This course is broken into four units of thematic study. Each unit allows students to analyze the political, social, economic, and cultural messages of the time as well as the relevance of the literary works to the world students live in today. As they read, students consider the work’s structure, style, and themes as well as the use of elements such as figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. Students will write in several forms about a variety of subjects in contexts designed to help them become increasingly aware of themselves as writers and of the techniques employed by the writers they read. Students will gain research skills, and in particular, the ability to evaluate, use, and cite primary and secondary sources. Students will cite sources using MLA Format.