AP ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION
SYLLABUS SUBMISSION
COURSE OVERVIEW:
This course is designed to teach beginning-college writing through the fundamentals of
rhetorical theory, and follows the curricula requirements defined in the AP English
Course Description. We will read and write everyday and continually improve our
writing. The types of required writing assignments are varied (several short critical
papers, explicating poetry and drama and analytical papers that are also research based).
The essays will be based on close textual analysis of structure, style (figurative language,
imagery, symbolism, tone, etc), and also the social and historical values surrounding the
author and his work.
Students will be expected to read, discuss, and write about literary works from various
genres and periods from the sixteenth to twenty-first centuries. We will focus on
renowned works of literary merit and get to know a few works particularly well, delving
into the faceted world surrounding the work and its author. Students will read short
stories, poems, essays, plays, and novels. Vocabulary will be weekly, grammar will be
studied on an as-needed basis, and reading and writing will occur daily. “By the end of
the AP English Literature and Composition course, students should be able to approach a
poem, a prose work, and a play and—proceeding beyond visceral and emotional
reactions-respond to it analytically and critically both orally and in writing” (The College
Board. AP English Course Description, May 2007, May 2008.6).
Grading for the course will be comprised mainly of essays, tests, and discussions.
However, as in all English courses, there will be other projects graded.
The following criteria will be handled on an ongoing basis:
While students should already be overly familiar with many of the basic and main literary
elements, we will learn new literary elements/devices each week. Students will be asked
to either demonstrate their understanding of the terms or identify the use of the terms in
literature. Literary terms and concepts should always be used in analytical writing. The
following is only a tentative list; expect it to lengthen as we find more terms in the works
that we read.
Adventure novel
Anaphora
Burlesque
Allegory
Antithesis
Canon
Alliteration
Apostrophe
Coming-of-age story
Allusion
Assonance
Conceit
Analogy
Blank Verse
Diacope
End-stopped
Meter
Ridicule
Enjambed
Metonymy
Romance
Epithet
Mock Epic
Sarcasm
Euphemism
Novel
Satire
Flashback
Novella
Setting
Foot
Novel of manners
Simile
Frame
Onomatopoeia
Sonnet
Free verse
Oxymoron
Style
Heroic Couplet
Parody
Subplot.
Humanism
Persona
Symbol
Hyperbole
Personification
Tone
Irony
Pseudonym
Travesty
Literary quality
Pulp fiction
Understatement
Metaphor
Regional novel
Verisimilitude
Metaphysical Poetry
Rhyme
We will also have weekly discussions in which students will be asked to contribute to the
conversation their understandings of the piece of literature being discussed, their identifications of
literary elements within it, and their overall opinions of the piece. Deep discussion and debate
encourage close and analytical reading as well as writing.
On a weekly basis there will be writing assignments (analytical, expository, and argumentative)
varying from shorter “Study Questions” (explained further on) assignments, to well developed
essays, to thoughtful reflections and journals, to other forms of writing such as letter writing and
creative writing. To improve student writing, each student will be allotted a particular day of the
week to meet and discuss his or her writing with the instructor. On the assigned day, students will
be given the opportunity to improve their writing as focus from the instructor is placed on, among
many other assets of the individual student’s writing, effective use of rhetoric, fluency, form,
correctness, sentence variety, and use of literary terms. While the student and instructor are
conferencing, peer editing amongst the other students will take place, again offering the chance for
improvement.
*For each writing assignment the students and instructor will collaborate to create a 9 point holistic
rubric. It will assess diction, syntax, structure, style, specificity, rhetoric and any other elements
deemed of pertinence by instructor or student. Rubrics may be used on multiple assignments or
new may be made for each assignment, all contingent to the student task at hand.
For each assignment rubrics will be distributed. The instructor and student peers will evaluate the
effectiveness of the writing based on adaptations of the Scoring Guide and rubrics. Generally, for
each piece, time will be allotted for improvement of the writing through personal, peer, and
instructor assessment, allowing for a cogent piece of writing with denotative and connotative
accuracy.
As writing progresses, grammar skills and style will be continually honed and practiced using the
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers and Writer’s INC: Write for College. Vocabulary
quizzes will be weekly and will be taken from relative works of literature.
