2014-2015 Honors English I Summer Reading
Directions: Each student is responsible for reading one novel from the list below in order to
complete the guided questions (which will be posted at a later date and due during the first week
of school). Students will be assigned additional assessments during the first week of school.
Summer Reading Choices- Choose one.
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura
Hillenbrand - This is an unforgettable story of a man’s journey into extremity, a testament to the
resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit. It is the true story of Louis Zamperini, a promising young
Olympic runner from Torrance, California, who was called into service on a bomber crew in the Pacific in
World War II. Zamperini's plane went down in the Pacific Ocean and he and two other survivors drifted
over 40 days living on rainwater and the occasional fish or bird they could catch.
13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher - Clay Jensen, a quiet, shy high school student, returns home from
school one day to find a package from an anonymous person sitting on his doorstep. Upon opening it, he
discovers that it is a shoe box containing seven cassette tapes recorded by the late Hannah Baker, his
classmate. What will clay find on these tapes?
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith - The story focuses on an impoverished but
aspirational third-generation-American adolescent girl and her ethnically-blended family
in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City during the first two decades of the 20th century
The following pages have the guided questions:
Pages 2-3 are for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Pages 4-6 are for 13 Reasons Why
Pages 7-9 are for Unbroken
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Discussion Questions
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
Honors English 1
Please answer all of the following questions in complete sentences and be prepared to
discuss your answers on the first day of school.
1. In a particularly revealing chapter, Francie’s teacher dismisses her essays about everyday
life among the poor as “sordid,” and, indeed, many of the novel’s characters seem to
harbor a sense of shame about their poverty. But they also display a remarkable selfreliance (Katie, for examples, says she would kill herself and her children before
accepting charity). How and why have our society’s perceptions of poverty changed –
for better or worse – during the last one hundred years?
2. Some critics argue that many of the characters in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn can be
dismissed as stereotypes, exhibiting quaint characteristics or representing pat qualities or
either nobility or degeneracy. Is this a fair criticism? Which characters are the most
convincing? The least?
3. Francie observes more than once that women seem to hate other women (“they stuck
together for only one thing: to trample on some other women”), while men, even if they
hate each other, stick together against the world. Is this an accurate appraisal of the way
things are in the novel?
4. The woman in the Nolan/Rommely clan exhibit most of the strength and, whenever
humanly possible, control the family’s destiny. In what ways does Francie continue this
legacy?
5. What might Francie’s obsession with order – from systematically reading the books in
the library from A through Z, to trying every flavor ice cream soda – in turn say about her
circumstances and dreams?
6. Although it is written in the third person, there can be little argument that the narrative is
largely from Francie’s point of view. How would the book differ if it was told from
Neeley’s perspective?
7. How can modern readers reconcile the frequent anti-Semitism and anti-immigrant
sentiments that characters espouse throughout the novel?
8. Could it be argued that the main character of the book is not Francie but, in fact,
Brooklyn itself? Explain.
9. Give evidence of the “social gap” that existed even among the poor in Francie’s
neighborhood.
10. What is the meaning of the novel’s title? How does the tree function as a symbol
throughout the novel?
11. What connections could be made between Francie’s early writing – including the stories
that her teacher rejects – and Smith’s work in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn?
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12. In the last chapter, we come full circle. Francie’s family is moving out of their
apartment, so she goes around to all her old haunts to “say goodbye.” How is the Francie
of now different from the Francie of six years ago? What about Neeley? How is he
different? How is he like Johnny? Do you think he will come to a bad end like his
father?
13. What do you think of the way Katie handled Johnny’s death? Of the way she helped kids
through his death? Do you think she does the right thing by Johnny and by the kids?
14. The Nolan’s had a great love of songs and music. What role does song and singling play
in the novel?
15. Although people look down on Sissy's promiscuity, Francie adores her, and Katie
believes she is good and generous to everyone she meets. What makes Sissy good, and
how does her character reflect on the morals of the book in general?
16. Think about all of her favorite stores and celebrations in her neighborhood. How does
Joanna's stoning shape the way Francie thinks about sex and the role of women in
general?
17. Brooklyn is a dreamlike place to Francie. How does the time and place in which Francie
grows up shape the person she is?
18. Think about Francie's stage of development when America enters the war. The narrator
writes that the Rommely women are "made of invisible steel." How do the character
developments of Johnny and Katie parallel the relationship between Evy and Willie?
19. What are your thoughts on Francie’s relationships throughout the book? What did you
think of Lee, for example? And what did you think of Katie’s thoughts on this
relationship?
20. What is the significance of Francie’s trip to the doctor’s office?
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Discussion Questions
13 Reasons Why, by Jay Asher
Honors English 1
Please answer all of the following questions in complete sentences and be prepared to
discuss your answers on the first day of school.
1. Mr. Porter tells Hannah that besides filing charges with the police, she has two options
for dealing with what happened at the after party. He tells her that she can confront the
other person or move on. Do you agree that these are her only options? What do you
think Clay was hoping Mr. Porter would say to Hannah?
