The Art of Influence: Themes in Literature
We live in the age of the influencer, where social media celebrities dictate social trends. But in fact, literature has served as a longstanding cultural influence. The reader’s thinking and actions are often shaped by the power of a well-told story. The Art of Influence will explore the concept of theme as a means of influence using movies, stories, and poetry. Each class unit will focus on a topic (family, love, technology, coming of age, for example). We will watch a movie and read works of literature around this topic as we discover the author’s message to us. We will investigate how this message is expressed and determine its truthfulness using a biblical lens. Students will be assigned responsive writing regularly.
(2024-2025)
REQUIREMENTS
Required texts: TBD
Copy fee: $40.00 (paid directly to Mary Bergman at Orientation or on the first day of class attended)
Annual tuition: $420.00 ($42 per month for 10 months, August – May or $47/month if prorated or on a 9 month payment plan)
ABOUT THE TEACHER
Mary Bergman
B.A. English
Mary’s lifelong love of great books led her to pursue a degree in English literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Upon graduation she attended the College of Education at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. After marrying a handsome Marine officer, she moved to Hawaii, Louisiana, and South Carolina before settling in Richmond. Homeschooling her three children over the last 20 years has been one of her greatest joys and biggest challenges. In addition to teaching her own children, Mary has taught in private schools, homeschool academies and churches. Most recently she has been serving as the Elementary Education Director at her church.