John Marshall High School
English I Pre-AP Summer Reading
2017-2018
This summer, English I Pre-AP students are expected to closely read Night by Elie Wiesel and complete detailed
annotations using the iCode Annotation Strategy. The annotations and reflection are due the Friday of the first week of
school. This assignment will be taken for a grade. There will also be major assignments during the first six weeks of
school pertaining to the summer reading. We highly encourage students to purchase their own copy of the text in order to
make annotations directly in the book. Students may also purchase an eBook and complete digital annotations. For the
purpose of this assignment, we will divide the book into nine chapters. Use this edition for compatibility:
Five types of annotations (setting, characters, conflict, theme, and devices) per chapter are required.
The chapters are as follows:
Chapter 1: pages 3-22
Chapter 2: pages 23-28
Chapter 3: pages 29-46
Chapter 4: pages 47-65
Chapter 5: pages 66-84
Chapter 6: pages 85-97
Chapters 7-9: pages 98-115
After reading the novel and completing iCode annotations, type a one page, double spaced reflection connecting
the novel to either a current event, a personal experience, or a real world experience.
English I Pre-AP: iCode Annotation Strategies
You may come up with your own annotation codes, but these are some basic starting
points to show how you might annotate your texts. You may also add in short phrases
or reminder notes as you read in the margins, between paragraphs, or on blank parts
of the pages.
(This strategy comes from fellow NISD teacher Becky Stortz; it has been slightly adapted.)
Narrative
Technique
Code
Annotation
Setting: place,
time,
atmosphere,
society
Mark a star by any part
referring to the
circumstances
surrounding the events
and people
Characters:
human and nonhuman
Conflict:
problems and
patterns of
events or
narrative
Mark an emoticon next
to parts that show
personality, attitudes,
actions.
[ ]
Put brackets around
specific events that
signal the conflicts in
the plot.
Theme: what is
the work about
or alluding to?
how are major
topics
discussed?
Mark a triangle next to
a lesson emphasized by
the work
Devices:
point-of-view,
irony, tone,
symbolism,
foreshadowing
Underline any specific
unexpected twists,
hints of author’s
attitude, objects that
imply deeper meaning,
hints toward future
outcomes
Guiding Questions:
Where does the action take place?
How are names of locations and locales important?
What is the time period? What period in history?
Which sensual descriptors are used? (sight, smell, sounds)
How is the passage of time perceived? (quickly, slowly…)
How does the environment affect the characters?
Which emotional reactions did you have to the atmosphere?
Are they flat, round, static, or dynamic?
If they change, how and why do they change?
How do they attempt to solve their problems?
Do they have traits that contradict one another and therefore cause internal conflicts?
Do they experience epiphanies? How and why?
What does the epiphany reveal to the character and to us?
How does one character relate to others in the novel?
Do they have speech mannerisms, gestures, or modes of dress that reveal their inner selves?
What is the main conflict? What are the minor conflicts?
How are all the conflicts related?
What causes the conflicts?
Which conflicts are external and which are internal?
Who is the protagonist? Antagonist?
What qualities or values does the author associate with each side of the conflict?
Where does the climax occur? Why?
How is the main conflict resolved?
Which conflicts go unresolved? Why?
What broader topics does this work seem to address?
What types of ethical or unethical behaviors take place?
Which moral conflicts arise?
Explain how the title of the work, chapter titles, or names of characters relate to theme.
What is the nature of the society the characters find themselves in?
How do the characters emerge from the conflicts?
How does the author introduce his work initially? First impressions?
What point-of-view has the author chosen?
What comments/events catch you offguard?
What are examples of “poetic justice”?
What info do you know/see that a character is unaware of?
What is the author’s overall attitude? (sarcastic, amused, disgusted, admiring, persuasive, etc.)
What is the author’s attitude toward the topic, scene, or characters?
What words or phrases does the author use to develop this attitude?
What symbols are prevalent in the work and what do they represent?
What hints toward future outcomes/possibilities do you notice?