2. Reflect on Hannah and Clay’s last words to each other in the hallway at school. Discuss
their greater meaning within the context of the story. Compare and contrast their last
words to the other times in the novel when these same words were uttered under different
circumstances. How is it relevant that Clay hears Skye utter these words?
3. Discuss Skye’s role in the story. Compare and contrast her with Hannah. What do you
think Clay says to Skye when he catches up to her in the hallway?
4. Why do you think Asher ended the story the way that he did? How do you think Clay is
changed by listening to Hannah’s tapes? Do you think the tapes had similar effects on
the other listeners? Do you think they all followed Hannah’s directions in the way that
Clay did? How do you imagine their experiences to be different?
5. Could anything have saved Hannah? If one link in this chain of events had been
different, which one do you think would have made the most difference for Hannah?
How would a change in that specific event have impacted the remaining portion of the
other thirteen reasons that followed?
6. Read Jay Asher’s responses to thirteen questions about Thirteen Reasons Why, which are
printed in the back of the book. Had you the chance, would you have asked Asher the
same thirteen questions after reading the story? What else would you like to know?
Which of his responses surprised you the most? How do his responses help you better
understand Hannah and the novel?
7. Hannah mentions reputations and their consequences repeatedly on the tapes. Why is her
reputation important to her? What sort of reputations do the other people on the tapes
have? How many of them are disproved through the information Clay learns about them
through the tapes? How does Hannah’s reputation influence Clay’s interaction with her?
What is he afraid of?
8. Why did Clay leave the room after kissing Hannah? Do you think he had to? What else
could he have done? Why does Hannah consider Clay one of the thirteen reasons why
she killed herself?
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9. While listening to his tape, Clay says to Hannah, “You chose this. You had a choice and
you pushed me away. I would have helped you.” Do you agree with Clay? Did Hannah
consciously make the choice he said she did? What other choices did Hannah have
besides suicide? The story revolves around thirteen reasons she believed contributed to
the end of her life. Are there thirteen equally important reasons she had to live?
10. What does the stop sign that Jenny hits with her car come to symbolize? Discuss what
Clay means when he says, “We all could have stopped something.” How does this relate
back to Hannah’s decision not to stop the situation between Bryce and Jessica at the
party? How do you think that event in particular affected Hannah and her decision to
take her own life?
11. What roles do adults play in what happened to Hannah? Do you think any adult could
have done anything that would have helped Hannah? Why do you think Hannah decides
to include only one adult on her tapes? Why does she open the truth of her story to an
adult at all? Why Mr. Porter in particular?
12. Why do you think that Hannah chooses to record her conversation with Mr. Porter rather
than comment on their interaction afterwards like she had done with the twelve previous
stories? Does this tactic have a different effect?
13. At the end of the story, Hannah asks Mr. Porter to define friendship. How would you
have responded to this question? What do you think Mr. Porter would have said had
Hannah not interrupted him? Discuss the role that friendship plays throughout the story.
Hannah says she “never thought of Jessica or Alex as friends.” How did having friends
or a lack of friends contribute to her tragedy?
14. During Jessica’s tape, Hanna says, “…you would rather believe some made-up rumor
than what you knew to be true…It was easier to accept. Easier to understand. For [you],
the rumors needed to be true.” What does Hannah mean by this? How can the truth
sometimes be more difficult to confront than a lie? Discuss the author’s use of the word
“need” in the above quotation. How does this particular word choice impact the meaning
of Hannah’s sentence?
15. Why do you think Clay’s mom reacts to Clay’s actions and responses to her questions the
way she does? Do you think she knows he’s lying? Why doesn’t she question him?
16. Hannah compares poetry to puzzles and then likens the audio tapes she recorded to
poetry. Do you agree with her reasoning? How does this idea keep reappearing
throughout the story?
17. Discuss the concept of the Lost-N-Found Gazette and how it applies to the main themes
of truth, betrayal, rumors, and secrets that run throughout the story.
18. Discuss the phrase “the truth will set you free.” How does this apply to the story Hannah
tells? Does truth really gift freedom? Is there power in knowing? Is there always peace
in knowledge?
19. Discuss the significance of what the man behind the counter at Rosie’s says to Clay when
Clay is about to leave the restaurant.
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20. While walking to the party, Hannah says, “Even the best moments of the night were
affected by that one incident – by that non-incident – in front of my old house.” Describe
the difference between “incidents” and “non-incidents.” How can the lack of interaction
be just as important or influential as actual confrontation?
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Discussion Questions
Unbroken: A WWII Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption, by Laura Hillenbrand
Honors English 1
Please answer all of the following questions in complete sentences and be prepared to
discuss your answers on the first day of school.
1. Louie’s experiences are singular: None of us is going to be in a plane crash, strafed by a
bomber, attacked by sharks, cast away on a raft, or held as a POW. And yet the word most often
used to describe him is “inspiring.” What does Louie’s experience demonstrate that makes him
so inspirational to people who will never endure what he did? What are the lessons that his life
offers to all of us?
