Introduction
Lesson Content
Lessons 1 and 2 present Willa Cather’s My Ántonia. Set in Nebraska in the 1870s and 1880s, Cather’s novel chronicles not only the struggle of a ruggedly individualistic pioneer family but also the journey of a young woman from childhood to adulthood.
In lesson 3, you’ll read John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, the story of two homeless drifters who are linked only by poverty, their need for companionship, and a dream. As they eke out a living in Depression-racked California, the two men battle society and themselves to hold onto their dream.
Lessons 4 and 5 offer Ray Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine. Here, you’ll experience the wonder of an extraordinary summer in 1928 as seen through the eyes and hearts of two brothers. As you read, you’ll share in the boys’ summertime adventures—and in the painful lessons they learn about disappointment and death.
Lessons 6 and 7 focus on Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon, the story of a young man who undergoes surgery that dramatically increases his intelligence. Keyes’ novel not only teaches important lessons about how we view and treat people different from ourselves; it also teaches universal lessons about life and love.
In lessons 8 and 9, you’ll read the last of the course’s five novels, Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible. This novel traces the often painful, sometimes shocking experiences of an American family who, while working as missionaries in the African Congo in the turbulent 1960s, encounter far more than they ever imagined.
Lesson 10 provides information about the final exam, which will test your understanding of the five novels’ important literary elements, such as setting, characters, plot, conflicts, mood, and themes.
