Week 1

Aug. 11

No class (first semester classes begin Wednesday, August 13, 2014)

Aug. 13

Studying Literature: Tools, Genres, Conventions

1: The Stories That Stories Tell: Close Reading  

Reading

• *William Saroyan, "Gaston," Madness in the Family (1962; study guide)
• "William Saroyan: Writer, Playwright and Humanitarian"
  

Week 2

Aug. 18

2: Language and Meaning in Fiction: Literary Conventions 

Reading

• *William Saroyan, "Gaston," Madness in the Family (1962; study guide)
  
• *Frank O'Connor, "First Confession," Traveller's Samples (1951; study guide)
• Anthony Whittier, "Interviews: Frank O'Connor," The Paris Review (1957)

Aug. 20

3: Crafting a World: Techniques and Choices 

Reading

Week 3

Aug. 25

4: Fiction and Reality  

Reading

Aug. 27

5:  

Reading

• *Shirley Jackson, "The Lottery," The New Yorker (1948; study guide)
• Shirley Jackson (short bio)
• Jonathan Lethem, "Monstrous Acts and Little Murders," Salon (1997)
• Joyce Carol Oates, "The Library of America Interviews Joyce Carol Oates about Shirley Jackson" (2010; pdf file)
  

Week 4

Sep. 1

Reading Big and Small: Structure, Ideas, Practice

6: Text and Performance

Reading

Sep. 3

7: The Shape of an Idea

Reading

Week 5

Sep. 8

8: Inspiration and Execution  

Reading

• *Arthur Miller, The Crucible (1953; study guide) act 1
  
• The Crucible by Arthur Miller
  
• "The Crucible's 60th Anniversary: Celebrating Arthur Miller's Award-Winning Play," The Huffington Post (2013)
• Miller Day-Lewis Conversation (video clip, 5:31 min.)
  

Sep. 10

9:  

Reading

• *Arthur Miller, The Crucible (1953; study guide) act 2
• Olga Carlisle and Rose Styron, "Arthur Miller," The Art of Theater No. 2, The Paris Review 38 (1966 interview)
• Christopher Bigsby, "Arthur Miller," The Art of Theater No. 2, Part 2, The Paris Review 152 (1999 interview)
  

Week 6

Sep. 15

10:  

Reading

• *Arthur Miller, The Crucible (1953; study guide) act 3
  

Sep. 17

11:  

Reading

Week 7

Sep. 22

12: Review: Mock Exam and Discussion

Reading

Sep. 24

13: Review: Literary Guesstures

Reading

Week 8

Sep. 29

Midterm Exam part 1 (Midterm week: September 29–October 3, 2014)
 
(9:30–10:30 a.m., in class) The midterm consists of identification and essay-type questions, covering material from the beginning of the semester up to and including The Crucible. Part 1 includes identification and an essay. In the ID section, you will be given excerpts from the short stories and plays (these might be a word, a phrase or a passage). You should be able to identify the title and author of the work, literary devices used, who the speaker is, to whom he/she is speaking, the situation in which the quote occurs, and the significance of the quote. The first essay prompt will require you to discuss at least two works of the three short stories and one short play we have read.

It is helpful to take a few minutes to plan an outline before writing your essays. Formulate a thoughtful thesis/argument in responding to the question that allows you to address effectively the requirements of the prompt. For each prompt, you do not need to answer every single question in the cluster in order and separately. The multiple questions are there to help you think about the topic. Cite specific acts, scenes, lines, or words in support of your argument. You will want to show us your critical and analytical skills: demonstrate that you have read closely and understood the material, that you can critically engage with that material, with discussion in class, and with the test question, that you can synthesize material and knowledge gained, and that you can write clear and effective prose. Give your essays a title if you like.

