The AP Literature class recently took a full-day excursion to the Steppenwolf Theater to see the play The Heart is a Lonely Hunter based on the American novel written by Carson McCullers in 1940.

Going on a field trip to the theater has been an annual occurrence for the students taking the AP Literature class.  “We always try to take the students on a field trip during first semester. In the past we’ve gone to the Shakespeare Theater, but this year there wasn’t anything we were thrilled about, so we went to see this play instead,” said Mr. Robert Aurich, AP Literature teacher.

Because The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is not on the reading list for the class, students were not as familiar with the book. “Students said it took some figuring out to understand what was happening. But overall, I got a lot of positive feedback,” Aurich said. Aurich offered an extra credit opportunity for students who were willing to read the book and have a short discussion on it. “I had about five or six students who decided to read it,” Aurich said.

Students left for the theater in the morning, had lunch at Navy Pier after the play, and arrived back at the school at the end of the school day. “Since this was an all-day field trip, there was a little bit of a debate in terms of missing class for something that isn’t immediately relevant to their grade.  But overall, the students had a very positive experience,” Aurich said.

“This field trip is really all about the literary and cultural experience and the joy of the theater and drama. It really is unique to experience literature live, as more than just words on a page,” Aurich said.