Curriculum Content
Your first trimester as a student of English at McQuaid will culminate in the study of several dramatic works that are central to the literary canon.  These works are: Beowulf, Hamlet, and Death of a Salesman.  As we delve into the depths of these artistic works in class it is expected, as always, that you will continue to complete outside reading novels.  The central themes of the semester are twofold.  We will be delving into the nature of identity and also the role of the hero in literature.  As the texts lend themselves readily to personal experience, students will be encouraged to interpret the readings in terms of their own understanding and experience, as well as the more familiar analytical mode. Several novels will have daily quizzes to ensure that classroom discussions are as lively and productive as they should be.  Vocabulary Level H exercises will be assigned weekly.

The truth lies in the word, and in the self.  It is my goal to have literature reflect or even amplify our own beliefs.  Or if the ideas presented in the works counter our values, we will call them out for what they are.  We will speak truth, examine truth, write truth, and perhaps we can learn to live these truths authentically in our daily lives.