What are the stories that we tell about ourselves? Why do we tell these stories, and how can those stories help us — or hurt us?
In this four-day literature course, students explore their values and beliefs about what it takes to build a “better” society through two poems and one short story: “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by TS Eliot (poem), “Jason Who Will Be Famous” by Dorothy Allison (story), and “Song of myself” by Walt Whitman (poem). Each day’s 1.5‑hour session invites students to read closely, discuss deeply, and write thoughtfully using two core tools: a 6‑question reading framework (analyzing the narrator, characterization, setting, plot, message, and theme) and 4 writing moves (summary, claim, evidence, analysis).
By the end of the week, students will:
- Analyze how we use stories to define our sense of self
- Strengthen their ability to support claims with textual evidence
- Participate in a Socratic seminar exploring the connections between texts and ideas
- Draft and refine a short essay with guided feedback