Literary Arts

Literary Arts emphasizes the creative nature of the written word through a study and practice of various literary forms and techniques.

At the exploratory level, students are introduced to a range of writers and writing styles including poetry, short fiction, and personal essays. Class time is an interactive writer's workshop where students have time to listen, to write, and to have their work critiqued. Assessment is based on a final portfolio or a collection of writing that reflects the student's growth and diversity as an emerging writer.

The upper level classes are divided year-long studies of either Fiction, Nonfiction, or Poetry. Each class reads at least three full-length books over the course of the year, and many shorter stories/articles/poems/reviews.

The Fiction class explores the origins of stories, classic mythology, modern short stories, mysteries, and children's literature. We practice writing collaboratively and individually, with many Socratic discussions of literary texts and helpful critiques of our own work.

The Nonfiction class practices writing from nature (complete with field trip to the mountains), the art of reviewing (food, theatre, and art criticism), travel writing, and personal essays (writing from our lives). Students from the Nonfiction class also edit West Sound's literary magazine, Mud Pie.