Dear Senior English Student,
Enclosed you will find the following assignments and vital pieces of information:
●Summer reading lists and worksheets
●College decision and visitation information and résumé creation information
●School supplies list
► Summer Reading: two books, as explained below:
 The Great Gatsby: Read the book, watch one of the movie versions, read the
newspaper article and do all the attached worksheets.

Choose a 2nd book from the attached list:
See the reverse of this letter for
your choices. Complete the “extra book” form as you read to remember the important
aspects of the book for discussion/testing.
You may borrow both books from your local library, friends, or family, or purchase them to add to
your personal library. You may also obtain/purchase the books on an e-reader, but make sure
you bring your device to class with you and that it is fully charged. From the student
handbook: E-readers and tablets (no pop-up lid devices) with e-reader applications may be used in
class with the permission of the classroom teacher. Accessing the internet on personal devices is not
permitted during the school day. You will be tested on these books at the very beginning of the
school year. The entire list may be viewed on the school website. In addition, a copy is kept in the
main office.
►College/résumé preparation papers: Use the chart as a guideline for the
information you need. Then complete a résumé (this will be a graded assignment) following one of
the models (or another acceptable one), that includes:
●An organized list of the courses you will have completed by graduation
●Service project activities and places
●Extra-curricular activities, including sports, clubs, etc., in and out of school
●Awards, leadership, employment, etc.
►Supplies needed:
●A box of tissues for the classroom
●A spiral notebook for journal entries (70 page is fine), or a composition notebook
●A binder with loose leaf paper (at least 2 inches—for lots of handouts)
●Blue or black ink pens for tests, quizzes, written assignments
●Access to a computer, printer, and paper (not from the school) for assignments
I eagerly look forward to your comments on the summer reading books when we meet in
September. If you have time, I encourage you to read them all! If you have any questions about the
assignments, please contact me by email—I will be checking it periodically. Have a great and
productive summer!
Sincerely,
Mrs. J. Wiatrowski
English Department Chairperson
Email: [email protected]
2015-2016 SUMMER READING FOR STUDENTS IN
SENIOR ENGLISH and WRT 100 & ENG 100 (NUSTEP)
(You must read two books; see below)
1. REQUIRED BOOK:
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald [See the attached worksheets and assignments
(read novel and watch movie)]
2 ALSO, CHOOSE ONE FROM THIS LIST: (⧫ and : See code information below)
Title
Author
Story Line
⧫Dear Marcus, A Letter
To the Man Who Shot Me
McGill
Autobiography of a man who became
a paraplegic after he was shot.
(For mature readers/requires
attending Hilbert Reads event in fall)
⧫All the Light We Cannot See Doerr
A novel set in the late 1930s and early
1940s about a young French girl and
German boy and the paths their lives
take in World War II.
Strings Attached: One
Tough Teacher and the
Gift of Great Expectations
Lipmann and Kupchynsky
Autobiography about students who
take violin lessons from a demanding
yet effective music teacher.
Same Kind of
Different As Me
Hall and Moore
Autobiography about a wealthy man
who befriends a homeless man and
the important lessons of friendship
they each learn.
⧫A Thousand Splendid Suns Hosseini
Novel about an unexpected friendship
between two women in Afghanistan.
(For mature readers)
The Story of
Edgar Sawtelle
Wroblewski
A story of a Wisconsin family
in mid-1900s who raise dogs
and live with secrets and suspense.
⧫11/22/63
King
Time travel novel where there is a
chance to go back in time to prevent
the assassination of President
Kennedy.
Hotel on the Corner of
Bitter and Sweet
Ford
Novel of the friendship between a
Chinese boy and Japanese girl during
World War II.
⧫These books have thematic merit, but also disturbing themes involving abuse, torture, or other
violence—they should be read by only the most mature of seniors. In addition, language can be
offensive.
 This book is Hilbert College’s book for its fall 2015 Hilbert Reads presentation. Students that
choose this book will be required to read the book and attend the Hilbert Reads evening
event on October 20, 2015 to collect information for their test. (Additional worksheet for
presentation information will be distributed before the event.)
Required Information from Suggested Book List Selection
Use your own paper if necessary.
Title:
Author:
Publisher:
Copyright Date:
1. Setting: give the time, place, and length of the story. Include any cultural and/or political
information that is significant.
2. Identify the three characters that you feel are most important to the story (give name,
profession, physical information, personality, and relationship to each other)
a.)
b.)
c.)
3. Identify the major conflict.
4. In a few sentences, tell the plot of the story.
6. What is the author’s message (theme) about this conflict, setting, and/or treatment of
characters?
7. What is your opinion of the book? Consider any or all of the following:
Is there a character that you feel strongly about? In what way?
What about the setting (era/geographic place) interests you?
Did the vocabulary level, writer's style, etc. help or confuse your understanding of the
story?
How satisfied are you with how the main conflict was resolved?
Why would you recommend or discourage this book to a friend?
1.
Required Reading: The Great Gatsby and Assignment has THREE parts:
I. Read the novel and complete the worksheets for the novel (see below)
II. Watch the movie and complete the questions for the comparison/contrast to the novel.
III. Read the newspaper article (see attached URL) and answer the questions for the
article.
I. Novel Worksheets for The Great Gatsby
1. Find at least four fascinating facts about the author F. Scott Fitzgerald:
a.
b.
c.
d.
