Ms Jean Dotson
Mission San Jose High School 510 657-3600 ext. 37055
Fremont, California 94539 loisjeandotson@gmail.com
American Literature
The emphasis in this class during the first semester is on 18th and 19th century literature, during the second semester we will
forge on toward the 21st century We will cover many authors in passing, and specifically study the following:
Essays - Thoreau, Emerson, Lincoln, Faulkner, Baldwin, King
Books - The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Narratives of Frederick Douglass, The Great Gatsby, and
possibly Black Boy
Plays - "The Crucible" and possibly "Raisin in the Sun"
Poems - Whitman, Dickinson, Longfellow, Frost, Ortiz, Eliot and others
Various Short Stories Poe, Hawthorne, Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, Hemingway,
The primary anthology is Literature and Language Arts (Fifth Course). Other readings will be individual books and handouts.
The books should be read outside of class; this year there are enough of the textbooks for each student to have a copy at home,
so there will be many assignments in the textbook.
Assignments are posted on my website, as are grades, vocabulary words, reading lists, outside reading project lists, links to
authors, assigned books and eras, and information about current topics. The website address is through the school website at
http://sites.google.com/site/dotsonsway/home
Bookmark it.
Discussion is part of the grade. In order to discuss a work, it is necessary that you be current in your reading. Always expect
pop quizzes.
Many days will begin with journal writing. Topics may be from current affairs, related to the readings, or suggested by students.
I am interested in your thought processes, and there is no time for you to edit or correct your journal writing. Thus you always
should consider it to be a rough draft for things to come
Tests are generally open note. I value the skill of note-taking and expect you to perfect the skill. Tests will be developed from
my lecture notes and from your reading. Tests will focus on reactions to, and reasoning about the assigned reading.
All papers should be typed or word-processed. If they are not, you are taking a chance. If I cannot read a paper, I will not
grade it.
Grades will be posted twice a month. They will be identified by your student number. Memorize it.