The following novels will be read prior to the start of or throughout the course. Those to be read
during the summer will be indicated by the instructor prior to summer vacation:
Silas Marner by George Eliot
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Watership Down by Richard Adams
The Cathcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
AP ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION REQUIREMENTS:
1. Students must read the assigned four novels over the summer and fall semester. In addition to
reading each novel, students must also take notes on each chapter, and find a minimum of five
vocabulary words from each book. The notes and vocabulary words will be submitted before the
study of each book begins. Notes and vocabulary are mandatory and may be graded.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD NOTES, OR SUMMARIES OF NOTES, BE TAKEN FROM OTHER
SOURCES, I.E. SPARKNOTES, CLIFFSNOTES OR ANOTHER STUDENT. THIS IS PLAGIARISM AND
WILL BE DEALT WITH ACCORDING TO SCHOOL POLICY.
2. All work must be handed in on time. This is a college level course, and therefore, absolutely no
late work will be accepted. In all instances, due dates will be given in advance for projects and
papers. As a result of the due dates, in the case of absence, any papers or projects will remain due.
Daily course work will be completed within the same number of days that were missed.
3. In addition to tests, essays, and reading assignments, students will also be required to participate
in all discussions and writing assignments. Whether or not a reflection or discussion will be graded
is irrelevant. Students must participate in all activities. Participation will be reflected in the grades
of all students.
4. Throughout the course, students should expect to complete a list of “Study Questions” ,
generally, each week. The guidelines for these assignments are as follows:
What is the study question point system?
Students receive an “A” (45-50 points) for completed assignments that, to the best of the student’s
ability, answer the questions correctly with adequate interpretation, creativity, specificity, and
correct grammar.
Students receive a “B” (40-44 points) for completed assignments, but there may be some errors in
simple interpretation and understanding of the question.
Students receive a “C” (35-39 points) if they miss one or two questions (the questions are not
answered or the answers are wrong in their entirety) and/or have some errors in simple
interpretation.
Students receive a “F” (34 -0 points) if they miss several questions, fail to turn in the assignment or
turn it in late. There are no “D”’s on “Study Question” assignments.
You will be graded according to your effort, detail, and willingness to get deep at times.
5. The grading system is based on previously established guidelines. The following scale will be
used:
Weighted Grading
Reading Comprehension
35%
Writing
35%
Vocabulary/Grammar/Discussion
20%
Presentations/Notes
10%
School Percentage Grading Scale
92-100
83-91
74-82
65-73
Below 65
A
B
C
D
F
Introduction to AP English Language and Composition
What is literature? Reading, Responding to and Interpreting Literature
Close Reading:
Generally, for this class, whenever you are reading, you should be conducting a close reading. To
do a close reading, choose a specific passage and analyze it in fine detail. Comment on points of
style and on your reactions as a reader. Close reading is important because it is the foundation for
larger analysis. Your thoughts evolve not from someone else's truth about the reading, but from
your own observations. The more closely you can observe, the more original and exact your ideas
will be. To begin your close reading, ask yourself several specific questions about the passage (is
there a mood, style, diction, or any other literary element that jumps out at you?). When you arrive
at some answers, you are ready to organize and write. You should organize your close reading like
any other kind of essay, paragraph by paragraph, but you can arrange it any way you like.
In Class Review Of:
Essay Writing – Distinction in essay assignment (argumentative, expository, analytical, creative)
variations and requirements for different assignments
MLA
In text citations
Literary Elements
Genres
Narrative Voice
UNIT 1: THE VICTORIAN AGE: Silas Marner, George Eliot
In addition to reading and discussing the book, students are required to also read the article: Eliot’s
Silas Marner, by Ralph Stewart, Acadia University. It is a critical analysis of the book with a
different perspective on Eliot’s characterization of each character.
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Notes on Eliot’s time period and biographical information
Discuss the significance of the novel’s epigraph
Identify and analyze foreshadowing events throughout the novel
Define the difference between the religion and superstition within the novel
Read excerpts from: Jude the Obscure by Hardy and selections from Victorian Poetry ed.
Valentine Cunningham and Duncan Wu (abridged version) Blackwell Pub.
(Browning, Elizabeth Barret Browning, and Tennyson)
Assessment and Composition:
1. List each mention of Molly Farren and of Godfrey’s actions regarding her. What is your
assessment of Godfrey? Should he have confessed everything to Nancy before he asked her
to marry him?
2. Make a list of the evidence of class distinction made throughout the novel. What class
distinctions are evident in our society? Compare the novel to today’s society.
3. From time to time, George Eliot includes statements of general truths about life. List two of
these aphorisms. Explain how they are operated in both today’s society and the novel.
