2016-2017
AP Literature and Composition Summer Reading Assignment
Part 1: The First Two Books We Will Study
We will begin our study of literature with these two works from the 1800s. Because the fall gets
hectic with college applications, you may want to devote significant attention to these over the
summer. This will enable you to more efficiently manage your workload in the fall.
Frankenstein* by Mary Shelley [ISBN: 978-0-393-92793-1]
The familiar Hollywood version of Frankenstein – the large green monster with bolts on his neck – has
terrified audiences since its debut in 1931, but Mary Shelley’s original, although significantly different from the
Hollywood version, is perhaps more chilling because of what it reveals about human nature. Influenced by her
own life and her vivid imagination, Shelley created an unforgettable story of birth, death, revenge, and
redemption, one that makes us reconsider what it means to be human.
Give some thought to Mary’s Shelley’s technique in crafting this tale. Examine her structure and consider
why she would use two frame stories, as well as how the shifts in point-of-view change your perception of the
characters. Additionally, look at Shelley’s use of classical and Biblical allusions – how do they contribute to the
larger ideas she presents?
The Awakening* by Kate Chopin [ISBN: 978-0-393-96057-0]
Written at the end of the 19th century, this novel tells the story of Edna Pontellier, a young mother who
possesses “that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions.” Although The Awakening is
sometimes classified as a feminist novel, Kate Chopin considered herself neither a feminist nor a suffragist;
instead, she sympathized with the plight of individuals who struggle to attain their own personal freedom,
especially those who find themselves constrained by a rigid and dogmatic society.
As you read, consider how Chopin uses elements of the novel to emphasize universal themes. In
particular, note her use of setting, characterization, and symbol. You might want to create a list of these elements
for further discussion.
*Please be sure you have the Norton Critical Edition.
Part II: Some Books I Like
The following novels are not required, but if you want something classic to read this summer, give
these a try:
The End of the Affair by Graham Greene
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
If on a winter’s night a traveler by Italo Calvino
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
NOTES:
• Consulting online guides (such as Wikipedia or Sparknotes) as a supplement to or a substitute for reading the
book violates the Honor Code.
• You will need a hard copy, not an e-book, of all books required for this class.