AP Literature and Composition,
North Mesquite High School
Letter to Students – Poolside Summer Reading
I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for scheduling AP Literature and Composition during your 12th-grade
year. Welcome to the wonderful world of literature! In order to prepare for AP Literature class, the AP exam, and for
your future college classes, AP Literature students will be required to read two books independently this summer. You
may see me in D-4 to check out books before school dismisses for the year; however, owning your own copies so you
can make notes and mark will be helpful to you. The school has copies of some of the self-select novels, but these are
limited, so your first choice may not be available for long. Used copies of these books are widely available; Half Price
Books, Paperbacks Plus, Roma’s Books (Rockwall), and amazon.com are all options to locate used copies.
Works planned for whole class study this year include the following:
• Hamlet (Shakespeare)
• A Doll’s House (Ibsen)
• Heart of Darkness (Conrad)
• The Importance of Being Earnest (Wilde)
• Inferno (Dante)
Early in the year we will be working on your college application essays. Think about where you want to apply and
check the colleges’ websites for the topics of any required admission essays to save yourself some time when school
begins.
If you want to take advantage of sales this summer before school begins, here are the supplies you will need this year:
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blue or black ink pens
sticky notes
notebook filler paper
3-ring binder (may be a large binder for multiple classes; separate English binder not required)
5-section dividers
pocket folder with brads
With the right attitude and enthusiasm for learning, success will be yours. See you in August. Be ready to
work! Contact me with any questions through the email listed below. I will check it several times a week throughout
the summer. Have a great summer and have fun! (No, really!)
Cheers,
Mrs. Gaskin
[email protected]
AP Literature & Composition
Summer Reading 2015-2016
Part 1: Self-Select Novel
Choose a novel you have not previously read from the list below. Read and annotate the text as you read, using the
list of “overwhelming questions” attached (page 6) to guide your markings.
Novels you may use – These were chosen for their appearance on the AP Literature Exam. These are novels written
for adults and may contain mature themes or content. Research the synopsis of any book before you purchase or read
it if you’re worried about being offended by the subject matter.
Pride and Prejudice (Austen)
Jane Eyre (C. Bronte)
Wuthering Heights (E. Bronte)
Invisible Man (Ellison**)
Catch-22 (Heller)
The Sun Also Rises (Hemingway)
The Kite Runner (Hosseini)
Their Eyes Were Watching God (Hurston)
A Prayer for Owen Meany (Irving)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Kesey)
The Poisonwood Bible (Kingsolver)
The Bluest Eye (Morrison)
The Catcher in the Rye (Salinger)
Native Son (Wright)
**Invisible Man NOTE: Be careful to read Ralph Ellison’s book, NOT the science fiction novel by H. G. Wells. No
credit will be given for reading the wrong book.
Assignment: After reading, select one of the “overwhelming questions” from the list attached (page 6) that you feel is
appropriate for your novel. Apply this question as you respond to this prompt:
Critic Roland Barthes has said, “Literature is the question minus the answer.” Considering
Barthes’ observation, write an essay in which you analyze a central question raised in your selfselect novel and the extent to which it offers answers. Explain how the author’s treatment of this
question affects your understanding of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
Part 2: Lord of the Flies –William Golding
This book is short and very easy to read. Don’t be insulted by its simplicity; we will use the novel as a basis
for training for free response essays.
• Read the novel, annotating the text as you read. Focus on character development, imagery,
symbolism, irony, repetition, contradictions, and anything that seems to be leading toward theme.
• There will be a READING TEST on the novel after you begin school in August.
• Produce a Dialectical Journal for your reading (see below.)
What is a Dialectical Journal?
A dialectical journal records a dialogue, or conversation, between the ideas in the text and the ideas of the
reader. In your journal, have a conversation with the text and with yourself. I suggest you mark significant
passages while reading, then go back and select the ten (10) quotes you find most interesting after finishing the
novel. These responses then become a part of your analysis (and later your essay.)
You need at least ten journal entries for Lord of the Flies completed using the format below. You may
download a journal page template from the school website or reproduce the format by hand. Follow the format
below for the journal entries exactly.
Sample Entry:
Quote & Context
Analysis & Commentary
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Quote:
“The pause was only long enough for them to
understand what an enormity the downward stroke
would be” (31).
