Summer Reading for Junior English
2011-12
I. Novel Choice
A. Choose a novel from the provided list. Read it and complete a journal as you read. Topics to be
covered in your journal are below.
B. Complete a journal in relation to the novel you choose to read. Write in your journal responses to
any five of the following questions. Hand write and double space in a composition book. Your
responses must be thorough and well thought out. Include specific references to the events and
characters in the novel.
1. Write an entry identifying and describing the setting of your novel. How does the setting contribute to
character and plot?
2. Write a letter of advice, admonition or rebuke to any character in your novel.
3. Compare and contrast any two characters in the novel.
4. After finishing your novel, describe your character’s progress. How has he/she changed and/or what has
he/she learned?
5. Discuss the role of injustice in your novel. How does the main character (or another character) deal with
injustice?
6. Write an entry discussing the use of dialogue and/or dialect in the novel. Does it enhance or detract from
your reading?
7. Discuss the conflict of the individual vs. society as it appears in your novel.
8. Trace the author’s use of biblical allusion in the novel. If this does not seem to apply to your novel,
discuss the application of a biblical passage to some aspect of your novel.
9. Discuss the handicaps or trials a character faces. Using specific examples detail how the character
responds. Explain how the character either rises above or crumbles under the circumstances.
II. Short Stories
A.
Read the following short stories from Great American Short Stories
“Winter Dreams” page 493
“The Yellow Wallpaper” page 314
“Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” page 151
“The Revolt of Mother” page 269
“The Wife of His Youth” page 285
“The Birthmark” page 20
B.
Complete in relation to the stories above.
After reading the stories, consider the conflict of appearances vs. reality. Create a poster showing how this
conflict is central in at least four of the short stories you read. Draw, paint, or cut out collected images from
various publications (no internet images, however) that depict this conflict. Be sure to clearly indicate the
titles of the various works you’ve chosen on the front of the poster, and on the back include a one page typed
and double-spaced explanation of your poster.
The above are due on the first day of school.
Summer Reading Novels Check out the following descriptions of each novel, and choose the one you believe you’ll enjoy the most to read for your summer reading project. The Age of Innocence: Set in the New York aristocracy of the 1870’s, Newland Archer must choose between the traditional and appropriate May Welland, and the more unconventional yet most interesting Ellen Olenska. A novel of social criticism, Wharton writes of what she knows best as a woman who had herself struggled with issues of class and decorum. The House of Mirth: Set in the New York aristocracy of the turn of the twentieth century, Lily Bart, a woman of genteel poverty, struggles to retain her position in high society. A novel of social criticism, Wharton writes of what she knows best as a woman who had herself struggles with issues of class and decorum. A Farewell to Arms: Set in Italy during WW I, Frederic Henry, an American, serves in the war as an ambulance driver, during which he is seriously wounded, falls in love, and wrestles with issues of honor and disillusionment. My Antonia: Set in the Nebraska prairie during the turn of the twentieth century, Jim Burden grows up alongside the Bohemian immigrant, Antonia Shimerda, during which he struggles with issues of discrimination and young love. This is a beautifully written coming of age story. The Grapes of Wrath: Set in the time of the Depression and the Dust Bowl, the Joad family is displaced from their Oklahoma farm and is forced to seek the American Dream in the promised land of California. Their journey is difficult and tragic. The novel is interspersed with info‐chapters regarding the historic and political context of the time. The Chosen: Set in New York City during the Depression, Reuvun is a Hasidic Jew who has a passion for art. The problem is that tradition requires him to pursue a different direction. Their Eyes Were Watching God: As part of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston’s novel traces a woman’s quest for a fulfilling life. This novel gives voice to the often overlooked perspective of the African‐American woman as she faces numerous struggles. Daisy Miller: Set in the mid‐nineteenth century, Daisy Miller, a young American woman traveling in Europe, is introduced to the differences in decorum and morals of European society. The House of the Seven Gables: Taking place in 1850, Salem, Massachusetts, this novel traces the effects of a family curse on the Pyncheon family. The Old Man and the Sea: Deceptively simple in its telling, this highly symbolic novel tells the story of Santiago in his quest to catch the finest fish. Go Tell It on the Mountain: This novel, set in Harlem, relays the story of a 14 year old boy named John, using flashbacks to recount the lives of his aunt, his father, and his mother. The conflict centers around John and his father, as they struggle relationally, and as John grows up and deals with his parents’ faith. Billy Budd: Taking place at the end of the 18th century, an impressed sailor of the British navy, the naïve and trusting Billy Budd enjoys the affirmation of the crew but suffers at the hand of John Claggart, the master‐at‐arms. As a result of his actions, Billy Budd must be tried for treason.