English 12 – British & World Literature (US260)
Course Description & Syllabus 2009-2010
S. Hylton
Room 114
Course Description
This course is a survey of British and world literature combined with a continued development and
refinement of composition skills. Students will analyze literature with an emphasis on thematic
exploration as well as historical, social, religious, and political contexts in which the literature is to
be understood. Throughout the year, students will engage in class discussion and Socratic seminars
as a means of developing their analytical and verbal skills. Through frequent writing and teacher and
peer revision, students will continue to develop their composition skills. MLA will be the standard
for formatting. Students will also develop their ability to explore and synthesize solid research on a
regular basis. Vocabulary building continues. A Course Outline is attached to the back of this
syllabus.
Course Goals (based on College Board goals for AP Language and Composition course)
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to further develop students’ cognitive and analytical abilities through exposure to engaging
texts
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to encourage intellectual growth, self-reflection, self-evaluation, and integrity/ethics
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to further develop students’ ability to discuss, interpret, analyze, and evaluate works of
fiction and non-fiction
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to continue to develop students’ ability to edit, revise, and critique their writing and the
writing of others
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to teach students research skills and the ability to interpret, evaluate, and synthesize
information from sources
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to further develop students’ ability to write in a variety of forms
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to continue to develop an enhanced vocabulary
Expectations
I expect my students to…
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do their best on each and every assignment. All work must be stamped with the date.
do their own work so that I will never have to question their honesty and integrity.*
be open to the ideas in literature, have a sense of humor, and embrace the spirit of any
assignment.
be involved and attentive during class activities.
be courteous to me and to each other at all times. There is never an excuse for rudeness.
budget their time well both in and out of class so that assignments are completed and arrive
on time.
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be responsible for obtaining makeup work.
be present and punctual. More than three tardies in a quarter will result in a C4 or C5 conduct
grade.
refrain from eating and drinking in class.
abide by all rules and regulations in the Student Code of Conduct.
communicate any concerns, problems, or difficulties with me. Office hours are after school
on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2:45 until 3:30 in my classroom. I can be reached via email at shylton@walsingham.org or by phone at (757)229-6026.
My students can expect me to…
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be respectful and courteous.
plan thought provoking assignments.
be prepared.
be willing to help when asked.
be fair and responsive to their ideas.
communicate any concerns, problems, or difficulties with them first.
*Do not plagiarize: Do not copy words or ideas from internet sources, books, scholars, fellow
students, or any other sources without giving proper credit in a parenthetical citation/bibliographical
entry. Remember: a dismal grade brings only disappointment; the dismal choice to cheat brings
dishonor and an even more dismal grade.
Materials
Please come to class daily with the following materials unless otherwise notified.
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The Language of Literature, MacDougal Littell, Inc., Boston: 2002.
Large three ring binder with dividers
College ruled paper
Spiral notebook (about 150 pages)
Blue or black pens
Other materials that might prove helpful include:
 Public library card
 Highlighters
 Small post-it notes
 Notecards and a file box
 Dictionary (for home use)
Students will need to purchase novels and plays throughout the year (see attached Course Outline).
Grading
Your grades will be based on the school’s grading scale.
A
B
C
D
F
93-100
85-92
77-84
70-76
69 and below
Your grades will be averaged using the following percentages:
Literature & Writing
Vocabulary
80%
20%
Literature and Writing encompasses the bulk of the work we do. Within that 80%, tests, essays, and
projects will be recorded three times; quizzes, twice; and daily work, once. Vocabulary grades are
a balance between weekly preparation and weekly quizzes. Late homework is not accepted. Late
projects and essays will be accepted but will be docked one letter grade for each day they are late.
Please allow at least two weeks for the grading of major essays and tests. Reading and evaluating
essays and tests is no small task. I will report/record grades as quickly as possible.
Vocabulary
You will find the vocabulary lists for the entire year attached to the back of this syllabus. Definitions
and sentences are due on Mondays; questions about the use of the words will be fielded at that time.
Quizzes will be on Fridays and are cumulative. That is, each quiz will involve not only the current
week’s words but any of the others that we have already covered as well.
English 12 – British & World Literature
Course Outline
Evolution: Starts and Stops
How does history and society affect the literature of a people?
English History, notes and activities
British Literary Periods, notes and activities
Battle: Physical and Psychological Struggle
How does conflict shape and define the individual? What techniques do authors employ to depict
conflict?
Beowulf
“Beocat”
Excerpts from Gardner’s Grendel
Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front
Wiesel’s Night
Kipling’s “Mary Postgate”
Okri’s “In the Shadow of War”
Bowen’s “The Demon Lover”
Owen’s “Anthem for Doomed Youth”
Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est”
Hardy’s “The Man He Killed”
Relationships: Torments and Triumphs of Love
Why do human bonds bring both pleasure and pain? How do authors portray the complex nature
of relationships?
Chaucer’s “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”
Chaucer’s “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale”
Marlowe’s “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”
Raleigh’s “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd”
Donne’s “The Bait”
Shakespeare’s sonnets
Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress”
Hope’s “His Coy Mistress to Mr. Marvell”
Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing
Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew
DuMaurier’s Rebecca
Conscience: Guilt and Innocence
How do our actions haunt us? What techniques do authors use to convey the complexity of
conscience?
Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Christie’s And Then There Were None
Dickens’s A Christmas Carol
Excerpt from Shelley’s Frankenstein
Society: Inside and Outside
Can human beings overcome their differences? How do authors use literature to express their
criticism of society?
Chaucer’s “The Pardoner’s Tale”
Auden’s “Musee des Beaux Arts”
Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen”
Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”
Excerpts from Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels
Shaw’s Pygmalion
Addison and Steele’s “A Beau’s Head” and “A Coquette’s Heart”
Afterlife: Heaven and Hell
How do human beings approach their ultimate fate? How do authors conceptualize heaven and
hell?
Excerpts from Dante’s Inferno
Excerpts from Milton’s Paradise Lost
Sartre’s No Exit
“Job” from the King James Bible
“To Everything there is a Season” from the King James Bible
Housman’s “To an Athlete Dying Young”
Herrick’s “To the Virgins to Make Much of Time”
Thomas’s “Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night”
Future: Dreams and Nightmares
What will the world become? What techniques do authors use to create an unknown world?
Rand’s Anthem
Huxley’s Brave New World
Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron”
Bradbury’s “The Veldt”
Lennon’s “Imagine”
Arnold’s “Dover Beach”