Wichita High School East  International Baccalaureate Diploma Program
2301 E. Douglas  Wichita, KS 67211  (316) 973-7289 phone  (316) 973-7209 fax
2017 PIB English 2 Summer Reading Assignment
“In an abundant society where people have laptops, cell phones, iPods, and minds like empty
rooms, I still plod along with books. Instant information is not for me. I prefer to search library
stacks because when I work to learn something, I remember it.”~ Harper Lee
In the spirit of IB and in celebration of reading and writing, all Wichita High School East IB
students are required to complete summer reading assignments.
Students are encouraged to purchase their own copies of the required reading so that they can
mark in them as they read. Arrangements have been made for a special discount on these
titles at Watermark Books, 4701 E. Douglas, so I recommend you purchase them from
Watermark. Please tell them you are purchasing them for the East High summer reading
program in order to receive the discount. If you anticipate a problem with this purchase,
please notify the IB office immediately. These summer reading assignments are
required assignments for your English class. We will dive into them on the first day of
school, so you must be prepared to participate in the class discussion and analysis of all
works. If you read the books early in the summer, please be prepared to re-read or study them
just before school starts. This will jump-start your academic critical-thinking skills and
encourage you to consider literary works as carefully constructed pieces of art. Remember, this
is academic reading. I hope you also have time this summer for pleasure reading. I look forward
to discussing these works with you once school begins. ~ Ms. Talbott
All IB Sophomores are required to purchase the following books, each of which is
available at Watermark Books. (Students who were at East in PIB English 1 last year
already own the short story anthology. It will be used in PIB English 2 and IB English 3.)
How to Read Literature Like a Professor—Thomas C. Foster, ISBN: 978-0062301673
The Art of the Short Story-Dana Gioia and R. S. Gwynn, ISBN: 978-0-321-36363-3
Glory Over Everything: Beyond the Kitchen House-Kathleen Grissom, ISBN: 9781476748450
Additionally, please purchase a standard composition notebook; this will be used with all of your
summer reading assignments. Please do not use spiral bound notebooks or loose leaf notebook paper.
You will also use a composition notebook in class for all of our writing assignments; I would suggest
you purchase more than one.
Please write your name and hour on the bottom of all summer reading books, as well as the
books we use during the school year.
Assignment Number One: How to Read Literature like a Professor
Read and annotate How to Read Lit. It is especially important that you read How to
Read Lit first since it should serve as a “lens” through which to read and understand literature.
It will also be used as a reference work during this school year and in your first year of IB.
Annotate How to Read Literature Like a Professor in the following ways (using black or
blue pen, only):
1. Highlight or color mark (include a key on the inside cover) definitions, key phrases, key
words, ideas, or points made in each chapter.
2. Using black or blue ink, write questions, comments, personal connections, and/or reactions
to the passages in the margins of the text, inside the covers, and on the title page.
3. On the last page of each chapter, write three sentences that reflect main ideas in that
chapter. These are to be summaries of what Foster says, not simply topics (i.e. what
Foster talks about in this chapter). Please use black or blue ink for this.
Assignment Number Two: Glory Over Everything
About the book: The latest New York Times bestseller from the author of the beloved book
club favorite The Kitchen House is a heart-racing story about a man’s treacherous journey
through the twists and turns of the Underground Railroad on a mission to save the boy he
swore to protect. Glory Over Everything is “gripping…breathless until the end” ( Kirkus
Reviews).
1. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the Underground Railroad.
2. Study Guide. Complete the attached study guide. Your study guide will be a useful resource
in preparing for the tasks and tests related to the summer reading assignments. Your study
guide questions should be answered in your composition notebook. Include page numbers.
3. Annotate/Identify key passages and concepts. Using blue or black ink, write questions,
comments, personal connections and/or reactions in the margins of the text, inside the covers,
and on the title page. In your comp books, identify key passages, patterns, and concepts from
How to Read Lit that apply to Glory (see #6, below). Include page numbers. Pay close attention
to and highlight observations regarding literary devices.
