Presenting a portrait of a high school literature classroom, this paper gives a detailed, evocative characterization of what one particular and well-regarded high school literature teacher actually does in her classroom. The paper describes how the teacher-researcher chose a colleague whose experience and expertise were generally thought to be exceptional. The researcher conducted taped interviews with the teacher and the students, gathered lesson plans, study guidelines, and assignments related to instructional units, and made videotapes of the classes involved. The paper concludes that the classroom observed was both teacher-directed and student-centered: the teacher direction was so skillful as to be almost invisible, and the teacher's organizational skills provided a classroom environment in which students actively engaged in the process of reading, interpreting, and criticizing texts. It was also observed that the teacher's focus on student-generated responses and questions kept the classroom discussion centered on issues of genuine concern to the readers. (RS)