St. Jude the Apostle Catholic School
Rising Eighth Grade Summer Reading Instructions for the 2011-2012 School Year
TO THE PARENTS OF STUDENTS ENTERING EIGHTH GRADE:
Your child must read at least three novels total over the summer:
ONE mandatory for LA-Literature: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
ONE mandatory for Social Studies: See Mr. Hansard for details
ONE book chosen from the list below for small group work and a comparison essay in LA-Literature.
1.
Lottery Rose by Irene Hunt
Georgie Burgess, a young victim of child abuse, gradually overcomes his fears and suspicions when the
court removes him from his home with his mother and her boyfriend and places little Burgess in a home
with other boys.
2.
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
A baseball game between two different Jewish schools becomes the catalyst that starts a bitter rivalry
between two boys and their fathers. A baseball injury then precipitates a friendship between the two boys
from Hasidic and Zionist families.
3. Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson
A remote Chesapeake Bay island and the ancient Biblical story of sibling rivalry form the
background to this story about an unloved elder twin sister who struggles to claim her own
birthright. Feeling deprived all her life of schooling, friends, mother, and even her name by
her twin sister, Louise finally begins to find her identity.
4. Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James Houston
A Japanese woman born in California recounts the trials she suffered as a girl living in Manzanar, one of
the camps established by the United States government for the internment of Japanese aliens and
Americans of Japanese descent during World War II.
5. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier*
In the small town of Burnside, the Jerome family is targeted by a gang of vandals who heartlessly destroy
their home, brutally assault their youngest daughter, and viciously throw her down the cellar stairs of her
own home, putting her in a coma. A mentally disturbed man witnesses the attack and, calling himself the
Avenger, sets out on a cruel, calculated, campaign to make the culprits pay for their crime.
*NOTE*
This novel is a thought-provoking work that addresses mature themes including such harsh realities as violence –both physical assault and vandalism, alcohol abuse, divorce, peer
pressure, the choice-consequence relationship, deceit, guilt, and loss. A hallmark of Cormier’s style, the book opens with a disturbingly realistic depiction of a heinous crime intended
to shock—and thus draw in—the reader, compelling him to read on. The violence of the opening scene is ugly, brutal, and exceedingly real, but Cormier skillfully moves beyond the
violent acts to focus on the very real consequences of such actions for the victims, the perpetrators, and the by-standers. One of Cormier’s greatest strengths as a writer of young adult
literature is his commitment to realistically portraying subject matter that is very much a part of the life of adolescents never for reasons of mere sensationalism, but to prompt honest
reflection and open discussion about questions that really concern adolescents. Often criticized for being ―too blunt‖ about the themes he depicts in his books, some of Cormier’s young
adult novels have been censored—along with Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terebithia, Lois Lowry’s The Giver, and George Orwell’s Animal Farm
just to name a few—in various school districts across the U.S. either for reasons of their subject matter or language or because they are ―not optimistic.‖ In Cormier’s books, actions
have consequences; his novels do not always come with a happy ending, ―I think [some of my young adult novels] make people uncomfortable because I recognize that life isn’t always
a series of happy endings…My books go against that: the hero doesn’t always win…‖ (Cormier quoted in December 1991 issue of School Library Journal).
Cormier’s books are extremely popular with teenage readers, even the most reluctant adolescent readers, because they deal with questions which are relevant for their lives—real
issues teens see on the evening news all the time—and because Cormier’s novels take teens’ worries and concerns about these issues seriously. Cormier’s characters are convincing
and represent the consciousness of many young adults, thus offering numerous points of association and dissociation for readers. We All Fall Down addresses the issue of moral
responsibility of man toward his neighbor by critically exploring the motivation of teens for committing acts of savage violence against people and their property and the consequences
that result.
Engrossing from the first sentence, We All Fall Down has been honored with numerous notable literary awards, among them, the 1994 Young Reader’s Choice Award and the 1993
Young Adult Reader Medal. In addition, the American Library Association awarded Cormier’s We All Fall Down the distinction of ―One of the Best Books Written for Young Adults in the
Last 25 Years. In 1992, We All Fall Down was recognized as a finalist for the Edgar Allen Poe Reader’s Award, and in 1991, Cormier himself, for his books After the First Death, The
Chocolate War, We All Fall Down, and I Am the Cheese, was awarded the prestigious Margaret Edwards Award, an award created to honor an author ―whose work has been taken to
heart by young adults over a period of years, providing an authentic voice that continues to illuminate their experiences and emotions giving insight into their lives‖ (American
Association of School Librarians: Young Adult Library Services Association).
