The Pallotti High School English Summer Reading List and Assignments 2015
Scroll down to your class(es) below, read the books listed under your class(es), and complete the
assignments for each book (Note: You must complete two summer readings if you are taking two
English classes in the fall). To lend credence to your responses, use evidence from the text (i.e.,
quotes, passages) to support your claims and write your responses in complete sentences. These
assignments are due on the first day of classes. Tests and other assessments are given in the first
week of classes. Please be sure that you are completing the summer work for your class(es). Be
sure to address all numbered questions for the class. Happy reading and writing! Seize the
books!
Introduction to Literature (Freshmen)
Please answer each prompt in complete, well-written sentences. If you are unsure about
any of the questions, please ask a parent, friend, or if all else fails, the internet.
Introduction to Literature Summer Assignment
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
1. John Green derives his book's title from a famous line in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "The
fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings." (I,ii,139-140).
What does the line mean—and why would Green have used it for his title? Even more important,
why would he have altered it to read, "The fault in our stars" rather than ourselves? How does
Green's meaning differ from Shakespeare's?
2. How would you describe the two main characters, Hazel and Gus? Do either of them conform,
in behavior or thinking, to what we normally associate with young cancer patients? How do the
two differ from one another...and how do their personality traits and interests complement each
other?
3. How do Hazel and Gus each relate to their cancer? Do they define themselves by it? Do they
ignore it? Do they rage at life's unfairness? Most importantly, how do the two confront the big
questions of life and death?
4. Do you find some of the descriptions of pain, the medical realities that accompany cancer, or
the discussion of bodily fluids too graphic?
5. At one point, Hazel says, "Cancer books suck." Is this a book about cancer? Did you have
trouble picking up the book to read it? What were you expecting? Were those expectations
met...or did the book alter your ideas?
5. John Green uses the voice of an adolescent girl to narrate his story. Does he do a convincing
job of creating a female character?
7. Hazel considers An Imperial Affliction "so special and rare that advertising your affection for
it feels like a betrayal." Why is it Hazel's favorite book? Why is it so important that she and Gus
learn what happens after its heroine dies? Have you ever felt the same way about a book as Hazel
does—that it is too special to talk about?
8. What do you think about Peter Van Houten, the fictional author of An Imperial Affliction?
This book's real author, John Green, has said that Van Houten is a "horrible, horrible person but I
have an affection for him." Why might Green have said that? What do you think of Van Houten?
9. Green once served as a chaplain in a children's hospital, working with young cancer patients.
In an interview, he referred to the "hero's journey within illness"—that "in spite of it, you pull
yourself up and continue to be alive while you're alive." In what way does Green's comment
apply to his book—about two young people who are dying? Is theirs a hero's journey? Is the
"pull yourself up" phrase an unseemly statement by someone, like the author or any reader, who
is not facing a terminal disease?
10. What did you make of the book's humor? Is it appropriate...or inappropriate? Green has said
he "didn't want to use humor to lighten the mood" or "to pull out the easy joke" when things got
hard. But, he said, he likes to write about "clever kids, [and they] tend to be funny even when
things are rough." Is his use of humor successful? How did it affect the way you read the book?
11. After his chaplaincy experience, Green said he believed that "life is utterly random and
capricious, and arbitrary." Yet he also said, after finishing The Fault in Our Stars that he no
longer feels that life's randomness "robs human life of its meaning...or that it robs even lives of
people who don't get to have full lives." Would you say that the search for meaning—even, or
especially, in the face of dying—is what this book explores? Why...or why not?
12. How do Hazel and Gus change, in spirit, over the course of the novel?
13. Talk about how you experienced this book? Is it too sad, too tragic to contemplate? Or did
you find it in some way uplifting?
Speak by Laurie Halse Andersen
1. In what tense is the story told? What effect does this choice have on the reader’s perception of
the narrative?
2. Describe Melinda—her personality and her emotional state. What effect does feeling like an
outcast have on her behavior?
3. What information does this first section of the book give us about what Melinda did to make
her friends reject her and why she did it?
