Summer Reading Assignment: Honors English Literature (12th Grade)
Students enrolled in 12th Grade Honors English Literature & Composition for the 2016-2017 school year
are required to read the following novel in its entirety:
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Frankenstein is a Gothic romance written by Mary Shelly (1797 – 1851) that was published in 1818.
The tale begins with letters from Captain Robert Walton as he journeys northward to undiscovered lands. There,
in the frozen wastelands of the North, Walton encounters Victor Frankenstein and hears the bizarre sequence of
events that led Doctor Frankenstein to those remote reaches of the earth. The Doctor’s tale is strange indeed. It
explores the limitations of human knowledge while arguing, through Frankenstein’s relationship with his
Creation, that knowledge we’re unprepared for can destroy us.
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Students should be prepared to take a test on the book on the first day of the semester. During the first week of the
semester, students will write an in-class essay analyzing some aspect of the novel. Additionally, it is strongly
recommended that students complete the following assignment, which will enhance understanding and provide better
preparation for the in-class essay and test.
The Gothic Novel (See the chart on the back for use in taking notes as you read.)
The assigned novel contains strong gothic elements. These elements may include, but are not limited to:
Setting in a castle. The action takes place in or around an old castle, or a building that functions as a castle. There may
be secret passages or rooms, trap doors, or hidden staircases.
An atmosphere of mystery and suspense. There is a pervasive feeling of fear which is enhanced by the presence of
the unknown.
An ancient prophecy is connected with the castle or its inhabitants.
Omens, portents, and visions. Characters may experience disturbing dreams or visions; there may be events that
foreshadow doom or destruction.
Supernatural or otherwise inexplicable events. Ghosts walk; inanimate objects come to life. Events occur which lack
natural explanations.
High, overwrought emotion. Characters are often overcome by strong emotions such as anger, sorrow, fear, or even
terror.
Women in distress. Women are often depicted as fainting in terror or screaming in horror.
Women threatened by a powerful, impulsive, tyrannical male. Women find themselves at the mercy of some
powerful male figure—a father, a husband, or even a king.
The metonymy of gloom and horror. Metonymy is a kind of metaphor in which an object is substituted for another
word closely associated with it. Examples: “Pay tribute to the crown”; “The White House has decided.” Pay
particular attention to the weather when considering this element. For example, a funeral scene is often depicted
with rainy weather, with the rain representing the sorrow of the mourners.
The vocabulary of the gothic includes words related to mystery, fear, terror, sorrow, surprise, anger, or evil. Examples
might include the following:
haunted, ominous, secret, enchantment, diabolical, agony, grief, shrieks, mournfully, melancholy, alarm,
amazement, shock, enraged, furious, provoked, rage, wrath, enormous, vast, tremendous
 If you would like to borrow a copy of Frankenstein for the summer, please see Mrs. Mize in C-01 by May 18.
Consider these Gothic elements as you read the text. It is strongly suggested that you make notes as you encounter
them and support them with quotations from the book, including page numbers. For long passages, you could simply quote
the first sentence and the last sentence with the page number. You may want to use the chart below to organize your work.
These notes may be helpful in reviewing the novel when the semester begins and/or in writing an extended analysis of the
work. (See the other side of this handout for the descriptions of each element.)
Gothic Elements
Setting in a castle
An atmosphere of
mystery and suspense
An ancient prophecy
Omens, portents,
visions
Supernatural or
otherwise inexplicable
events
High, even
overwrought emotion
Women in distress
Women threatened by a
powerful, impulsive,
tyrannical male figure
The metonymy of
gloom and horror
The vocabulary of the
gothic
Evidence from novel (quotations and page numbers)