THIS OR NEXT WEEK, ALL students should meet with me outside of class to review a first draft of your college essay. This can take place before school, after school, or during periods 3, 4, 7, or 9. After meeting, students should revise the essay, and submit a new draft to me, due one week from the day when we meet. We will start reading Coelho’s parable about Santiago, a young Andalusian man who leaves home for adventure, The Alchemist.

MONDAY

Starting with a brainstorm/journal relating to the college essay: In Hans Holbein's 1533 painting “The Ambassadors,” we see two men who have surrounded themselves with important artifacts. If you were to create such a painting, what would you surround yourself with? Answering questions about this weekend’s reading on “Departure,” and then move into Coelho’s novel The Alchemist.
HW: Read page 5 through 36. What do we learn about Santiago? What does his experience look like, examined through the lens of Campbell’s concept of “departure”? Be certain to annotate in the margins of the text for this idea. At the same time, you will want to pay attention to life-defining aphorisms. We will compile a list.

TUESDAY

Turning to Santiago’s story. What do you notice about his tale, and how it looks through the lens of Campbell’s theory? Small group and then full-class discussion.
HW: Reading pages 36-50, the end of part one. You should likewise begin reading the Campbell handout on “Initiation,” reading the first five pages.

WEDNESDAY

No school for Yom Kippur.
HW: No homework.

THURSDAY

Discussion of Alchemist’s aphorisms and Campbell’s initiation.
HW: Read pages 53-82 in The Alchemist. Also read the next five pages of “Initiation.”

FRIDAY

Discussion of Alchemist’s aphorisms and Campbell’s initiation.
HW: Read pages 82-116 in The Alchemist. Also read the next 5 pages of “Initiation".”