4. Characters. Keep a list of characters in your composition notebook, including significant
actions, dates, and descriptions with which the characters are associated.
5. Family Tree/Timeline. In order to keep track of the characters, and their relationship to
other characters, in your composition book, create both a family tree and a timeline. The
timeline should contain important information regarding the characters, such as their
movements, dates, important events, etc.
6. Patterns. Look particularly for the following patterns from How to Read Literature Like a
Professor and determine how/if they apply to Glory. Keep track of these in your composition
notebook, in the order in which they appear, below. Include page numbers.
1. The Quest Narrative
2. Acts of Communion
3. Greek/Roman Myth/Creation Myth
4. Weather/Seasons
5. Interpretation of Violence/Vampirism
6. Symbolism
7. Social/Political Commentary
8. Christ Figures
9. Interpreting Sexuality
10. Baptism/Washing/Symbolic Rebirth
11. Setting or Geography
12. Physical Attributes/Deformities/Illnesses
13. Sensory Detail
14. Irony
Assignment Number Three: The Art of the Short Story
1. Read the following five short stories, along with the author bios: “Everyday Use” by
Alice Walker, “Separating” by John Updike, “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, “How I
Met My Husband” by Alice Munro, and “Barbie-Q” by Sandra Cisneros.
1. Make sure to review the literary terms that you studied and used extensively in PIB
English 1.
2. Review the elements of fiction (plot, characterization, point of view, setting, theme,
style), beginning on p. 849. Be prepared to apply each of the elements to each short story.
3. Review “The Art of the Short Story” on pgs. 3-6.
4. For each short story, in your comp book, complete an outline following the structure
in “The Basic Elements of Short Fiction” (attached). This outline structure was used in
PIB 1.
Assignments/grades related to summer reading may include:
1. A test over literary terms.
2. An objective test over all works.
3. A group oral presentation to be assigned the first week of school.
4. A written commentary over any/all of the summer reading works.
All assignments associated with your summer reading, including your books, must be
brought to class on the first day of school.
Should you have questions, you can email me at: [email protected]
Please note that I will answer summer emails as my schedule allows.
The Basic Elements of Short Fiction
Write the title of story and the author’s name at the top of the page.
I. Exposition- the introduction or background (use bulleted phrases for parts A and B)
A. Setting- use direct quotes and inferred details concerning time, place, season, social conditions, etc.
B. Characters and Characterization1. Give a brief description of each character.
2. Explain the character’s role.
3. Apply three distinct relevant character traits that can be supported using evidence from the
beginning, middle, and end of the story (begin with the protagonist, then the antagonist, followed
by any other important minor characters).
II. Initial Incident- also called point of attack.
A. What is the first incident that gets the plot moving and forces the protagonist to encounter the
antagonist?
B. Explain your response.
III. Conflict- Explain both the internal and external conflicts.
A. Internal
B. External
IV. Rising Action- List two meaningful complications (events that intensify the conflict and move toward the
climax). Generalize enough to cover as much plot as possible.
A. Meaningful Complication #1
B. Meaningful Complication #2
V. Climax- What is the turning point?
A. What event occurs that causes the main character to change permanently and clearly leads to a
resolution in the conflict?
B. Explain your response.
VI. Resolution- How are the internal and external conflicts from #3 resolved? Address both.
A. Internal
B. External
VII. Conclusion- How does the story end? Discuss the significance and provide some insight (think critically).
A. Literal Ending
B. Significance/Insight
VIII. Theme Statement- What observation about humanity does the author communicate? This must be a single
well-written sentence. Infer- do not quote. Theme statements are original— not plagiarized, cliché, a moral, or a
command. Do not begin with “The author is trying to say that…” or “The theme statement is…” Example: Humans
will often compromise their morals in exchange for self-preservation.
