Wolmer’s Boys’ School

Fourth Form English Literature

Course Outline
Unit Topic: Prose
Primary Text: A World of Prose
Christmas Term 2018

RATIONALE: The CSEC English B syllabus focuses on developing students’ critical and analytical skills.
Therefore, students will read, interrogate and develop an informed critical interpretation of prose, by studying a
range of short stories by writers whose experience, exposure and expertise span various, locations and time
periods. Over time, students will learn to move beyond merely recounting the events of a plot, to formulating
interpretive arguments about how each story works and the relationship of the elements, strategies and the
techniques to the overall meaning of the individual narrative. It is important to note, that this unit will also focus
on identifying and interpreting the components of prose, such as plot, characterization and point of view.
Moreover, the course is also intended to prepare students to contribute to the scholarly conversation about
literature and it is hoped that they will eventually appreciate the nuances and peculiarities of literature as a
unique art form.

DATE TOPICS STUDENT

ASSIGNMENT

Week 1 1. Review: Elements of Prose  Diagnostic Test

Week of Sept.3  Plot
 Setting  Read Mom Luby and the
Social Worker and create
 Characterization
table identifying the various
 Themes
elements of prose in the story
 Point of View
2. Defining a Short Story
3. Features of a Short Story

Week 2 Mom Luby and the Social Worker by  Issuing of Christmas Term
Week of Sept.10 Kristin Hunter Project

1. Background of the Author  Classwork #1:

2. Context of the Story Comprehension Questions on
3. Themes: Social Injustice, Mom Luby and the Social
Womanhood, Poverty, Hardship. Worker (GRADED)
4. Elements & Techniques of Focus:
Setting, Narrative Point of View,
Juxtaposition, Satire, Irony, Humour

Week 3 The Boy Who Loved Ice-Cream by  Homework #1: Analytical

Week of Sept. 17 Olive Senior review of either Mom Luby
and the Social Worker OR
1. Background of the Author The Boy Who Loved Ice-
2. Context of the Story Cream (GRADED)
3. Themes: Obsession/Paranoia,
Tensions and Concerns of Rural Life,  Create draft for essay on
Mom Luby and the Social
Desire, Poverty, Childhood
Worker and The Two
Experience Grandmothers
4. Elements & Techniques of Focus:
Juxtaposition, Narrative Point of
View, Irony, Symbolism, Pathetic  Homework #2: Review, edit
Fallacy, Characterisation and complete essay draft
5. Essay Writing Workshop: (GRADED)
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  The Introduction (writing hooks and
thesis statements, arresting and retaining
the reader’s interest, diction)
 The Body ( writing topic sentences,
maintaining focus/coherence for each
main point, choosing appropriate
supporting details/quotations, providing
commentary/explaining the specific
examples used to support main
point/claim, tying the concrete details and
commentary back to the thesis by using a
clincher/concluding sentence)
 The Conclusion (summarizing and
extending the argument, showcasing the
broader significance of the discussion and
explaining importance)

Week 4 Blood Brothers by John Wickham

Week of Sept. 24  Classwork #2: Group
1. Background of the Author presentations on assigned
2. Context of the Story techniques and elements in
3. Themes: Masculinity, Brotherhood, Blood Brothers (GRADED)
Childhood Experience, Identity,
Power/Powerlessness, Point of View,
Rivalry
4. Elements & Techniques of Focus:
Irony, Narrative Point of View,
Symbolism, Diction, Nature Imagery,
Duality, Characterisation

Week 5 Man of the House by Frank O’Connor  Classwork #2: Group

Week of Oct. 1 presentations on assigned
1. Background of the Author techniques and elements in
2. Context of the Story Man of the House
3. Themes: Identity, Masculinity, (GRADED)
Childhood Innocence, Guilt,
Forgiveness, Growth/Awakening
4. Elements & Techniques of Focus:
Narrative Point of View,
Characterization, Irony, Satire,
Symbolism, Biblical Allusion,
Dialogue, Humour, Characterisation

