View all courses

Literature in the Media—Semester A

Literature is the media.

  • Course Length: 18 weeks
  • Course Type: Honors
  • Category:
    • English
    • Humanities
    • Literature
    • High School

Schools and Districts: We offer customized programs that won't break the bank. Get a quote.

Get a Quote

Literature is everywhere in media—in fact, it's actually a type of media itself. That's why we're starting this course with a deep dive into literature: everything from bestsellers to comics to Shakespeare. And of course, we'll spice it up with other types of media along the way. Our lessons will walk you through intros, readings, and Common Core-aligned activities designed to

  • heighten your senses when it comes to reading. You'll never read the same way again.
  • demonstrate the common patterns that run throughout all literature—and really, all media.
  • make you think about the connections between bestselling literature and pop culture. In case you somehow missed 'em.
  • teach you about the art of novel-to-film adaptations through everyone's favorite, Frankenstein.
  • shake your brain with how much Shakespeare is in the media.

P.S. This is the first semester of a two-semester course. You can find Semester B here.

Unit Breakdown

1 Literature in the Media—Semester A - How to Read Well

If there's one takeaway from this unit, it should be this: in literature, everything matters. From the title of the book to the way an author describes his protagonist (and everything in between), reading well means looking at a text from all angles. By the end of the unit, you'll be analyzing everything you see…which is good, because it'll get you ready to actually analyze everything you see. That's right, Shmoopers: welcome to Literature in the Media.

2 Literature in the Media—Semester A - One Myth to Rule Them All

This unit will walk you through the stages of the Hero's Journey, using a boatload of different texts (literature, TV shows, movies…the list goes on) to analyze the function and validity of the monomyth across all media.

3 Literature in the Media—Semester A - Bestsellers: More Than Just the Text

No books fit more snugly in a Literature in the Media course than Bestsellers. These books are just made to be adapted into all forms—and in this unit, we'll scratch the surface of just why that is. And if you stick around (which you will), you'll read one for yourself. Break out the tissues, folks: it's The Fault in Our Stars.

4 Literature in the Media—Semester A - From Novel to Film: the Art of the Adaptation

What's everyone's favorite medium? Say it with us: movies. In this unit, we'll look at movies right alongside books, by reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and then breaking out the popcorn as we take in the film.

5 Literature in the Media—Semester A - The Return of The Tempest

Bring on the Shakespeare, folks. In this unit, we'll read The Tempest, focusing on all the ways it's been adapted into different media. Yeah, we're traveling back in time a bit, but Shakespeare's ideas couldn't be any more contemporary.

6 Literature in the Media—Semester A - Worth a Thousand Words: Intro to Photography and Comics

In this unit, you'll swing by photography before learning some fancypants sequential art lingo, reading a few long-form comics, and thinking about comics as literature. Then you can decide for yourself: is a picture worth a thousand words?


Sample Lesson - Introduction

Lesson 2.08: Obi-Wan Kenobi is Dumbledore

If every myth has the same stages—like the call to adventure and montaging it up—then that means the same types of characters have to appear in those stages, right?

You'd better believe it.

For the monomyth to be "the only story you'll ever need," it must also feature the same characters at each step. And those reoccurring character types are called archetypes.

"And you, Scarecrow, taught me that men are physically weak."
(Source)

An archetype, in The Hero with a Thousand Faces sense, isn't a personality type, per se. It refers more to what to what a character does and how they function in a story. Just like every bank-robbing crew has the brain, the muscle, the beauty, and the wild card, every myth has similarly basic, functional archetypes. And by the end of the initiation phase, you're likely to have met all your archetypes. They appear when the story demands it—and the story almost always demands it during initiation.

This lesson will briefly draw your attention away from the monomyth to pore over character archetypes. You'll identify the different archetypes, think about how they function in the story, and ponder the age-old question:

If myths are reflective of culture, are archetypes, too?

We know—you've been dying to get the answer to that one.

Sample Lesson - Reading

Reading 2.2.08: "Archetypes in The Hero's Journey"

So the journey isn't just about steps—it's also about specific types of characters. These characters, called archetypes, are necessary to get the hero's rear in gear.

Step One: Head on over to our lit glossary definition of archetype.

Step Two: Now head back to Carl Jung's profile (remember that one?) and read his definition of archetype. Since he and JC were buds, we might as well confer with him, too.

Step Three: Now watch and marvel as puppets explain the seven archetypes of the monomyth.
It's like Sesame Street had a baby with J. Campbell.

Sample Lesson - Activity

Activity 2.08a: Examples

"I know what an archetype is!"

Hey, that's great. But can you pull the archetypes out of their stories and identify them?

Choose a character archetype—any of the seven from the puppet rendition. Now head over to the discussion board, and list 3 characters from contemporary fiction that fit your chosen archetype. And of course, explain why they fit. We're just looking for 100 words, but be specific.

Once you're done, peruse your classmates' responses and see if they came up with anything different. If you find any that you don't agree with, kindly tell them why.

Representing Information Rubric - 15 Points

OutstandingProficientDevelopingNeeds Improvement
Content Understanding

All content is accurate and presentation reflects sophisticated understanding.

(6)

All content is accurate.

(5)

May contain minor errors.

(5)

Major errors.

(4)
Organization

Has a logical organizational scheme. Each piece of information flows logically and smoothly to the next.

(6)

Has a clear organizational plan. Information is presented logically with some sense of connection.

(5)

General sense of organizational plan. Information makes sense within it, but transitions are lacking.

(5)

Information appears disconnected or illogical.

(4)
Style

Language is clear and interesting. Enhances presentation of information. No errors.

(3)

Language is clear and appropriate to topic. Minor spelling or grammatical errors.

(3)

Language is occasionally unclear, but meaning is generally understandable. Frequent spelling/grammar errors that do not impede comprehension.

(2)

Language use makes writing very difficult to understand. Frequent spelling or grammar errors that impede comprehension.

(2)

Sample Lesson - Activity

Activity 2.08b: Arch-Typical

Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung conveniently made archetypes easily adaptable to any era. Your "frenemy?" Same archetype as that two-timing hunchback in the movie 300, the shape-shifter who complicates the plot.

Your task:

Choose five characters. Any characters. From anything. The only requirement? Make sure each one represents a different archetype.

Now write a 300-word pitch to a studio for a movie that incorporates those five characters. You'll need to include the following:

  • A brief summary of the entire plot
  • The purpose or "point" of the movie
  • The function of each character (make sure it matches with the archetypes)

An example pitch could start:

Imagine that Luke Skywalker (hero), Jafar (shadow), Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society (mentor), Angel from Buffy (shapeshifter) all end up in a freshmen year dorm together at Harvard (herald). Things start to get ugly when Luke tries to be the editor of the Harvard Crimson and Jafar, dressed up as a beautiful lady-journalist, tells him he has no future as a writer.

This is your chance to pitch that Star Wars/Muppets/Die Hard/Adventure Time/Love, Actually mash-up film you've always dreamed of.

Creative Written Representation Rubric - 25 Points

OutstandingProficientDevelopingNeeds Improvement
Content Understanding

All content is accurate and presentation reflects sophisticated understanding.

(10)

All content is accurate.

(9)

May contain minor errors.

(8)

Major errors.

(7)
Understanding of Genre

Uses conventions of genre to enhance message.

(5)

Accurately follows conventions of genre.

(4)

Mostly follows conventions of genre.

(4)

Does not follow conventions of genre.

(3)
Creativity

Presentation is very creative, bringing additional levels of interpretive depth, while remaining true to original text or topic.

(7)

Presentation is creative and goes beyond original meaning of text while remaining true to original text or topic.

(5)

Presentation shows minimal creativity or is very creative, but doesn’t retain all original characteristics of original.

(5)

Presentation is not creative or deviates greatly from characteristics of original.

(4)
Style

Language is clear and interesting. Enhances presentation of information. No errors.

(3)

Language is clear and appropriate to topic. Minor spelling or grammatical errors.

(2)

Language is occasionally unclear, but meaning is generally understandable. Frequent spelling/grammar errors that do not impede comprehension.

(2)

Language use makes writing very difficult to understand. Frequent spelling or grammar errors that impede comprehension.

(2)