G7-8 English Literature Reading

Course Overview

Explore the short story as a unique literary form, not just a "short novel," but a distinct craft with its own structure and expressive power that evolved along a very different path from the novel. This course uses the Element of Surprise as its central lens, guiding students through both classic and lesser-known works by masters such as Shirley Jackson, Edgar Allan Poe, and William Faulkner, to understand why these authors chose the short story as their vehicle and how the format serves their creative vision. The course emphasizes deep thinking and discussion. Each work is examined through a series of probing questions: Did the element of surprise truly benefit the story? Why did the author choose to employ it? How might they have composed it differently, and would it have been as effectively resonant? Through this layered inquiry, students develop independent critical thinking and literary analysis skills. Weekly reading assignments and homework are individually reviewed and discussed by the teacher.

Course Highlights

Learning Objectives

Course Schedule

Course Materials

Shirley Jackson "The Lottery": conformity and social violence

Edgar Allan Poe "The Tell-Tale Heart": Gothic literature and the unreliable narrator

William Faulkner "A Rose for Emily": Southern literature and non-linear narrative

More classic short stories added throughout the course