Interpretation of lines and quotes
Multiple choice and essay test
Identify one theme and assert it by identifying three literary elements
Comparison of The Crucible and Silas Marner
We will watch the original format of The Crucible (a drama) and discuss the implications of
religion and superstition on members of society.
Write a journal discussing the similarities and differences between the two works. Think about the
female characters in each and the stresses the society places upon each.
UNIT 2: Senior Project
The Senior Project is a state mandated assignment that all Pennsylvania students must complete
before they graduate. It is to be completed in this semester and is an ongoing project throughout the
course of the semester. There will be periodic lessons on how to prepare for, research, write, and
complete the entire project. Students are to pick a topic of their choice, spend great amounts of time
researching it and prepare an exhibition of the topic and overall project to be presented to a class
and the instructor.
The following areas will be improved on in class:
Research methods
MLA citations, works cited page, correct in-text citing
Thesis workshop
Note taking and outlining
Public speaking skills
Of the topic, the student will complete:
A written presentation
An exhibition
An oral presentation
A self evaluation
UNIT 3: MAN: Savage Beast: Lord of the Flies, William Golding and The Jungle by Upton
Sinclair
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Thematic discussion: Loss of Innocence, Civilization vs. Savagery, Man's inhumanity to
man; the need for social order; friendship; loneliness and the need for companionship; the
dark side of human beings.
Identification of symbols: The Conch Shell, Piggy’s Glasses, The Signal Fire, The Beast,
The Lord of the Flies-The Jungle as a metaphor, Packingtown and the stockyards, cans of
rotten meat
Read: “The Rocking Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence and selected poems by Dylan
Thomas
Discussion of Human Rights
Excerpts from Paradise Lost, Milton
Assessment and Composition:
1.
2.
3.
Describe the religious imagery in Lord of the Flies: the forces of good and evil, a fall from
grace, a savior, and eventual redemption. How does Golding’s depiction of the island compare
to the Garden of Eden?
Some readers of Lord of the Flies have argued that each and every one of the boys’ actions is
nothing more than an attempt to survive in difficult conditions. Think about the mounting of the
sow’s head, Simon’s ascent up the mountain, and the murder of Piggy, in particular, as well as
any other key scenes that stand out to you. Is it fair to say that the boys’ actions were merely
the result of the human survival instinct? Why or why not? If so, can you use these examples to
draw from general conclusions about the human instinct to survive?
Lord of the Flies has been called a “fable in which the characters are symbols for abstract
ideas.” Explain this statement by analyzing each of the major characters (Ralph, Jack, Piggy,
4.
5.
6.
Simon and Roger) in terms of his distinctive character traits and the human quality he might
symbolize.
Defend and or criticize Ralph’s actions as a leader. What were his motivations? Did he
contribute to the tragedy in any way? Could he have acted to prevent any of the deaths? What
could he have done differently?
Suppose the plot of Lord of the Flies involved a planeload of stranded girls, or a mixed group of
girls and boy, instead of all boys. Do you think the same violent and cruel tendencies would
have emerged on the island? Explain your answer in detail.
Events happen on two levels throughout this novel. What happens on the literal level in the
book? What does this development mean on a symbolic level? What happens literally to the
boys; and what is the author suggesting metaphorically about the structures of civilization?
The Jungle
Based on the novel, write a thoughtful, reflective, well-argued journal on the immigrant experience
in the United States between Reconstruction and the First World War. What difficulties did
immigrants face in the United States? How did their social and economic lives change? Did they
find a promised land of milk and honey? How did their experiences differ from those who already
lived in the country?
FINAL:
-Argumentative essay test, clear thesis, supporting paragraphs, textual evidence, strong conclusion:
pick one of the study questions that you have already answered and elaborate it into a full
argumentative essay. Find a stance to support and prove your answer using examples from the text.
If you are struggling to find an issue to argue try this: are both Lord of the Flies and The Jungle
examples of the inherent evil revealed in mankind?
UNIT 4: Watership Down, Richard Adams
There will be no “Study Questions” to complete this week. Instead, as we discuss the book,
students are to choose one essay topic to write a rough and final draft for. Both will be graded and
returned with opportunities to rewrite and work major ideas within the student’s essay. Students will
present their essay and the main ideas within it to the class
"The rabbits became strange in many ways, different from other rabbits. They knew well enough what
was happening. But even to themselves they pretended that all was well, for the food was good, they
were protected, they had nothing to fear but the one fear; and that struck here and there, never
enough at a time to drive them away. They forgot the ways of wild rabbits. They forgot El-ahrairah,
for what use had they for tricks and cunning, living in the enemy's warren and paying his price?"
