English 111, the second semester of freshman composition and a foundational writing course, introduces students to techniques for close reading of literary texts. This course develops students' critical thinking skills through the study of literary elements such as plot, character, setting, point of view, symbolism, and irony. Additionally, students will learn the Modern Language Association (MLA) system of parenthetical citation and how to incorporate quotations into their analyses of literary texts; they will also complete a research paper by consulting both print and on-line sources. By the end of the semester, students will be able to interpret and write critically about each of the three major genres: poetry, fiction, and drama.