Award-Winning High School Level American Literature
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Award-Winning High School Level American Literature Tutors

Certified Tutor
8+ years
Justin
I am a college instructor with ten years experience in the classroom as a teacher and tutor. Originally from South Carolina, I went to school in Pennsylvania and currently live in Alabama. I believe that students learn best through practice and approaching learning through a relaxed lens, thinking a...
University of South Carolina
Bachelor in Arts, English
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Doctor of Philosophy, English

Certified Tutor
5+ years
Benjamin
I am a 2023 graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a Finance/Economics major and a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. I am a passionate student in the math and business realms, as I enjoy the intuitiveness of the former and the real-world potential of the latter. During classes in midd...
University of Notre Dame
Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics (minor: Innovation and Entrepreneurship)

Certified Tutor
9+ years
Justin
I am an aspiring applied mathematician, with particular interest in image processing and climate science. I graduated in May 2017 from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor's in physics and mathematics, and am beginning a PhD program in September 2017 at the University of Chicago in Com...
Washington University in St. Louis
Bachelor's in Physics and Mathematics
University of Chicago
Doctor of Philosophy, Computational Mathematics

Certified Tutor
I am very dedicated to helping students excel in school and in helping them develop study methods and styles that work best for them and that will serve them throughout school. I previously tutored with Boys Hope Girls Hope in Evanston, IL. I tutored middle and high school students in Spanish and En...
Northwestern University
Bachelor in Arts

Certified Tutor
9+ years
Sarah
I am an incoming freshman at Northwestern University, and I will be studying economics and international studies. I have lots of experience in mentoring students individually and teaching in the classroom through being a student intern for a sophomore honors English class. I love working with studen...
Northwestern University
Bachelor of Economics, Economics

Certified Tutor
9+ years
Emily
I am a Yale graduate with over 8 years experience tutoring students from a variety of backgrounds. I recently graduated from the Yale School of Public Health with a MPH concentrating in Epidemiology and Global Health. I also received my B.S. from Yale with a double major in Molecular, Cellular, and ...
Yale University
Master of Public Health (MPH), concentration in Epidemiology and Global Health
Yale School of Public Health
Master in Public Health, Public Health
Yale University
Bachelor of Science (B.S.), double major in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and French

Certified Tutor
8+ years
Brittney
I'm a graduate of Princeton University (2009), with a degree in Comparative Literature. I'll be receiving my masters degree in English from Grand Valley State University this fall and I'm looking forward to working with students like you! I've been teaching and tutoring students since 2008 and I spe...
Grand Valley State University
Master of Arts, English
Princeton University
B.A. in Comparative Literature

Certified Tutor
I am a firm believer that clear, precise communication between student and tutor makes for a productive and fulfilling learning experience. When I work with students, I strive to listen carefully to find out exactly where they are struggling, and to impart corresponding strategies clearly and concis...
Boston University
PHD, American Studies
Harvard University
Bachelors

Certified Tutor
6+ years
Ariel
I am a student at Brown University, where I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in psychology. I employ a student-centered approach to tutoring, grounding the session in the student's knowledge of what topics it would be most beneficial to review. I typically begin a session by asking a student if the...
Brown University
Bachelor of Science, Psychology

