Ninth Grade English

 

Instructor: Tim Helfrich

 

Curriculum Map, Class Page

 

In 9th grade English we focus on early World Literature. Starting with the pre-Biblical work The Epic of Gilgamesh, students begin to explore the concept of myth and the role of the hero. We further our discussion of these concepts as we read The Odyssey, Siddhartha, and Beowulf. What do myths and heroes tell us about the civilizations that they emerge from? What is the role of myth and hero in our present society?

 

Students also look at a diverse set of early religious writing (Genesis, Rg Veda, Tao Te Ching, Quran), looking at ways in which these texts shaped early civilization and reveal cultural identity. We engage in comparative analysis of these works, identifying differences as well as similarities.

 

Later in the year, we turn to Antigone and Romeo and Juliet, and begin to understand the concept of tragedy. What are the characteristics of a tragic hero? How do the virtues of a tragic hero differ from those of the archetypal heroes in the earlier myths?

 

Throughout the year, students are challenged to achieve sophistication in their analysis, clarity in their writing, and organization in their construction of an argument.

 

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