Intro. to Literary Analysis Essays (9th-10th grades)
(This course is self-paced . Students watch the lessons and complete assignments at their convenience.)
This course is open between these dates:
Fall semester: Sept. 8, 2025 - Dec. 12 2025 and the spring semester: Jan. 12, 2026 - May 15, 2026.)
Instructor: Renee Metcalf
Course Description:
This course is the ideal companion to the Intro. to Essay Writing class, combining both literature and writing. The ability to read a text, look at it from different angles, make astute observations and to articulate it in coherent writing is what is called literary analysis. It is more than surface reading. A thoughtful analysis of a piece of literature enhances the reader's understanding and deepens his appreciation. In this class, students learn to annotate their reading as an aid to writing their literary analysis papers. Students practice and refine their skill in writing a clear and strong thesis statement. We'll also look at how authors use various tools such as allusions, euphemisms, parallelisms, and irony. Learn how authors create characters and what they achieve by using various points of view. If you find symbolism and theme a bit nebulous, it won't be after you take this class! We'll also explore the effect of relativism, post-modernism, and worldview on a reader's perception of a selection of literature. This class prepares students to successfully wrestle with any writing calling for literary analysis.
Pre-requisite: Successful completion of my Intro. to Essay Writing class or an equivalent class. It is expected that students already know how to write a thesis statement and organize a 5-paragraph essay. I regard this class as a sequel to Intro. to Essay Writing as we expand on what was learned previously.
Tuition: $90/month OR $324/semester
Texts:
Windows to the World by Lesha Myers (student book)
Goals and Objectives:
(This course is self-paced . Students watch the lessons and complete assignments at their convenience.)
This course is open between these dates:
Fall semester: Sept. 8, 2025 - Dec. 12 2025 and the spring semester: Jan. 12, 2026 - May 15, 2026.)
Instructor: Renee Metcalf
Course Description:
This course is the ideal companion to the Intro. to Essay Writing class, combining both literature and writing. The ability to read a text, look at it from different angles, make astute observations and to articulate it in coherent writing is what is called literary analysis. It is more than surface reading. A thoughtful analysis of a piece of literature enhances the reader's understanding and deepens his appreciation. In this class, students learn to annotate their reading as an aid to writing their literary analysis papers. Students practice and refine their skill in writing a clear and strong thesis statement. We'll also look at how authors use various tools such as allusions, euphemisms, parallelisms, and irony. Learn how authors create characters and what they achieve by using various points of view. If you find symbolism and theme a bit nebulous, it won't be after you take this class! We'll also explore the effect of relativism, post-modernism, and worldview on a reader's perception of a selection of literature. This class prepares students to successfully wrestle with any writing calling for literary analysis.
Pre-requisite: Successful completion of my Intro. to Essay Writing class or an equivalent class. It is expected that students already know how to write a thesis statement and organize a 5-paragraph essay. I regard this class as a sequel to Intro. to Essay Writing as we expand on what was learned previously.
Tuition: $90/month OR $324/semester
Texts:
Windows to the World by Lesha Myers (student book)
Goals and Objectives:
- Create thesis statements using literary terminology.
- Learn close reading through annotating various short stories and poems.
- Use graphic organizers.
- Examine how author's create suspense.
- Learn different types of allusions.
- Analyze and diagram plot.
- Examine how author's create characters.
- Learn to identify and analyze symbols.
- Learn to recognize a story's theme.
- Examine how authors create a mood.
- Find the author's purpose and learn to analyze the use of literary devices
- Analyze an author's use of language (diction, similes, metaphors).
- Learn how to question a story to uncover its significance.
- Detect irony and analyze its effect.
- Write clear and compelling literary analysis using the text to support your ideas.