 Departmental Exam
Week 6 The Two Grandmothers by Olive
Week of Oct. 8 Senior

1. Background of the Author

2. Context of the Story
3. Themes: Identity, Tradition vs
Modernity, Rural Life vs Urban Life,
Prejudice, Maturity, Social Class

4. Elements & Techniques of Focus:

Juxtaposition, Use of Dialect,
Narrative Point of View, Irony,
Setting, Characterisation

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Week 7 To Dah-duh in Memoriam by Paule
Week of Oct. 15 Marshall
[Mid-term
Break] 1. Background of the Author
2. Context of the Story
3. Themes: Tradition vs Modernity,
Rural Life vs Urban Life, Transient
Nature of Life, Inevitability of Change
and Death, Identity, Love and Family
Relationship, Nostalgia, Diasporic
Concerns (Displacement), Rivalry

4. Elements & Techniques of Focus:

Juxtaposition, Symbolism, Imagery,
Narrative Point of View, Biblical
Allusion, Foreshadowing, Flashback
Use of Dialect, Allusion, Epigraph,
Personification, Irony, Setting,
Characterisation

Week 8 1. Essay Writing Workshop  Classwork # 3: Write essay

Week of Oct. 22  The Introduction (writing hooks and on The Two Grandmothers
thesis statements, arresting and retaining and To Dah-duh in
the reader’s interest, diction) Memoriam (GRADED)
 The Body ( writing topic sentences,
maintaining focus/coherence for each  Unseen Prose Multiple
main point, choosing appropriate Choice Practice Paper
supporting details/quotations, providing
commentary/explaining the specific
examples used to support main
point/claim, tying the concrete details and
commentary back to the thesis by using a
clincher/concluding sentence)
The Conclusion (summarizing and
extending the argument, showcasing the
broader significance of the discussion and
explaining importance)

2. Unseen Prose Practice

Week 9 Blackout by Roger Mais

Week of Oct. 29
1. Background of the Author
2. Context of the Story
3. Themes:
Racial/Cultural/Gender/Class
Disparity, Injustice,
Prejudice/Discrimination,
Power/Powerlessness, Rivalry,
Notions of inferiority/Superiority
4. Elements & Techniques of Focus:
Juxtaposition, Shifting Stream of
Consciousness, Diction, Irony,
Narrative Point of View, Symbolism,
Allusion, Setting

Week 10 Berry by Langston Hughes  Major Student Assessment

Week of Nov. 5
1. Background of the Author
2. Context of the Story
3. Themes: Racial
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 Prejudice/Discrimination, Oppression,
Power/Powerlessness,
Alienation/Marginalization
4. Elements & Techniques of Focus:
Juxtaposition, Irony, Juxtaposition,
Narrative Point of View, Pun, Setting

Homework #3 Christmas Term

Week 11 The Day the World Almost Came to An Project Due (GRADED)
Week of Nov. 12 End by Pearl Crayton

1. Background of the Author

2. Context of the Story
3. Themes: Piety, Childhood
Innocence/Gullibility, Family
Relationship, Fear
4. Elements & Techniques of Focus:
Contrast, Humour, Irony, Flashback,
Narrative Point of View,

Week 12 Emma by Carolyn Cole

Week of Nov. 19
1. Background of the Author
2. Context of the Story

3. Themes: Childhood Experience,

Innocence/Naivety, Identity, Family
Relationship, Class Disparity,
Maturity/Growth, Jealousy, Death

4. Elements & Techniques of Focus:

Contrast, Use of short choppy
sentences, Symbolism, Narrative Point
of View, Role Reversal, Motif of
Games/Play, Irony, Sarcasm,
Characterisation

Week 13 Revision for End of Term Examination

Week of Nov. 26
Week 14 End of Term Examination
Week of Dec. 03

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