4. What is Melinda’s attitude toward high school life—school itself, extracurricular activities,
students, teachers, and school officials? What comments does she make about these things?
5. Describe Heather. How are she and Melinda different? What is their relationship like?
6. Describe Melinda’s parents. What is her relationship with them like? What is their relationship
with each other like?
7. Why do you think Melinda views David Petrakis as a hero?
8. Why does Melinda consider Mr. Freeman the sanest person she knows?
9. Why does Heather break off her “friendship” with Melinda? Why does Melinda suddenly feel
that Heather is very important to her? What thoughts does Melinda have about Heather’s
decision? How do you feel about Heather and her decision?
10. What is the significance of Melinda’s visit to the site of the rape?
11. What is the climax of the book? How does Melinda deal with the situation she finds herself
in, and what does this show?
_____________________________________________________________________________
Honors Introduction to Literature (Freshmen)
Honors Intro to Literature - Summer Reading Assignment
Please answer each prompt in complete, well-written sentences. If you are unsure about
any of the questions, please ask a parent, friend, or if all else fails, the internet.
The Book Thief by Zusak
1. Discuss the symbolism of Death as the omniscient narrator of the novel. What are Death’s
feelings for each victim? Describe Death’s attempt to resist Liesel. Death states, “I’m always
finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the
same thing can be both.” (p. 491) What is ugly and beautiful about Liesel, Rosa and Hans
Hubermann, Max Vandenburg, Rudy Steiner, and Mrs. Hermann? Why is Death haunted by
humans?
2. What is ironic about Liesel’s obsession with stealing books? Discuss other uses of irony in the
novel.
3. The Grave Digger’s Handbook is the first book Liesel steals. Why did she take the book?
What is significant about the titles of the books she steals? Discuss why she hides The Grave
Digger’s Handbook under her mattress. Describe Hans Hubermann’s reaction when he discovers
the book. What does the act of book thievery teach Liesel about life and death? Explain Rudy’s
reaction when he discovers that Liesel is a book thief. How does stealing books from the mayor’s
house lead to a friendship with the mayor’s wife? Explain how Liesel’s own attempt to write a
book saves her life.
4. Liesel believes that Hans Hubermann’s eyes show kindness, and from the beginning she feels
closer to him than to Rosa Hubermann. How does Hans gain Liesel’s love and trust? Decide
whether Liesel is a substitute for Hans’s children, who have strayed from the family. Why is it so
difficult for Rosa to demonstrate the same warmth toward Liesel? Discuss how Diesel’s
relationship with Rosa changes by the end of the novel.
5. Abandonment is a central theme in the novel. The reader knows that Liesel feels abandoned by
her mother and by the death of her brother. How does she equate love with abandonment? At
what point does she understand why she was abandoned by her mother? Who else abandons
Liesel in the novel? Decide whether she was abandoned by circumstance or by the heart.
6. Guilt is another recurring theme in the novel. Hans Hubermann’s life was spared in France
during World War I, and Erik Vandenburg’s life was taken. Explain why Hans feels guilty about
Erik’s death. Guilt is a powerful emotion that may cause a person to become unhappy and
despondent. Discuss how Hans channels his guilt into helping others. Explain Max
Vandenburg’s thought, “Living was living. The price was guilt and shame.” (p. 208) Why does
he feel guilt and shame?
7. Compare and contrast the lives of Liesel and Max Vandenburg. How does Max’s life give
Liesel purpose? At what point do Liesel and Max become friends? Max gives Liesel a story
called “The Standover Man” for her birthday. What is the significance of this story?
8. Death says that Liesel was a girl “with a mountain to climb.” (p. 86) What is her mountain?
Who are her climbing partners? What is her greatest obstacle? At what point does she reach the
summit of her mountain? Describe her descent. What does she discover at the foot of her
mountain?
9. Hans Junior, a Nazi soldier, calls his dad a coward because he doesn’t belong to the Nazi
Party. He feels that you are either for Hitler or against him. How does it take courage to oppose
Hitler? There isn’t one coward in the Hubermann household. Discuss how they demonstrate
courage throughout the novel.
