Expectations for Honors American Literature Students

As Honors American Literature students, the expectations for patience, reading comprehension, and extensive writing skills are higher than ever before.

Patience has always been necessary in any English class. However, in Honors American Literature, students are expected to have more patience then ever used in any previous English classes. Patience is most needed when reading any of the numerous novels chosen for this class. Students are expected to be able to sit down, read passages of the novel, and dissect the passage as if they were having a conversation with the text. Taking the time to analyze the passage, annotate, and find a hidden meaning beneath the text us an extensive process only a truly patient mind can handle. Honors American Literature students are expected to have already acquired this great deal of patience. To gain this patience you must be above average in maturity. Honors students have this capability because as the more advanced portion of the student body, they know how patience can help strengthen the mind and make succession in Honors American Literature, as well as any other class, much easier.

With the many novels given in this class, reading comprehension is a necessary tool to succeed in Honors American Literature. To fully understand the task at hand, the student needs to be familiar with the writing style and rhythm of the novel. This skill comes with the time and effort of reading many different novels with changing styles so the student can familiarize themselves with any kind of reading material. The familiarization with different texts enables the student to comprehend the novel at a deeper level. With extensive comprehension the student can now dissect the passage and look at the authors structure of writing and the meaning of the text. This enables the student to get a deeper look at the novel. Every English students needs reading comprehension. Honors students also need reading comprehension but the capacity for it is much greater.

Every English student needs to have an above average writing ability. In Honors American Literature, students are expected to have a greatly extensive knowledge in writing skills. Writing is a key part of Honors American Literature. Students must be able to use different literary techniques and make them identifiable to the reader of the paper. Students must know proper usage for terms such as alliteration, personification, and onomatopoeia and use these skills within the writing along with the other numerous writing techniques. A Honors American Literature student is expected to not just insert quotes, but to embed them within the paper and make it flow along with the rest of the text. As an Honors student the expectations for writing is increased tremendously. It is as if the students are looked upon as young, future authors in the process of writing a novel.

All English students are expected to be great readers and writers. As a Honors American Literature student, the expectations are to be a superb and detail oriented writer, have a patient and thoughtful mind, and to read any text and comprehend it as if the student was discussing the novels darkest secrets. The students in the class have amazing literary abilities. That is why they are Honors American Literature students.