FarragutHighSchool
English9HonorsSummer/OutsideReading2016-2017
AsanEnglish9Honorsstudent,youarerequiredtoreadtwobooks(nonfictionandfiction)independentlytoprepare
forthecourse.Thenonfictionselection,HowtoReadLiteratureLikeaProfessorbyThomasFoster,servesasaresource
forstudyingliteraturenotonlyinninthgradebutalsothroughouthighschool.Infact,Foster’sbookwillbehelpfulas
youreadthesecondrequiredbook,themodernnovelTheJoyLuckClubbyAmyTan.Pleasereadclosely,andbe
preparedforassessments(includingpossibleclassdiscussions,objectiveexams,andwritingprompts)onbothbooksin
thefirstweeksofthesemester.IfyouaretakingEnglish9Honorsinthesecondsemester,rememberthatyoumust
readand/orreviewthetitlespriortoyoursemester.Contactvalarie.cagle@knoxschools.orgifyouhavequestions.
NonfictionSelection:HowtoReadLiteratureLikeaProfessorbyThomasFoster
th
(Ch.16-17arenotrequiredreadingatthe9 gradelevel)
“Mostprofessionalstudentsofliteraturelearnto
takeintheforegrounddetailswhileseeingwhat
thedetailreveals.Experiencehasprovedtothem
thatlifeandbooksfallintosimilarpatterns.Noris
thisskillexclusivetoEnglishprofessors.”
--Foster
FictionSelection:TheJoyLuckClubbyAmyTan*
"Over the years, she told me the same story, except for the ending,
which grew darker, casting long shadows into her life,
and eventually into mine."
--Amy Tan
PartlyinspiredbyAmyTan’sownrelationshipwithher
mother,TheJoyLuckClub,Tan’sdebutnovel(1989),tells
storiesoffourimmigrantwomenfromChina–theirhopes,
fears,andtragicpasts–aswellasstoriesoftheirfour
American-borndaughters.Thismother-daughterstory
encompassesnumerousuniversalthemes,suchasfamily,
hope,love,sacrifice,strength,andwishesforabetterlife.
*KCS-ApprovedText(containslanguageandcontent).Alternatetitleswillbeprovidedatparents’request.
FarragutHighSchool
English9HonorsSummer/OutsideReading2016-2017
TheJoyLuckClubREADINGASSIGNMENT:CompleteatleastSIXoffollowingdiscussionquestionsafter
readingthenovelTheJoyLuckClubbyAmyTan.Eachresponseshouldreflectthatyouasthereaderhave
gainedabasicunderstandingoftheliteratureandareabletoaccuratelyrespondthroughwriting.Responses
maybeneatlywritteninblueorblackinkortypedinTimesNewRomanorAriel12pointfont.Bepreparedto
discussthenovelduringthefirstdaysofclass.
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Whichstoryisyourfavoriteandwhy?DoyoupreferthestoriessetinChinaorCalifornia?
Howarethenotionsofbalance(yinandyang)andenergyflow(fengshui)animportantthemeinthenovel?
DoestheChinesenotionofbalanceandflowtranslatetothecharacters'livesinAmerica?
TheJoyLuckClubwaswrittenasacollectionofshortstories.Istheorderimportant?Couldthishavebeentold
asasinglestory?Whatwouldthatchange?
Inyourexperience,doesthebookreinforceorshatterstereotypesofChineseculture?Usespecific
examplesfromthetext.
BytellingastoryfromtheperspectiveofChineseimmigrantsandfirst-generationAmericans,whatdoesthe
bookrevealaboutAmericanculture?WhatdoesitreinforceornegateabouttheAmericanDream?
Tanhassaidthatshewishestobreakfrom"theghettoofethnicliterature."DoesTheJoyLuckClubcross
fromtheethnictotheuniversal?Explain.
AlthoughJuneisnotsurewhyhermothergivesherthejadenecklace,sheassumesit'sbecauseofher
humiliationbyWaverly.Issheright?
Howdothestrugglesofthedaughtersmirrorthetragediesoftheirmothers?Whatdoesthissuggestaboutthe
relationshipsbetweenparentsandchildren?
Ying-yingseesherselfasbothatigerandaghost.Whydoessheusethesesymbolsascharacterizations?How
wouldLenabecharacterized?Howwouldtheybedifferent?
The"brokenEnglish"ofthemothersisoftenmorecolorfulthanthe"perfectEnglish"oftheirdaughters.How
doesthewaythemotherschoosetoexpressthemselvesreflecttheiridentities?What getslostintranslation?
Howdothemothersdecidetousetheirmahjongwinnings?Doesthisshowassimilation?Why,orwhy not?
Theritualofmahjongiscentraltothestory.WhatritualsdoAmericanwomenperformthatreflectcultureand
identity?
SelectachapterfromHowtoReadLiteratureLikeaProfessorthatseemsbestsupportedbyTheJoyLuck
Club.ExplainhowtheFosterchapterfitsastoryorpassagefromTan’snovel.