May 2017
Dear Incoming Honors Freshman English Students,
Welcome to Honors Freshman English: Survey of World Literature! We look forward to meeting you in the fall and
introducing you to some of our favorite authors from around the world including Sophocles, Homer, William
Shakespeare, and Charles Dickens, as well as teaching you the skills you will need to be successful in the Lockport
Honors/AP English program. To that end, we are asking that you read ​Animal Farm​ by George Orwell over the
summer. This book will serve as a common text for us to discuss at the start of the year as we begin our work of
analyzing literature and writing about it.
The book is available at your local public library, Barnes and Noble in Orland Park and Joliet, and from various
online booksellers such as Amazon.com. ​Animal Farm​ may seem like a simple text, but its layers of meaning require
some unpacking, which we will do in the fall. The attached ​optional ​study guide will give you a jump start on the
terminology that we will use throughout the year; that being said, it will ​not​ be taken for a grade or considered a
homework or an extra credit assignment.
Please bring your copy of ​Animal Farm​ to class when school resumes in the fall. Your understanding of the book
will be assessed through a test and an essay at that time. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you read the text
carefully and annotate the book thoughtfully.
Enjoy your summer and enjoy your reading! We look forward to discussing the book with you in August.
Sincerely,
Ms. Mary Koleno & Mrs. Sarah Weimer
Honors Freshman English Teachers
Honors Freshman English - World Literature
Summer Reading OPTIONAL Study Guide 2017
1. What is the ​setting​ of the novel? Note both time (year, season) and place (immediate location and country).
2. Characterization​ is the method by which the author develops his or her characters. The reader gets to
know characters and the traits they show through the character’s dialogue, the character’s actions, the
reactions of other characters toward the character, and the author’s narration.
How are all of the animals characterized in the novel? What character traits can you infer about each
animal as you read? Consider taking notes in the margin as you infer these traits.
3. There are two types of ​conflict: ​internal and external. An ​internal conflict​ occurs within the character as
he/she struggles with some internal force such as an emotion. An ​external conflict ​occurs outside the
character as he/she is in opposition to another character or an act of nature.
Take note of the various internal and external conflicts experienced by the characters throughout the novel.
4. I​ rony​ is a contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs. There are three types of irony:
dramatic, situational, and verbal. ​Dramatic irony o
​ ccurs when the reader knows something another
character in the story does not know. ​Situational irony​ occurs when the situation turns out opposite or at
least very differently from what the reader expected. Finally, ​verbal irony​ is when someone says
something but means something very different; sarcastic comments are examples of verbal irony.
Take note of the use of irony throughout the novel. Consider the impact this irony has on the reader.
5.
​Point of view​ is the perspective from which a story is narrated. The three main p.o.v. (points of view) that
we will discuss this year are first person, third person limited, and third person omniscient. In ​first person
p.o.v.​, the narrator is a character in the story and tells it from his/her point of view, using first person
pronouns in narration such as “I,” “we” and “my.” In ​third person limited p.o.v.​, the narrator is not a
character in the story but focuses on one character while narrating, discussing his/her internal thoughts
and feelings using third person pronouns such as “she,” “he,” and “they.” In ​third person omniscient p.o.v.​,
the narrator is not a character in the story and is “all-knowing,” meaning that the reader is able to see the
internal thoughts and feelings of multiple characters as they are described in narration using third person
pronouns such as a “she,” “he,” and “they.”
Identify what point of view the novel is told from, and how you know. How does the narrator’s perspective
help the reader understand the story in a way that another point of view would not?
6. A ​motif ​is a recurring topic that is seen three or more times in a literary work. Motifs help the reader
understand what the novel is about, and what themes the author is trying to convey. Major motifs of ​Animal
Farm​ include power, rebellion, education/literacy, and hardship/suffering.
What seems to be the author’s ​theme​ (message), about each of these topics? What is Orwell trying to show
us about each of these topics given the outcome of the plot for the characters?