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Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition
Course information for 2015-2016
Objectives for AP Literature as stated by the College Board
The AP English Literature and Composition course is designed to engage students in the
careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Through the close reading of
selected texts, students can deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to
provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. As they read, students should consider a
work's structure, style, and themes, as well as such smaller-scale elements as the use of figurative
language, imagery, symbolism, and tone.
Dear AP English Literature and Composition student,
I am pleased that you have decided to accept the challenge of an Advanced Placement
course in literature. The achievement of the objectives of this particular AP course demands a
rigorous schedule of analytical reading, writing, and discussion. In order to help you adjust to
the workload of this class, I have prepared this assignment as an introduction to the course. The
works of literature and assignments described in this packet will be completed over the summer,
and discussed within the first weeks of the 2015-2016 school year.
I hope that your summer will be enjoyable, and these excellent and award winning texts
will only add to your vacation experience. I look forward to working with you in the fall.
Sincerely,
Your AP Literature Instructor
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AP Literature Summer Assignment
Literature Assignment
Read:
 A Secret History by Donna Tartt
 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Annotate Each
Text:
Annotations should include:
Instructions:
With pencil or pen, make brief comments in the margins.
 Consider using the left side of the page for comments, questions,
arguments, and/or connection to personal experience, outside
sources, etc.
 Then use right side of the page for identification and/or summary
of interesting ideas, quotable phrases, or questionable words.
 At the beginning of the chapter, briefly summarize the chapter with
bullet points. If there is no room to do so, use the inside of the front
cover.
 At the end of each chapter, write a short dialectical addressing
literary devices and theme.
 Title each chapter with numbers if the book does not contain
chapter titles to aid with memory and to correlate with the
summary.
 Use the inside front cover or the inside back cover to keep a list of
“key information” with page references. Key information should
relate the author’s purpose and might include salient quotes, key
definitions, author’s jargon, vocabulary list, and important events,
characters, settings, passages, or chapters with corresponding page
numbers.

Theme should be a major focus of your literary analysis – please ensure that you are
aware of, and are gathering evidence for the development of the following themes in these
novels:
*The difficulties presented by planning your future based on the
past
transgressions of your
*The power community expectations have over individual lives
*There is often danger in extremism
*The most important decision in life is often whether to fight back or not.
You must purchase your own copy of each text – you will be submitting your annotated copy for a score.
 Please, no electronic versions – I know this is frustrating, but you need to have a paper copy of the
novels. No library copies
More on the back!
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Poetry Assignment
Read:
Select a collection of poetry to read from the list below: (you may want to
consider previewing some of each author’s work online before making a
final decision) Pick something you think you will enjoy!
1. The Ocean Inside Kenji Takezo by Rick Noguchi
2. The Trouble With Poetry by Billy Collins
3. A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver
4. The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes
5. Sonnets from the Portuguese and Other Poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
6. Bicycles: Love Poems by Nikki Giovanni
7. Hard Times Require Furious Dancing by Alice Walker
Assignment:



Additional Required
Text
As you read – consider: what makes a poem a poem?
Take notes on your observations of the work of this particular poet/collection. In
particular please consider – continuity of theme, recurrent images, stylistic decisions
that are pronounced within the poet’s work.
Use your text annotations to put together a one page formal analysis where you
introduce the collection and the style of your poet.
You also need to purchase a copy of Mary Oliver’s A Poetry Handbook - you do not need to
do anything with it over the summer (though you may find the information within the book
helpful). We will be relying on this as our primary source for poetry analysis assistance.
You may purchase these electronically or in paper copy, though it may be easier to annotate a paper copy. You need to
be prepared to bring the text to class with you and participate in discussion with those who chose the same collection.
More on the back!
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Analytical Assignment
THIS PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT IS MANDATORY FOR STUDENTS MOVING FROM
HONORS 11 TO AP. IF YOU TOOK AP LANG THIS IS PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT IS
OPTIONAL, BUT YOU CAN RECEIVE SOME ADDITIONAL CREDIT FOR COMPLETING IT.
Read:
 How to Read Literature like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster.
Assignment:

Briefly outline or make notes on each chapter. (Note: In order to make these
notes truly useful, you should keep them to no more than 4-5 pages long for
the entire book.)

At the end of each section apply the concept introduced by Foster to a work
you have read. BE SPECIFIC in your use of examples.

We are highly aware that many outlines of this text can be found online. It is
your job to have integrity and complete the work yourself.
Kindle version and paper copy of this are both acceptable.
Assessment of these readings:
 Students should be prepared to write deeply and analytically in response to AP style
essay prompts (prompt styling will be explained in advance – don’t get stressed out about
AP exam stuff yet) with regards to what they read in each novel the first day of classes.
 Students should be prepared to complete ancillary reading which will support and deepen
understandings of these two novels within the first week. This reading is only useful if
students have read and analyzed text in advance.