Heroes and Villains

Heroes and Villains is a course where students evaluate heroes and villains and their journeys. This course is offered at:

First Session Only: Bristol, Brooklandville and Los Angeles (Windward)

Second Session Only: Los Angeles (Loyola Marymount)

Both Sessions: Chestertown and Palo Alto

Course Description

From the CTY Summer Catalog:

Folktales, myths, and legends give us tales of heroes and villains. For centuries, poets and story-tellers have used larger-than-life characters to depict human struggles and triumphs. What can we learn about ourselves from these extraordinary characters?

In this course, students trace the archetypes of hero and villain across cultures and time. Students map the narrative structure of the hero’s journey and explore the cultural purpose of superhuman characters. With careful reading, students examine superhuman extremes of pure goodness and pure evil and discover heroes’ flaws and villains’ hidden virtues. Students complete both critical and creative projects. For example, a student may compare presentations of good and evil in Disney’s Frozen to its source text, Han Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen, or draw from personal experiences to narrate a story of villainy.

Through close reading, group discussions, and writers' workshops, students develop the analytical skills to read and respond thoughtfully to a variety of texts.

Students must have completed grades: 5 or 6