Students Will Learn

• How to read and analyze various American texts and determine the meaning, purpose, and effect of each text 

• How to situate American literature within American history, and understand the latter’s effect on both fiction and nonfiction 

• How to understand the American social milieu surrounding a literary work, and how to grapple with the text’s social implications 

• How to thoughtfully participate in the “great conversation” of America’s melting pot and be an ambassador for peace and godly values 

• How to interpret an author’s worldview and the effect it had on American identity and culture 

• How to evaluate the literary and rhetorical devices used in poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction 

• How to write clear and effective essays while utilizing MLA formatting and academic diction