Download UNIT 1: Three Weeks - HHS-English-IV

UNIT 1: Three Weeks
Heroes and Monsters: The Archetypal Conflict between Good and Evil
Unit Description:
How many Grendels does Beowulf have to kill to become king? Students will study how
authors reveal the archetypal struggle between good and evil, between man and monster.
Students will study the origins of this archetypal clash in Western literature with a special
emphasis on determining the historical, literary, and social constraints that defined good
and evil. Students will have to judge when the lines between good and evil blur and when
the portrayal of heroes and monsters becomes interchangeable or ambiguous. Students
will need to evaluate how these notions or stereotypes of good and evil have impacted
modern society while expressing their own concepts of morality.
Historical Timeframe: This unit covers ancient Greek heroes and monsters, the early
narratives of Anglo-Saxon England, and corresponding readings from 19th and 20th
century England.
Content and/or Skills Taught:
 Methods, tips, and hints for tackling a college essay.
 Considering audience and purpose for the college essay.
 Emphasis placed on the use of dialog, symbolism, conflict, imagery, theme, narrative
thesis, and characterization to create personal narratives for college essays.
 Different types of archetypal heroes
 Brief historical introduction to Anglo Saxon England
 The origins and modern affects of universal archetypes of good and evil
 Characterization of heroes and monsters in Greek and British literature
 Use of selected literary devices by texts to define and or reinforce notions of good
and evil
 Protocols for appropriate and engaged discussions of literature in Socratic Seminars
 Techniques for writing an informative/expository essay using two or more works of
literature to define the characteristics of an archetypal hero or monster.
 Emphasis placed on the use of quotations, paraphrases, thesis development, and
organizational structure when writing formal essays
 Introduction to AP exam multiple-choice questions that relate to struggles between
good and evil or focus on broader concepts of morality.
What’s Coming Up in AP English IV
Heroes and Monsters: The Archetypal Conflict between Good and Evil
 What is a Hero?
Students will create a Hero Booklet. See Prompt.

Greek Mythology / Social Antithesis
This is a visual project. Students will research both choose both a god/goddess and a
monster from Greek Mythology and explain his/her significance in Greek society
(student should be able to discuss any problems they either solved or created).
Usually monsters were created as the result of a god/goddess’ wrath. Students should
be able to articulate, in great detail, information about the god/goddess and monster
he/she has selected. Then, the student will create his/her own god/goddess and
monster to represent a problem/solution in modern society.

Socratic seminar on heroes and monsters in multiple works across time
In a Socratic Seminar, students will compare definitions and characteristics of heroes
and monsters in multiple works while attempting to describe how authors create these
impressions and how notions of good and evil relate to these portrayals.

The hero versus the monster: Whose side are you on?
Students must write an expository essay based on two readings from this unit in
which they seek to define the characteristics of Heroes and/or Monsters and their
respective impacts on societies, cultures, or individuals. This definition paper
requires students to create a portrait of hero or monster that does not rely on a purely
binary description. Instead students must gauge the levels of good and evil that
makes up the hero and the monster. In their conclusion, students must decide if they
personally side with the hero or monster they discussed and explain why.

Beowulf on Trial: Hero or Murderer?
In small groups, students will put create a trial discussing whether or not Beowulf.
Each group will be graded on the soundness of their argument as well as their ability
to sway a jury.

SAT Vocabulary, AP Literary terms, Voice Lessons (During Every Week)
Every week, students complete formal assessments covering SAT vocabulary, literary
terms, and elements of voice (syntax, tone, diction, imagery, detail, and mood).
These tests are application based.
Readings:
Mythology by Edith Hamilton, Beowulf by anonymous, Heart of Darkness by Joseph
Conrad