Recognized for making ―an outstanding contribution to the enhancement of American Young Adult Fiction‖ as ―one of the leading authors of Young Adult Literature,‖ Cormier creates
literature that encourages reading and prompts honest discussion of real issues in the lives of adolescents. Though the opening scene is disturbing, the messages Cormier weaves
throughout the work for readers about choice, personal responsibility, and the consequences that accompany actions are valuable, relevant, and masterfully conveyed.
A. Addison
Updated 2/2011
St. Jude the Apostle Catholic School
Rising Eighth Grade Summer Reading Instructions for the 2011-2012 School Year
DIRECTIONS: Please answer all questions on separate notebook paper in your own cursive handwriting, using
complete, type II, expository responses maintaining consistent simple, present tense (remember, type
II responses turn the question into a statement and then add the answer; expository work must be written entirely in THIRD person).
DO NOT FORGET TO SKIP LINES, and be sure to PROOFREAD YOUR WORK when finished.
*NOTE*
Please make note that the instructions call for handwritten responses, NOT typed responses. Given that all rising eighth graders must read the same mandatory novel
and answer the very same set of questions, it might be all too tempting to not complete the work for yourself, especially if the answers could easily be printed off a second
time and shared with a friend. In an attempt to remove this temptation and set you up for success, no typed work will be accepted for credit for this one particular
assignment. Thanks for your cooperation.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton*
1. Before beginning the novel, define the word “outsider.” What is the denotation (dictionary definition)
of the word? What are the connotations (emotions or feelings suggested by a word often based on past
experience) often associated with the word?
2. What are the three parts of the exposition (setting, introduction to the protagonist, introduction to the central
conflict) of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton?
3. Who is the protagonist of the novel? Describe the protagonist using properly cited internal and
external character traits he demonstrates during the novel’s exposition. Then, describe the
protagonist using properly cited internal and external traits he demonstrates during the novel’s
falling actions and final resolution. Compare the two lists and summarize the three most important
ways the protagonist changes due to all the events of the plot.
4. What is the protagonist’s quest in Hinton’s novel? What is the goal of the protagonist’s quest in
this work? Does the protagonist achieve the goal of his quest by the end of The Outsiders?
Properly cite at least three pieces of paraphrased evidence to prove the protagonist either does or
does not achieve the goal of his quest.
5. What is the event that marks the climax in the novel? What internal decision does the external
climax event indicate?
6. What antagonists get in the way of, or slow down the protagonist as he journeys toward the goal of
his quest? In what ways do these antagonists hinder the protagonist? How does the protagonist
eventually overcome these obstacles?
7. Supporting characters, or minor characters, play a critical role in this novel. Identify at least two
supporting characters and explain what role each plays in relation to the protagonist as well as the
lesson each character makes clear to the reader through his/her words and/or actions.
8. Identify one theme expressed in the novel. Paraphrase and properly cite the events of at least
three scenes—one from the beginning, one from the middle, and one from the end of the novel—
and explain how the three scenes work together to demonstrate one universal message about life
and living.
9. After finishing the novel, reflect on the characters Hinton portrays in The Outsiders. Which
characters do you admire? Why? With which characters do you identify? Why? How does
Hinton get the reader to cheer for the Greasers and not the Socials (the “Socs”- short for “Socials,” right?
Correctly pronounced sÖshěz, like the first part of the word “social.” Just checking to make sure you caught the reference and were not
pronouncing the term incorrectly by saying “socks,” which would be a dead give-away that a more careful and critical reading of the novel
is needed…)?
*NOTE*
This assignment will be collected on the second day of school and evaluated as an assessment grade. This
assignment will also be used as the basis for The Outsiders novel study that will include, but is not limited to, a test over
the novel and a multi-paragraph, expository, TYPE III essay.
A. Addison
Updated 2/2011
St. Jude the Apostle Catholic School
Rising Eighth Grade Summer Reading Instructions for the 2011-2012 School Year
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton*
1. Before beginning the novel, define the word “outsider.” What is the denotation (dictionary definition)
of the word? What are the connotations (emotions or feelings suggested by a word often based on past
experience) often associated with the word?
The denotation, or the dictionary definition, of the word “outsider” is ________________________.
The connotations, or the emotions or feelings suggested by a word often based on past experience,
often associated with the word “outsider” include________________________________________.
