's Portrait of the Artist, Trevor's Felicia's Journey, McGahern's Amongst Women, MacLaverty's Cal, O'Brien's House of Splendid Isolation, and Doyle's The Snapper. Poets include: Boland, Heaney, Kavanaugh, Mahon, Meehan, Yeats. Plays: Yeats’ Cathleen ni Houlihan, Lady Gregory’s Spreading the News, Synge's Playboy of the Western World and Riders to the Sea, Friel's Translations, McDonagh’s The Cripple of Inishmaan, and O'Casey's Plough and the Stars. There will also be non fiction reading, short stories, and films.
Students taking the course must be capable readers, able to handle nightly reading and frequent writing assignments. There will be one or more independent projects. (1-3)

(035) IDEAS IN DRAMA Semester course - 2 credits
This course includes the reading and discussion of plays from various times and places from the classical to the modern. The plays will focus on a theme or a style of drama. In addition to studying plays as literature, students may produce and perform scenes.Some course readings will be chosen to correspond to plays being performed in the area and at school -- at the American Repertory Theater and the Huntington Theater, for example -- so that students can see drama in performance as well as in literature.Readings will be chosen from among the following authors: Shakespeare, Brecht, Ibsen, Strindberg, Williams, O'Casey, Friel, Stoppard, Kopit, Durrenmatt, Fugard, Ionesco, Beckett, Anouilh, Wilson, Hellman, Pirandello and selections from traditional Chinese and Japanese drama. There will be analytical and creative writing assignments. (2-4)

(039) BIBLICAL & CLASSICAL LITERATURE Semester course - 2 credits
In this course one quarter is spent studying the Bible; in the other quarter, some major works of classical literature are considered. The content of the course is designed to help students acquire a knowledge of some of the fundamental myths which are the very basis of Western culture and to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the fact that so much of the world's literature repeatedly alludes to and is based on Biblical and ancient sources. Some of the books of the Bible studied are: Genesis, the David narratives, Psalms, and a Gospel of the New Testament. In Greek literature, works are selected from Homer's epics and the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. There will be analytical and creative writing assignments. (1-3)

(032- Semester1) THE NOVEL Semester course - 2 credits
(040- Semester 2)
Open to: Recommended for 11 - 12
This course requires intensive reading of several novels which are approached historically and analytically. Study is concentrated on the genre itself, and each novel is explored in depth to determine its uniqueness and
relationship to the form and development of the genre. Students should be
good readers. Possible novelists include Dostoyevsky, Joyce, Boll, Grass, Mafouz, Marquez, Alain-Fournier, and Mehta. There will be papers on each novel. (1-3)

(041) THREE WORLDS LITERATURE Full year course - 4 credits
Open to: Recommended for 11 - 12
Students in this course read contemporary literature from the Third World, Eastern Europe and the Western democracies in order to understand the people's everyday lives. Readings are chosen from all genres; novel, poetry, drama, memoir, short story, essay. Authors and film directors may include Argueta, Naipaul, Ramirez, Puenza, Toer, Paz, Sildo, Nowakowski, Herbert, Milosz, Havel, Chen Jo-Hsi, Hwang Chun-Ming, Spark.
Students are strongly encouraged to write in all three basic modes of expression: formal, informal, and creative. In-class essay tests are given on many of the works we read or see. Students are asked to keep a journal. In addition students are assigned a long-term project which may be either a research paper or some form of creative project. (1-3)

(056) RUSSIAN LITERATURE Full year course - 4 credits
Open to: Recommended for 11 - 12
Since the literature of Russia reflects intimately the times during which it was written, this course focuses on novels, poems, plays and short stories as contemporary cultural expressions. Thus, in the nineteenth century, the rise of the revolutionary intelligentsia occupies the attention of writers like Turgenev, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy. In the twentieth century, the readings focus on the revolution and the consequences of the revolution. Readings
include Tales of Pushkin, The Brothers Karamazov, Fathers and Sons, and The Master and Margarita, poems of Mandelstam, Blok, Mayakovsky, Essenin, Akhmatova. The student who wishes to study Russian literature must be a capable reader, able to handle nightly assignments requiring thoughtful responses. There will be analytical essays. (1-3)

(059) CONTINENTAL LITERATURE Full year course - 4 credits
Open to: Recommended for 11 - 12
Nineteenth Century European literature is the focus of the first semester. Titles include Madame Bovary, Crime and Punishment, Germinal, The Death of Ivan Illych, A Doll's House, Miss Julie, Faust, and poems of Verlaine and Baudelaire. The second semester examines the 20th Century through works such as The Plague, Bread and Wine, Three-Penny Opera, The Clown, The Trial, Waiting for Godot, When Things of the Spirit Come First, A Swell Season, selected poetry and short stories. The student who wishes to study CONTINENTAL LITERATURE must be a capable reader able to handle nightly assignments requiring thoughtful responses. Students are encouraged to write in all three basic modes of expression; formal, informal and creative.

(064) INTRO TO WESTERN CIVILIZATION Full year course - 4 credits
LITERATURE
Open to: Recommended for 11 - 12
This course touches on the major periods of the Western literary tradition and includes the following authors and works: Plato, Sophocles, Aristotle, selections from The Bible, St. Augustine, The Romance of Tristan and Iseult, selections from The Women Troubadours, Christine de Pisan, Dante's Inferno, The Lais of Marie de France, Boccaccio, Petrarch, Machiavelli, Marguerite de Navarre's Heptameron, Shakespeare (some sonnets and a play), Donne, Marvell, Behn, Sor Juana, Pascal, Candide, The Social Contract, "The Declaration of Independence", The Sorrows of Young Werther, selections from Romantic poetry, Ourika, Pere Goriot, Marx, Hedda Gabler, Freud, Yeats, Eliot, Sartre, deBeauvoir, The Stranger, Fanon, selections from A History of Their Own, Caryl Phillips' The Nature of Blood. Students will have frequent essay quizzes, group projects, and papers on units studied. (1-3)

NOTE: This course is designed as a companion to WESTERN CIVILIZATION - THE ARTS AND HISTORY. (See HISTORY course description.) We strongly recommend that the two courses be taken concurrently. Students who sign up for both courses will receive special priority in scheduling. Students who are scheduled for both courses should remain in BOTH courses for the year. If a student wants to drop either course, he/she will have to drop the other if there is a wait list for the class.Students who have taken WESTERN CIV HISTORY one year and wish to take WESTERN CIV LITERATURE the following year, or vice versa, will also receive a special priority in scheduling.