AP English Language and Composition Summer Reading List and Assignment 2017
Welcome to AP English Language and Composition! As part of this course, students will read a book over the
summer and take notes while reading. The purpose of our summer reading assignment is simple: Reading over
the summer helps keep the students’ minds “in the game,” adds to the number of major literary works the
students will have read by the time they take their AP exams, and gives students a common literary experience,
providing them and their teacher immediate instruction opportunities. Your summer reading assignment will
focus on The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. Modern Library says: “Published in 1899, this American novel is
set primarily in New Orleans, Louisiana and shocked turn-of-the-century readers with its forthright treatment
of sex and suicide. Departing from literary convention, Kate Chopin failed to condemn her heroine’s desire for
an affair with the son of a Louisiana resort owner, whom she meets on vacation. The power of sensuality, the
delusion of ecstatic love, and the solitude that accompanies the trappings of middle and upper-class life are the
themes of this now-classic novel. As Kaye Gibbons points out, Chopin ‘was writing American realism before
Americans could bear to hear that they were living it.’” You should, therefore, plan to read this work slowly
and thoughtfully, paying attention to both its description and setting and its exploration of morality, society,
and self-discovery. In addition, withhold forming an opinion about the novel until you have completed it. The
College Board expects students to be familiar with literature written before 1900. This great work has often
appeared on the Advanced Placement: Literature and Composition Exam. Students should also be prepared to
complete both an objective exam as well as an in- class timed writing over the novel. You also need to
purchase A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers by Lee Jacobus. It may be purchased from
a former student or used from Amazon. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Daigle at
[email protected].
Assignment #1: Portraits – Edna and You
• For this assignment, you will create two (2) dual-sided portraits – one for Edna, and one for yourself.
• Note: A “portrait” is defined as a painting, drawing, photograph, or engraving of a person, especially one
depicting only the face or head and shoulders.
• Each portrait will have two sides to represent the “dual life” (inner existence vs. outer existence). Obviously,
your portrayal of Edna will be based on the text, while your self-portrait will be indicative of YOU J.
• You may create these portraits however you see fit. Some of you are naturally creative and may immediately
begin envisioning a direction for the project. For those who need a little more to go by, here are some
suggestions:
§ You may draw, paint, sculpt, etc.
§ You may also photograph yourself and Edna, but if you choose to “photograph” Edna (finding someone
to stand in for Edna) you MUST maintain a sense of authenticity in the way Edna looks. In other words, I
do not want pictures of “Edna” in a St. Agnes uniform since St. Agnes had not been founded at the time
of the text’s publication.
§ To save yourself time, you MAY use a “stock” photograph – aka an image accessed via the internet or
found in a text – for Edna’s “outer existence” portrait. If you choose to use an online image, make sure
that you can still explain your reasoning for selecting that particular picture.
§ If you create traditional portraits, they should be standard “sheet of paper size” (8.5 x 11) so that the
images can be easily seen. If you choose another creative route, just make sure your work can easily be
transported from home to my classroom.
§ Keep in mind that you have A LOT of flexibility with the “inner portraits” and these do NOT have to be
traditional “head shots”; rather, they could be much more symbolic or abstract as they represent thoughts,
feelings, dreams, drive, desires, etc.
• When creating the portraits, consider the following:
§ Expression
§ Clothing
§ Posture/positioning of the physical body
§ Color (or lack thereof)
§ Background
§ “Accessories” or objects in the picture
• After you have created your portraits, write two short essays (at least one page each – double spaced) describing
your creative decisions. Although you may write the essay about your own self portrait in first person, your
essay about Edna must be more formal:
§ Begin with a thesis statement making an overall argument about Edna’s inner and outer existences.
§ Use at least three textual references (direct quotations) to prove that your assessment of Edna is based on
Kate Chopin’s language and on your understanding of the text. When doing so, make sure to include
citations (Chopin 2).
§ End with a conclusion statement.
§ Format your work as you would format a formal essay (full MLA heading, etc.).
§ Edit your work for grammar and spelling.
• This assignment will be graded on creativity, thoughtfulness, effort, and the strength of your written submission.
Assignment #2: Rhetorical Terms Flashcards-Due the first day of school!
Directions: Familiarize yourself with these terms by creating flashcards using 4x6 index cards. Place the
term on one side and the definition on the other side of the card. When you return to school in the fall,
please be prepared to give an example of each term.
Alliteration
Allusion
Analogy
Anaphora
Anecdote
Annotation
Antecedent
Antimetabole
Antithesis
Aphorism
Appositive
Argument
Aristotelian triangle
Assertion
Assumption
Asyndeton
Attitude
Audience
Authority
Bias
Satire
Scheme
Sentence patterns
Sentence variety
Simile
Simple sentence
Speaker
Subordinate clause
Syllogism
Syntax
Cite
Claim
Close reading
Colloquialism
Complex sentence
Concession
Connotation
Context
Counterargument
Cumulative sentence
Declarative sentence
Deduction
Denotation
Ethos
Figurative language
Hyperbole
Imagery
Imperative sentence
Induction
Inversion
Synthesize
Thesis
Thesis statement
Tone
Topic sentence
Understatement
Voice
Zeugma
Irony
Juxtaposition
Logos
Metaphor
Metonymy
Oxymoron
Paradox
Parallelism
Parody
Pathos
Personification
Polysyndeton
Premise: major and minor
Propaganda
Purpose
Refute
Rhetoric
Rhetorical modes
Rhetorical question
Rhetorical triangle
Assignment #3: Supply List-Due the first day of school
Materials:
1. 3-ring notebook (1 ½ or 2 inch)
2. (7) dividers (label according to list below)
3. loose-leaf notebook paper
4. pens/pencils
5. highlighters - at least four colors
6. 1 paper folder with pockets
7. 1 composition book
Notebook Organization (label your dividers with the following sections):
Section 1: Bell-Ringer
Section 2: AP Multiple Choice
Section 3: Rhetorical Analysis
Section 4: Argument
Section 5: Synthesis
Section 6: Vocabulary
Section 7: Other