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Interpretation of major quotes
Themes: home, leadership, nature
Characterization of Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver
Expository Essays: selected readings from Walden and Thoreau-relations to nature
Assessment and Composition:
Essay Options:
1. Write a paper discussing the significance of the novel's ending. There is some
controversy as to whether Hazel, upon his death, is met by El-ahrairah or the Black
2.
3.
4.
5.
Rabbit of Inlé. What do you think? Why do you suppose the author chose to end the
story by skipping ahead and recounting Hazel's death instead of ending it in the
present?
Analyze the structure of General Woundwort's warren. How is it alike and different
from a traditional military structure?
Research Watership Down, which is an actual area in England, and compare it to the
landscape depicted in the book.
An animated movie based on the book Watership Down was produced in 1978.
Compare the book and the movie, discussing the similarities and differences between
the two.
Most of the action in Watership Down centers around the rabbits' search for a new
home. Compare this story to another great journey epic such as The Grapes of
Wrath. What motivates one to better his or her way of life, even if it means enduring
hardships and making sacrifices?
UNIT 5: The Independent Novel and American Novel
Choose a classic American author from the provided list (or choose one to have approved by
instructor), underline key passages, make notes in the margins on post its, make interpretive
observations on theme, characterization, setting, style, and connect the work to outside literature
(avoid plot summary). Write a critical essay on the author (his works, the narrative voice, tone,
diction, style of writing, themes in writing, time period in which he wrote in, how these topics are
presented in his works, etc.).
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Overview (notes, documentaries, discussion of, and readings of) American Literature
Its connection with the broader tradition of English literature
Introduction to and discussion of:
o Colonial literature: read poetry selections by: Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor, and
Michael Wigglesworth (particularly The Day of Doom)
o Early U.S. literature
o American lyric
o Realism (Twain and James)
o Turn of the century
o Post-World War II
o Contemporary American fiction
Assessment and Composition:
-Formal essay evaluating other works and the American author of choice and a presentation to the
class, a brief overview of the author and his works. As always, standard methods of MLA
formatting should be used and literary criticisms should be referenced.
UNIT 6: Unique American Style and Gothic Literature
We will begin by studying the impact of the War of 1812 on literature. In reading the following
works, students will be able to identify the change in authorial voice, point of view, and style in
American literature. At this point in literature a desire to produce uniquely American work evolved
and authors like: Washington Irving, William Cullen Bryant, James Fenimore Cooper, and Edgar
Allan Poe developed works that were strikingly different than what the public audience was once
used to. Literature became satirical, humorous, romantic, nature-inspired, psychological,
mysterious, and fantasy centered.
What is Gothic Literature?
-traditional elements of
-horror and romance
-origins of gothic (architecture)
Assessment and Composition:
Independently Read:
Edgar Allan Poe: The Masque of the Red Death," "The Pit and the Pendulum," and "The Fall of the
House of Usher"
Washington Irving: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip van Winkle
-Select one of the works read and discuss how it reflects the change in American literature and
elements of the newly unique American style that followed the War of 1812.
Brief study of American Lyric
Selections and the study of Walt Whitman and Leaves of Grass (main focus on Song of Myself)
Whitman writes: "These are really the thoughts of all men in all ages and lands, they are not original
with me...."
Journal: After studying his works, is this true? What specific lines lead you to agree or disagree
with the claims of his own thoughts and opinions? What literary elements are present in the work
that impact your interpretation of Whitman’s work?
UNIT 7: The Turn of the Century: The Great Gatsby and “The Wasteland”
After World War I, American writers expressed the disillusionment of American citizens. T.S.
Eliot wrote heavy, intense, and sometimes grotesque poetry. In "The Waste Land" he portrayed
World War I society in fragmented, haunted images. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
conveyed the pleasure-hungry, defiant mood of the 1920s to his audience.
Independent and Group Discussion of both works (selections of “The Waste Land”)
Assessment and Composition:
Study Questions:
The Great Gatsby
1. Does this novel have villains and heroes? Why, why not? If yes, who fits into these
categories and why?
2. Nick is both part of the action and acting as an objective commentator. Does this narration
style work? Why, why not?
3. Why are we still reading a book written in the 1920's? What gives a book its longevity? And
which of its themes are eternal in the American psyche.
