OUR SAVIOR NEW AMERICAN SCHOOL SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENTS

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1 Warner/O Hanlon/O Brien 1 OUR SAVIOR NEW AMERICAN SCHOOL SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENTS Several grades will be given for the Summer Reading assignments: Essay or book review must be submitted on the first day of classes. In-class exams on each of the books will be given during the first full week of school. 9th Grade Regular: 1. Novel: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 2. Non-fiction: A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins 9th Grade Honors: 1. Novel: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens 2. Non-fiction: Nothing to Fear: Lessons in Leadership from FDR by Franklin D. Roosevelt 10 th Grade Regular and Honors: 1. Novel: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 2. Non-fiction: Warriors Don t Cry (Unabridged version) by Melba Pattillo Beals 3. Classic novel (Honors only): Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë 11 th Grade Regular: 1. Novel: My Antonia by Willa Cather 2. Non-fiction: The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass 11th Grade Honors: 1. Novel: Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison 2. Non-fiction: The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass 11AP Language and Composition: 1. Novel: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 2. Novel: Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison 3. Non-fiction: The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass 4. Non-fiction: Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom 12 th Grade Regular: 1. Novel: Lord of the Flies by William Golding 2. Non-fiction: Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwanda Holocaust by Imaculée Ilibagiza 12 th Grade Honors: 1. Novel: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 2. Non-fiction: Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwanda Holocaust by Imaculée Ilibagiza 12AP Literature and Composition: 1. Novel: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 2. Novel: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë 3. Classcial Play: Oedipus Rex by Sophocles 4. Non-fiction: Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwanda Holocaust by Imaculée Ilibagiza

2 Warner/O Hanlon/O Brien 2 Summer Reading Assignment for Honors and AP Students: Grades 9-12 For your mandated summer readings, refer to the directions below to write a reflective essay of approximately words (2-3 pages) that abides by this template. Instructions: For each mandated reading, write a reflective essay (12 font, double-spaced, in Times New Roman font) that interprets and analyzes literature through rhetorical devices in response to one of the following essential questions in a manner that reflects high-level thinking skills. Why does literature reflect or shape society? Why does a relationship exist between the writer and tradition? Why is there a relationship between place and tradition? Why does literature reflect an archetypal character or theme?* The definition of an essential question ensues: It is a polemic question in which there is no right or wrong answer. N.B. Please read carefully the information on plagiarism that is contained in this packet (p. 8), as well as the school s policies on plagiarism that is stated in the OSNAS Student Handbook. *Archetypes In literature, an archetype is a typical character, an action or a situation that seems to represent such universal patterns of human nature. An archetype, also known as universal symbol, may be a character, a theme, a symbol or even a setting. Many literary critics are of the opinion that archetypes, which have a common and recurring representation in a particular human culture or entire human race, shape the structure and function of a literary work. Carl Jung, Swiss psychologist, argued that the root of an archetype is in the collective unconscious of mankind. The phrase collective unconscious refers to experiences shared by a race or culture. This includes love, religion, death, birth, life, struggle, survival etc. These experiences exist in the subconscious of every individual and are recreated in literary works or in other forms of art.

3 Warner/O Hanlon/O Brien 3 Function of Archetypes The use of archetypical characters and situations gives a literary work a universal acceptance, as readers identify the characters and situations in their social and cultural context. By using common archetypes, the writers attempt to impart realism to their works, as the situations and characters are drawn from the experiences of the world. Archetype Examples in Literature Character Archetypes Example #1 The Hero: He or she is a character who predominantly exhibits goodness and struggles against evil in order to restore harmony and justice to society e.g. Beowulf, Hercules, D artagnan from The Three Musketeers, etc. Example #2 The Mother Figure: Such a character may be represented as Fairy Mother who guides and directs a child, Mother Earth who contacts people and offers spiritual and emotional nourishment, and Stepmother who treats their stepchildren roughly. Some examples are: Example #3 In Literature: Lucy and Madame Defarge from Dickens A Tale of Two Cities, Disely from Faulkner s The Sound and The Fury, Galadriel from The Lord of the Rings, Glinda from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, etc. In Fairy Tales: Characters such as the stepmother in Cinderella, fairy godmothers, Mother Goose, Little Red Riding Hood etc. In Mythology: The mythological figures of Persephone, Demeter, Hecate, Gorgon, Medusa The Innocent Youth: He or she is inexperienced with many weaknesses and seeks safety with others but others like him/her because of the trust he or she shows in other people. Usually, the experience of coming of age comes in the later parts of the narratives such as Pip in Dickens Great Expectations, Nicholas in Dickens Nicholas Nickelby, Joseph from Fielding s Joseph Andrews, etc. Example #4 The Mentor: His or her task is to protect the main character. It is through the wise advice and training of a mentor that the main character achieves success in the world e.g. Gandalf in The Lords of Rings, Parson Adams in Fielding s Joseph Andrews, and Senex in L Engle s A Wind in the Door, etc.