10. Describe Liesel’s friendship with Rudy. How does their friendship change and grow
throughout the novel? Death says that Rudy doesn’t offer his friendship “for free.” (p. 51) What
does Rudy want from Liesel? Discuss Death’s statement, “The only thing worse than a boy who
hates you [is] a boy who loves you.” (p. 52) Why is it difficult for Liesel to love Rudy? Discuss
why Liesel tells Mr. Steiner that she kissed Rudy’s dead body.
11. How does Zusak use the literary device of foreshadowing to pull the reader into the story?
12. Liesel Meminger lived to be an old woman. Death says that he would like to tell the book
thief about beauty and brutality, but those are things that she had lived. How does her life
represent beauty in the wake of brutality? Discuss how Zusak’s poetic writing style enhances the
beauty of Liesel’s story.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
1. John Green derives his book's title from a famous line in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "The
fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings." (I,ii,139-140).
What does the line mean—and why would Green have used it for his title? Even more important,
why would he have altered it to read, "The fault in our stars" rather than ourselves? How does
Green's meaning differ from Shakespeare's?
2. How would you describe the two main characters, Hazel and Gus? Do either of them conform,
in behavior or thinking, to what we normally associate with young cancer patients? How do the
two differ from one another...and how do their personality traits and interests complement each
other?
3. How do Hazel and Gus each relate to their cancer? Do they define themselves by it? Do they
ignore it? Do they rage at life's unfairness? Most importantly, how do the two confront the big
questions of life and death?
4. Do you find some of the descriptions of pain, the medical realities that accompany cancer, or
the discussion of bodily fluids too graphic?
5. At one point, Hazel says, "Cancer books suck." Is this a book about cancer? Did you have
trouble picking up the book to read it? What were you expecting? Were those expectations
met...or did the book alter your ideas?
5. John Green uses the voice of an adolescent girl to narrate his story. Does he do a convincing
job of creating a female character?
7. Hazel considers An Imperial Affliction "so special and rare that advertising your affection for
it feels like a betrayal." Why is it Hazel's favorite book? Why is it so important that she and Gus
learn what happens after its heroine dies? Have you ever felt the same way about a book as Hazel
does—that it is too special to talk about?
8. What do you think about Peter Van Houten, the fictional author of An Imperial Affliction?
This book's real author, John Green, has said that Van Houten is a "horrible, horrible person but I
have an affection for him." Why might Green have said that? What do you think of Van Houten?
9. Green once served as a chaplain in a children's hospital, working with young cancer patients.
In an interview, he referred to the "hero's journey within illness"—that "in spite of it, you pull
yourself up and continue to be alive while you're alive." In what way does Green's comment
apply to his book—about two young people who are dying? Is theirs a hero's journey? Is the
"pull yourself up" phrase an unseemly statement by someone, like the author or any reader, who
is not facing a terminal disease?
10. What did you make of the book's humor? Is it appropriate...or inappropriate? Green has said
he "didn't want to use humor to lighten the mood" or "to pull out the easy joke" when things got
hard. But, he said, he likes to write about "clever kids, [and they] tend to be funny even when
things are rough." Is his use of humor successful? How did it affect the way you read the book?
11. After his chaplaincy experience, Green said he believed that "life is utterly random and
capricious, and arbitrary." Yet he also said, after finishing The Fault in Our Stars that he no
longer feels that life's randomness "robs human life of its meaning...or that it robs even lives of
people who don't get to have full lives." Would you say that the search for meaning—even, or
especially, in the face of dying—is what this book explores? Why...or why not?
12. How do Hazel and Gus change, in spirit, over the course of the novel?
13. Talk about how you experienced this book? Is it too sad, too tragic to contemplate? Or did
you find it in some way uplifting?
Speak by Laurie Halse Andersen
1. In what tense is the story told? What effect does this choice have on the reader’s perception of
the narrative?
2. Describe Melinda—her personality and her emotional state. What effect does feeling like an
outcast have on her behavior?