“The Waste Land” Review
1. Identify instances of satire and prophecy
2. In what ways does Eliot experiment with the dramatic monologue throughout his work?
Focus for final unit essay: How can we correlate the works of Gatsby and Eliot? How do the two
depict the time in which they lived and wrote? How are they similar and dissimilar?
UNIT 8: Post World War II and The Cathcher in the Rye
From the end of World War II until, approximately, the late 1960s and early 1970s some of the
most popular works in American history were published. It was at this time that J.D. Salinger wrote
The Cathcer in the Rye. It remains controversial for its use of profanity and portrayal of sexuality. It
was the thirteenth most frequently challenged book of the 1990s according to the American Library
Association. The novel was chosen by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 best English-language
novels from 1923 to the present.
Major Topics:
Censorship-then and now
Setting/Time Period
First/Last Chapters: Where is he? Compare and Contrast
Is Holden a reliable narrator?
What are the parrallels between Ackley and Holden?
Sally vs. Jane
Psychological unrest
Assement and Composition:
-In small groups, pick seven of the eleven words, each is either an image, symbol, and/or motif.
Determine which each phrase is and identify its possible meaning(s): Holden’s red hat, Pencey
Prep, Central Park, museums, movies, unmade phone calls, Allie’s ball glove, erasing profanity,
ducks in the park, “Little Shirley Beans” record, and the carrousel
Read all of the following poems: “Grown Up” by Edna St. Vincent Millay, “Spring and Fall: To a
Young Child” by Gerard Manley Hopkins, “The Untrustworthy Speaker” by Louise Gluck
Choose one of the poems to do a close reading of. How does it relate to the novel? What are the
correlations between the two? Are there similar literary elements in each work that allude to a
specific theme or idea? Write an analytical essay that addresses these concepts. Review class notes
and discussion about the time period the novel was written in. Think about the messages of the
authors. We will hold in class consultations to review the student’s writing and make
improvements. One essay may be submitted twice. As always, standard methods of MLA
formatting should be used and literary criticisms should be referenced.
UNIT 9: The Epic, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Beowulf
Notes and in class work on:
 Anglo Saxon history
 Character Maps
 Definition of an epic
 Medieval Civilization
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Motifs: monsters, the oral tradition, the mead hall
Symbols and Themes
Read excerpts from The Odyssey, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and The Holy Bible
Assessment and Composition:
The questions following Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight will all be discussed in
class. However, from each grouping the student must choose one question and develop a full essay
to respond to it with. We will hold in class consultations to review the student’s writing and make
improvements. One essay may be submitted twice. As always, standard methods of MLA
formatting should be used and literary criticisms should be referenced.
Beowulf-Discussion Topics and Plausible Essay Questions
1. What are some of the differences between the poet's world and that of the characters in the
poem? What are the continuities between these worlds? Is there irony in our vision of this
past age? How does the poet create a distance between the characters and himself and how
does he express their own sense of a distant past?
2. Is Beowulf an epic? What sort of social order produces "epic" poetry? What values does the
poem promote, and how does it promote them? What sorts of conflicts with or resistances to
the ideology of epic can be expressed? What sorts are found within the poem itself?
3. Look at the religious references in Beowulf--what are the names for God? What biblical
events are mentioned, and who mentions them? What specifically pagan practices (sacrifice,
burial, augury, etc.) are described? How do the characters see their relationship to God (or
the gods)? Why would a Christian author write a poem about a pagan hero? Does the heroic
code expressed in Beowulf conflict with a Christian sensibility?
4. What is the status of gold and gift-giving in the poem? Who gives gifts, who receives them,
and why? Are the modern concepts of wealth, payment, monetary worth and greed
appropriate for the world of Beowulf?
5. The manuscript text of Beowulf is divided into forty-three numbered sections (plus an
unnumbered prologue); most critics, however, view the structure of the poem as either twopart (Young Beowulf/Old Beowulf) or three-part (the three battles). What grounds do critics
have for these arguments? What are some of the ways the poem suggests its structure? What
signals does the reader find to indicate endings and beginnings of sections and larger units?
6. Why are there so many stories-within-the-story in the poem? What is the relation between
the "digressions" and the main narrative in Beowulf?
