SACRED HEART ACADEMY
SUMMER READING 2016
Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary
competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the
deserts that our lives have already become. – C.S. Lewis
FRESHMAN CLASS (Regents)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Laurie Halsie Anderson
M. T. Anderson
Smith, Betty
Tolkien, J.R.R.
Speak
Feed
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The Hobbit
FRESHMAN CLASS (Honors)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Laurie Halsie Anderson
M. T. Anderson
Rand, Ayn
Smith, Betty
Tolkien, J.R.R.
Speak
Feed
Anthem
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The Hobbit
SOPHOMORE CLASS (Regents)
1. Cisneros, Sandra
2. Hansberry, Lorraine
3. Steinbeck, John
The House on Mango Street
A Raisin in the Sun
Of Mice and Men
In addition, choose one (1) book from the following list as your fourth selection:
Donnelly, Jennifer
A Northern Light
OR
Hosseini, Khaled
The Kite Runner
OR
Stockett, Kathryn
The Help
SOPHOMORE CLASS (Honors)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Anaya, Rudolfo
Hansberry, Lorraine
Salinger, J.D.
Steinbeck, John
Williams, Tennessee
Bless Me, Ultima
A Raisin in the Sun
The Catcher in the Rye
Of Mice and Men
The Glass Menagerie
JUNIOR CLASS (Regents)
1. Edson, Margaret
2. Shelley, Mary
3. Skloot, Rebecca
4. Wiesel, Elie
Wit (It is strongly suggested that you
view the movie as well as read the text.
The movie is accessible via YouTube)
Frankenstein
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Night
JUNIOR CLASS (Honors) A. P. LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
1. Collins, Wilkie
2. DuMaurier, Daphne
3. Forster, E. M.
The Woman in White
Rebecca
Howards End
continued on next page . . .
SENIOR CLASS
Selected
1.
2.
3.
4.
Topics in World Literature
Kidd, Sue Monk
Picoult, Jodi
Stein, Garth
Walls, Jeanette
Hitchcock
1.
2.
3.
4.
Poetry /
1.
2.
3.
4.
Studies
Christie, Agatha
DuMaurier, Daphne
Matheson, Richard
Wilde, Oscar
The Secret Life of Bees
My Sister’s Keeper
The Art of Racing in the Rain
The Glass Castle
And Then There Were None
Rebecca
I Am Legend
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Speech
Angelou, Maya
Diffenbaugh, Vanessa
Pausch, Randy
Shaw, George Bernard
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
The Language of Flowers
The Last Lecture
Pygmalion
A. P. Literature and Composition
1. Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi
2. McEwan, Ian
3. Morrison, Toni
4. Paton, Alan
Purple Hibiscus
Atonement
The Bluest Eye
Cry, the Beloved Country
Gender Studies / Advanced American Literature
Required Readings:
1. Alcott, Louisa May
2. Gissing, George
3. Stockett, Kathryn
Required Films:
4. Mc Grath, Douglas, director
5. Meyers, Nancy, director
Little Women
The Odd Women
The Help
I Don’t Know How She Does It (2011
movie)
The Intern (2015 movie)
*****Dr. Minogue’s Gender Studies students: scroll down for the summer reading
journal assignment
Gender Studies Summer Journal Assignment 2016
Gender Studies / Advanced American Literature
St John’s University Courses: Eng. 1100C & Eng. 2060
Required Reading:
1. Alcott, Louisa May Little Women
2. Gissing, George
The Odd Women
3. Stockett, Kathryn The Help
Required Films:
4. Mc Grath, Douglas, director
5. Meyers, Nancy, director
I Don’t Know How She Does It (2011 movie)
The Intern (2015 movie)
continued on next page . . .
June, 2016
Dear pioneer of the class of 2017,
Yes, you! Congratulations on your acceptance to Sacred Heart Academy’s ground-breaking senior
Honors English offering: Gender Studies /Advanced American Literature. As the thirteenth class in
Sacred Heart history to be given the opportunity to explore this fascinating field, you will continue in the
footsteps of your 450+ predecessors from the classes of 2006 through 2016 in breaking new ground in
the world of cutting-edge literary studies. I applaud you for your courage and daring!
So that we all may “hit the ground running” in September, I would like you to read the following works
over the summer, immersing yourself in the concept of conventional vs. unconventional roles assigned
to or assumed by men and women in literature by authors of fiction:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Odd Women by George Gissing
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Please, please, please, do not be intimidated by the length of these works. I promise you that once you
start reading them, you will not be able to put them down and the pages will fly!