Glory Over Everything Study Guide Questions
1. “I had met Henry twenty years earlier, when, at the age of thirteen, I arrived in Philadelphia, ill and terrified and fleeing for my
life.” How does James’s flight from Tall Oaks mark his life going forward? Why does Henry come to James’s aid, and what does he
represent to James? What details from their early interactions complicate their relationship as adults?
2. “I had never and would never consider myself a Negro. In fact, the idea disgusted me.” How does James reconcile his biracial
identity with his own racist attitudes? To what extent does his denial of his ethnicity serve as a means of self-preservation in the
racist society he inhabits?
3. Why does Pan’s unexplained disappearance distress James? Compare and contrast the dangers from slave catchers that Pan and
James face. Why do you think Kathleen Grissom chose to alternate these characters’ narratives at key points in the novel?
4. Why does James conceal his biracial status from Caroline Preston, the married daughter of socially prominent Philadelphia
aristocrats? How does her pregnancy threaten James’s entire existence? How might Caroline’s discovery of his biracial status have
altered the trajectory of the novel? Why do you think Kathleen Grissom chose not to pursue that storyline?
5. “‘I can provide [room and board] for you in my home, where you will be downstairs with our household help.’” As a newly minted
apprentice at Burton’s Silversmith, why does James feel insulted to live below stairs with the black servants? How do Delia, Ed, and
Robert react to having a white person living with them?
6. Describe James’s relationship with Mrs. Burton. What role does the bird Malcolm play in their bond? How is their connection
strengthened by the tragedies they have experienced? How does James’s discovery of the Burtons’ views on slavery affect him?
7. From the reactions of his white and black acquaintances, how convincing are James’s efforts to pass as a white silversmith in
Philadelphia? What does Delia’s theft of James’s letter in the aftermath of his adoption by the Burtons suggest about her intentions?
What reasons might Delia have for outing James?
8. “I had loved [Mrs. Burton] as a mother. . . . A difference existed after she learned the truth from Delia. Yet I did not hold her
responsible; for how could I blame her for an inability to love the part of me that I, too, loathed.” How does Delia’s revelation of
James’s race affect his relationship with his Mrs. Burton? What does her dismissal of Delia imply about her acceptance of James?
9. James refers to his attraction to Caroline Preston as an “uncomfortable fascination.” How does Caroline characterize her feelings
for James? Given their differences in age and social class, what explains their connection? To what extent is Caroline’s mother,
Cristina Cardon, an enabler of their illicit affair?
10. Discuss the remarkable events that converge to liberate Pan from the Southwood plantation. What does the collaboration of
Sukey and the Spencer family in the daring rescue suggest about the racially progressive views of many white Americans during this
era? Given the unique dangers James faces in his efforts to retrieve Pan from the plantation’s overseer, Bill Thomas, why does he
persist?
11. “From above, thick corded vines netted with Spanish moss draped down to ensnare us. With each vine I pushed away I thought of
cottonmouth moccasins, the copperheads, and the rattlesnakes that were known to inhabit the place.” What does the Great Dismal
Swamp represent to runaway slaves and their pursuers? Why do the runaways seek refuge there, despite the many dangers? Why
does the Spencer family, along with many others, fear it?
12. Why does Sukey’s delivery of her baby in a cave in the Great Dismal Swamp cause James to panic and flee? How does Pan respond
to James’s act of cowardice? To what extent does James redeem himself in Pan’s eyes through his treatment of Sukey’s infant
daughter, Kitty?
13. “Where, then, did I belong? Was my birth an accident of fate, or was my life intended to have some purpose?” How do the
circumstances of James’s birth and upbringing shape his sense of self at the beginning of the novel? By the end, what events have
enabled his new understanding and acceptance of himself?
14. How does Kathleen Grissom’s use of multiple narrators deepen your appreciation of the work? If the author had chosen to
include other characters’ perspectives, whose would you have been especially interested to read, and why?