3. What information does this first section of the book give us about what Melinda did to make
her friends reject her and why she did it?
4. What is Melinda’s attitude toward high school life—school itself, extracurricular activities,
students, teachers, and school officials? What comments does she make about these things?
5. Describe Heather. How are she and Melinda different? What is their relationship like?
6. Describe Melinda’s parents. What is her relationship with them like? What is their relationship
with each other like?
7. Why do you think Melinda views David Petrakis as a hero?
8. Why does Melinda consider Mr. Freeman the sanest person she knows?
9. Why does Heather break off her “friendship” with Melinda? Why does Melinda suddenly feel
that Heather is very important to her? What thoughts does Melinda have about Heather’s
decision? How do you feel about Heather and her decision?
10. What is the significance of Melinda’s visit to the site of the rape?
11. What is the climax of the book? How does Melinda deal with the situation she finds herself
in, and what does this show?
American Literature (SOPHOMORES)
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Flowers for Algernon – choose one of the following
1. Write 5 one-page journal entries from the perspective of Burt, Dr. Stauss, or Professor Nemur.
The entries should span the entirety of the novel and touch on important events.
2. Write 5 one-page journal entries from the perspective of Matt, Rose, or Norma. The entries
should come from some of the memories that Charlie shares throughout the novel.
3. Research Charlie’s disability. Make an informational poster explaining his disease and how it
should/could be treated. Make another chart showing how mental patients would have been
treated in 1966 as compared to how they are treated in 2014. Write a 2-page paper as if you
were one of Charlie’s doctors and how you would have treated him.
To Kill a Mockingbird – Choose one of the following
1. Tell the story from another point of view (e.g., Tom Robinson’s, Boo Radley’s, or Atticus
Finch’s). Choose a character. Write 5 journal entries from that character’s point of view that tell
the entire story as that character would have had knowledge. Each entry should be one page
long. The entries should deal with significant events in that character’s development.
2. Write a new ending for the novel. What becomes of Scout, Atticus, and Boo Radley? Do they
have the ability to change the way people think in Maycomb, Alabama? Your new ending for
the novel should be 5 pages in length.
3. Scout is on a crusade to make her corner of the world in Alabama a better place. She is full of
ideas, and she does not mind sharing them. She has recommendations for great change, and she
knows the people to whom she can turn for this change to happen. Select 5 characters to whom
she will give advice. In a letter to each of these characters, provide this important advice.
Consider her father, Boo Radley, Calpurnia, Jem, Mrs. Dubose, Bob Ewell, and others.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Honors American Literature (SOPHOMORES)
Honors American Lit
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Flowers for Algernon – Choose one of the following.
1. Write 5 one-page journal entries from the perspective of Algernon. The entries should span
the entirety of the novel and touch on important events.
2. Write 5 one-page journal entries from the perspective of Matt, Rose, or Norma. The entries
should come from some of the memories that Charlie shares throughout the novel.
3. Write a 5-page, 5-paragraph essay discussing three symbols found in the novel. As part of
your essay, be sure to discuss the title of the novel as it relates to one of the symbols.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn – Choose one of the following.
1. Write 5 one-page journal entries from the perspective of Francie. The entries should address
life-changing events faced by Francie.
2. Consider Francie’s coming of age in the novel. Write a 5-page, 5-paragraph essay on 4-5
major events that affect Francie as she grows up.
3. Explain how the title of the novel serves as a metaphor for all of its characters, particularly
Francie. Who experiences growth? How is this growth measured? What good things happen to
the family?
To Kill a Mockingbird – Choose one of the following
1. Tell the story from another point of view. Choose a character. Write 5 journal entries from that
character’s point of view that tell the entire story as that character would have had knowledge.
Each entry should be one page long. The entries should deal with significant events in that
character’s development. Atticus is worth considering, but there are others.
2. Write the next chapter to the novel. Make sure that your chapter makes logical sense with the
rest of the novel and that all major characters are included. Your new chapter should be at least 5
pages in length. What becomes of Atticus, Scout, Boo, and other residents of Maycomb,
Alabama?