In addition, view the following films, remaining particularly alert to the challenges faced by women
attempting to negotiate a balance between family and career responsibilities:
The Intern (2015) Nancy Meyers director
I Don’t Know How She Does It (2011) Douglas McGrath, director
So as to keep a record of your reflections, I would like you to purchase a notebook and designate it as
your "Gender Studies Journal." You will be adding entries to it throughout the school year, so be sure
that it contains a sufficient number of pages. You may either hand-write your responses or type them
and staple them in your journal – whatever spurs your creativity! I will collect these in September and
assess them as part of your first quarter grade, return them to you, and then collect them periodically
throughout the year.
Integrity Clause: It is imperative that you do your own work and that the reflections you record are
the result of personal thought and private contemplation. Do not confer with another Gender Studies
student. Do not ask to read her journal nor offer yours for her to read. This is an invasion of academic
privacy and an inherent act of dishonesty. There will be ample opportunity to share your thoughts in a
proper venue: in class during discussion. Do not consult Spark Notes or any study guide, as either of
these will cloud your unique vision of these works and deprive all of us of the freshness of your
response. This Gender Studies course is testament to the power of women to prove to a sometimes
skeptical world their intelligence, strength, and integrity. Any instance of dishonesty bespeaks weakness
of mind and heart, giving credibility to the misguided notion rampant throughout history and, sadly, still
in existence today in far too many parts of the world, that women are incapable of serious intellectual
activity and lacking ethical depth. Every facet of this course dispels these notions, but dishonesty on the
part of any member of our learning community tragically gives authority to it. Dishonest in any and all
forms notes a failed response to the most basic tenets of this course and will thus be reflected in a grade
of 0.
continued on next page . . .
Begin your response to each of the three texts with the following information: (No need to journal the
films – we will discuss them as a group in class)
- title
- author
- genre
- setting (time – year or decade or century – and place – country or state or geographic area)
- very brief description of two or three main characters
While reflecting upon each of the assigned three summer reading works, consider this statement:
Compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune,
accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
Now, with the concept of compassion clearly foregrounded, for each of the three assigned readings,
record your journal responses to the following four questions in informal essay format:
1. Identify a female character and comment upon the level of compassion exhibited by that
character.
• In your opinion, does the female character exhibit compassion? To what degree does she exhibit
compassion or, does she lack compassion? Describe an instance from the text that supports your
stance.
• Which character from the text is most strongly impacted, either positively or negatively, by the
female character’s compassion or lack of it? Explain.
• Is the female character’s level of compassion (or lack thereof) typical or atypical of her gender?
Does she become more of a stereotypical woman or less so because of the level of compassion
(or lack thereof) she exhibits?
• Defend your claims with details from the text.
2. Identify a male character and comment upon the level of compassion exhibited by that character.
• In your opinion, does the male character exhibit compassion? To what degree does he exhibit
compassion or, does he lack compassion? Describe an instance from the text that supports your
stance.
• Which character from the text is most strongly impacted, either positively or negatively, by the
male character’s compassion or lack of it? Explain.
• Is the male character’s level of compassion (or lack thereof) typical or atypical of his gender?
Does he become more of a stereotypical man or less so because of the level of compassion (or
lack thereof) he exhibits?
• Defend your claims with details from the text.
3. Compare or contrast the level of compassion of the female character discussed in Question #1 and
that of the male character discussed in Question #2.
• Who exhibits the greater level of compassion? Why?
• Which of the two is more admirable? Pitiable? Shameful in her/his compassion or lack of it?
• Are any of these conclusions gender-based?
• Defend your claims with details from the texts.
continued on next page . . .
4. If you were any character in the work, discuss how, as that character, you would respond
differently to any given situation with a greater level of compassion than that which he or she
exhibits at that moment, in that particular situation. In essence, become that character. (i.e. If I were
Jo March, and I were faced with ______, I would exhibit greater compassion by. . . )
Generally speaking, your responses to Questions #1 and #2 will be lengthier than your responses to #3
and #4.
As a true pioneer, be open to new areas of exploration; have confidence in your intuitive reactions; I am
certain that your pursuit will be a character-building and horizon-expanding experience.
Have a wonderful summer. I look forward to continuing our journey together in September.
All the best,
Dr. Minogue