ENGLISH 10
SUMMER READING 2016-17
CHOOSE ONE: The Odyssey or The Iliad by Homer
The Iliad is the story of the Trojan War and The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus as he returns home from the
Trojan War ten years after it is over. Students will choose one for their summer reading. Both of these stories
are epics: long poems about the adventures of gods and heroes. The epic hero is a larger-than-life figure that
undertakes a dangerous voyage or quest and demonstrates character qualities that are prized by the society
from which he originates. A second essential element is that of conflict. It may be between characters,
between a character and nature, or even within the character himself (his mind).
As the students read their chosen novel, they will write five original entries on the English 10 2016-17 Edmodo
site and five responses to classmates’ posts. The five original entries should focus on the character qualities of
the epic hero or on the conflict faced by the character. The posts should end with a question that invites
classmates to respond. The responses should be a clear answer, followed by evidence for the answer from the
text, and a commentary that extends an understanding of the text. Try to respond to several classmates, not just
one. Cited quotes are a required part of the assignment on both types of entries.
Edmodo
Go to Edmodo.com and create an account. Click join a group. The class group is English 10 2016-17 and the
group code is vfpytr. You are ready to make your first entry!
If you have questions, you can email me at [email protected] or select a private email to go to me on the
Edmodo site. I will be checking the Edmodo site periodically throughout the summer and providing feedback.
Please feel free to send any questions at any time!
Original Entry and Response Samples
Original Entry Example
“So then, royal son of Laertes, Odysseus, man of exploits, still eager to leave at once and hurry back
to your own home, your beloved native land? Good luck to you, even so. Farewell!
But if you only knew, down deep, what pains are fated to fill your cup before you reach that shore,
you’d stay right here, preside in our house with me and be immortal. Much as you long to see your wife, the one
you pine for all your days” (5.223-232). Calypso entices Odysseus to stay with her, but Odysseus loves his wife
too much to accept Calypso’s offer of immortality. Odysseus would rather leave the island and return to his
wife, thus showing the cultural value placed on marriage. In what other ways do you see Odysseus valuing his
family? Does our culture value marriage over immortality?
Response Entry Example
Odysseus values his marriage again in Book 7 when he turns down the Princess Nausicaa. “’Stranger,’ replied
Alcinous, ‘I am not the kind of man to get angry about nothing; it is always better to be reasonable; but by
Father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, now that I see what kind of person you are, and how much you think as I do, I
wish you would stay here, marry my daughter, and become my son-in-law. If you will stay I will give you a house
and an estate, but no one (heaven forbid) shall keep you here against your own wish,’” (7.298-304). Odysseus is
offered another chance to marry, but he refuses in order to go home to his wife. As in the post above, he values
marriage more than anything else – more than money in this case. I don’t think our society values marriage as
much anymore. We worship youth and money; many people would get a divorce for immorality or more
money.
Grading Rubric
Original Entries
Date of Entry
Quote with proper citation
Grade for Entry
Grading Rubric: quote from book=5; Comments on character or conflict =5; Citation = 5; question=5
(total 20 points)
Response Entries
Date of Entry
Responding to
Grade for Entry
Grading Rubric: answer question=5; quote=5; citation = 5, extend knowledge=5; (total 20 points)