ENGLISH 11 HONORS: SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT
All juniors going into English Honors for the 2016-2017 school year are required to read each of the
following literary works—three of which have been provided for you:
“THE ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE” – THE DIALOGUE BY PLATO EXTRACTED FROM THE REPUBLIC
“PROMETHEUS” – THE EDITH HAMILTON ADAPTATION OF THE GREEK MYTH
“THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY” – THE SHORT STORY BY JAMES THURBER
ANTHEM – THE NOVELLA BY AYN RAND (PLEASE PURCHASE YOUR OWN COPY TO COMPLETE ANNOTATIONS.)
DIRECTIONS FOR THE AT-HOME ASSIGNMENT
STEP ONE: Students must begin by reading and properly annotating Plato’s “The Allegory of the
Cave.” This must be the first text read as your annotations for the remaining three literary works
will be based on your understanding of Plato’s dialogue. Upon completing this text, you must
decide what you believe to be the universal theme of the text. This theme will be the lens through
which you will analyze the remaining three texts.
The following YouTube videos may help you in your understanding of the text, so please use them
as a supplement to your reading and as assistance in completing your annotations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axARKd24eHo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6LUptADIww&app=desktop
STEP TWO: Once you have completed your reading and annotations of “The Allegory of the Cave,”
you must read the additional three literary works. Just as with Plato’s text, you must annotate each
of these pieces. When completing your annotations for each of these, however, you must include in
your annotation connections to “The Allegory of the Cave”—essentially, how the theme of Plato’s
dialogue is evident in each of the remaining three literary works. These annotations will help you to
complete the writing assignments—one to be completed at home, over the summer, and the other to
be completed in class in September. (Instructions for how to annotate are attached.)
STEP THREE: Once you have read all four texts and have completed all of your annotations, you
will then compose a well-developed analytical paragraph in which you compare “Prometheus,”
“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” and Anthem through the lens you created from your analysis of
“The Allegory of the Cave.” Your paragraph must be typed using proper MLA format—doublespaced throughout using Times New Roman 12pt font with a proper MLA header on the top right
hand corner, proper MLA heading on the left side of the page, and a proper title centered
immediately following the heading. Your response should not exceed one typed page and should be
handed in the first day of class
WHAT TO EXPECT IN SEPTEMBER
At the start of the second cycle of the school year, teachers will give students back their graded
paragraphs and students will use those assignments to compose a more detailed analytical paragraph
now using proper in-text citations. Your teacher will do a lesson on how to properly use quotes in
analytical writing, as well as how to properly cite, before the assignment is to be completed in class.
Students will then resubmit their old paragraph with the new one at the end of the class period for a
grade.
HOW TO ANNOTATE USING THE “C.A.P.E” METHOD
“C.A.P.E.” is an acronym designed to help you remember the four essential aspects of literature
that we will be discussing throughout the upcoming school year. Whenever you annotate a text,
keep these four letters in mind to generate substantive notes for future exams and writing
assignments. You do not have to take your notes in the exact sequence detailed below, but you must
make sure to focus on all of these aspects when reading.
I.
“C” - CHARACTERS: Repeat the process below for each major character.
•
II.
Identify the name of Character:
o Write an adjective/brief description that accurately illustrates his/her character.
§ Highlight or underline quotes to support the adjectives you have chosen.
§ Be sure to briefly interpret the quote in the margins including both “direct
characterization” and “indirect characterization.”
“A” - AIM (THEME/MOTIFS/PURPOSE): Repeat the process below for each of the major themes
you are able to identify. (Remember to focus on the shared theme that you have ascertained after
reading “The Allegory of the Cave” and make connections to Plato’s text in the other works.)
• On the side margin, please note each theme you have identified in the story:
o Highlight or underline specific instances/scenes/moments where this theme is
present.
o Explain how this theme may be relatable to the reader/humanity.
III.
“P” - PROBLEM (CONFLICT/ISSUE): Repeat the process below for each of the main conflicts you
identify.
• On the side margin, please note the main Conflict:
o Identify the character(s) involved in this particular problem. What are their
motivations/goals? Who/What is obstructing their goal(s)? Have/Will they overcome
this obstruction?
§ Highlight or underline quotes to illustrate the problem listed and quotes to
illustrate a solution if applicable.
IV.
“E” - EXPRESSION OF LITERATURE (LITERARY TECHNIQUES/DEVICES): Using the list provided,
repeat the process below for each of the literary techniques repeated throughout the story.
(Obviously if you find devices not on the list, feel free to include them in your annotations.)
• Identify the Literary Technique(s)/Device(s) you have found in the story:
o Define what the literary technique is.
§ Highlight or underline quotes that depict the literary technique within the
literature.
o Explain how the author uses literary techniques to develop the main idea of the
story. (Below is a list of some you may come across.)
alliteration
allusion
dialogue
diction
foreshadowing
hyperbole
imagery
irony
metaphor
mood
personification
repetition
simile
symbol
tone