Language Arts

Literature

Books:

Fall 2026-Spring 2027

• The Last of the Mohicans

  by James Fenimore Cooper

• Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

  by Washington Irving

• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

  by Mark Twain

• The Old Man and the Sea

  by Ernest Hemingway

• Our Town

  by Thornton Wilder

• TBD
  

Class format: Lecture, written assignments

Description: This class introduces students to great literature in its historical, literary, and artistic context, while developing skills in writing and literary analysis. Study and writing is centered on a focus text chosen for its significance to the period of literature being studied. There is an emphasis on the analytical essay, which offers the students the opportunity to perfect the standard process of planning, drafting, and revising. Shorter assignments are included in various forms to round out each section. Students are also expected to participate in weekly class discussions that focus on comprehension and analysis.