• Writing
  • Writing Prose (handbook on college writing, Yale University; pdf file)
  • Sources and Citation (Dartmouth College; pdf file)
  • AP Lit & Comp: Writing technique (flashcard style review)
  • Writing Guide
• Reading Strategies
• A General Study Guide
• Reading Strategies and LIE
• S.O.A.P.S. Document Analysis
• PDIDLS
• Tone and Detailed Explanation of DIDLS
• Close Reading
• Close Reading Guide
• Getting an A on an English Paper: Close Reading
• How to Do a Close Reading
• Francine Prose, "Close Reading," The Atlantic (2006)
• Thinking Practice
  • Poetry Explications
  • Poetry Explication
  • Understanding Explication
    
  • Explicating a Poem and Symbolism
  • Explication vs. Analysis
• Essay Exam Tips
• Writing Exam Essays
• Pointers for Taking Essay Tests
• Writing Essay Exams (pdf file)
• Essay Exam Preparation (pdf file)
• Review literary terms (more online quizzes; see if you can beat the set champions)
• Quiz for AP Literature, Poetry Terms - Introduction
• AP Literary Terms (Expanded)
• All Literary Devices
• Mrs. Harnden's AP Lit Review
• Sample Essay Exam Questions and Responses
  • Mary Oliver, "Crossing the Swamp," American Primitive (1978)
  • 2004 AP English Literature and Composition Free-Response Questions (pdf file)
  • 2004 AP English Literature and Composition Scoring Guidelines and Sample Student Essays (pdf file)
  • 2004 AP English Literature and Composition Scoring Commentary (pdf file)
  • Sample Midterm & Answers (the gothic experience)
  • Example of Strong Responses (Romantic literature)
  • Sample Midterm Questions (pdf file)
  • Sample Midterm Essay Response
• What Is Plagiarism

Oct. 1

Midterm Exam part 2 (Midterm week: September 29–October 3, 2014)
 
(8:15–9:15 a.m., in class) This second part to the midterm requires you to write an essay on The Crucible in response to a prompt given. It is helpful to take a few minutes to plan an outline before writing your essay. Formulate a thoughtful thesis/argument in responding to the question that allows you to address effectively the requirements of the prompt. For each prompt, you do not need to answer every single question in the cluster in order and separately. The multiple questions are there to help you think about the topic. Cite specific acts, scenes, lines, or words in support of your argument. You will want to show us your critical and analytical skills: demonstrate that you have read closely and understood the material, that you can critically engage with that material, with discussion in class, and with the test question, that you can synthesize material and knowledge gained, and that you can write clear and effective prose. Give your essay a title if you like.

Week 9

Oct. 6

Reading and Writing: Academic Conversation

 
15: Love Less Ordinary

Reading

• *Carol Ann Duffy, "Valentine," Mean Time (1993; study guide)
• Carol Ann Duffy, "Love Poetry," Sheer Poetry (2010)
  
• *Edmund Waller, "Go, Lovely Rose" (1645; study guide)
  

Oct. 8

16: Loss

Reading

Week 10

Oct. 13

17: To Love or Not to Love

Reading

Oct. 15

18: Loving Art and Life

Reading

Week 11

Oct. 20

19: Bleeding Love

Reading

• *"Edward" (study guide)
• "Edward," Max Hunter Folk Song Collection (song information)
• Richard Dyer-Bennet sings "Edward" (video clip, 4:31 min.)
  
• The Ballad
• Ballad (description of the folk and literary ballad)
• Ballad (short description)
• Traditional Ballads (what is a ballad?, web resources)

Oct. 22

20:

Reading

Week 12

Oct. 27

Narrative Long Form: A Forum of Ideas

21:

Reading

Oct. 29

22:

Reading

Week 13

Nov. 3

23:

Reading

Nov. 5

24:

Reading

Week 14

Nov. 10

25: Narrative Style and Technique

Reading

Nov. 12

26:

Reading

Week 15

Nov. 17

Review: Mock Exam and Discussion

Reading

Nov. 19

Review: Literary Jeopardy

Reading

Week 16

Sep. 24

Presentations

Tentative schedule (download pdf of program)

1.  Chasing Dreams
9:30–9:55 a.m.
Presiding: Lanlalit Srisathapornphat
Speakers:
1.  “Two Upper Classes in The Great Gatsby,” Sariya Plengsang
2.  “Is It All about Money in The Great Gatsby?,” Natsirin Satjawong
3.  “From Nothing to Nothing,” Suchanart Chaisiri

Respondent 1: Sunadda Samana
Respondent 2: Rujarada Chiochanchai
Respondent 3: Kanokwan Chaocharoen