Certified Tutor
8+ years
Jessica
I am currently enrolled in Vanderbilt University where I am studying Elementary Education as well as European History. I love working with students, and I intend to make a career out of it. I have experience working with students in different contexts, from the dance studio to the classroom and acro...
Vanderbilt University
Bachelor of Science, Elementary School Teaching
Top 20 English Subjects
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Juliet
Middle School Math Tutor • +33 Subjects
I'm an upstate NY based tutor, Harvard prefrosh and Interlochen Alumnus. I'm here to make learning simple, engaging, and sometimes (shocking I know) even fun! In all seriousness I think that learning should always be fun, and I'm here to get you there. I am here help out with essays, applications, self presentation, and visual art/drawing. I have a deep love of language, be it comprehension, literature or reading. I also tutor high school Algebra 1 and Geometry. Hobbies: books, music, art, nature, reading, writing
Connor
Calculus Tutor • +32 Subjects
I am taking time to explore my lifelong interest in teaching. I began tutoring at the University of Notre Dame, where I worked for three years as a teaching assistant in a Cell Biology laboratory course. There, I enjoyed helping my peers understand the larger picture developing through our weekly experiments. At Loyola University Chicago, I continued to tutor a variety of subjects while earning a Master of Arts in Medical Sciences.
Kevin
AP Statistics Tutor • +47 Subjects
I am currently a rising Junior at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and minoring in Science, Technology, and Society. From early on, the intellectual development of others has been very important to me. In high school, I developed my school's first summer tutoring program to ensure that students retained information and were prepared for the upcoming year. I am most passionate about tutoring Political Science, History, and Math, with significant experience in helping students in each of these subject areas. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and playing the bass. Hobbies: art, reading, writing, books, music
Zachary
Calculus Tutor • +33 Subjects
I'm a PhD at Harvard studying German philosophy and classics (Greek and Latin). Next year, I will be starting law school to pursue my professional passion, tax law. I am deeply committed to the language and LSAT skills I've developed and I love to tutor students of all levels in these subjects. I can't imagine a life without teaching. My favorite part of teaching is helping students come to love -- or at least appreciate -- the details that make up complex subject matters. My favorite moment with any student is when the student realizes how fascinating a subject matter is after really mastering all of the "dry" details. When my students start internalizing the LSAT or languages I am teaching them, I know I am doing my job.
Jennifer
Calculus Tutor • +27 Subjects
I am thrilled to be a part of this platform where we can work together to further our educational pursuits. Currently, I am a Teacher Resident at the NYU Accelerated MAT program in Secondary English Education. This means that come September, I will be an ELA teacher working at a NY Public School. My intentions here are to hone in on my individuated mentoring practice as well as to provide rigorous tutoring and support for all my students. The key here is not just learning the subject material, but learning to learn well. Discipline and Agency are foundational! I look forward to meeting you and starting our learning journey.
Molly
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +41 Subjects
I am a Communications Major with a penchant for reading, writing, some math, and film! (I picked up a Cinema Studies Minor as well) I used to be an editor in a few newspapers, so I love working with others to improve their writing skills. I have tutored many areas in both high school and college and have coached softball to girls of many ages. I especially love helping students master their test-taking skills, because I understand what it was like having to navigate such a high pressure environment! Providing just a few tools can make a world of difference.
Jack
AP Calculus AB Tutor • +50 Subjects
I'm a recent grad from Northwestern (B.A. in Theatre and Economics) who loves teaching and learning. I love helping other people achieve their goals and helping students find ways to be their best selves. Excited to meet and work with Chicagoland's students!
Maddy
Calculus Tutor • +62 Subjects
I'm a recent graduate of Harvard University and a natural teacher, and I'd be thrilled to help you build your skills, gain academic confidence, and get results! My B.A. is in American history and literature with a minor in theater. I spent my college years producing and directing student theater, writing plays, giving campus tours, and researching and writing my honors thesis on art criticism in New York City in the late 1960s.
Katherine
Calculus Tutor • +42 Subjects
I am willing to help a student reach higher grades, but more important to me than the grade is that the student is actually getting something out of what we are doing, and truly learning, not just retaining information, but engaging with the material and enjoying what they are learning. I firmly believe that hard work pays off, and with the right encouragement and help, a student can achieve anything they set their mind to. You're never to old to learn something new, and the doorways opened by education are endless. Hobbies: travel, reading, music, writing, art, books, traveling, photography
Dennis
AP Statistics Tutor • +50 Subjects
I'm Dennis. I study physics, math, and computer science. I have done research about cosmic ray acceleration at supernova shock fronts in the Princeton University Department of Astrophysics, simulating how the turbulent plasmas push protons and ions. I have also worked at the Norfolk State University Department of Engineering, designing, simulating, optimizing, and building light filters for wavelength-division optical-electronic multiplexers. Another field I study is the mathematics of quasicrystals and aperiodic tilings, such as the Penrose tiling of rhombuses.
Top 20 Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
High school American Literature courses typically include dense canonical works that require sustained analysis. Students most often struggle with texts like Moby Dick, The Great Gatsby, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and plays like The Crucible—not because of difficult prose alone, but because they demand understanding of historical context, symbolism, and authorial intent simultaneously. Personalized tutoring helps break down these texts into manageable pieces, connecting literary devices to themes and exploring the cultural moments that shaped these works. With guided discussion and targeted close-reading practice, students develop the analytical skills needed to tackle challenging literature independently.
Strong literary analysis essays begin with a clear, arguable thesis that goes beyond plot summary. Many students struggle with moving from observation ("the green light represents hope") to analysis ("Fitzgerald uses the green light to critique the American Dream's false promise of self-improvement"). Tutors work with you on thesis development, helping you craft arguments supported by specific textual evidence. They also provide feedback on essay structure—how to integrate quotes smoothly, build paragraphs around a single analytical point, and ensure your conclusion synthesizes ideas rather than merely restating them. With personalized guidance on revision, you'll learn to elevate your analysis with each draft.
This distinction trips up many students. Identifying is recognizing that a device exists ("this is a metaphor"), while analysis explains why
American Literature is uniquely tied to historical moments—slavery, industrialization, the Civil Rights Movement, frontier expansion—and both close reading and context are essential. The challenge is integrating them: understanding the historical period helps you grasp why an author made specific word choices, but the text itself is your primary evidence. Effective tutoring teaches you to weave context in as support, not replacement, for textual analysis. For instance, knowing the Great Depression provides crucial context for understanding Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, but your essay should still analyze how his specific language and imagery convey the era's desperation. Tutors guide you in asking: "What does the text reveal about this historical moment, and how?"
The best American Literature tutors combine subject expertise with the ability to personalize instruction to your learning style and specific texts you're studying. They're skilled at close reading and can model how to develop analytical thinking, not just provide answers. They understand common curriculum standards and know how to address both canonical classics and contemporary American voices. Equally important, they give substantive, actionable feedback on your writing—showing you where analysis deepens or weakens, how to revise for clarity, and how to construct compelling arguments. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who excel at making complex texts accessible and building your confidence as a literary analyst.
Yes, but with an important caveat: tutors can't write the essay for you or provide shortcuts around reading. What they can do is help you develop a strategic reading plan so you finish efficiently, focusing on key sections and understanding the arc of the work. They can also teach you how to write a strong essay outline and thesis before you've read every page, then refine your argument as you complete the text. If you're struggling with pacing or comprehension, tutors can model active reading strategies—annotation techniques, discussion of key passages, and questions to guide your understanding. This support helps you develop independence, so you're equipped to tackle future readings without getting stuck.
This tension—writing formally for school while maintaining your authentic voice—is real. The key is understanding that academic voice and personal voice aren't opposites. Academic writing demands clarity, evidence-based argument, and formal tone, but it doesn't require you to sound robotic or impersonal. Strong writers use precise language, varied sentence structure, and strategic word choice to sound both authoritative and distinctly themselves. Tutors help you navigate this balance by showing how professional writers (including the authors you're studying) maintain authority while remaining engaging. Through feedback on your drafts, they help you identify which stylistic choices serve your argument and which ones undermine it. As you revise, you'll discover how to sound like yourself while meeting your assignment's requirements.
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