Category Archives: Class Projects

Listening to America, Season 6: “Soldiers don’t get to pick the wars that they fight in. Politicians do that.”




William, Class of 2023, interviews a veteran of the U.S. War in Afghanistan while analyzing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues, and Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology).” This episode is brought to you by Listening to America, a series developed by Mr. Miley’s American Literature students.


Listening to America, Season 6: “A few hours later we heard a big explosion.”




Cole, Class of 2023, interviews a World War II veteran while analyzing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues, and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Happening Brother.” This episode is brought to you by Listening to America, a series developed by Mr. Miley’s American Literature students.


Listening to America, Season 6: “I was really grateful and proud of the opportunity to serve my country.”




Anna, Class of 2023, interviews a veteran of the Vietnam War while analyzing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues, and Marvin Gaye’s “Right On.” This episode is brought to you by Listening to America, a series developed by Mr. Miley’s American Literature students.


Listening to America, Season 6: “You have to give your best. There is no room for any slack.”




Yash, Class of 2023, interviews a veteran of the Indo-Pakistani War while analyzing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues, and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going Onand “Inner City Blues.” This episode is brought to you by Listening to America, a series developed by Mr. Miley’s American Literature students.


Listening to America, Season 6: “As we are painfully aware, time travel is not possible.”



Emma, Class of 2023, interviews a U.S. veteran of the Gulf War while analyzing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues, and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Happening Brother.” This episode is brought to you by Listening to America, a series developed by Mr. Miley’s American Literature students.


Listening to America, Season 6: “Every man of draftable age was going to end up in the military.”




Alden, Class of 2023, interviews a veteran of the Vietnam War while analyzing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues, and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” This episode is brought to you by Listening to America, a series developed by Mr. Miley’s American Literature students.


Listening to America, Season 6: “Iraq was the greatest year of my life.”



Connor, Class of 2023, interviews a veteran of the U.S. War in Iraq while analyzing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues, and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” This episode is brought to you by Listening to America, a series developed by Mr. Miley’s American Literature students.


Listening to America, Season 6: “Those songs always rang true to me.”



Isabella, Class of 2023, interviews a veteran of the Vietnam War while analyzing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues, and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” This episode is brought to you by Listening to America, a series developed by Mr. Miley’s American Literature students.


Listening to America, Season 6: “You still want to go home so you fight.”



Lance, Class of 2023, interviews a veteran of the U.S. War in Afghanistan while analyzing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues, and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” This episode is brought to you by Listening to America, a series developed by Mr. Miley’s American Literature students.


Listening to America, Season 6: Introduction



Can we ever really know someone else’s story? Mr. Miley’s juniors explore this question through close readings of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues, songs from Marvin Gaye’s album, What’s Going On, and through interviews with combat veterans.