15. In James’s last letter to his mother, Belle, he reveals his decision to change his daughter’s name from Caroline to Belle. What role
does his servant Robert play in the radical transformation of James’s feelings for his mother? Discuss how the conclusion of the novel
brings the arc of James’s character full circle.
PIB English 2 Supplemental Reading List
We will use the following books this year in English. You are encouraged to purchase your own
copy of the required reading so that you can annotate the books as you read. Arrangements
have been made for a special discount on these titles at Watermark Books, 4701 E.
Douglas, so I recommend you purchase them from Watermark. Please tell them you are
purchasing them for East High PIB English 2 in order to receive the discount. You are not
required to purchase all four before school begins.
First Semester:
Macbeth (Folger edition by Washington Square Press) ISBN: 9780743477109: $4.83
Of Mice and Men (Penguin) ISBN: 9780140177398: $8.87
Second Semester:
The Great Gatsby (Scribner) ISBN: 978-0-7432-7356-5: $12.90
In Cold Blood (Vintage Books/Random House) ISBN: 9780679745587: $12.90
PIB English 2 Supplemental Reading List
We will use the following books this year in English. You are encouraged to purchase your own
copy of the required reading so that you can annotate the books as you read. Arrangements
have been made for a special discount on these titles at Watermark Books, 4701 E.
Douglas, so I recommend you purchase them from Watermark. Please tell them you are
purchasing them for East High PIB English 2 in order to receive the discount. You are not
required to purchase all four before school begins.
First Semester:
Macbeth (Folger edition by Washington Square Press) ISBN: 9780743477109: $4.83
Of Mice and Men (Penguin) ISBN: 9780140177398: $8.87
Second Semester:
The Great Gatsby (Scribner) ISBN: 978-0-7432-7356-5: $12.90
In Cold Blood (Vintage Books/Random House) ISBN: 9780679745587: $12.90
PIB English 1 and 2 Literary Terms
Term
Alliteration
Definition
Repetition of the beginning consonant sound. Ex. Rough and ready, Peter Piper.
Allusion
Reference to something outside of the work, usually mythical, Biblical, or historical
Anecdote
Short summary of a funny event.
Antagonist
The person or thing that opposes the protagonist. Sometimes called the villain.
Archetype
A recurring and familiar pattern in literature, like a journey or a wise old man.
Aside
When a character in a play speaks to the audience and not to the other characters.
Assonance
Repetition of an internal vowel sound, as in “How now brown cow.”
Autobiography
A story about a person written by that person.
Ballad
Poem which tells a story of a person from the past and is often set to music.
Biography
An author's account or story of another person's life
Characterization
The way an author reveals his characters. Can be done directly or indirectly.
Cliché
A word or phrase that is overused, like "busy as a bee" or "I slept like a log."
Climax
High point in a story, point of most intense interest, and point of no return.
Conflict
The problem or complication in a story, usually between a person and something
else…either another person, a force of nature, fate, or the person himself.
Connotation
All the emotions or feelings a word arouses, such as negative feelings about 'pig.'
Denotation
The literal, dictionary definition of a word.
Dialogue
Conversation carried on by the characters in a work of literature.
Dramatic POV
A play, in which all events are told as dialogue.
End Rhyme
Rhyming words that appear at the ends of two or more lines of poetry.
Epic Poetry
A long narrative poem about the adventures of an almost superhuman character.
Epithet
A word or phrase used in place of a person's name to help characterize the person.
Exposition
The part of a story or play that explains the background or makes conflict clear.
Falling Action
The action that takes place in a story after the climax and that resolves the conflict.
Fantasy
Highly imaginative writing that contains elements not found in real life.
Fiction
Prose writing that tells about imaginary characters and events.
Figurative
Language
Writing or speech not meant to be interpreted literally. Similes, metaphors, and
personification are examples of figurative language.
First Person
Told from the perspective on one character in the story. Designated by the pronoun
'I'.
