Instructor: Rebecca Boxwell
Description:
Welcome to Literature Reimagined: Contemporary Retellings! This live, year-long course for students in grades 9 and up explores the enduring power of stories and the ways in which they are retold across time. Each novel is a contemporary reinterpretation of a myth, epic, or literary classic, retold with a shift in perspective, voice, or context.
Over the course of the year, students will examine how authors give new life to familiar stories, analyze how the stories have been adapted, and consider the merits of each novel as a standalone work. Additionally, students will explore how amplifying marginalized voices and introducing new perspectives challenges readers to consider who “owns” a story.
Each novel will be introduced with relevant history and context from the original work. No previous familiarity with the original sources is required. Class time will combine lecture with Socratic discussion and literary analysis. Students should sign up with a willingness to participate without being intimidated if this style of class is new to them.
This course has been designed to be high input and low output so that students can focus on building their skills as readers and active class participants. We will cover each novel in the span of approximately two weeks. Beyond reading assignments, students will be responsible for brief weekly reflections and one project per semester.
The finalized book list and order of readings will be available in June.
Meeting Times: Wednesdays, 11:00-11:50 am EST
Tuition: $600