7. Every culture makes distinctions between what is inside the social order and what is outside-between the human and the non-human (a category which can include animals, plants,
natural processes, monsters and the miraculous). Cultures organize themselves to exclude
these `outside' things; social organization also works to control certain violent human
tendencies inside the culture (anger, lust, fear, greed, etc.). How does the social world
depicted in the poem do this? That is, what does it exclude, and why? What is its attitude
towards the "outside" of culture? How does it control the forces that threaten social stability
within the hall?
8. In between every story and its audience stands a narrator who tells the story; the narrator has
certain attitudes, opinions, interests and objectives which direct the audience's understanding
of the story. Describe the relationship between the narrator and the story, and between the
narrator and the audience, in Beowulf.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
1. Identify at least three possible symbols used in this work. Explain their significance.
2. How might the appearance of the Green Knight exhibit characteristics of romance?
3. Explore the differences between being confident and being egotistical. Which term do you
think best describes the Green Knight?
4. Think about how the surface conflict between Gawain and the Green Knight represents
multiple conflicts beneath the surface. What might these other conflicts be?
5. How does the initial depiction of the Green Knight’s lady contrast with the chivalric ideal of
women?
6. What is the climax of this work?
7. What does Sir Gawain’s agreement to remain silent about the gift suggest about his
character? Overall, how is he characterized throughout the work?
8. How well does Sir Gawain fulfill the Green Knight’s challenge?
UNIT 10: The Middle Ages
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Overview of Medieval history
Biographical information about Geoffrey Chaucer
Fourteenth century poetry
Read and analyze Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
Assessment and Composition:
Objective test on historical information, and the themes, symbols, and characters of Canterbury
Tales
1.) Using Chaucer’s Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, describe the rising middle class of
thirteenth and fourteenth century England. In the essay, include the variety of occupations,
the degree of wealth, the level of education, and the beginnings of political power
represented among the pilgrims.
2.) Compare and contrast at least two sets of characters from the Prologue. What is the
significance of these characters? OR (Consider this a separate question, but based on a
similar idea) -----Select three characters from the Prologue whom Chaucer seems to be
satirizing (i.e., the Wife of Bath, the Summoner, the Prioress, the Knight, or the Pardoner).
Using some direct quotations, explain the satire and its significance.
3.) Discuss how Chaucer uses The Pardoner to point out some of the more foolish and
deceptive aspects of other characters in the tale as well.
4.) The Pardoner’s Tale is considered a moral tale. What does this mean; and what is the
specific moral conveyed by Chaucer? Why and how is the tale ironic in its meaning?
5.) In the tale of the Wife of Bath, Chaucer seems to be exploring two themes. One is that
happy marriages only result from women’s sovereignty over men and the other is that the
Wife identifies experience and authority as an alternative means of understanding the truth.
In detail, prove and explain how these are themes in the work.
UNIT 11: DRAMA Shakespearean Tragedies—Hamlet and Macbeth
Notes on:
 The basics of drama: theme, structure, spectacle, song, character, plot, soliloquy, aside
 The relativity of drama in everyday life
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Drama in the modern and postmodern age
Drama as a literary text, writing about drama, responding to drama
Assessment and Composition:
With a partner, create a video or PowerPoint presentation that identifies and interprets either the
Freudian/Oedipal complexities, or the feminist portrayals and characteristics within the Shakespeare
tragedies of Hamlet and Macbeth. Use specific quotes and literary elements from both of the plays,
and be distinctly interpretive with regard to your thesis on the topic you choose.
UNIT 12: The Short Story
Notes on:
 Review of the basics of fiction: theme, structure, setting, character, plot, dialogue, point-ofview
 Traditions of the short story through social and cultural values
Readings:
Hemingway, “Hills Like White Elephants”; Atwood, “Happy Endings”; Jackson, “The Lottery”;
Orwell, “Shooting an Elephant”
Short Composition: In groups, identify the theme or meaning by exploring the authorial choices
of the work (style, diction, syntax, sound, figurative language, etc.). Choose one story to
analytically write about. As always, standard methods of MLA formatting should be used and
literary criticisms should be referenced.
References
Adams, Richard. Watership Down
Applebee, Arthur N., ed. The Language of Literature: American Literature. Boston: McDougal
Littell, 2002.
Applebee, Arthur N., ed. The Language of Literature: British Literature. Boston: McDougal
Littell, 2002.
Barnet, Sylvan, and William E. Cain A Short Guide to Writing About Literature. 10th ed. New York:
Pearson/Longman. 2005.
Culler, Jonathan. Literary Theory. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
1997.
Eliot, George. Silas Marner
Fitzgerald, F.Scott. The Great Gatsby
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