3. Write a 5-page, 5-paragraph essay that compares this novel to the other two.
British Literature (Juniors)
Lord of the Flies, William Golding
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 ¾, Sue Townsend
All essays need to be five paragraphs in length and thesis-argued. In your essay, the thesis, the
topic sentences, and clincher sentences must be underlined. The body paragraphs should have
ample quoted evidence and several examples. Be prepare to submit your writings on paper and
electronically at turnitin.com. The creative writings should be at least a full page in length.
Lord of the Flies, William Golding
ESSAY
1) Select either symbolism, irony, or a relevant theme (e.g., struggle between innocence and
experience or the struggle between good and evil) in the novel and write a five-paragraph essay
(up to 3 pages) on it.
CREATIVE
2) Write a diary entry from the perspective of Ralph, who has noticed that his attempt to bring
order has resulted in chaos. Consider who might be responsible for this upheaval in order.
3) Write a diary entry from Jack, who changes dramatically once he is thrust into the uncivilized
world on the island. Consider any changes that he might undergo.
4) Literary critic Gustav Freytag argues that all works with a narrative structure have (1) an
exposition, (2) rising action, (3) a climax, (4) falling action, and (5) a denouement (i.e.,
resolution). Make a poster on which you demonstrate that Lord of the Flies fits this 5-element
model. The poster should feature several vivid pictures and sufficient text to prove your
understanding of Freytag’s pyramid (see above). Consider how rollercoasters and pyramids
capture the action and conflict.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 ¾, Sue Townsend
ESSAY
1) In your opinion, is Adrian a typical teenager? If so, what makes him so typical? If you don’t
feel that he is, explain what makes him any different from most teenagers. Consider his friends,
girlfriend, family members, hobbies, and quirks.
CREATIVE
2) A great many things compete for the attention of a nearly fourteen-year-old boy. Write a
diary entry from Adrian’s perspective on one of his many obsessions. What makes him tick?
What topic will he not let rest? Be Adrian as you write.
3) Make a chart/poster of Adrian Mole and ten adolescent dilemmas/personal conflicts with
which Adrian is presently struggling. Beside each, explain how he attempts to resolve the
conflicts.
______________________________________________
Honors British Literature (Juniors)
Atonement, Ian McEwan
Lord of the Flies, William Golding
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4, Sue Townsend
Essays should be around 3 pages in length (typed, double-spaced, 12-pt font). Follow the fiveparagraph model. Underline the thesis, topic sentences, and clincher sentences. Use quotes to
bolster your claims. Creative writings should be a page or more.
Atonement, Ian McEwan
ESSAY
1) Write an essay on the major theme of atonement in the novel and the characters who need
atonement, OR write an essay on the theme of appearance vs. reality/irony as it is used
throughout the novel. The essay should be around 3 pages.
CREATIVE
2) Write a letter of apology from Briony to Robbie.
3) Write a letter from Robbie to the Tallis family. In the letter, Robbie should insist on his
innocence and defend his honor and that of his family.
4) Write a letter from Cecilia to Briony on the subject of the hurt Briony causes.
Lord of the Flies, William Golding
ESSAY
1) One of Golding’s major themes is the struggle between nature and nurture. All of the boys are
taught what is proper at school (nurture), but when left to their own devices, in an uncivilized
place, they don’t always make the right choices (nature). How does this novel show the constant
struggle between good and evil in man when put in challenging environments? This should be a
thesis-argued essay of 3 pages.
CREATIVE
2) In a journal entry from Jack’s perspective, come to terms with what you have done to your
peers. Are you remorseful? Do you care? Why would you behave this way?
3) In a journal entry from Ralph’s perspective, write about the presence of something particularly
odd among Jack and his group of hunters. What are you witnessing? How will it affect you?
What will you do about it?
