English Students Step Into “Unfamiliar Territory”
In English 12 Seminars: Unfamiliar Territory, Upper School English teacher Stephanie Andreassi guides students as they explore what it means to move beyond the familiar in both the stories they read and their own experiences.
The class is currently reading Haruki Murakami’s “After Dark,” a novel set between midnight and dawn that follows two young protagonists as they navigate the hidden corners of a Japanese city.
“It definitely speaks to the premise of the class,” Andreassi said. “Putting yourself in a location that is unfamiliar, in a world that might be unusual, and encountering characters that aren’t your typical daytime or traditional characters.”
Frank Liu ’26 said he liked “how Murakami blurs the boundaries between different states of being. He merges the real world with the dream world through elements like Eri's TV, and challenges clear distinctions between good and evil through characters like Shirakawa, whose impeccable appearance contradicts his brutal actions. This creates an immersive and thought-provoking reading experience that feels both uncanny and profound.”
To bring the novel’s atmosphere to life, Andreassi recently took the class to the Dobbs Diner, a local spot that mirrors the Denny’s where “After Dark” begins. Students were asked to pay close attention to their surroundings, taking notes on what they saw and heard to inspire a creative writing assignment.
“They were encouraged to listen to conversations, to notice details around them,” Andreassi explained. “A lot of the creative writing we do starts with a setting.”
Nico Khoury-Levy ’26 said the field trip offered a welcome change of pace. “By getting to step outside of the classroom, we were better able to connect with the setting portrayed in ‘After Dark.’ One thing I like about the novel is how it asks us to pay close attention to details and how dialogue can be a powerful tool for giving the reader information.”
Andreassi said the outing also served a broader purpose: to remind students that good writing begins with curiosity. “Being a successful writer is really about curiosity,” she said. “It’s about being a good observer, wondering about other people you don’t know and may never see again. What’s their story?”
The class will continue the theme of exploration with upcoming readings, including Ashley Marie Farmer’s “Beside Myself” and Shirley Jackson’s “We Have Always Lived at the Castle.” As they dive into Jackson’s eerie world of isolation and intrigue, could a trip to North Bennington, Vermont, the author’s longtime home and the inspiration for much of her writing, be in the offing? Stay tuned to see if the seminar once again takes learning on the road.
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