This year at Steinbrenner High School, a brand-new semester elective was introduced: Dystopian Literature. Taught by Christina Cracchiolo, a senior English teacher, the English class puts a magnifying glass over pieces of dystopian literature, a genre of fiction that explores societal structures in a nightmarish fashion.
“The idea came about from speaking with some fellow fans of dystopian literature both on and off-campus,” said Cracchiolo.
Even though Cracchiolo teaches the class alone, both the idea and the process of making it a reality were aided by others, including Calvin Dillon, a fellow English teacher at Steinbrenner, who doubles as the English department head.
“The process was aided greatly by Mr. Dillon, who advocated and guided me through getting it to be offered and recruiting, so to speak, students,” said Cracchiolo.
The class is recommended for 11th and 12th grade students, making it a late high school, English centered elective, similar to the mythology course already offered. Mythology, also known as Literature in the Arts 1, explores classical literature, particularly works of Greek origin. Both classes focus on specific genres of books and analyze them. However, it’s not all the same for those making the lesson plans.
“I am able to choose the works more freely and, thus far, have students who are interested in the topic, so it is easy to get them involved in caring about what we do,” said Cracchiolo.
Unfortunately, seats in the class are limited, as the class is only taught during fourth period for the first semester. Currently, though, it is a Steinbrenner exclusive.
“As far as I know, it is just here at Steinbrenner. But I would love it to be offered elsewhere, giving me an opportunity to collaborate with other teachers,” said Cracchiolo.
When it comes to the actual material, it’s obvious that the class will be focusing on dystopian literature. Popular works like “The Hunger Games,” “Divergent,” and “Fahrenheit 451” are all examples of this genre. However, Cracchiolo has some specific plans in mind.
“We will be studying short stories, Dante’s Inferno, and I am working on incorporating film, art, music, and poetry as well,” said Cracchiolo.
The class has been going well so far and will be available to Steinbrenner students next year as well.
Cat Johnson // Staff Writer
