"Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things." ~Cicero

In this unit, students will explore the art of memoir and narrative essays. Reading from a wide selection of historic and contemporary texts, we will examine the various ways in which personal histories can provide a deep reservoir of meaning and fulfillment. The unit will culminate with students writing and work-shopping their own narrative essays, using cooperation and peer-review to revise their work and produce the best work possible. 

"A tragic situation exists precisely when virtue does not triumph but when it is still felt that man is nobler than the forces which destroy him." ~George Orwell

In our second unit, students will gain a deeper understanding of tragedy as an art form, why we make it, and what gives it its beauty. Students will familiarize themselves with the various theories of tragedy and will apply those theories to works of poetry and drama, including Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (often heralded as one of the greatest works of American drama) and Sophocles' immortal Antigone.

In this unit, students will:  

1. Read Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman as well as supplementary resources to help them develop a sense of what it means for a work to be tragic. 

2. Watch and discuss a recorded performance of Antigone.  

3. Give an oral presentation (with accompanying PPT) on a contemporary issue. 

4. Write a literary analysis essay examining the themes of Death of a Salesman. 
   
   
   

"Far more potent were the memories of his heredity that gave things he had never seen before a seeming familiarity; the instincts (which were but the memories of his ancestors become habits) which had lapsed in later days, and still later, in him, quickened and became alive again."

~Jack London

In this unit, students will embark on a captivating journey into the Yukon Territory through Jack London's timeless classic, The Call of the Wild, as well as other works. This unit is designed to deepen students' understanding of literary elements, historical context, and thematic explorations within the novel. Through a blend of close reading, discussions, and creative projects, students will engage with the rugged landscapes of the North and the complexities of human-animal relationships, while also honing their analytical and critical thinking skills.  

"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people."

~Eleanor Roosevelt

In this unit, students will enter (or return to) the wide world of writing about ideas. Ideas are like tools in our kit for understanding the world, and reading about ideas is like sharpening those tools or even adding new ones to our collection. All of this helps us to expand our consciousness of the world and even of ourselves. Through the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau and others, we will have our worlds enriched by exploring the ideas of others, and by expressing some ideas of our own.