Description and Objectives

Often adventure is associated with global exploration, unexpected military conflict against great odds, and discovery of some material advantage such as treasure or new lands or species. What we see less often is that these adventures are more internal than external. We take delight in adventure, because through adventure we face and conquer our fear of the unfamiliar, and revel in the exhilaration of discovery and illumination. In this course we discover and learn vicariously, through adventurers who wrestle with external and internal obstacles simultaneously.

Topics Covered

• The proper place of history within fiction
• Adventures of physical, social, and moral kinds
• Language as an expression of discovery and exhilaration

Textbooks

Books, Writings, Stage and Film Adaptations

• Ivanhoe, Sir Walter Scott
• The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas (pere)
• Film adaptations of the above
• The Lady of the Camellias, Alexandre Dumas (fils)
• Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, by Howard Pyle

Course Requirements

• Attendance is paramount, and active class participation and critical questioning are required. Together these will form a participation grade. Excused absences are, of course, excused.
• Daily reading and raising his personal writing bar will be most rewarding for each student.

Assignments

Assignments for this class will include short essays, creative writing exercises, seminar discussions, slideshow and hot-seating performances, and analysis of images associated with the literature and films we explore. Rewrites of written assignments will be encouraged. Good writing is rewriting!

Exam

• The exam for this class will cover all semester material covered up to the review classes, which take place 1-2 days before the exam.

A Note on Grades

• I’ve found that discussion of letter grades on English assignments often leads to distraction from and neglect of the actual writing. Consequently I will frame conversations with students in terms of the quality and content of their writing. If he is doing his best work, he will get the best grade he can achieve.
• At the same time, I understand that grades can be useful as a conversation starter with those not directly involved with the assignment, and I will discuss letter grades with parents and mentors whenever requested.

Successful Students

• Successful students will be on time (2-3 minutes before class begins), with books and notes in hand.
• They will display attentiveness to detail and foster habits of creative initiative and a collaborative spirit.
• They will actively participate in seminar and performance assignments, and make use of thesaurus and dictionary tools.
• Above all, they will turn in writing assignments early and take advantage of the rewrite option.

Good writing is rewriting!