Honors English 10 Summer Assignment
Note:
 Close reading leads to quality understanding and superior writing.
 While I encourage discussion among your peer group as you complete this, be sure
that your final work is your own.
 Completing the reading and journal writing will take time – do not put off working on
this assignment to the last minute.
Reading:
 Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Writing:
 At roughly five-page intervals, you should stop your reading and review what you have
read. In your review, identify “key lines/quotes/descriptions” that stand out. Focusing
on those things that stand out, create a journal using a modified-Cornell notes format.
The journal may be handwritten or computer-generated. Please follow the table
format shown below:
Space for
in-class
notes
Chap,
Page,
Para
1.1.title
1.1.1&2
Textual Example:

Direct quote

Summary/paraphrase
The Hearth and the
Salamander
It was a pleasure to burn.
It was a special pleasure to
see things eaten, to see
things blackened and
changed.
Analysis/Response/Question:

Literary element application

Author strategy application
Denotation – hearth – floor of the fireplace / spot in
front of the fireplace
Connotation – hearth – warmth (love) of a home
Denotation – salamander – can regenerate lost limbs /
capable of living on land and water
Connotation – salamander – often associated with fire
and being unharmed by flames
Mood – intense but mysterious – need more
information before fully assessing
Syntax – parallel structure – anaphora – “It was a __” –
creates a “building effect”
Diction – special – increases the intensity
Diction – changed – italic – emphasis – how will
“change” impact this story as a whole?
 Throughout your analysis/response, avoid mere summary.
 While this is far from an exhaustive list of literary elements that an author may use,
strongly consider the following: story/plot structure, point of view, character, setting,
conflict, theme, mood, figurative language, and irony. Evaluate each author’s use of
syntax and diction in places, and consider how the story is enhanced through the
specific use of each.
 How much to write? As a minimum, for every five pages, you should identify two to
three important lines/quotes/descriptions. The more you engage with the text
throughout your reading and review, the better the reading experience will be and the
better prepared you will be for the summer reading assessment.
 On the first day of class, have in hand a hard copy of your complete journal.
 Be ready to discuss the material from your journal when you arrive in the fall. The
quality of your participation/discussion is vital to the operation of our class.