4) In a poster/chart, sketch Gustav Freytag’s pyramid (or rollercoaster) for the narrative structure
of Lord of the Flies. The following elements ought to receive attention: (1) exposition, (2) the
rising action, (3) the climax, (4) the falling action, and (5) the resolution (denouement). Pictures
and explanations should be added to explain this pyramid.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 ¾, Sue Townsend
ESSAY
1) There are many who would say Adrian Mole is a rebellious outcast of a student, far from
ordinary. Others, however, might argue that what this lad experiences is no more or less than
what the average teenager faces day to day. You make the case. Decide if he is a typical or
atypical teen. Use examples and quotes to build your case.
CREATIVE
2) Write a diary entry on Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher from Adrian’s perspective.
3) Adrian has been asked to write a book review on The Great Gatsby. Write that review from
Adrian’s perspective. Is he completely in awe, or is he critical of the novel? Be Adrian.
______________________________________________________________________________
SENIORS WHO ARE NOT TAKING AN AP ENGLISH
CLASS:
All Seniors who are enrolled in semester-length classes are to read I Know Why the Caged Bird
Sings by Maya Angelou and complete the assignment below. In addition to I Know Why the
Caged Bird Sings, students should also read the book and complete the assignment listed for
their first semester English class.
Complete all of the following for I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings:
1. List 3 major events from the author’s life, and in a 5 paragraph essay, discuss how those
events shaped her as a person.
2. Write a paragraph that discusses the title of the novel and how it relates to the action of the
story.
3. Using Angelou’s style, write your own one page essay telling about an event from your life
that helped to shape who you are as a person.
African American Literature/Literature and Film
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
1. Make a chart that compares/contrasts the ways that Aibileen and Minny react to their
treatment as maids by their employers, their reaction to Skeeter writing the book, and their
reaction to the finished product.
2. The novel is set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960s. Choose 3 aspects of the way
African Americans are treated and/or presented in the novel and research the accuracy of each.
You may make a chart, write a one page summary, or use another method of your choice to
present your research findings. Your findings should include how each of the aspects you
choose is presented in the novel.
3. Watch the movie. In a 2-3 page essay, discuss the differences between the novel and the book.
Be sure to include how characters are portrayed, what scenes have been left out or altered, and
what effect the changes had on your understanding of the story.
Creative Writing
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
1. Discuss the title of the book in a well-crafted paragraph. How does it relate to the content and
themes throughout the novel?
2. Discuss the structure of the novel in a well-crafted paragraph. How is this novel different than
most novels you have read? Give three examples of how the structure is different.
3. Make a list of 10 steps a writer should follow according to Lamott. Explain each step in 3-5
sentences. The steps need not be in any particular order.
4. Choose your favorite chapter and relate the contents of the chapter to its title. Your response
should be at least one page long.
AP English Language and Composition
Summer Reading Assignment
Welcome to AP Language and Composition. The AP English Language course emphasizes a mix
of politics, history, social sciences, current events and non-fiction prose. This class is different
from most English classes you have taken before; it will ask you to analyze writing, develop
sound reasoning and argumentation, as well as to examine the power of language. The
assignments below will help to prepare you for what we will cover this year. Everything should
be printed out and neatly organized into folder. It will be collected on the first day of school
and will count for a substantial portion of your first quarter grade. Please don’t hesitate to
contact me should you need help ([email protected]).
I look forward to seeing you in the fall. Have a fantastic summer.
Part I: Letter of Introduction
To help me get to know you, please write me a brief letter of introduction (one to two pages
double-spaced). Please keep in mind that how you write is just as important as what you write.
Your letter should answer the following:
a. Who are you, anyway? What do you like to do in your spare time? What do you love and
value? What makes you different from all the other crazy people on this planet?
b. Why are you taking AP English Language and Composition? What do you hope to get out
of this class?
c. What are your expectations for me as your teacher? What kinds of things do you hope
we’ll do this year? What kinds of things will make you cringe?
d. What are your expectations for yourself? What do you want to accomplish this year?
Before you graduate high school? Before you depart for whatever comes after this life?
e. Is there anything else you feel I should know about you before we begin this adventure
together?
