THINKbook: Outsiders, Oddballs, & Iconoclasts: U.S. Literature

This is a digital product. It will be delivered via email as a PDF.

What does U.S literature look like? Honestly, it looks kind of weird, and that's intentional — the poet Diane Wachowski has said that U.S. literature is about embracing individuality and "claiming one's right to be different." For this year-long high school study of U.S. literature, we'll be leaning into some of the work that has shaped U.S. literature for the weirder.

Over the course of four in-depth units, we'll explore groundbreaking U.S. literature, starting with Emily Dickinson's radical poetry. Next, we'll explore the intersection of race, gender, and identity that makes American Gothic literature so eerie. Then you'll work on an independent novel study — you pick the novel (I've included a long list of recommended titles), and you work through the guided exercises. We'll dive deep into the art, literature, and music of the Harlem Renaissance, an enormously creative unit that continues to shape U.S. culture today. Students will work through guided research and discussion questions, read and analyze texts (included — but you do have to provide your chosen novel), and develop their own literary arguments. Major output includes a poetry playlist, a Harlem artists project, and a creative interpretation piece.

This is a high school level unit, designed for students who are already familiar with the basic elements of critical reading and annotation. Like most high school level curricula, it includes works that could be rated M for Mature. If mature content is a concern for you with your student, I encourage you to preview texts to assess your personal comfort level. (I read these texts with my own high school student and teach them in high school classes, but comfort levels can be very personal things.) This is a completely secular program.

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