Page 12 - Demo

x We%u2019re delighted to welcome you to the second edition of American Literature & Rhetoric. As veteran English teachers, we know firsthand the varied ways that schools approach American literature. That%u2019s why we%u2019ve created a text that will support you as you inspire your students, whether you teach chronologically, thematically, by genre, or somewhere in the middle. Teachers of American literature are enthusiastic about teaching the most up-todate works, but the typical chronological approach makes it difficult to get to them. Here%u2019s the twist: our anthology chapters begin with the twenty-first century. The texts we present in that first %u201cchronological%u201d chapter offer fiction, poetry, and nonfiction that is of the moment but that also connected to themes that thread through American literature from its earliest days. This unique organization helps students understand that today%u2019s urgent and relevant issues are directly related to those of the past. After using modern selections to strengthen comprehension and analysis skills, your students will be better prepared to fully appreciate the rich writing that comprises American literature and rhetoric. We want students to be motivated and prepared to participate in civil discussions of issues that matter to them. To that end, each reading chapter ends with a Conversation on an important issue that invites students to examine different viewpoints and then develop an informed position of their own. The Conversations in this edition are flexible enough to prompt either class discussion or formal written responses, and they build in length and complexity as the anthology chapters progress. As you%u2019ll see in the Guided Tour to follow ( p. xii ), this edition of American Literature & Rhetoric also has some exciting new elements. First, we%u2019ve brought in nearly one hundred new texts. Inspired by the classic %u201cwindows and mirrors%u201d metaphor, our engaging variety of selections ensures each student will have access to some texts that introduce them to new perspectives, and other texts that authentically reflect their personal experience. Next, we distinguish between reading skills and writing skills to make it easier to scaffold skill instruction. The opening chapters ( Chapters 1%u20134 ) provide genre-specific practice reading and interpreting texts, while the anthology chapters ( Chapters 5%u201310 ) each contain a Writing Workshop guiding students to a complete essay. Three of these Workshops focus on literature %u2014 analysis of theme in fiction, close analysis of fiction, and analysis of poetry %u2014 and three focus on nonfiction %u2014 rhetorical analysis, argument, Dear Colleagues: Copyright %u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Not for redistribution.