This course studies the development of American literature from the Colonial period to the twentieth century. Students will analyze pieces for content, style, form, diction, and relevancy to our time. Attention is given to major thematic ideas such as Regionalism, Transcendentalism, Puritanism, Nationalism, as well as to major American authors and significant historical periods. Composition, research, and test preparation are also integrated into the year-long course. Students are to improve grammar and usage skills through various analytical and persuasive essay assignments. Emphasis is placed on the development of critical and analytical thinking skills through classroom discussion and compositions.

The English 11 course satisfies the A-G requirements for colleges, has been carefully designed according to the California State Standards for English 11. This course meets the UC/CSU entrance requirements. 

Core Readings (Note: this may not be a complete list) -
 
from Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford

Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson

Preamble to the U.S. Constitution by Gouverneur Morris

Bill of Rights by James Madison

Pieces by Walt Whitman

Pieces by Emily Dickinson

Pieces by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pieces by Henry David Thoreau

Second Inaugural Address by Abraham Lincoln

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

Pieces by Mark Twain

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

 An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce

Several Civil War letters, including Letter to Sarah Ballou by Sullivan Ballou

The Black Cat and The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe

A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald