Discipline: English

A central premise of the English Department curriculum is the Quaker belief in seeking “that of God in everyone.” Our diversified reading lists, our focus on classroom discussion, and our approach to the teaching of writing all stem from the belief that expanding the imagination makes students better able to empathize with people from different cultures, time periods, and social classes, while giving them greater insight into themselves. Students cultivate their own voices in personal and creative writing, and they hone their analytical powers through extensive practice in critical writing. Writing in a variety of forms continues throughout the four-year program, but the emphasis on analytical thinking and writing increases in the latter two years to prepare students for college.

In all four years, students read literature from several genres including drama, the novel, short stories, and poetry.