Cracking the (Literary) Code!

Reading great books is about more than just knowing what happens on the last page. It’s about looking under the hood to see how the author built the engine!

In this Literature Study course, we use the Boomerang method to turn "required reading" into a masterclass in writing. 

Gone is the age of dry comprehension questions. Literary analysis means having your teen engage in lively, stimulating discussions about plot points, literary devices, and the personal connections that make a story stick.

Class Overview

Made With You in Mind

This is a writing discovery class! One of the reasons we read is to learn from the greats. We use reading to grow teens as writers by putting strong "writerly skills" into their toolbox.

In this class, students will:

  • Internalize the Mechanics: Through copywork and dictation of selected passages, students absorb the sophisticated grammar, punctuation, and syntactical patterns used by master authors.
  • Master Literary Analysis: Using our signature Think Piece Questions, students investigate subtext, theme, and character motivation.
  • Connect with Ideas: Students dive into cultural and historical context in order to share what was impactful for them and "connect the dots" as they analyze the book through a modern lens.

Nov 9 - Dec 11, 2026

Book Choice:

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have become synonymous with the idea of a split personality. More than a morality tale, this dark psychological fantasy is also a product of its time, drawing on contemporary theories of class, evolution, criminality, and secret lives. Also in this volume are "The Body Snatcher," which charts the murky underside of Victorian medical practice, and "Olalla," a tale of vampirism and "the beast within," with a beautiful woman at its center.

Reading Schedule: To stay in sync with the class, students should have read at least the first third of the novel by the end of Week One.

A Note on Content: At Brave Writer, we select a wide range of literature that addresses a variety of perspectives. We use these works as teaching tools to foster understanding and growth. Please be aware that you may experience strong reactions to challenging content; we encourage parents to pre-read and prepare for these important discussions!

How does a reader response course work?

This course will follow a four-week schedule where students read and write on their own. The instructor comes in to provide thorough feedback on the final post. 

Students can expect:

  • Freedom to read, write, and post on their schedule (within the confines of the course dates).
  • Limited instructor response. Students move through material on their own until the final week. At that point, they'll receive detailed reader feedback from a trained writing coach.

We've scaffolding the learning so a student flies mostly solo, with that instructor support right when students need it—at the end!

Spin and Spiral

This class includes information from the Boomerang manual written to accompany this novel. Each manual visits and revisits terms and skills related to writing mechanics and literary analysis. Here is an overview from the book under study. We will address some or all of these topics in class. Families can download a PDF of the complete manual (provided in class) to work through topics not covered in class. 

Week by Week

Week One

Students dive into the opening of the novel, using copywork to identify how authors impact readers. They analyze and discuss the early part of the novel.

Week Two

Through dictation and targeted Think Piece Questions, students analyze character development and the literary devices used to build complex, relatable personas.

Week Three

Students focus on the story's "middle"—analyzing how plot points and pacing keep a reader turning the page. Students share their reflections on the ethical dilemmas or themes emerging in the text.

Week Four

In the final week, students synthesize their insights. They’ll look at the novel as a whole, discuss final questions, and choose a writing post to submit for feedback from the writing coach.

Registration Details

Join Us!

Tuition:
$99.00 per student
Recommended Ages:

13-18

Class Size:
40 students
Class Length:
4 weeks
Class Type:
  • Student Interaction Course

There are currently no upcoming sessions scheduled for this class.

More Information

Sample class login

Want to see how our classroom works? Test drive a sample class complete with real class readings, assignments, and instructor comments!

Follow these instructions:

  1. Navigate to class.bravewriter.com. If you are a current student, you’ll need to log out in the upper right corner before proceeding.
  2. Log in using these credentials:
    Username: [email protected]
    Password: Brave1
  3. Next, you will land on our Family Dashboard. You'll find a Parent icon and a Student icon to represent classes where the parent or the student is the primary participant. Click on Parent to view parent participation classes. To find classes with direct student-instructor interaction, click on Student.
  4. Click on the class name of interest and start reading posts!
How Our Classes Work Download a class summary
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