English 10

English 10 students will gain an understanding and appreciation for Classical Literature, placing it in its proper cultural and historical background.  As history is an objective account of man’s relationship to his social, physical, and psychological environment, the literature will focus on a subjective view of that relationship.  

Students will learn to critically analyze these selections of literature in order to appreciate their artistic value and to prepare for the study of more advanced literature in future English courses.  The work begins with discussions and essays on the summer reading.  All English 10 students will be required to read the all-school selection and two other books of their choice from a list of multi-cultural novels.  

Course work starts with a study of Greek mythology.  Students should appreciate the charm of these tales and understand the influence Greek mythology has had on the fields of literature, art, and language.  During the study of Homer’s The Iliad, emphasis is placed upon the epic as a literary genre, the nature of major and minor characters in the poem, the literary techniques, and Greek life and ideals as seen through their literature.

The Bible as literature unit enables students to gain an appreciation for the beauty of its language and a knowledge of its figurative and symbolic qualities.  Students should become acquainted with some of the characters, stories, and expressions in order to be able to recognize Biblical allusions in literature and art.

Detailed critical analyses of Shakespeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar, and Charles Dickens’ novel, Great Expectations, teach students the functions of each aspect of a complex literary work.  These major works are supplemented with related short stories, poetry, and expository prose.

Complementing the study of literature, students will concentrate on perfecting their expository writing skills – critical thinking about a subject, logical organization, concise expression, evidence to support ideas, and careful editing.  Sophomores also have weekly vocabulary and grammatical usage lessons in preparation for more advanced work in the junior and senior years.

The reading list: Mythology by Edith Hamilton, The Iliad by Homer, Introduction to Biblical Literature by O.B. Davis , Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, and Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

Prerequisites: English 9

Instructor: Terry Wilson