The Language of the Literary Tradition
Throughout history, authors and poets have drawn on a universal language of images to add depth and meaning to their writing. For thousands of years, this language was commonplace and understood, even by the "uneducated." As your mentors, our goal is to help you develop and learn the skills to read metaphorically, to understand the deeper, uniting symbolism, and to see how all books build upon each other - skills that are often overlooked in the modern world of literature. This class will help you begin to understand the lost language of symbols and images, starting with books and stories familiar to you and moving to classical pieces of literature spanning the ages. Additionally, we will help you develop the skills to verbalize these ideas into your own essays and other creative works. As we do this, we hope to rekindle the Imagination and help you become re-enchanted with wonder and story.
Class Schedule
Prerequisites
No pre-requisites. However, we encourage students to have written papers at the Mighty Pen level before taking this class.
Materials Required
pencil or pen EVERY DAY
Homework
Weekly reading assignments will not exceed 120 pages and will be selected from novels, short stories, articles, essays, poems and songs. Students will be assigned to write about 6 essays of varying lengths throughout the year. We will also complete short writing assignments in class. Other short homework may be assigned as needed, such as gathering "common place" quotes or watching brief videos online.
Notes
All writing assignments will be turned in via shared google docs. Please be familiar with that program. Although we are requiring students to have physical copies of all the books, when available, we will link audiobooks for students to listen to while they follow along if desired. Additionally, if you are interested in an annotated copy, please reach out to Sister Savage.
This class has a zero AI policy. Students and their parents will be expected to sign an agreement form at the beginning of class stating the students will refrain from using AI to write their papers or aid their writing in any way. We encourage and expect students to use family and friends to critique and aid their writing process.
Books Students Provide
Fall Semester:
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Required: yes - fall
Own or share with sibling? own copy
Notes: This book needs to be read BEFORE the first day of class. An older edition is okay.
Title: The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis (4th book in the Chronicles of Narnia series)
Required: yes - fall
Own or share with sibling? own copy
Notes: older edition is okay
Title: Leaf By Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien
Required: yes - fall
Own or share with sibling? own copy
Notes: Sometimes this story can be found in other Tolkien compilations, feel free to use that.
Title: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Required: yes - fall
Own or share with sibling? own copy
Notes: older edition is okay
Title: Silas Marner by George Eliot
Required: yes - fall
Own or share with sibling? own copy
Notes: older edition is okay
Spring Semester:
Title: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Required: yes - spring
Own or share with sibling? own copy
Notes: older edition is okay
Title: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Required: yes - spring
Own or share with sibling? own copy
Notes: If you use an older copy make sure it is still a Folger's edition.
Title: Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel
Required: yes - spring
Own or share with sibling? own copy
Notes: If you use a different edition make sure it is the same translator.
Title: The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton
Required: yes - spring
Own or share with sibling? own copy
Notes: older edition is okay