Course: Great Books I: American Literature

In Great Books I: American Literature, students will read and analyze literature written by American authors from a Biblical Worldview in order to better understand the impact and importance of literature in their own lives and in the culture. This class seeks to bring literature to life, give students a fresh view on the beauty of storytelling, and examine how authors communicate through their works. The class satisfies 2 credits for the Indiana High School English requirement.

Throughout the year, students will review and learn a variety of skills such as:

- principles of literary analysis, 

- identification of an author's worldview, 

- effective essay writing, 

- how to participate in meaningful discussion, 

- and tips for timed writing assignments. 

By the end of the course, students will have read: "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" by Frederick Douglass, "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett, "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck, "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Willson Rawls, and "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok. Along with this, students will read a selection of short readings from authors like Jonathan Edwards, Washinton Irving, Edgar Allen Poe, Jack London, Mark Twain, O Henry, and Flannery O'Conner. Stay tuned for any textbook requirements or any potential further literature selections. 

Great Books I: American Literature is a part of a two-year rotation. It is open to students 10th-12th grade, is an hour and a half a week, and costs $400 for the entire year.