World Literature

High School Course

Travel through literary time to explore how people through the ages have invented and embellished stories to explain natural events and express universal traits of human behavior. Analyze how different communities interpret archetypal characters and conflicts, and lend insight to human interaction and our search for love, peace and respect.

This High School Course is also offered as part of the College Prep Online Diploma program.

Credits: 1 Unit

Course ID: ENV10

Course Area: English

Course Type: College Prep

Study Method: Online

Course Outline:

Module 1: College Prep Reading and Writing

Unit 1: Reading for different purposes: Lesson 1: Reading difficult texts; Lesson 2: Expanding and using vocabulary
Unit 2: Writing for different purposes: Lesson 1: Improving grammar; Lesson 2: Writing the first draft; Lesson 3: Revising the first draft; Lesson 4: Setting up the writing portfolio
Unit 3: Analyzing Literary Elements: Lesson 1: Writing about poetry; Lesson 2: Writing the essay of definition

Module 2: Words of Wisdom

Unit 1: Wisdom of the West: Lesson 1: Fables, stories and proverbs; Lesson 2: Greek and Roman myths; Lesson 3: Creating a mythology poem
Unit 2: Wisdom of the East and Africa: Lesson 1: Eastern wisdom: Confucius, Lao-Tsu, Hindu and Buddha; Lesson 2: African and Native American stories; Lesson 3: Practice timed essay
Unit 3: Archetypical conflicts: Lesson 1: Gilgamesh, the first recorded epic; Lesson 2: Flood tales: Noah and Gilgamesh
Unit 4: Rebirth Through Death: Lesson 1: What is hell?; Lesson 2: Dante's Inferno (Cantos 3-4); Lesson 3: Dante's Inferno (Canos 5 and 12); Lesson 4: Analyzing Dante's Inferno (Canto 34); Lesson 5: Practice timed essay

Module 3: Power and Conflict

Unit 1: The Mythology of Self: Lesson 1: The Mythology of Self; Lesson 2: Recognizing conflicts in Antigone; Lesson 3: Introduction to Julius Caesar; Lesson 4: The conspiracy thickens; Lesson 5: Et tu Brute; Lesson 6: The triumvirate falls; Lesson 7: Persuasive please for Brutus or Cassius

Module 4: Allegories of Power

Unit 1: Lord of the Flies: Lesson 1: Law and order; Lesson 2: Anarchy; Lesson 3: Chaos
Unit 2: Animal Farm: Lesson 1: Law and order; Lesson 2: Revolution; Lesson 3: Law and order; Lesson 4: Position paper: Law and order vs. individual freedoms

Items Provided by Students:

Note: During the first semester, students' readings are online and include classic myths, essays, and excerpts from the world's great religions, Dante's Inferno, Gilgamesh, Art of War, and Plato's Republic.