AP/IB 12 October Intersession Assignment
PRE-20TH CENTURY WORKS SUGGESTED ON THE AP LIT EXAM
You may choose a work from this list for your research novel. My
reasoning is multi-purpose: to give you more experience with the
sophisticated syntax and diction of the 18th-19th century to prepare
you for these kinds of works on the AP exam, to suggest works to you
which will be layered deeply for a true experience in literary analysis,
and to provide a list to show you the kind of works excerpted/suggested
on the exam. Choose one, let me know which one you’ve chosen, and
please understand that I don’t want everyone reading the same work
(so if a number of students have asked for it, I’ll direct you to make
another choice). It would be wise of you to have several titles in mind.
Back-up plans, you know….
The plan is thus: choose the novel and read and annotate it over break.
You’re going to research it prior to reading the novel- read the authors
bio, take notes and research historical context. After/as you read the
work complete the dialectical journal questions assigned for your work.
These will be due when you return and must be submitted to
turnitin.com.
You may buy a copy of the book, or borrow from the school/public
library. These are classics – you may very well be able to find them
online. If you do so you need to provide me a hard copy of your
annotations that include full quotes and comments, and you need to
submit them to turnitin.com.
Here are your options. If you are an IB student, I strongly suggest you
read a drama.
Drama
Macbeth- Shakespeare
Medea- Euripides
Doctor Faustus- Marlowe
King Lear- Shakespeare
Medea- Euripides
Prose Fiction
Wuthering Heights- Bronte
Great Expectations- Dickens
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man- Joyce
The Picture of Dorian Gray- Wilde
The Jungle- Sinclair
Before You Read
When you are studying literature, one of the things you must do is to relate texts to
their social, cultural and historical contexts and literary traditions. So the first
question is, what does this mean? To understand this, it is important to recognize
that texts are not created in a vacuum, but are the product of many influences that
affect the ways in which writers write and the ways in which we read and interpret
their work. Becoming aware of this background information can help you to
understand and appreciate the texts you read and help you form your responses
more effectively.
The ‘social, historical and cultural’ contexts can consist of a variety of factors. Here
are some things you should consider in placing a text in ‘context’:
 the life or biography of the author
 other works that the author has written
 the historical period in which that the work was written
 the literary period in which the work was written
 the place or event that gave rise to the work
 the ways in which the language used in the work reflects the period in which
it was written
 the particular culture within which the work was written
 the social background of the author or the theme or setting of the work
You need to gather and prepare this information prior to break. I want to know that
you are well versed in the social/historical/cultural context of your work before
starting the novel/drama you have selected. You can print and annotate scholarly
articles or construct summaries for each of the bullets listed above. Research and
answer these questions thoughtfully. Don’t be lazy- this is important and I will score
it accordingly. I will also need evidence of your source material, so ensure that you
turn it in or cite the sources you’ve consulted in a bibliography.
In addition, you will need to write a 12+ sentence paragraph(s) where you, based off
the research above, explain what critical lens that we have been examining the last
two weeks will be best to examine the work through with a justification for your
choice.
So here is what I need from you by this Friday:
a) Either: 1) A packet of annotated sources where the annotations that directly
respond to each of the bullets above. 2) A collection of sources, annotated or
not, stapled behind a bullet by bullet response to the items above
b) The reflection on the best theoretical approach.
This is due on this Friday (9/26)
Excerpt Journal(s)
You will choose eight excerpts from throughout the book or drama that illustrate your responses to the questions
below.
Format:

Each excerpt you choose (not write) must be a paragraph or more in length. Do not get cute and find a onesentence paragraph! Each excerpt should be typed/copy pasted/reprinted with page number notation.

After each passage, discuss the excerpt’s place within the work and why you feel it is important in regards
to the question. You should always think about the passage overall, as well as the specific words used in the
passage. Each discussion should be at least 200 words in length.

Requirements: Your excerpts, as well as your responses need to be typed and submitted to turnitin.com.
Choose excerpts that illustrate your answers to the following questions:
1. Overview: What is the plot of the story? What are the central ideas? How do events follow each other and
how are they related? What is the structure of the novel or short story? How does the structure affect the
reader’s response?
2. Narrative Viewpoint: Who tells the story? Is there more than one narrator? Why has the author chosen
this viewpoint? How does this choice affect the reader’s response?
3. Characters: How are characters portrayed? (i.e. round or flat, dynamic or static) What methods of
characterization are employed? How do these choices affect the reader’s response?
4. Themes, issue & ideas: What are the underlying themes and meanings present in the novel or short
story? What is the author’s purpose in presenting these themes, ideas and issues? How does this affect
the reader’s response?
5. The society, setting or world: Where does the action take place? What is the relationship between the
main characters and the setting, society, and/or time in history of the novel or short story? How does this
affect the reader’s response?
6. Language and style #1: What are the distinctive characteristics of the writer’s use of language? (use
strong, rich adjectives to describe) What is unique about the writer’s style? (use strong, rich adjectives to
describe) Why has the writer chosen this use of language and/or style? How do these choices affect the
reader?
7. Language and style #2: What are the distinctive characteristics of the writer’s use of language? (use
strong, rich adjectives to describe) What is unique about the writer’s style? (use strong, rich adjectives to
describe) Why has the writer chosen this use of language and/or style? How do these choices affect the
reader?
8. Language and style #3: What are the distinctive characteristics of the writer’s use of language? (use
strong, rich adjectives to describe) What is unique about the writer’s style? (use strong, rich adjectives to
describe) Why has the writer chosen this use of language and/or style? How do these choices affect the
reader?
This is due on Friday 10/17
Grading:
A Detailed, meaningful passage selections; thoughtful interpretation and commentary
about the text; includes comments about literary elements (like theme, diction, imagery,
syntax, symbolism, etc.) and how these elements contribute to the meaning of the text;
asks thought-provoking, insightful questions; coverage of text is complete and thorough;
journal is neat, organized and readable; student has followed directions in the
organization of the journal.
B Less-detailed, but good selections; some intelligent commentary about the text;
includes some comments about literary elements (like theme, diction, imagery, syntax,
symbolism, etc.) but less than how these elements contribute to the meaning of the text;
asks some thought provoking, insightful questions; coverage of text is complete and
thorough; journal is neat, organized and readable; student has followed directions in the
organization of the journal.
C A few good details about the text; most of the commentary is vague, unsupported or
plot summary/paraphrase; some listing of literary elements, but perhaps inadequate
discussion; asks few or obvious questions; addresses most of the reading assignment, but
not very thoroughly; journal is relatively neat; student has perhaps not followed all
directions in formatting
D Hardly any good details from the text; all notes are plot summary or paraphrase; few
literary elements, virtually no discussion on meaning; no good questions; limited coverage
of text/too short; did not follow directions; difficult to read/follow
F No dialectical journal completed on day collected.
Note: any journal submitted that does not contain all eight assigned entries will not
be scored.