Part II: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
This quick and entertaining read breaks down the writing process and shows writers of all levels
how to take an idea from a terrible first draft to a polished final copy. We will refer to it
throughout the year. For this book, you should:
1. Annotate throughout by highlighting, underlining, making notes in the margins and/or
adding sticky notes wherever you find a useful tip, intriguing concept or questionable
idea. I will collect your copy of the book and will give you points for thorough
annotations, so you will need to purchase this one.
2. Identify the five most interesting passages (a passage may be anything from one
paragraph to one page in length). For each, you should type up the passage along with
its page number and then write a one paragraph response in which you explain what
appealed (or didn’t appeal) to you in the passage and your thoughts about it.
Part III: Memoir Study
In Bird by Bird, Lamott suggests that beginning writers start by writing about their childhoods.
The list below contains books in which the writers do just that. You should select two titles from
the list of six and then complete the three assignments. Be sure to research all of the books so
you can make informed selections.
Choose TWO of these five:
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
Black Boy by Richard Wright
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Dreams from My Father by Barrack Obama
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
1. Identify five unfamiliar words in each book. For each word, type up:
a) the sentence in which you found it along with the page number
b) the definition of the word within the book’s context (look it up)
c) an original sentence using the word
2. Identify the five most interesting passages in each book (a passage may be
anything from one paragraph to one page in length). For each passage, you should
type up the passage along with its page number and then write a one paragraph
response in which you explain what appealed (or didn’t appeal) to you in the
passage and your thoughts about it.
3. Write an essay in which you compare and contrast the two books in terms of story,
structure or writing style. You should follow five-paragraph format and include at
least six direct quotes with citation from the book.
Part IV: News Portfolio
Becoming an informed observer of the world around you will help you to succeed in this class,
on the AP exam and, most importantly, in your life as an engaged and thoughtful member of
society. To that end, you are encouraged to begin following the news this summer and will be
required to turn in a news portfolio when you return to school.
- The portfolio should include at least 10 news stories (either clipped from the
paper/magazine or printed from an online source) from the summer.
- Each story should be accompanied by a one paragraph reflection discussing your
reaction to this information and why this story drew your attention.
- Everything should be neatly organized, by date of the news story, into your binder or
three-hole folder.
- Your chosen stories must reflect the news from different points throughout the
summer. You have about 10 weeks off; I suggest you choose one story each week.
- You are encouraged to draw from a variety of news sources, types of media (print,
broadcast and online) and types of stories. If you don’t know where to start, begin with
the New York Times, Wall Street Journal or Washington Post. Also check out CNN, CBS,
ABC and BBC News on TV, National Public Radio (88.5 fm in the DC area, 88.1 in
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Baltimore) and the Guardian, Associated Press and Reuters online. All sources must be
originally published in English.
You may select any story that has educational value. This will immediately rule out many
sports and entertainment stories that simply give the highlights of a game or discuss
what Beyoncé wore at her latest concert. There are, however, plenty of thoughtful
stories that delve more deeply into the politics, economics and culture of the sports and
entertainment industries; those are fair game.
What to do if you will be away for the summer and will not have access to national or
international news sources in English:
- Access articles online.
- Use the public library before you go and when you get home; they keep back issues of
publications for a certain amount of time.
- Ask a friend or family member to save issues of newspapers or magazines for you.
- Subscribe to a news magazine, like Time or Newsweek, and catch up when you get
home.
- Find major publications, like the New York Times and the Guardian, which are widely
available in large cities around the world. Starbucks often has copies.
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AP English Literature and Composition
Summer Readings and Assignments
Welcome to AP English Literature and Composition. In this class we will read a wide range of
classics—plays, novels, and poetry. In addition to plots, authors, characterization, and settings,
we will be interested in the literary devices that writers use to convey meaning—irony, tone,
diction, and others. Also consider this: what are the hallmarks of a successful writer of essays?
