Summer Reading for Honors English I
Jeanne Houston’s
Farewell to Manzanar
During World War II a community called Manzanar was hastily created in the
high mountain desert country of California, east of the Sierras. Its purpose was to house
thousands of Japanese American internees. One of the first families to arrive was the
Wakatsukis, who were ordered to leave their fishing business in Long Beach and take
with them only the belongings they could carry. For Jeanne Wakatsuki, a seven-year- old
child, Manzanar became a way of life in which she struggles and adapted, observed and
grew. For her father it was essentially the end of his life. At age thirty-seven, Jeanne
Wakatsuki Houston recalls life at Manzanar through the eyes of the child she was. She
tells of her fear, confusion, and bewilderment as well as dignity and great resoucefulness
of people in oppressive and demeaning circumstances. Written with her husband, Jeanne
delivers a powerful first-person account that reveals her search for the meaning of
Manzanar.
Summer Reading for Honors English II
Strong students are well-read. The College Board has stated that reading, frequent
reading, does more than anything else to improve a student’s score on the SAT.
Additionally, colleges need students who have read and analyzed a wide variety of
literary works. Therefore, in addition to the reading Honors English II students do in
class during the school year, they will read two books for summer reading. This reading
will help guarantee that the students develop into accomplished and effective readers who
can handle literary works of increasing complexity.
All students will read Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. This famous novel depicts the
spiritual journey of Siddhartha, the gifted son of a Brahmin, who seeks enlightenment
and self-knowledge. Distrustful of the teachings of others, Siddhartha undergoes a series
of experiences that over the course of many years guide him to acceptance and
understanding of himself and others.
The students will then choose one of the following two books.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel. This tale of adventure and discovery recounts the story of Pi,
a devout young Indian, who, along with a tiger named Richard Parker, is the sole survivor
of a shipwreck that robs Pi of his parents and brother. At once humorous and
provocative, the book follows Pi and Richard Parker as the two of them try to survive in a
single lifeboat on the Pacific. Pi’s humor and his insight into himself and the world
around him endear him to readers who will never forget him, his journey, and the tiger
named Richard Parker.
Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya. This novel tells the story of Rukmani and her
husband Nathan as they struggle to survive on a subsistence farm in India. Married as a
young girl to Nathan, Rukmani struggles with poverty, famine, and the demands of farm
life in a country that is quickly changing. Despite her numerous trials and misfortunes,
Rukmani refuses to give up. She commits herself to the tasks of a mother and wife, and,
throughout her life, works hard to guarantee the survival of herself, her children, and her
husband. While her struggles are overwhelming, she discovers within herself the
strength, tenacity, and hope she needs to prevail against insurmountable odds.
All of the three novels deal with India, one of the world’s predominant, emerging powers.
Students can expect to be tested on the books at the end of the first week of school. They
can also anticipate completing a project based on the books. For the quizzes, the students
need to focus on characters and plot.
Honors English III Summer Reading
One book is required for summer reading for Honors English III:
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer.
Brief summary of book:
Christopher McCandless, a young college graduate, renounces his possessions
and creates a new identity for himself, venturing alone into the wild of the Alaskan
wilderness in 1992. Four months later hunters find his body, along with his journal and
letters. What would motivate someone to attempt such a dangerous quest, and what went
wrong? Author Jon Krakauer unravels McCandless' story and explores those questions in
this nonfiction work. By digging into the mystery of McCandless' life and death,
Krakauer probes deeper issues that affect all of us: our attraction to the wilderness, the
allure of high-risk activities, and the bond between parent and child.
Assignment:
Read the book thoughtfully. It would be beneficial to take notes on such topics as
characterization, plot, setting, and major themes. Students should be prepared for a test
on the book in the first week of class, and a project may also be assigned.
English IV Honors: Hugo’s Les Miserables
While its sheer length seems daunting, Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables (French: “The
Miserables”) has been hailed as one of the greatest novels of all time. Published in
France in 1862, Les Mis follows the story of convict Jean Valjean as he and other
“miserables” search for redemption in a harrowing and unforgiving society crippled by
the effects of the French Revolution. The action of the novel commences with Valjean
escaping Inspector Javert, who was sent to capture Valjean for stealing a loaf of bread to
feed his famished body. Along the way, readers will discover just how much of a
chameleon Valjean must become to escape “The Man” and finish his quest to be truly
redeemed. Readers will also meet a powerful and colorful array of characters who
provide a complete and magnificent portrait of French society in the first half of the 19th
century.
While reading the unabridged version of the novel is preferred, reading Laurence
Porter’s abridged version (made popular as one of the Barnes and Noble Classics)
will suffice for our purposes. Regardless, you will need to give the novel your full
attention. Don’t stumble over the French names or words. Of course, watching the film
adaptation or the Broadway musical by the same name in place of reading the novel is not
acceptable. Fall or spring, you can expect an exam on the book by the end of the first
week of the semester as well as a project over the first couple of weeks of Honors English
IV that will require you to use your understanding so far of Porter’s abridged version of
the novel. Please take the time now to make sure that Honors English IV is for you.