Oak Meadow School

Los Angeles

Honors World Literature

It is the essence of an honors course that each and every lesson and assignment represent the student’s diligent attempt at excellence of thought and presentation. Please note that a student’s desire to take the Oak Meadow World Literature course as Honors is not a guarantee that such a recognition will be granted. The Class Teacher will make the final determination, at the end of each semester, as to whether or not the overall quality of work measures up to the standards required of Honors level work.

In addition to the assignments given in the Oak Meadow World Literature syllabus, the student will choose ONE of the following assignments EACH SEMESTER (due at the end of the first, and at the end of the second semester):

1. Read Franz Kafka’s The Trial OR The Castle. Read a major encyclopedia’s article on Kafka (e.g., Britannica; not World Book). Analyze the novel you chose to read as an autobiography of the author. Be sure to go beyond the events of the novel, and move into the psyche of the characters: is the psychological struggle of the author somehow depicted in the novel, perhaps through even more than one character? Be specific in your analysis. Minimum of five typed pages.

2. Read James Joyce’s Ulysses OR Finnegans Wake. Joyce was known for developing what came to be known as “stream of consciousness” in following the thoughts of his characters. He was also known for his attempts at creating stories with a remarkable array of symbols and allusions. Joyce believed that history repeats itself in an endless cycle, and that it is thus possible to see people, places, events, and even objects across history that resemble each other. Prepare a critical analysis of Joyce’s novel that evaluates his use of “stream of consciousness” and also critiques his portrayal of history as cyclical. You will need to (1) isolate salient examples of each, and then (2) critique and evaluate his work. You will not need to use source material for this assignment; we are interested in your own thinking. Is his delving into the psych of his characters effective, or are you put off by the “interior monologue”? Is his treatment of history believable and convincing? Does the story grip your interest, or is Joyce too busy making his philosophical point?

3. Read Books 1 and 8 of Aristotle’s Ethica Nicomacea (Nicomachean Ethics). Analyze what you have read along these lines: (1) What is “happiness”? (2) What is the relationship between happiness and politics and the law? (3) Choose a current issue in our society or a current event that Aristotle’s ideas touch upon, and using that issue or event as a touchstone to “reality,” discuss why you agree or disagree with Aristotle’s point of view on happiness and the law.

4. Compare and contrast the two tragedies, Antigone, by Sophocles, and Hamlet, by Shakespeare. Focus on how the playwrights draw you into the pathos of the life situation of the tragic figures. Develop your comparison/contrast by analyzing the specific elements in both the storyline (plot) and the play (why did the writers choose to depict their tragedy in a play rather than simply a story written in prose?) which draw you into the tragic lives of these characters. Is one of the plays more effective than the other? How and why?