2. Is Louie a hero? How do you define heroism?
3. In Louie’s boyhood, he was severely bullied, and then became a delinquent and hell raiser. In
these experiences, did he already display attributes that would help him survive his wartime
ordeal? Did he also show weaknesses or tendencies that foreshadowed the struggles he would
face postwar?
4. Did Louie’s athletic career help prepare him for what he would face in war? How?
5. Louie was especially close to his brother Pete, who devoted himself to him. If Pete hadn’t
been there, what would have become of Louie? Does Pete deserve credit for shaping Louie into a
man who could endure and survive his ordeal?
6. What are your feelings about Mac? Do you feel sympathy for him? Anger? If you endured the
trauma of a plane crash, and were placed in a situation that you knew very few men survived,
might you have reacted as he did? In the end, did he redeem himself?
7. When Louie, Phil and Mac were on the raft, a key factor in their survival was optimism. All
three men were young and able-bodied, veterans of the same training, experiencing the same
hardships and traumas, yet Louie and Phil remained optimistic while Mac was hopeless,
seemingly doomed by his pessimism. Why are some people hopeful, and others not? How
important is attitude and mindset in determining one’s ability to overcome hardship?
8. What did you find most remarkable about the things Louie and Phil did to survive on the raft?
9. Over 47 days on the raft, the men lost half their body weight, and were rendered mere
skeletons. Yet they refused to consider cannibalism, which had not been uncommon among
castaways before them. If cannibalism could ensure that two men survived, when otherwise all
three would almost certainly perish, would it be a moral decision?
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10. Louie believed he was the beneficiary of several miracles, among them his escape from the
wreckage of his plane, the fact that he and the other men were not hit with bullets when their
rafts were strafed, and the appearance of the singers in the clouds. What is your interpretation of
those experiences?
11. The POWs took enormous risks to carry out thefts, sabotage, and other acts of defiance. Men
would risk their lives to steal items as trivial as pencil boxes. What benefit did they derive from
defiance that was worth risking death, or severe beatings?
12. In the 1930s and 1940s, Germany and Japan carried out what are arguably the worst acts of
mass atrocity in history. What leads individuals, and even whole societies, to descend to such a
level? What motivated the notoriously sadistic POW camp guards in Japan, particularly the Bird?
Do we all carry the capacity for cruelty?
13. After the war, Louie would say that of all the horrors he witnessed and experienced in the
war, the death of the little duck, Gaga, was the worst. Why was this event especially wrenching
for him and the other POWs?
14. Louie, Frank Tinker, and William Harris planned to escape from Ofuna, walk across Japan,
steal a boat and make a run for China. It was an attempt that very likely would have ended in
their deaths. Was it foolish, or did it offer a psychological benefit that was worth the enormous
risk?
15. Louie joined a plot to kill the Bird. Was he justified in doing so? Would it have been a moral
act? Do you think Louie could have found peace after the war, had he killed the Bird?
16. Unbroken reveals that, under the “kill-all order,” the Japanese planned to murder all POWs, a
plan that was never carried out because of the dropping of the atomic bombs. The book also
explores the lengths to which the Japanese were prepared to go to avoid surrender. How did the
book make you feel about America’s use of the atomic bomb on Japan?
17. “Anger is a justifiable and understandable reaction to being wronged, and as the soul’s first
effort to reassert its worth and power, it may initially be healing,” Laura Hillenbrand wrote in an
article for Guideposts magazine. “But in time, anger becomes corrosive. To live in bitterness is
to be chained to the person who wounded you, your emotions and actions arising not
independently, but in reaction to your abuser. Louie became so obsessed with vengeance that his
life was consumed by the quest for it. In bitterness, he was as much a captive as he’d been when
barbed wire had surrounded him.” Do you agree? Why or why not?
18. Many of us struggle to forgive those who have wronged us, but forgiveness is often so
difficult to find. What makes it so hard to let resentment go? Explain.
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19. “What the Bird took from Louie was his dignity; what he left behind was a pervasive sense
of helplessness and worthlessness,” Hillenbrand continued in her Guideposts article. “As I
researched Louie’s life, interviewing his fellow POWs and studying their memoirs and diaries, I
discovered that this loss of dignity was nearly ubiquitous, leaving the men feeling defenseless
and frightened in a world that had become menacing. The postwar nightmares, flashbacks,
alcoholism and anxiety that were endemic among them spoke of souls in desperate fear.
Watching these men struggle to overcome their trauma, I came to believe that a loss of selfworth is central to the experience of being victimized, and may be what makes its pain
particularly devastating.” Do you agree? Why or why not?
20. Hillenbrand wrote that among the former POWs she interviewed, forgiveness became
possible once the POW had found a way to restore his sense of dignity. Was this what Billy
Graham gave to Louie? If so, what was it about that experience, and that sermon, gave Louie
back his self-worth?
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