4 Warner/O Hanlon/O Brien 4 Example #5 Doppelganger: It is a duplicate or shadow of a character that represents the evil side of his personality. Examples are in popular literary works such as Shakespeare s Hamlet, Mary Shelley s Frankenstein, Poe s William Wilson, Stevenson s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, etc. Example #6 The Scapegoat: A character that takes the blame of everything bad that happens e.g. Snowball in Orwell s Animal Farm etc. Example #7 The Villain: A character whose main function is to go to any extent to oppose the hero or whom the hero must annihilate in order to bring justice e.g. Shere Khan from Kipling s The Jungle Book, Long John Silver from Stevenson s Treasure Island, etc. Situational Archetypes Example #8 The Journey: The main character takes a journey that may be physical or emotional to understand his or her personality and the nature of the world. For example, Dante s The Divine Comedy, Fielding s Joseph Andrews, Swift s Gulliver s Travels, etc. Example #9 The Initiation: The main character undergoes experiences that lead him towards maturity. We find such archetypes in novels like Fielding s History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Sterne s The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, Voltaire s Candide, etc. Example #10 Good Versus Evil: It represents the clash of forces that represent goodness with those that represent evil. Examples of this archetype are in famous literary works like Shakespeare s King Lear, Conrad s Heart of Darkness, etc. Example #11 The Fall: The main character falls from grace in consequence of his or her own action e.g. Oedipus from Sophocles Oedipus Rex, Lear from Shakespeare s King Lear, etc.

5 Warner/O Hanlon/O Brien 5 Summer Reading Assignment for Grade 9 (Regular): As you read the assigned works of fiction and non-fiction this summer, consider how each might be exhibiting common story elements or themes with the other. These may include one or more of the archetypes listed below. Assignment: Complete and bring the following product to school on the first day of class. Summarize the storylines of the books. Write at least one clear and concise paragraph (7-10 sentences) for each book showing how it conveys the common elements or themes you identified. Include specific supporting textual evidence: descriptions of events; character or narrative quotations; and literary devices 1 such as figurative language, imagery, or style; use of archetypes.* Evaluate how well each author presented their story. Does it keep a reader s interest? Does the story inspire or raise important questions? What is the overall effect, if any, that the story had on you personally? Your final product should be two to three pages typed, double spaced, and include appropriate reference citations to the book. Use the Purdue University online writing lab (owl.english.purdue.edu) as a resource for MLA style guide, reference, and formatting. *Archetypes Cycle of Life: Sometimes considered Death and Rebirth, the cycle of life is probably the most common of all the story archetypes. In cycle of life stories you will notice a literal or metaphorical death followed by renewal. Every ending is a new beginning Loss of Innocence: In the loss of innocence archetype you will encounter a character that starts out unaware of the dangers, sin, or evils ever present in grown-up life. That character will encounter the danger, sin, or evil in such a way that s/he becomes initiated into the day to day reality most grown-ups live with. The character is now faced with understanding his/her place in the world differently and must reconsider his/her own identity. The Hero s Journey: This archetype reflects a typical adventure plot in which a character sets out on a literal or metaphorical journey to discover something new about him- herself or the world. Along the journey, the character encounters numerous complications and trials s/he must overcome and typically leads to a big, final show-down with some evil. After defeating the biggest obstacle, the hero earns a gift often understanding a new truth which s/he brings back home. 1 See the attached list of rhetorical devices.

