English Literature 

Credit gained: 1 High School Credit

Prerequisites

None.

Course description

This course examines how the concept of the American Dream shapes American literature from the mid 19th to the 21st century. Emphasis is placed on the ways in which American literature tries to expose or resolve ideological binary oppositions and ambiguities generated by the concept of the American Dream in different cultural periods, from Romanticism to Realism, Modernism, and Postmodernism. Students will study the dynamic interrelation between literary text and cultural context as well as content and aesthetic form in a variety of texts from all four major literary forms: Prose: Fiction, Prose: Non-Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. In the process, they will develop skills in both the contextual and close reading of a text as well as advanced critical thinking, commentary, essay writing, and research skills. Focus is placed on encouraging students to create literary commentaries and essays that demonstrate a deep understanding of a text, sophisticated appreciation of the author’s aesthetic choices as well as the use of advanced academic vocabulary, coherent structure, and supportive evidence.

Texts Studied

  • Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass (“Preface” & “I Hear America Singing”)
  • Mark Twain, “A True Story, Repeated Word for Word as I Heard It”
  • Langston Hughes, “Harlem,” “I, Too,” “Let America Be America Again”
  • F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Rich Boy”
  • Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman
  • Edward Albee, The Zoo Story
  • Martin Luther King Jr., “I Have a Dream”
  • Marvin Gaye, What’s Going On
  • Adrienne Rich, “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers,” “Power,” “Diving into the Wreck”
  • Maya Angelou, “Africa,” “Alone,” “Still I Rise”
  • Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the U.S.A.”
  • Barack Obama, “Reclaiming the American Dream”

Course Start/End Date:

  • November 4, 2024 - April 11, 2025

Course Duration: 20 weeks

Minimum Enrollment: 5 Students

Fellow/Online Instructor: Dr. Evan Syropoulos

Cost: 850 Euros

Fellow/Online Instructor(s)

Syropoulos, Evangelos, Fellow

Dr. Evan Syropoulos is an accomplished educator, researcher, and an IB and AP Capstone-certified teacher, with a unique interdisciplinary academic background spanning English Literature, Critical Theory, and the Performing Arts. He earned his BA in English Language and Literature (1995), his MA in English Literature and Culture (1999), and his PhD in Musical Theater (2008) from the School of English Language and Literature of Aristotle University. He conducted postdoctoral research and/ or taught literature and theater courses at Aristotle University, Ghent University (Belgium), and Goldsmiths College (University of London). His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals in Greece, Belgium, and the UK.

His commitment to advancing his teaching methodology led him to become a College Board-certified AP Capstone teacher in 2017, after training at McBride High School, Long Beach CA. In 2019, he further honed his skills at the AERO Summer Institute at Marymount University, Virginia, receiving training in the English Language Arts AERO standards.

In 2016, he began his impactful journey at 香港六合彩开奖结果2023, initially working as the Writing/ Research Studio Coordinator and then primarily teaching IB English A: Literature, IB English A: Language and Literature, and IB Theory of Knowledge. In 2019, he joined the 香港六合彩开奖结果2023 Institute as Fellow, designing and teaching an online course in English Literature for 香港六合彩开奖结果2023 Virtual. From September 2022, he also serves as Division Chair of Language and Literature. This year, he teaches IB English A: Literature Yr. 1 and Yr. 2 and IB English A: Language and Literature Yr. 2.

Currently, Dr. Syropoulos is also collaborating with Ms. Sophia Thanopoulou on the development of the Inquiry and Performance Learning Model (IPLM). This endeavor marries his love for literature, theater, and teaching, underscoring his commitment to pioneering effective and engaging teaching methods.

email: syropoulose@acs.gr