2.  "Many Curious Natures"
10:00–10:25 a.m.
Presiding: Pitunipha Promprayoon
Speakers:
1.  “Voice Full of Money: Hidden Agenda,” Natchaya Panyaisomboon
2.  “Daisy: Passionately Shallow Lady,” Sudthida Thaviyonchai
3.  “Homosexual Implication in Nick Carraway,” Krittiya Veeravisan

Respondent 1: Areeya Konglapumnuay
Respondent 2: Sariya Plengsang
Respondent 3: Sarunya  Sanguansak

3.  Driving toward Death
10:30–10:55 a.m.
Presiding: Natsirin Satjawong
Speakers:
1.  “Three Innocent Lives Dead,” Supa-anan Prasansaph
2.  “Gatsby’s Funeral,” Mookdapa Yangyuenpradorn
3.  “Effects from Tragedy,” Kanokwan Chaocharoen

Respondent 1: Natchaya Panyaisomboon
Respondent 2: Krittiya Veeravisan
Respondent 3: Lanlalit Srisathapornphat

Nov. 26

Presentations

Tentative schedule (download pdf of program)

4.  Theme Potluck Breakfast
8:00–9:25 a.m.
Theme potluck breakfast hosted by section 3. Currently on the menu: porter,  fruiterer oranges, blue garden party mini sausage rolls, Daisy and Tom's untouched plate of fried chicken, Mrs. Wright's cherry preserves and interrupted bread, "Valentine" onion snacks, "the juice of two hundred oranges."
 

5.  The Art of The Great Gatsby
8:00–8:25 a.m.
Presiding: Krittiya Veeravisan
Speakers:
1.  “The Valley of Ashes,” Pitunipha Promprayoon
2.  “Author and Painter,” Sarunya Sanguansak

3.  “Weather Forecast,” Sunadda Samana

Respondent 1: Natsirin Satjawong
Respondent 2: Sudthida Thaviyonchai

Respondent 3: Mookdapa Yangyuenpradorn
 
6. Great Scott!
8:30–8:55 a.m.
Presiding: Sarunya Sanguansak
Speakers:
1.  “The Great (?) Gatsby,” Rujarada Chiochanchai
2.  “The Great Nick: How He Manages to Judge without Speaking Aloud,” Areeya Konglapumnuay

3.  “On Behalf of Foul Dust and Tragic Dreams,” Lanlalit Srisathapornphat

Respondent 1: Pitunipha Promprayoon
Respondent 2: Supa-anan  Prasansaph

Respondent 3: Suchanart Chaisiri

Week 17

Dec. 1

Final Exam (8:30–11:30 a.m.)  The final covers material from the second half of the semester and includes three parts: 1 unseen poem, 2 the poems on the syllabus, and 3 The Great Gatsby. For part 1, expect to be asked to scan lines of the poem (so review scansion in the coursebook and supplement it with online and library resources if you need extra explanation and practice), and to write a short essay in response to a prompt on the poem like we practiced in class. In part 2 you will be asked to discuss different poems we have read in conjunction with each other. Part 3 consists of just one essay-type question so be prepared to think creatively on your feet and discuss thoughtfully and critically at length and with reasonable depth about issues and aspects that the prompt asks of you on the novel.

 
The essay prompts for all three parts may consist of several questions but what the entire prompt does is give you a topic with a scope. You should formulate an idea that you will elaborate on and discuss in response to that topic within that scope, and structure your essay around your idea, citing specific acts, scenes, lines, words or information to illustrate and support the points you are making. Again, you do not need to answer every single question in the prompt cluster in order and separately because then the structure of the resulting essay will not necessarily be appropriate to your discussion. Rather, your writing should be designed as a coherent unified piece, not unconnected answers to different questions strung together or a bulleted list. The multiple questions are there to help you brainstorm on the topic and to spark critical engagement with it. You should draw on your own close reading of the material, your notes, your discussion about it in and outside of class, and relevant reading and research you have done. Think critically about the material we have encountered and be prepared to think critically on the topic prompted by the test question as well. When writing, follow academic conventions (ex. MLA style citations) and try to be as legible, clear, effective, and compelling as you can. Rest well, eat clean good food, arrive at least fifteen minutes before exam time, and make sure your student ID, watch, and writing implements are in order. Good luck!