Context (what’s going on at this point?):
While Jack, Ralph, and Simon are initially exploring
the island, they find a trapped piglet and Jack pulls
out his knife to kill it, but he hesitates too long and it
escapes. He reacts with embarrassment at his delay
and vows next time will be different.
Analysis (select something important from the quote
to discuss):
Jack’s initial impulse is to kill the piglet, but the conditioning of
society against violence makes him hesitate to strike.
Commentary (discuss the quote’s significance to the
work as a whole):
Not even Jack is completely ready at this point to commit such an
act, realizing instinctively that this act of violence would
irrevocably change his view of himself.
Quote the words exactly as they appear in the text. You may use ellipses [. . .] to leave out parts you don’t need
or to shorten very long quotes. Be sure to include the page number as shown in the model entry.
The quotes you select should be significant in some way, meaning they should relate to some of the bigger
“issues” in the novel. You may focus on character, conflict, themes, symbols, or motifs. Select quotes from
throughout the novel—the beginning, middle, and end. Remember, you are analyzing the quotations—don’t ask
questions, make predictions, or respond personally.
Journals are due: THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS, so be sure you have it with you.
Grades are
-- Completeness
based on:
-- Thought and insight found in your discussions
-- Following all directions concerning formatting the document
-- All work is your own.
Failure to complete these assignments will have a negative effect on your first six-weeks grade.
Staple or paperclip the two written assignments separately with your name and the date at the top left-hand
corner of each first page. No folders, please. A cover sheet is not necessary—save the trees!
Contact [email protected] if you have any questions.
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Extra Credit Opportunity:
Shakespeare in the Park
Romeo and Juliet and The Complete Works of
William Shakespeare (Abridged)
If you’ve never attended Shakespeare in the Park, here’s your opportunity to see what all the fuss is
about and earn 10 extra credit points on your summer reading test over Lord of the Flies—just bring
your program the first day of class. Take friends, family, a blanket, and a picnic. Enjoy!
Romeo and Juliet: Opening week June 24-28, 2015 at Samuell Grand Amphitheatre
Continuing Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from June 30-July 25, 2015
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged): Opening week June 17-20, 2015 at
Samuell Grand Amphitheatre
Continuing Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from July 1-24, 2015
Admission is free on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (donations requested). Admission for students is $7
on Thursdays and Sundays and $12 on Fridays and Saturdays at the gate only at 7:30. The regular
price of admission is $10 on Thursdays and Sundays and $15 on Fridays and Saturdays. Children
under 12 are always free. Tickets may be purchased at the door or in advance through the website
(no student prices for advance tickets). Advance ticket holders may enter the park at 7:00; general
admission tickets are sold at 7:30 pm. Plays begin at 8:15, usually ending around 11:00.
Directions: Samuell-Grand Park is located east of Downtown Dallas. From I-30, exit East Grand
Avenue and travel a half-mile north to Tennison Parkway. Turn right onto Tennison Parkway and
the park entrance is on the right.
Website: http://www.shakespearedallas.org
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The Overwhelming Question(s) addressed by authors
Ontological (of or relating to essence or the nature of being) Questions
Select one that you feel applies to your self-select novel for your essay.
What is the meaning of life?
How should I live?
How can I accept the idea that someday my life will end?
What does it mean to be a good person?
What is truth?
Am I brave, or a coward? Does courage matter?
Do the rewards of life balance or outweigh its pain?
Is man a creature of the earth or of the sky? . . . a child of God or a beast crawling in the mud?
How should people treat each other?
What do women/men want? How can the sexes coexist harmoniously?
How can man live in the ugliness of modern world without despair?
Why do evil and suffering exist?
How can we tell the false from the genuine?
Does my existence matter? (Do I dare disturb the universe?)
How can dreams affect one’s life?
Is following the rules of society (morality) more important than survival as an individual?
Can one’s insecurities be destructive?
Does one’s ethical standard outweigh the moral standard of society?
Is it right to resist or oppose authority?
How can one find meaning in life?
What is the responsibility of parent to child or creator to creation?
Can one recapture or relive the past?
What is the result of attempting to avoid the consequences of one’s actions?
How can one learn his identity?
How can one prevail against the pressure of his society?
Since Life always ends in death, how can it have meaning?
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