Open Up English 411

English class at Exeter is completely unlike anything I have experienced at any other school. The combination of interesting Harkness discussions and outstanding course material makes English one of my favorite classes each term. Many will agree that this style of learning is far preferable to the monotonous study of grammar and literature that is practiced at other institutions.

However, I do believe that one aspect of our English classes could be somewhat altered. The personal narrative is something that all students are quite familiar with by now. From the first term of prep year until senior English electives begin, teachers almost exclusively assign narratives. There is the rare case of a personal essay and the even rarer one of an analytical paper, but the majority of the assignments issued by the English department are first-person personal narratives.

I find this somewhat restrictive. Narratives aren’t necessarily boring pieces to write, but I would certainly enjoy the chance to branch out a little bit and explore a little more variety in the realm of writing. Our religion teacher recently assigned a piece of fiction for a paper and I found the assignment both immensely enjoyable and instructive, as I learned many new things about the craft of writing through the experience.

There are opportunities within the Academy’s curriculum to explore other writing talents, but they are restricted. Among these is the English 411 course, a senior elective titled "Advanced Writing" in which students learn the finer points of fiction writing. However, this course is quite selective, requiring an application and admitting a very limited amount of students.

Is it fair to restrict the only course at Exeter that teaches fiction writing to those who pass the application process? Personally, I believe that this course should be open to all seniors. Writing fiction is a very enjoyable pursuit and one that I am sure many people would be glad to pursue, and all who wish to do so should be allowed the chance.

The application process for this class necessarily restricts the course to students with high grades in English who have done well previously, both around the Harkness table and in the many narrative-based assignments. The determination of worthiness for a class such as creative writing should not be based on previous accomplishments in English classes. Advanced writing is completely different from the work that is done in most English classes and a student’s previous performance does not necessarily correspond with a readiness for this course.

The problem, of course, with opening this course to the senior class at large is the sheer number of students who would want to take the course each year. However, I don’t see anything wrong with offering this class to a large number of students. Surely most teachers in the department would be glad to teach this class and there could be many sections. This class represents an amazing opportunity for seniors to branch out from the norm of personal writing and focus on some more creative and perhaps more enjoyable writing.

An incredible opportunity to explore a new area of the English language should not be overlooked and should be available to any who wish to seek this knowledge. We are somewhat tired of the narrative: why not let us try something new?