American Literature and Composition 2 2012 - 2013
Instructor:
Michael Thornton
email:
michael_thornton@dpsk12.org
voicemail:
720.424.1794
room: B202 office: B204 Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday – 2:50-3:20 pm
website:
http://dsapresents.org/staff/michael-thornton/american-literature-andcomposition/
This required literature and composition course explores the literature of the United
States, focusing on American themes and values, as well as literary movements and
theories. Students will study and work on composition, comprehension, oral
communication, and reference skills. Grammar and knowledge of literary terms will be
emphasized as part of the composition exercises.
Materials, Products, and Expectations
Notebook (three-ring binder or divided notebook, brought to class daily):
 literary terms
 literary themes and movements
 grammar rules
Class Reading and Writing: discussions and writing exercises
 follow handouts and read during class
 participate in discussions and writing forums
Independent Reading and Writing:
 Literary Response
 Digital Story
 Creative Writing
 Research Paper
 Photographic Essay
Expectations: In this class we will read literature from a variety of genres with an
emphasis on social, artistic, and literary movements. This literature will provide the basis
for our discussions in class and models for writing. All assignments will be posted on the
class website, with links to downloads. If you miss a class, you are responsible for
making up missed material. In-class essay questions and quizzes on required reading
should be made up before the next class period after returning to school. If you miss a
class presentation by a group you are a member of, upon returning to class you must
make an appointment with the instructor to decide on a makeup assignment. Late work
will be penalized 10% of the grade on the assignment. Plagiarism found in any
assignment will typically result in a grade of 0% for the assignment, parental contact, and
a conference tab entry. Any exceptions to these rules require the instructor’s permission
in advance. Semester grades are based on quarter grades of 30 to 60% each quarter, and
10% for the semester final. Process and product tasks are weighted 40 and 60%
respectively.
In order to receive Honors credit for this class, you will be asked to (1) read at least one
extra novel per semester; (2) write a synthesis argument essay focusing on this extra
novel; and (3) complete all assignments, including a research paper. If you received a D
or F first semester as part of the Honors section, you will be placed in the Regular section
second semester. The grading scale for this class is defined by the school district:
A = 93-100%
B- = 80-82%
D = 60-69%
A- = 90-92%
C+ = 77-79%
F = 0-59%
B+ = 87-89%
C = 73-76%
B = 83-86%
C- = 70-72%
Spring Semester, 2012 - 2013
Tentative Schedule for Course
CLASS WEEK
LITERATURE “Themes”
COMPOSITION Literary Movements
Week 1:
Hurston’s Their Eyes Were
Realism Literary theories:
January 8-11,
Watching God; Twain’s “Gilded
Sociological literary theory
2013
Age”, James’ Pragmatism,
Psychoanalytic theory
Sinclair’s Oil, Carnegie’s
Class structure analysis
philanthropy; “The Thinker”
There Will Be Blood
Weeks 2-3:
Realism Civil Rights Cases, 1883
“Civil Rights and Civil War”
January 14-25
Suffragette City – James’ Daisy
Feminist literary interpretation
Miller, Chopin’s The Awakening, Equal Rights Amendment, 1972
Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s;
Roe v. Wade, 1973
Alcott’s Little Women, Brooks’
Grammar Pre-Test
March and carpetbaggers, Uncle
Digital Storytelling Project
Tom’s Cabin and racial types
Weeks 4-7:
Modernism Depression era movies:
“Depression and Dustbowl” –
January 28Agee and Walker; Egan’s The
Grapes of Wrath, Gone With the
February 22
Worst Hard Time; Steinbeck’s
Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Citizen
Grapes of Wrath and Boyles’
Kane; Cradle Will Rock review;
Tortilla Curtain
Honors Assignment
Weeks 8-9:
“Lost Generation” – Fitzgerald, American literary style: note-taking,
February 25 –
Hemingway, Faulkner; Williams journalism, stream-of-consciousness;
March 8
and cummings
imagist poetry; Grammar Post-Test
Week 10:
“Nature Writing” – Silko and
Romanticism Natural description and
March 11-15
Momaday; National Parks
author’s voice
Week 11:
Thoreau’s Walden, Chief Joseph, Marx’s Machine in the Garden and
March 18-22
John Brown, Battle Hymn of the
Koyaanisqatsi as models of pastoral
Republic, American ingenuity
and industrial conflicts for Write-like
Week 12:
Transcendentalism and Abolition Denver photography project
April 1-5
Sonntag’s On Photography
Empirical writing
Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Weeks 13-14
Gothic writing formula
“American Renaissance” –
April 8-19
Whitman’s Leaves of Grass and
Key’s “Star Spangled Banner”
“Lilacs”, Emerson, Hawthorne,
Burn’s Brooklyn Bridge
Dickinson, Melville, Crane
Weeks 15-16:
“The Frontier” – Irving and
America’s Epic Journey and Romantic
April 22-May 3
Cooper, Turner’s “Frontier
landscape: Hudson River School,
Thesis”, Cather’s O Pioneers!
Second Paired Novel Assignment
and Proulx’s Accordion Crimes
Weeks 17-18:
“Chaos Theory” – GenrePostmodernism
May 6-17
splitting in Palahniuk and
Cultural epoch novel groups
Danielewski; Albee’s Sandbox
Combined genre write-like
Weeks 19-20:
Review of “Themes” and
Group cultural presentations
May 20-31
Movements
The scope and sequence of some of the included topics may be expanded, reduced or
shifted to accommodate class needs.