KRCS Summer Reading 2016-17
Honors Ninth Grade/Literary Genres
Required English Selections
Animal Farm, by George Orwell, ISBN# 9780451526342
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, ISBN# 9780399501487
Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton, ISBN# 978-0345538987
The high school summer reading requirement has a two-fold purpose. The required novels are intended to
enhance the coming year’s curriculum while exposing students to classical literature. STUDENTS SHOULD
BE PREPARED TO TAKE A TEST OVER THE NOVELS ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, and they will be
writing an essay as well.
Following each required title is an ISBN number that will be located above the barcode on the book.
Purchasing this edition will facilitate class discussion of specific passages and ensure that everyone has the
same pagination. If the specific edition listed below is not available, please use any unabridged version of
the title. Should you have further questions about editions, please contact the English Department Chair, Stacy
Volz, [email protected] .
Students, the more questions you ask as you read, the more you will understand. Therefore, you are
encouraged to take notes and highlight important text as you read. Keep in mind, a well-read book looks like
a well-read book! Following this introduction is a directed reading for each required novel. However, generic
questions to keep in mind when evaluating any literary piece are as follows:
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What is the setting and how does it contribute to the purpose of the novel?
From whose point of view is the story being told? For what reasons would the author
have chosen that perspective? How would the story change if told from a different point
of view?
What is the author’s tone or treatment of his subject? How do you know? To answer
this question, you need to focus on the individual words the author has chosen to use.
When you read, consider how the words would sound if they had been spoken rather
than written; for example, the tone may be witty, serious, sarcastic, or cruel.
Who are the major characters in the novel? Are they flat or round? Static or dynamic?
Reflect on how the author creates the characters directly (by telling the reader about the
characters) and indirectly (by requiring the reader to infer information about characters
through their speech, thoughts, and actions).
Is there anything unique or interesting about the chronology of the novel? Why would
the author choose to tell the story in that particular order?
What are the major themes of the novel? The development of a theme is usually
gradual; therefore, you may not entirely see the theme until near or even at the end.
However, careful readers will watch for clues as the story progresses.
Does the author employ irony or humor in the novel? How, when, and why?
Students who are enrolled by July 5th are expected to read all required selections. Students who enroll after
July 5th but before July 25th should read at least one of the required selections. Students who enroll after July
25th should contact Stacy Volz at [email protected] to make individual arrangements.
Have an enjoyable and restful summer – and enjoy your reading! We look forward to seeing you in August.
KRCS English Department
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KRCS Summer Reading 2016-17
Honors Ninth Grade/Literary Genres
Directed Reading
Animal Farm, by George Orwell
ISBN# 9780451526342
1.
Although this novel is seemingly a simple story about a revolution on a farm, the purpose of the work
is actually to satirize the Russian Revolution and the rise of Soviet communism. A satire is a literary
work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, ridicule, or wit. You may want to
familiarize yourself with some of the details of the Russian Revolution prior to reading so that you can
recognize and analyze Orwell’s caustic satire.
2.
One aspect of human nature that Orwell censures is the tendency to group people according to race,
religion, gender, etc. Discuss how the animals begin to form groups. Are the effects of grouping
positive or negative?
3.
How does the noble cause of seeking freedom become a destructive reign of tyranny through the
course of the novel?
4.
How does Orwell criticize citizens who either choose to remain ignorant or are incapable of
understanding their situation? What is the fate of those characters?
5.
What methods do the pigs use to establish control of the farm? Examine specifically Squealer and his
distortion of language.
6.
The character Napoleon closely resembles the political leader Joseph Stalin while Boxer represents the
working class. What statement is George Orwell making through the development of these characters?
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
ISBN: 9780399501487
1.
The Lord of the Flies is an allegory. Look up the meaning of that word before reading. As you read,
look for the allegorical significance of the following characters: Simon, Piggy, Ralph, Jack, and Roger.
In other words, what does each character come to symbolize?
2.
Pay close attention to the development of the following symbols: the conch, the fire, the Lord of the
Flies, Piggy’s glasses, and the Beast.
3.
How do the boys attempt to restore order at the beginning of the novel? What happens to each of the
boys as he grows accustomed to living outside of the boundaries of society?
4.
As you read, pay attention to the following themes: the need for law and order; effects of isolation;
civilization vs. chaos; loss of innocence.
5.
There is a great deal of religious imagery in the novel; see if you can find any as you read.
6.
William Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1983. When you have read the novel,
you can play a game on the Nobel Prize Organization’s website to cement your understanding of
themes, symbols, characters, and the author.
http://nobelprize.org/literature/educational/golding/index.html
Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton
ISBN# 978-0345538987
1. Discuss the differences between the book and the movie. What challenges and preconceptions did you
have reading the book, if you had seen the movie first? Why did the producers make the changes they
made when creating the movie from the book?
2. The chapter title "Control" is used many times in the book. Discuss the use of the word control and talk
about specific people and animals and identify who has control over whom.
3. Identify the major conflicts between characters, discuss their origins and locate their point of
resolution.
4. Discuss how Malcolm's quote on the title page of each of the iterations is a prediction of the events
that will occur in that iteration.
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5. Jurassic Park is a place of contrast. Identify some of the contrasts and explain them, showing how they
point toward the major conflicts.
6. Identify the protagonist and antagonist in the book. Explain your choices. While the protagonist might
be easy to identify, why does the antagonist seen more difficult to identify?
7. How would the story be different if Malcolm or the children were not on the island?
8. How would the story be different if the essay in the introduction, or the diagrams andcomputer code
were not present in the book?
Source: http://images.pcmac.org/SiSFiles/Schools/TX/PleasantonISD/PleasantonHigh/Uploads/Forms/jurassicpark-studyguide.pdf
Optional Titles for Students Who May Want Recommendations (Asterisks denote texts commonly
found on the AP exam)
Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas*
Catch 22, by Joseph Heller*
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
Silas Marner, by George Eliot
The Once and Future King, T.H. White
Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis
Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo
Night, by Elie Weisel
Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen
Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens*
Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller
All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare*
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