2. Describe these main characters (personality, place in society, important relationships,
career):
A. Jay Gatsby
B. Daisy Buchanan
C. Tom Buchanan
D. Jordan Baker
E. Nick Carraway
F. Myrtle Wilson
G. George Wilson
Which one of the above (A-G) is the narrator? Why was this a good choice of
narrator?
3. Give complete setting (place, time in history, how long the story’s action lasts)
4. The life of Jay Gatsby has many sides/stories:
a. What rumors do you hear about Gatsby from the guests at his parties (name at least
4)?
b. What is the story he tells Nick on his ride to the city?
c. What is the true story of his life from what you learn from Jordan Baker and the Dan
Cody connection.
5. What is Gatsby’s ultimate goal?
2.
Is the goal realistic?
6. One major conflict in the play is between those who have “old money” and those that
have “new money.” What is the difference?
Which characters are “old money” and which are “new money”?
How do these situations reveal the differences?
•Gatsby (especially with his house and parties)
•The Buchanans and their home
7. What is there to admire about Gatsby?
What is there to pity? To ridicule?
8. How has Meyer Wolfsheim helped Gatsby?
9. Explain where each ends the story and why the author arranged it that way for these
characters:
A. Jay Gatsby
B. Daisy and Tom
C. Nick
D. George
E. Myrtle
How disappointing is the ending to you?
Why is it a logical ending for Gatsby?
10. There is significant color symbolism. Here are some color items, what do they signify?
A. gold/yellow: seen at the parties, in clothing, Gatsby’s car
B. green: seen in the dock light
C. white: seen in clothing, Daisy’s car and house of her youth
11. Give a theme regarding these concepts, according to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s presentation
of characters and action about:
A. romance
B. maturity
C. the American Dream/ambition
D. the power of women
3.
E. the power of money
12. One of the great values of this novel is that it shares universal circumstances/
personality traits, etc. Which elements of this story could take place anywhere and at any
time?
II. The Great Gatsby: Book versus Movie
Along with reading the book, you must watch one movie version of The Great
Gatsby. It is strongly advised to read the novel first. It is the basis for each of these
versions and offers the “model” for each character and setting explanation. There are three
versions available, as listed below. Then compare/contrast/explain the aspects of the book
AND the movie through the questions that follow. Answer all parts of each section. Use
your own paper for this.
►The Great Gatsby (1974) Directed by Jack Clayton, screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola,
starring Robert Redford, Sam Waterston, Mia Farrow, Bruce Dern, Karen Black, etc.
►The Great Gatsby (2000—made for television) Directed by Robert Markowitz, teleplay by
John J. McLaughlin, starring Toby Stephens, Mira Sorvino, Paul Rudd, Martin Donovan, etc.
►The Great Gatsby (2013) Co-written and directed by Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonardo
DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Elizabeth Debicki, etc.
1. Find the character description offered for Jay Gatsby in the novel.
a. Based on Fitzgerald’s novel, how accurately did the actor play the part?
b. What specific notable differences were there (based on the move’s screenplay
version, the directing, or the acting)?
c. Do you agree that the changes made sense for the character that you met in the
novel?
2. Describe the character of Nick Carraway based on the novel.
a. How clearly could you visualize his looks based on Fitzgerald’s description?
b. Choose a specific “quote” from the novel that expresses the essence of Nick
Carraway’s character.
c. Compare/contrast the novel and movie version of Nick’s personal struggle with the
major conflict of the story. Do you agree with the movie version of Nick? Why or
why not?
3. Chapter Three of the book describes the setting for Gatsby’s summer parties.
Compare/contrast the novel and movie version of these parties. How accurately does the
movie portray this setting?
4. Describe the specific setting of the story. Does the movie clarify this specific geographic
setting and time accurately? How do you feel the movie represented this time and place?
4.
5. Choose THREE of the following minor characters from the novel and compare
Fitzgerald’s focus, actions, power, physical description, relationships, etc., of each with
their movie version. In each case, make specific references to the author’s words and the
movie portrayal.
a. Meyer Wolfsheim
g. Catherine
b. Chester McKee
h. Jordan Baker
c. George Wilson
i. Klipspringer
d. Michaelis
j. Biloxi
e. Pammy
k. Dan Cody
f. Dr. T. J. Eckleburg
6. Explain Fitzgerald’s version of the “trip to NYC” from chapter 7 and the movie’s version.
Was the portrayal accurate and/or logical?
7. Are you ultimately satisfied with the version’s reflection of the novel? What part is most
“in tune” with the written word? Which part took the largest departure from the text?
III. The Newspaper Article:
Click on (or enter) the link below and see the article from September 18, 1922 entitled
"National Woman's Party Begins War on New York's Medieval Laws Affecting Modern
Women's Rights.”
(To enlarge the print, just click on the "+" button on the upper right hand side of the
screen)
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030193/1922-09-18/ed-1/seq12/#date1=09%2F18%2F1922&index=0&date2=09%2F18%2F1922&searchType=advanced&language=&sequ
ence=12&words=&proxdistance=5&state=New+York&rows=20&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=&andtext=&dat
eFilterType=range&page=1
After reading the article, answer the following question:
1. Based on all the information you know about the life of women in the 1920s and the
information this article reveals, comment on the portrayal of women in the novel. Did
Fitzgerald create a fair explanation of the circumstances of women? What was your
opinion of the choices and behavior of the women that you met in the novel before
considering their 1920s’ restrictions? Have your feelings changed? (Expect this topic to be
further explored in class.)