Students will be taught literary analysis during this class through the *reading and discussion of Daphne du Maurier's story The Birds. We will cover the following topics: characterization, themes, symbolism, plot, irony, foreshadowing, setting, climax, and more. Students will also learn about the story's historical context and will be introduced to Daphne du Maurier through a brief biography. I will also touch on Alfred Hitchcock's ***film adaptation of the story.

Students will receive a link to *read the story online and a **reading guide pdf upon enrollment. 
*NOTE 1: Students are expected to read the story before our class meeting and use the **reading guide as they read.
***NOTE 2: The Hitchcock film adaptation is available on Amazon Prime, YouTube, and other sources; however, the film is NOT the same as the book. Hitchcock basically took the story of rogue birds and went his own way in the interpretation of that idea. While the film is excellent in my opinion, it is not a substitute for reading the story. 

We will discuss the story and the questions & answers from the reading guide during our class time. Students will be able to share their thoughts and interact with me and with one another. I will use slides to guide our discussions.