By Nicole Lu
The 2025 school year has been, to say the least, very eventful—but not quite in the way one might expect. There has been a multitude of interesting decisions and changes made to the schedule, club rotations, the length of review week, and, of course, the ever-rising cafeteria prices. Aside from these administrative “edits,” there have been changes introduced by teachers, most notably the very welcome and appreciated modifications allowing juniors to take AP Physics C, among other courses.
However, not every course has been as popular—or at least as well known. Literature Through Film is a new addition to our school’s English offerings, available to upperclassmen as well as sophomores. Some students may not have even heard of this course before, and those who have may wonder what it entails. It is quite unlike any other English course: more of an exploration than a preparation for harder courses or standardized exams. So now, let us embark on an exploration of our own and get into the nitty-gritty of this new and unique course.
The course covers five units and a final project across two semesters, each investigating, in surprising depth, a very specific topic. After the first unit establishes the foundations of film analysis, students quickly jump into examining connections between different forms of media and how they portray particular ideas. This could look like analyzing excerpts from novels and comparing them to their film adaptations, paired with an examination of the cinematic techniques used to convey meaning. These skills become crucial in later units, where students analyze topics like communication and the portrayal of cityscapes through side-by-side comparisons of different forms of media and expression.
When I first encountered this course, the fact that it accepted both underclassmen and upperclassmen as a core subject caught my attention. Typically, core courses are more academically demanding and build upon foundations established in prerequisite classes. However, these expectations do not actually hinder sophomores’ ability to perform well. To accommodate the diversity in students’ analytical skills and levels of experience in English composition, the syllabus outlines two separate sets of standards for sophomores and upperclassmen. This may include looser criteria and shorter length requirements for research paper assignments.
Lastly, contrary to what one might expect, the course is not easy—despite lacking AP or IB status. Not only do students explore a wide range of media forms, but they are also assessed through an equally diverse range of formats. These include tests, quizzes, different types of essays, slideshows, storyboards, and even research papers. High grades are not easily earned without skill, nuance, and perhaps even talent. Hours spent on an analysis essay exceeding ten thousand words may still result in only a B or B+. This course demands not only hard work and effort, but also the ability to refine relevant skills and a knack for analysis.