This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
Instructor Access (Optional grading support) is available for this course. Please note: this is ONLY recommended if you wish to write the optional paper. All quizzes are internally graded in this course. Learn why Dickens is one of the most influential writers in history with this novel that’s murder mystery, romance, suspense, social realism, and more. Who knew literary analysis could be so fun?
Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: Willingness to read the assigned materials
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester Literature
Description
“Come up and be dead!” This monumental novel shows the towering Victorian novelist Charles Dickens at the height of his powers, and richly presents a host of thrilling themes, glorious characters, and exquisite language. Come revel with Mrs. Nicholson in all things Dickensian, and tour the streets of Victorian London. In addition to cultivating artistic appreciation and a love of reading, this class facilitates the development of critical reasoning, the disciplined use of the imagination, and a strong knowledge of historical and literary context. (Love of Dickens not required, but you must come prepared to defend your dislike articulately in the face of devout eloquence in his favor.)
Outline
Week 1: Introduction to Charles Dickens; Our Mutual Friend, Book 1, Chapters I-XI.
Week 2: Our Mutual Friend, Book 1, Chapter XII through Book 2, Chapter VII.
Week 3: Our Mutual Friend, Book 2, Chapter VIII through Book 3, Chapter III.
Week 4: Our Mutual Friend, Book 3, Chapters IV-XIV.
Week 5: Our Mutual Friend, Book 3, Chapter XV through Book 4, Chapter VI.
Week 6: Our Mutual Friend, Book 4, Chapter VII to the end.
Materials and Homework
Course Materials: The complete works of Charles Dickens are available online for free via Project Gutenberg. Any printed editions are acceptable.
Homework: Expect to spend approximately 3 hours per week on homework. This will mostly be reading, weekly identification quizzes, a handful of other small assignments, a concluding quiz/assignment, and recommended participation in Moodle-based forums. Students can also sign up for an optional literary essay with 6 weeks to complete (this project extends the semester so it can, at the discretion of parents, be increased to a full semester’s credit).
Optional Literary Essay DRAFTS:
Commit to paper topic
Brainstorming document turned in
First Draft turned in
Second Draft turned in
Third Draft turned in
Final Draft turned in
