Syllabus 2021-2022
List of Reading
Vocabulary
Master List
Semester 1 Lists
Semester 2 Lists
Quizlet for 11 Honors
Glossary of Terms
Taboo Words and Conventions
American Literary Movements
Brief
Extensive
Summer Reading Packet: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Word Version/PDF
Research Paper/MLA
Nonsense
Junior Board: ESHS Counseling
Close Reading Worksheet
Major Works Data Sheet
Class Notes/Homework |
WELCOME!
English 11 Honors is
a Language Arts course devoted to an intense, in-depth study of
American Literature that parallels your study of U.S. History. At its core, this
course will explore the vast range of possible answers to the
essential question: “What is an American?” As we
move through the literature we will also attempt to answer such
subsidiary questions as is the dream valid or realistic?
Is it available to all Americans? What is the "price" for buying
the Dream. What makes a work American? How do
writers represent what it means to be American? How does
historical context inform the narrative? How are gender,
race, class and education represented in these texts?
Given America's
history, we will discover that this question is as broad as it
is compelling. From the "discovery" of America in the 15th
century to the beginning of the 19th century, the world changed
from one dominated by religious beliefs to one shaped by
scientific knowledge; governments evolved from absolute
monarchies to democracies; and men and women began to think of
themselves in a new and different way, not as peasants attached
to the land or a lord but as free people with the right of self
determination. In other words, America began and developed
against an idea of what was possible as opposed to an experience
of what had
always been.
American literature
was born out of these unprecedented times, and it is therefore,
equally unprecedented, bearing the stamp of the historical
periods in which it was conceived and developed. This
literature as it developed over the first 300 years, was
influenced by a number of factors. Certainly, like America
itself, American literature is a "melting pot," a complex fusion
of the native cultures, of the original settlers and of the many
groups of immigrants who populated the new land. It was
also influenced by the very existence of the wilderness, vast
stretches of land populated by native American peoples who were
alternately inspiring and frightening. The first settlers
in New England brought with them an intense religious belief and
a piety that has seldom been equaled in religious history, along
with ideas about morality and conduct that permanently affect
how Americans think and feel and how American writers write.
Enlightenment philosophy imported from Europe took root in
America and grew to shape its founding documents and spur a
revolution that changed the world. From this sea of change
came a literature of revolution and rights - and a new
mythology.
By studying this literature within a
chronological, perspective, students will examine attitudes,
behavior patterns, and ideals that define and reflect American
culture and give insight into the American experience. As
we move through the literature we will stop to examine and
define the ever-shifting, ever-evolving American identity - its
enduring themes and its many paradoxes. We
will
see how the mark of our national progenitors remain deeply
rooted in the American consciousness.
Our work will highlight aspects of rhetoric, with emphasis on
analytical reading, writing, and presentation approaching a
college level course of study. You will think critically,
with curiosity and analysis as you study a variety of works and
write in a variety of disciplines. You will discuss and
debate the work; you will develop organized and intelligent
essays and produce creative projects; and you will present your
knowledge and vision to your peers.
At the end of this
course, you should be able to answer the essential question for
yourself, synthesizing your understandings of our national
experience, our national identity, and your own personal
interpretation of the philosophies set forth by a variety of
voices in a variety of periods. In the end you will
respond to the prompt "What kind of an American am I?"
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