SYLLABUS
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High School Language Arts- B: World Literature and Composition
(the formal essay and complete research paper)
(College Preparatory course for 10th - 12th grade level)
Instructor: Mary Beth Husman, B.S.L.A.
Fall 2012—Semester I: The Elegant Essay Writing Lessons by Lesha Myers, IEW
Spring 2013—Semester II: How to Do a Research Paper based on Lesha Myers, IEW
+NOTE: This literature and composition course is an exposure to classics of World literature through the ages.
The literature will be thought-provoking and thus exceptionally useful for composition assignments in which
the student will be asked to present his or her thoughts in a coherent manner. Student will read books,
scripture, scholarly writing, an epic poem, an allegory, a hymn, poems, short stories, and a play.
I will be teaching from a Christian perspective, and I will approach these texts from a solid belief in Christ as our
savior and in the Bible as the infallible Word of God. Many of these literature selections wrestle with concepts
common to all of humanity and thus, commonly the themes of great literature: human sinfulness, temptation,
suffering, perseverance, and the Christian themes of faith, doubt, assuredness, repentance, redemption,
salvation through Christ, and God’s grace. In cases where the literature twists theology, we will read scripture
to define the Truth, and then we will read the literature selections. The student will be asked to discern the
truth according to Scripture, not according to the author. Discussion of these topics and literary works at home
is highly encouraged.
Versions of these texts are available free on the internet, so there will be no expenses other than the ink and
paper if you print them out. We will be reading only portions of the complete works as they are difficult and
long and our time is short. Occasionally, I will provide an underlined printout of the text to facilitate
understanding of important points.
*= student purchase (or rental from instructor)
1.
(week 1) Genesis 1,2,3; Isaiah 6:1-6; Exekiel 1; Revelation 12:7-12; 21:10-23.
2.
(weeks 2 -3) selections from an epic poem Paradise Lost by John Milton (English, c.1667)
3.
*(weeks 4-6) selections from an allegory Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan (English, 1678) (audio version available)
4.
(week 7) selections from Faust legend (German, 1700’s or earlier)
5.
(week 8) a peek at Inferno by Dante Alleghretti (Italian, 1308-1321)
6.
(week 11) Calling of disciple stories from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
7.
* (between semesters) The Big Fisherman by Lloyd C. Douglas(American,1949)
8.
9.
(week 1) selections from City of God and The Confessions of St.Augustine, ( Holy Roman Empire, A.D. 349)
(week1 ) selections from The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis (Holy Roman Empire, c.1441)
10. (week 2) selections from 95 Thesis, speech before Diet of Worms, Concerning Christian Liberty, and a hymn A
Mighty Fortress Is Our God by Martin Luther (German, 1517-1520)
11. (week3 ) select poems by George Herbert from The Temple: Sacred Poems (1633)
12. (week3 ) select poems by John Donne Meditation XVII (1623); Holy Sonnest X and XIV (1618) and The Cross
13. (week3 ) select poem by William Shakespeare Sonnet XVIII (1597)
14. (week4) Job from the Bible
15. (week 5) a modern play based on Job, “J.B.”, by Archibald Macleish (American, 1958)
16. * (weeks 6 -8) Screwtape Letters by C.S.Lewis (Irish, 1942)
17. (week 9) a short story, The Selfish Giant, by Oscar Wilde (Irish, 1888)
18. (week 9) a short story The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry William Sydney Porter (American, 1906)
19. (week 9) select poems from A Tear and A Smile by Kahlil Gibran (Lebanese-American) 3rd best-selling poet of all
time, behind Shakespeare and Lao-Tzu.
20. (week 10) a short story The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (French, 1943)