Electives in Literature Available at Huntington High School

Among the Huntington High School English course offerings are eight one semester, half-credit literature classes. Capsule overviews of each course is available in the high school’s curriculum guide, which is posted on the district’s website.

The courses include Bible Literature, Multicultural Literature, Holocaust in Literature, Mystery Literature, Film and Short Story, Sports Literature, Literary Fantasy and Science Fiction Literature.

Students should speak with their counselor for more information or reach out to department chairman Joseph Leavy at jleavy@hufsd.edu.

Huntington athletes who intend to play their sport in college can rest assured that these courses have been evaluated and approved by the NCAA as meeting their requirements.

Bible Literature

Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 11

Bible Literature focuses on the Bible itself; its history, its authors, literary forms, techniques, the people, and places introduced through the Bible. Stories are approached in terms of plot, characters, setting, and theme. Poetry is analyzed in terms of imagery and parallelism; drama in terms of conflict and character; prophetic literature is studied for the content of the message and for the style of the individual prophet. Wisdom literature is approached from the universality of its themes and imagery. The Gospels, Acts and Epistles are studied for the diversity of the narrative style, point of view, and purpose. Within a select unit, students work on drafting and finalizing their college essays. A research paper is required. NCAA approved

Multicultural Literature

Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 11

This course traces and examines literature and cross cultural writers who define their positions in history and society. Roles of African-Americans, Native Americans, Afghan-Americans, Asian Americans and Hispanic-Americans are the focal points. It concentrates on reading various forms of literature which reflect these cultures’ roles, backgrounds, positions and feelings. Gender issues and religious culture are also discussed. Authors such as Gloria Whelan, Judith Ortiz Cofer, and Khaled Hosseini are studied. Within a select unit, students work on drafting and finalizing their college essays. A research paper is required. NCAA approved

Holocaust in Literature

Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 11

This course involves a multi-disciplinary study of the Holocaust as well as other genocides, as they relate to racism, prejudice and tolerance. Through the use of literature, films, and historical documentaries, students comprehend the ramifications of these tragic events as they impact on the present and future. Works such as “Night” and “Maus I and II” are studied. A research paper and a project are required. NCAA approved

Mystery Literature

Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 11

The course consists of a close reading of a small number of important mystery works. They include “The Maltese Falcon” and “Then There Were None,” “Postmortem,” “A Study in Scarlet” and others. In addition, there is a short story unit, beginning with Edgar Allan Poe’s, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and other titles. A research paper is required. NCAA approved

Film and Short Story

Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 11

Film and Short Story is a thematically focused course pairing leading themes in literature with film. Top films, spanning five decades, noted not only for their cinematic advances but also for their indelible stamp on American culture, are combined with literature that threads a compatible stitch in theme and genre. Discussion and assignments evolve from both the literature and films. Vocabulary study is integrated with each reading selection. Within a select unit, students work on drafting and finalizing their college essays. A research project is required on an author or film director. NCAA approved

Sports Literature

Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 11

The course examines the role of sports in literature and America with a view towards understanding its myth and appeal. Students will study novels, short stories, biographies, autobiographies, poems, essays, and films written and directed by men and women. A research paper is required. NCAA approved

Literary Fantasy

Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 11

This course will be a survey of the sub-genres of Literary Fantasy; from Fairy Tales and Epic Fantasy to Magical Realism and Arthurian legend. Fantasy is an extension and exploration of authors’ contemporary cultural situations. Epic fantasy uncovers the nuances in the chaos between good versus evil by placing seemingly ordinary people in consequential events. Contemporary fantasy evolves from this form and offers alternative ways of viewing the world. By focusing on fantastic themes and writing about the impossible, authors attempt to define the real world and to understand their historical moment. Within a select unit, students work on drafting and finalizing their college essays. A research proposal and project are due. NCAA approved

Science Fiction Literature

Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 11

This course will be a survey of many of the sub-genres that fall under the umbrella term Science Fiction. Though Science Fiction was once primarily focused on science itself, the genre has evolved over the years to encompass various sub-genres including apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic, speculative evolution, and sociological science fiction. Through exploration of this wide-reaching genre, students are able to ask themselves various “what if…?” questions which spark discussion and further questioning about the world and their place in it. Authors of science fiction help us to more readily anticipate change in our own world – and some of these changes are not always in humanity’s best interest. More often than not, this type of writing explores the sequence of events that can lead to ethical and social problems produced by technological developments. A research proposal and project are due. NCAA approved