Course Syllabus

You can find a list of links to course assignments at the bottom of this page.

Course Overview & Philosophy

Designed for the student interested in delving more deeply into the study of literature, the arts, and philosophy, Honors Humanities 12 is intended to help you not only grow as critical thinker and independent learner but also become a stronger reader and writer. We hope to give you the skills to analyze and discuss texts with greater sophistication and sensitivity toward the human condition. Be forewarned that we will expect much of you as Honors Hum 12 students. We will push you to read, think, and write with passion as we plunge into our texts, trying to taste the very marrow of their bones.

Nothing we do at school is more important than what goes on during class time. We will therefore try to provide a forum in which we can help each other learn to (at least partially) satisfy the cravings of our curiosity. We will emphasize discussion and writing as modes of exploration—of ourselves and of the world around us—and this process is risky for all of us. But remember, this is your last high school Humanities class, a chance to read and talk about meaningful literature, explore new and different modes of expression, hone your written and spoken voices, and think about the world and your place in it. We will do our best to prepare you for the new and more rigorous challenges (academic and otherwise) that await after graduation, but your attitude and effort will ultimately determine how much you grow this year. We hope that you will embrace this opportunity, keep an open mind and heart, take risks, and dive in!

Major Texts

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah (summer reading)
Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking (summer reading)
Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
William Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Katherine Boo’s Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower
Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things
Susan Howe’s That This

The Plan

In the first movement we will concentrate on the Self. The essential question is one of personal identity: Who am I? Other questions that we will consider include:

• What’s the nature of selfhood, both public and private?
• How are selves constructed and represented in literature?
• What elements in a person’s (or character’s) life contribute to the formation of his or her self (childhood, family, social values, etc.)?

Our primary texts are Americanah (summer reading), Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, and several personal essays by writers such as Joan Didion, David Foster Wallace, and Oscar Wilde. Assignments may include journal reflections, college essays (real and fake!), creative nonfiction, a self-portrait (with visual and prose components), a formal essay, a timed in-class essay, and some alternative assessments.

The second movement will focus on the Other, and the essential question is one of social engagement: What are our obligations to others? Other questions that we will consider include:

• What is the basis of our moral decision-making?
• How do race, gender, class, etc., influence our interactions with others?
• What are the ethical implications of narrative technique?

Our primary texts will be Hamlet, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, and Parable of the Sower. We will also explore ethical case studies (led by you!), short stories, and a wide range of contemporary poetry. Assignments may include journal entries, a recitation, an original monologue and a scene study/acting on Hamlet, an alternative assessment responding to Boo/Butler, and a formal essay.

In the final movement we will turn our attention to what lies Beyond ourselves and our social network, and our essential question is a philosophical one: What ultimately matters? Other questions that we will consider include:

• What are some of the universal stories?
• What are our greatest fears and anxieties?
• How do we develop wisdom?
• How do we make sense of our selves and our lives at this point in time?

Our primary texts will be The God of Small Things and That This. Assignments may include journal entries, an analysis of a startling text, and an avant-garde poetry collection to wrap up your high school career.

Course Expectations & Policies

Our class is a community, and the best communities are those in which members are dedicated to their own progress and to the work of the group as a whole. In addition, since this is the highest level Humanities course that we offer, the expectations for your class behavior, attitude, engagement, and written work are higher than ever before. We ask that you keep the following in mind:

Be honorable. Remember the Honor Pledge that you signed.
Be respectful. Work to cultivate a safe, inclusive, civil, and empathetic classroom community.
Be curious. Question, challenge, debate, search, and discover.
Be present. Listen carefully, think critically, and participate with energy and enthusiasm.
Be kind. Enough said.
Be accountable. You’re about to enter the world beyond high school, so take ownership of and responsibility for your learning. Read all of the assignments, meet all of the deadlines, and know that we consider “Senioritis” a choice, not a condition or excuse!

A few housekeeping policies:
Bring appropriate materials to class -- this includes a hard copy of the text assigned!
Assignments turned in after the due date will receive a late penalty of ⅓ of a letter grade per day.
We will only consider extensions that you request at least 24 hours before the assignment’s due date. Please come talk to us if you’re having trouble keeping up!
Because we will emphasize revision, some assignments may not be graded until you have worked through several drafts, but we will constantly evaluate the effort, energy, and timeliness of your written work.

While we ultimately have to put a final “grade” on your report card, the most important element of your work in this course will be your level of dedication to your intellectual and personal growth. Understand that although devoted effort doesn’t always equate to an A, in school or in life, it always leads to growth.