Fictional works, of different literary periods, which share a common perception of man can be explicated and compared with each other to illustrate a continuing tradition in American literature. Such a basis for comparison exists between Hawthorne's romance, "The Scarlet Letter," which appeared in 1850, and Henry James' fantasy,…

This article supports the view that it is not only possible but also essential that literature be taught in elementary schools, arguing that literature belongs at the center of a school's language arts curriculum. The question of how literature may be taught and learned is discussed, and explicit suggestions for its study are delineated. Specific…

The two primary objectives of this dissertation were to describe the 48 novels taught in English classes in a specific secondary school in Pennsylvania and, through a survey, to determine whether these novels were unique or representative of novels taught in other Pennsylvania schools. The description of each novel includes a critical summary, the…

This study investigated certain characteristics of the attitudes of classroom teachers of English toward written student response to literature. Specifically, the study attempted to determine the preference or lack of preference for categories of student response to literature, using four categories: engagement-involvement, perception,…

Compiled to assist students in studying the literature of Spain and Spanish America, this annotated guide contains brief listings in each of the following categories: bibliographies of bibliographies; histories of literature; dictionaries, literature; encyclopedias; dictionaries, language; biography; bibliographic guides; sources of literary…

A way in which poetry can be successfully approached in the classroom is discussed in this book about teaching poetry. It presents a method by which teachers can teach students to read poems rather than teaching them about poems. The first chapter discusses and criticizes the "what-does-this-poem-mean" approach to teaching poetry. The…

The purpose of this study was to come to a greater understanding of contemporary high fantasy for children by analyzing in depth the nature and functions of four key motifs of this sub-genre of fantasy. These motifs are created worlds, time displacement, quest, and combat between good and evil. The 47 books chosen for analysis were recommended in…

Science fiction and fantasy play an important role in shaping the future while stimulating readers' imaginations. They expand our consciousness and provide living images of the world of creation, not as it is or was, but as it has the potential of becoming. Any literature, art form, or medium of expression which is capable of affecting the…

The crucial question of who should become English teachers may be answered by defining what high school and college English teachers should focus on in the classroom. As teachers of communication, English teachers should aid their students in understanding and appreciating the ideas of the past and in forming and articulating concepts for the…

Many teen-agers readily identify with the family portrayed in "Cheaper by the Dozen" and, consequently, the novel is good supplementary reading for a unit on "The Family." A main objective of one class study of the novel was an analysis of Mr. Gilbreth's personality and his philosophy of life. Students noted his character…

This dissertation is concerned with the role that close reading (textual analysis of a literary work) plays in the methods, teaching materials, and training of prospective secondary school English teachers. Despite the impact of the movement of close reading in higher education and educators' recent call for its practice in the high school, there…

Intended for secondary teachers of English, this bulletin contains teaching techniques and instructional materials for practicing classroom teachers. Contents include "The Real Theme of Aiken's 'Impulse,'" which suggests that the theme of Aiken's short story is that actions have consequences; "Robinson's 'Richard Cory,'" which…

Developed as part of a high school quinmester unit on approaches to literary criticism, this guide provides the teacher with teaching strategies for an investigation of five major intellectual points of view from which literary works are analyzed and judged. A specific literary work (in novel, poem, short story, or other form) is discussed and…

One of a series of works aimed at presenting contemporary critical opinion on major authors, this collection includes essays by George Steiner, Leo Tolstoy, Ezra Pound, Erich Auerbach, Edwin Muir, Cedric H. Whitman, Albert B. Lord, W. H. Auden, Ernst Bloch, Georg Lukacs, C. Day Lewis, Gabriel Germain, Franz Kafka, Rachel Bespaloff, Robert…

One of a series of works aimed at presenting contemporary critical opinion on major authors, this collection includes essays by Alfred Harbage, H. B. Charlton, Willard Farnham, H. T. Price, Donald A. Stauffer, Brents Stirling, Maynard Mack, Helen Gardner, C. S. Lewis, Alvin Kernan, Bernard Spivack, L. C. Knights, Francis Fergusson, G. Wilson…