2. What are the three parts of the exposition (setting, introduction to the protagonist, introduction to the central
conflict) of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton?
The three parts of the exposition of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton are the setting, __(time)__ in
__(place)___; the
introduction to the protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis, a/an ___(defining internal character trait demonstrated
during the exposition)__, ___(a second defining internal trait demonstrated during the exposition), __(a defining external trait demonstrated during the
exposition), ____(a second defining external trait demonstrated during the exposition)__;
and the introduction to the central
conflict, the protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis, struggles to reconcile ___(internal conflict force one)___________
with ____(internal conflict opposing force)___ to learn ____(final resolution understanding resulting from the central conflict)____.
3. Who is the protagonist of the novel? Describe the protagonist using properly cited internal and
external character traits he demonstrates during the novel’s exposition. Then, describe the
protagonist using properly cited internal and external traits he demonstrates during the novel’s
falling actions and final resolution. Compare the two lists and summarize the three most important
ways the protagonist changes due to all the events of the plot.
EXPOSITION
INTERNAL
OR
OR
FINAL
RESOLUTION
EXTERNAL
TRAIT
EXPOSITION
EXTERNAL
PROTAGONIST’S
CHARACTER
TRAIT
Teenager (fourteen
EXPOSITION
EXTERNAL
EXPOSITION
EXTERNAL
EXPOSITION
EXPOSITION
EXPOSITION
EXPOSITION
EXPOSITION
EXPOSITION
EXPOSITION
FINAL
EXTERNAL
EXTERNAL
INTERNAL
INTERNAL
INTERNAL
INTERNAL
INTERNAL
EXTERNAL
HOW PROTAGONIST’S CHARACTER
TRAIT IS REVEALED
Revealed by narrator
(3)
Revealed by Social gang members Randy
Adder and Steve Randall as they heckle
Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade who are
walking home from a movie with Cherry
Valance and another Soc girl
(1)
years old)
Greaser
PROPER
PAGE
CITATION
Orphaned
youngest brother
of three
Not wealthy, poor
(5)
East-side resident
(5)
(5)
TRAIT
CATEGORY
WORD /
PHRASE
Age
Social status
Family
status
Economic
status
Residency
A. Addison
Updated 2/2011
St. Jude the Apostle Catholic School
Rising Eighth Grade Summer Reading Instructions for the 2011-2012 School Year
RESOLUTION
FINAL
RESOLUTION
FINAL
RESOLUTION
FINAL
RESOLUTION
FINAL
RESOLUTION
FINAL
RESOLUTION
FINAL
RESOLUTION
FINAL
RESOLUTION
FINAL
RESOLUTION
FINAL
RESOLUTION
EXTERNAL
EXTERNAL
EXTERNAL
EXTERNAL
INTERNAL
INTERNAL
INTERNAL
INTERNAL
INTERNAL
The protagonist of the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is Ponyboy Curtis. During the novel’s
exposition, the Curtis demonstrates… ( )
4. What is the protagonist’s quest in Hunt’s novel? Does the protagonist achieve the goal of his
quest by the end of The Outsiders? Properly cite at least three pieces of paraphrased evidence to
prove the protagonist either does or does not achieve the goal of his quest.
5. What is the event that marks the climax in the novel? What internal decision does the external
climax event indicate?
6. What antagonists get in the way of, or slow down the protagonist as he journeys toward the goal of
his quest? In what ways do these antagonists hinder the protagonist? How does the protagonist
eventually overcome these obstacles?
7. Supporting characters, or minor characters, play a critical role in this novel. Identify at least two
supporting characters and explain what role each plays in relation to the protagonist as well as the
lesson each character makes clear to the reader through his/her words and/or actions.
8. Identify one theme expressed in the novel. Paraphrase and properly cite the events of at least
three scenes—one from the beginning, one from the middle, and one from the end of the novel—
and explain how the three scenes work together to demonstrate one universal message about life
and living.
9. After finishing the novel, reflect on the characters Hinton portrays in The Outsiders. Which
characters do you admire? Why? With which characters do you identify? Why? How does
Hinton get the reader to cheer for the Greasers and not the Socials (the “Socs”- short for “Socials,” right?
Correctly pronounced sÖshěz, like the first part of the word “social.” Just checking to make sure you caught the reference and were not
pronouncing the term incorrectly by saying “socks,” which would be a dead give-away that a more careful and critical reading of the novel
is needed…)?
A. Addison
Updated 2/2011