Literature and Composition

COURSE  FULL  FOR  2023-24

Class Time:  Tuesdays, 12:50  - 1:50

Grade Level:  9th - 12th

Instructor:  Diane Harvey

Contact Information: diane.m.harvey6@gmail.com

Course Description: 

C. S. Lewis once observed, “In reading great literature, I become a thousand men and yet remain myself.” Through our engagement with literature, we are able to step outside of our own limited experiences and consequently discover not only more about each other but also more about ourselves.  We see the common elements in the human condition that transcend time and place, yet we are able to experience them through characters whose lives and conditions are very different from our own.  When we delve deeply into literature, whether it be a new story or an old favorite, we come away with fresh insights and perspectives that give us much to consider long after we have closed the book.

In this course, students will explore various genres within classic literature through the reading of novels, short stories, drama, and poetry.  Emphasis will be placed on critical reading and analytical skills as students explore well-known literary works.  In the process, they will gain greater proficiency in literary analysis and further their understanding of literary elements and devices. In addition to literature analysis, we will cover various elements of composition in order for students to further develop the organization, clarity, and style of their writing.  Assignments will include short writing exercises, formal essays, literature quizzes, and a literary research paper using MLA format.  

The course will be highly interactive with a significant amount of class participation.  Students should come to class with all readings and assignments completed in order to fully contribute to our class discussions.  

Tuition:  $425

Class Size:  8 - 15 students

Course Materials:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Our Town by Thornton Wilder

The Lively Art of Writing by Lucile Vaughan Payne

*  Short stories and poems will be provided online or as handouts.

Teacher Qualifications: 

Diane Harvey is a former Assistant Professor of Government at George Mason University.  She received her Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science in 1993 and her doctorate in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland in 1998, specializing in American Government and Political Behavior.  While completing her doctorate, she taught numerous undergraduate classes for the university and was a recipient of their Excellence in Teaching Award.  Upon completion of her doctorate, she served as assistant professor and internship director in the political science department at George Mason University.  She took an "early retirement" from academia to homeschool her children, but she has returned to the classroom in recent years to teach courses in literature, history, and government to local high school students.  She has been an active member of the Catholic homeschooling community in Loudoun County for the past 20 years and lives in Potomac Falls with her husband, four children, and one incredibly naughty dog.