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Electives: |
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Electives: Introduction to Great Books, First Series: |
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| Introduction
to Great Books, First Series introduces students to works by great
authors of the Western world. These works are specifically chosen to supplement
courses in Western world history, geography, politics, and culture. Students
develop capacities to analyze, interpret, criticize, and communicate. Selections
in the first portion of the course include “Why War?” by Sigmund
Freud, “The Melian Dialogue” by Thucydides, “The Social
Me” by William James, “Rothschild’s Fiddle” by Anton
Chekhov, “Concerning the Division of Labor” by Adam Smith, and
“Chelkash” by Maxim Gorky. In the second half of the course,
students will read “How an Aristocracy may be Created by Industry”
by Alexis de Tocqueville, “Observation and Experiment” by Claude
Bernard,” “Everything That Rises Must Converge” by Flannery
O’Connor, “An Essay in Aesthetics” by Roger Fry, “An
Outpost of Progress” by Joseph Conrad and “On Studying”
by Jose Ortega y Gasset. Each selection is preceded by a short essay “By
and About” the author.
Dispersed throughout the text, in between the major selections, are short informative essays on Shared Inquiry; Great Writers; What a Story Is; Preparing for Discussion; Getting into a Story; Interpretation: Questions of Fact, Interpretation, and Evaluation; Developing Interpretive Questions; and a Practice Session on Writing Interpretive Questions. Following the critical reading of each selection, students discuss with an instructor the ideas contained in the selection in an effort to elucidate its meaning. Each Shared Inquiry discussion (discussion based upon the Socratic method) involves comprehension, literary analysis, interpretation, and evaluation. Students learn how to engage with the text critically and thoughtfully, to craft an argument and to support it with evidence. Since the student is required to support his or her statements with evidence, shared inquiry also promotes careful and accurate reading. Writing is integrated into the development of ideas through selected interpretive activities. Strategies include writing notes, responses, and questions; writing before and after discussion; responding to divergent ideas in writing. Students approach writing with a wealth of ideas. The creative, personal, and persuasive writing projects guide them in shaping well-organized, satisfying compositions. Because the writing process, from short notes to full essays, is integrated with reading activities, writing becomes a tool for thinking. Primary textbook: Introduction to Great Books, First Series. This course incorporates state academic content and learning standards. |
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