The Hero's Journey: Literature and Composition

Course Length: Full year   |   Suggested Grade Level(s): 9, 10

The books in the Hero’s Journey, an introductory literature and composition course, feature ordinary people who find themselves in circumstances that require extraordinary acts, and how these acts relate to the archetypal hero’s journey. Lessons provide historical background on the setting and author, and discussion points for exploring literary themes and issues with family and peers. Students develop a wide range of composition skills throughout the course, using techniques and formats such as: comparative essays, first person writing, figurative language, summarizing, poetry, persuasive writing, inferential reading and contextual clues, and observational writing.