What does he/she practice by habit? The summer selections are all novels. The biggest
assessments throughout the year are essays and tests. The mission is to hone the skills that will
prepare you for the AP exam given in early May. One aspect of writing we will emphasize is
using literary present tense in essays. For example, use “Beowulf is a hero,” not “Beowulf was a
hero.” Write “Beowulf’s decision to fight Grendel is a brave one” instead of “was a brave one.”
Similarly, “Beowulf slays the dragon but dies from a venomous bite.” In your summer essays,
practice writing in present tense. Always respect your thesis and topic sentences. Please do not
forget to use quotes as evidence. Enjoy the books! Students who read a great deal tend to fare
especially well on standardized tests and essays. Reading becomes for them a sixth sense. Best
of luck this year!
Place all assignments in a binder or at least staple your whole submission together. Essays
below should be around 3 pages in length. Other numbered writings should be a page each.
Native Son, Richard Wright
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
Grendel, John Gardner
Native Son, Richard Wright
1) Write a one-page diary entry in the voice of Bigger Thomas after he commits murder.
2) Explain how the theme of fear is present throughout the novel. Which character lives in fear?
Why?
3) Given what you know about Mary Dalton’s early presence in the novel, decide the extent to
which Mary might forgive Bigger Thomas. Write a one-page diary entry in the voice of Mary.
4) Explain the degree to which Bigger Thomas feels guilt for the crimes that he commits. What
point is Wright attempting to make in presenting Bigger in this way?
5) In your opinion, to what extent is Bigger to blame for the major crimes with which he is
charged? Make your case in a five-paragraph essay.
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
1) Okonkwo loves to assess the value of various men in his tribe. Write a one-page diary entry
in the voice of Okonkwo in which you assess the overall value to society of any three men from
his tribe.
2) Angry and bitter are two words that describe Okonkwo well. At whom is the anger and
bitterness directed? Why?
3) Explain how the novel gets its title. Hint: Irish poet William Butler Yeats wrote a poem called
“The Second Coming,” in which can be found the title of Achebe’s novel. Read the poem. Dig
deep.
4) Write a five-paragraph (around 3 pages) essay in which you analyze the father-son conflict in
the novel.
Grendel, John Gardner
The Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf celebrates the heroic deeds of the titular character and the
heroic legacy of the Danes (Scyldyngs). Hrothgar, a Danish king who has seen his rise to
greatness challenged by a relentless monster named Grendel, falls on hard times as his warriors
and he have been under attack for twelve years. Beowulf arrives from south of Sweden and
confidently slays the monster, not with a weapon but his strong bare hands. This battle and
others are captured in Beowulf, a narrative poem told by a third-person omniscient narrator.
Grendel, on the other hand, is a companion novel narrated by the monster. Functioning as a
prequel, the novel is a study of Grendel leading up to his battle with Beowulf. The novel gives
voice to the monster, and, in doing so, provides a history of the monster and other characters
from the original epic (King Hrothgar, Unferth, Wealtheow, the dragon, Freawaru, and
Beowulf). The monster surely makes some interesting observations about heroics, the conflict
between good and evil, and human nature. One need not have read the epic Beowulf for this
novel to make sense. You will understand the narrator’s mission, in clear prose, from the start.
1) In a page or so, address whether or not the narrator is a reliable or unreliable narrator. This
can be gleaned from the narrator’s choices and deeds.
2) Supposedly a descendant of Cain (who committed the world’s first fratricide) and a hag of a
mother, Grendel comes to learn a great deal about his heritage. What roles are played by the
dragon, the Shaper (or scop), and Hrothgar in Grendel’s attempt to understand who he is? This
should be a five-paragraph essay with quoted evidence.
3) From the dragon’s perspective, write a one-page letter to Grendel, who is hoping to figure out
his reason for existing. Mention should be made of any thoughts the dragon may have about the
heroic code which governs Hrothgar’s warriors and Beowulf’s men or any other codes used to
organize the universe.
4) Consider how Gardner uses pathos to win sympathy for Grendel. In a page, select and explain
any passages in the novel where pathos is used.
5) Only the Dragon and Beowulf have dialogues with Grendel. Which dialogue paints a more
sympathetic understanding of Grendel? Explain.