Those concerned that American high-school curricula are being "dumbed down" can be reassured that the academics at Unionville High School are as rigorous as ever.
The Young Relative and his classmates are in the midst of a thorough study of Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities." For each chapter, the YR reports (his shoulders sagging with effort), he is required to write a summary that includes not only the plot developments but also how each character has changed and the various literary devices that Dickens uses.
I couldn't help but contrast this close analysis to a Dickens seminar I took my senior year in college, where we read a novel a week and simply had to discuss a favorite passage.
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