Point of View
Flashback
When a story's sequence is interrupted and a character goes back to an earlier time.
Foreshadowing
The use of clues that suggest events yet to come.
Free Verse
Poetry that is not written with a regular pattern of rhythm and rhyme.
Genre
A French word meaning form or type. Literary genres are novel, essay, poetry, play.
Hero
A character whose actions are inspiring or noble, and who overcomes difficulties.
Haiku
A Japanese form of poetry with three lines of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables.
Historical Fiction
Stories that center upon or incorporate some significant historical events.
Hyperbole
Exaggerating or stretching the truth for literary effect. "My shoes are killing me!"
Iambic
Pentameter
A metrical pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables common in poetry and in
Shakespearean plays. The line contains ten syllables in the pattern ~/~/~/~/~/.
Imagery
Words that describe sights, sounds, movements and recreate sensory experience.
Irony
When something is different than it is supposed to be or thought to be. Kinds of
irony include verbal, dramatic, and situational.
Lyric Poetry
Poetry that expresses the observations and feelings of a single speaker.
Metaphor
Comparison of two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as.'
Meter
The repetition of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.
Monologue
A speech or performance given entirely by one person or one character.
Mystery
A story that involves the reader in guessing who committed the crime or deed.
Myth
A fictional tale that explains the actions of gods or heroes, or the causes of natural
phenomenon, or both. Myths can be Greek, Roman, Norse, or Celtic in origin.
Narrative Poetry
Poems that tell a story.
Non-Fiction
Prose that explains ideas or is about real people, places, objects, or events.
Omniscient
When the story is told from the perspective of someone outside of the events but
who knows and reveals all the character's thoughts and feelings.
Point of view
Onomatopoeia
The use of words that imitate sounds, as in buzz, hiss, or murmur.
Oxymoron
Two words used together that contradict each other, as in icy fire or sweet sorrow.
Paradox
A statement that seems to be contradictory but that actually presents a truth.
Parallelism
Repetition of phrases that have similar grammatical patterns.
Personification
Giving human characteristics to a non-human thing or substance.
Plot
The sequence of events in a literary work.
Point of View
The perspective from which a story is told. Types are 1 st person, 3rd person limited,
omniscient, stream of consciousness, and dramatic.
Poetic Justice
When a character 'gets what he deserves.'
Prologue
The opening lines of a drama that give background information.
Prose
The ordinary form of written language, not poetry, drama, or song.
Protagonist
The main character in a literary work who drives the plot forward.
Pseudonym
The assumed or false name of an author. Samuel Clemens' pseudonym is Mark
Twain.
Pun
A play on words when a word has more than one meaning.
Refrain
The regularly repeated group of lines in a poem or song.
Rhyme
Repetition of sounds at the end of words.
Science Fiction
Fictional stories that center upon scientific elements.
Second Person
Designated by the pronoun 'you.' There is no second person point of view in
storytelling.
Setting
Time and place of a literary work.
Simile
A comparison of two unlike things using the word 'like' or 'as.' Love is like a rose.
Soliloquy
Speech delivered by a character when he is alone on stage.
Sonnet
Fourteen lines of iambic pentameter - a very common form of poetry.
Stream of
Consciousness
A narrative technique, or point of view, that presents thoughts as if they were
coming straight from a character's mind, with story events and character feelings
combined.
Stanza
A unit or group of lines in poetry that are separated by spaces.
Style
An author's unique way of writing that involves word choice and sentence patterns.
Symbol
Something seen that stands for something unseen, as a rose for love, flag for a
country
Theme
Central truth or idea in a story.
Third Person
Point of View
When the story is told from the perspective of someone outside of the events of the
story but who reveals only one character's thoughts.
Tone
The writer or speaker's attitude towards the subject of the work.
Tragedy
A type of story that portrays the fall of a noble person, usually due to a tragic
weakness or flaw in his/her character.