Class Topic // “The Art of Literature”
Class schedule // 14 weeks, May – August 2020, 60 minutes, Saturdays and Sundays
Texts // Jhumpa Lahiri, Interpreter of Maladies; Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
Assignments // weekly short essay responses, 2,000-word analytical essay
JASMINE’S GOALS : When I started working with 14-year-old Jasmine, I learned she was a wildly talented artist (scroll down to see her work!). But she was terrified by the very idea of analytical writing.
Jasmine knew she needed stronger writing skills, and she wanted the confidence of a richer vocabulary. She especially wanted to “get rid of that knot in my stomach when I think about writing essays for AP Lit next year.”
PERSONALIZED CURRICULUM : Instead of plunging headfirst into a novel, Jasmine and I started our class with contemporary short stories by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri. We practiced analyzing theme, character, motif, and symbol in 1-page essay responses, strongly focused on the visual elements of the story.
With greater confidence, Jasmine was suddenly eager to read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. As we read and discussed this classic American novel, I designed writing assignments that drew on Jasmine’s understanding of art. Fahrenheit 451 has inspired artists for decades. To conclude our class, Jasmine wrote a 2,000-word analytical essay on how illustrator Ralph Steadman and other artists interpreted the novel’s themes.
SUCCESS! Now in 11th grade, Jasmine is writing essays on classic novels like Catcher in the Rye and contemporary works like The Kite Runner. She analyzes words on the page as confidently as she analyzes brushstrokes and color on canvas. She’s getting As in all her humanities classes — and feeling zero knots in her stomach about writing.
I’m incredibly proud of Jasmine’s new confidence and skills. She’s now a fearless artist and writer.
Check out some of Jasmine’s amazing artwork!