6 Warner/O Hanlon/O Brien 6 Summer Reading Assignment for Grade 10 (Regular): As you read the assigned works of literature this summer, consider how those texts might be exhibiting elements of one of the following themes. Assignment: Complete and bring the following product to school on the first day of class. Summarize the storylines of the books. Write a clear and concise paragraph showing how each story you read conforms in some way with one of the four themes noted below. Include specific supporting textual evidence of the literary devices you identify: descriptions of events; character or narrative quotations; and literary features such as figurative language, imagery, or style. Analyze the value of using the theme how does the theme reflect the struggle for identity? What is the author trying to convey by using this theme? Your final product should be one to two pages typed, double spaced, and include appropriate reference citations to the book. Use the Purdue University online writing lab as a resource for MLA style guide, reference, and formatting: owl.english.purdue.edu Culture & Conflict What constitutes culture? What happens when cultures collide? How is culture shaped, evolved, and/or destroyed? How is identity reflected in/tied to environments? Leadership How do leaders use language? What constitutes leadership? How does a leader establish credibility and authority? How can leadership act as a force of good or evil? Power & Language How do power and authority operate through language? What s being revealed/concealed in language/stories? What constitutes power and authority? Insiders & Outsiders What are the processes of centralization and marginalization? What is being elevated; what is being suppressed? Is there always an insider and an outsider?

7 Warner/O Hanlon/O Brien 7 Summer Reading Assignment for Grades 11 & 12 (Regular): As you read this summer, consider how your selected texts convey common themes. When you return to school in the fall, your class will be spending time exploring how multiple texts and genres reflect common themes. Assignment: Complete a book review that includes both texts, written according to the following elements, and bring it to class on the first day of school. Elements of the book review: Establish a purpose: What is the theme and how does the author go about conveying the theme (think about literary elements)? The emphasis is more on how the text works than what happens and what it means. Summary (briefly describe the main events of the text) Analysis: Explain and explore how the author uses literary elements to convey his or her ideas. Evaluation: Explore how well the author achieves what s/he set out to achieve that is, make a judgment of the author s use of literary techniques; explore the value of the literary techniques this author uses to reflect the main theme. Your final product should be two to three pages typed, double spaced, and include appropriate reference citations to the book, which includes a number of quotations that support the position you take. Use the Purdue University online writing lab (owl.english.purdue.edu) as a resource for MLA style guide, reference, and formatting.

8 Warner/O Hanlon/O Brien 8 What is Plagiarism? Many people think of plagiarism as copying another's work, or borrowing someone else's original ideas. But terms like "copying" and "borrowing" can disguise the seriousness of the offense: According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own to use (another's production) without crediting the source to commit literary theft to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source. In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward. But can words and ideas really be stolen? According to U.S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property, and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions. Almost all forms of expression fall under copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some way (such as a book or a computer file). All of the following are considered plagiarism: turning in someone else's work as your own copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit failing to put a quotation in quotation marks giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not (see our section on "fair use" rules) Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that certain material has been borrowed, and providing your audience with the information necessary to find that source, is usually enough to prevent plagiarism. See our section on citation for more information on how to cite sources properly.

9 Warner/O Hanlon/O Brien 9 OSNAS SUMMER READING CONTRACT To be signed by student and parent/guardian and returned to your current English Teacher by June 5. If I am attending OSNAS for the upcoming school year, I am aware: 1. That each student in grades 7-12 is responsible for reading the assigned books over the summer. All students are required to complete this assignment. Students who are enrolled after August 15 will be given until September 30 to complete this assignment. 2. That I am responsible for completion of the assignment or presentation for each book, according my grade level, as explained in the packet I received. 3. That my responses need to be in my own words. Every source (texts and/or commentaries) must be documented and cited. [Please note that any evidence of plagiarism will automatically result in a zero grade.] 4. That in-depth responses are required, and that those responses must be presented using MLA format, via printed copy or electronic file ( attachment or USB), on or prior to the first day of classes. 5. That exams for each book will be given within the first full week of school. Student/Parent: I acknowledge that I have been given this summer reading packet to complete for the upcoming school year and all instructions have been discussed with me in class. If I have any further questions, I will ask Mr. Warner, Mrs. O Hanlon, or Mrs. O Brien before the end of the school year in June. If I lose this packet, I can print out another one by going to the school s website osnas.com under Parent/Student Resources. I understand that if I do not submit my reading response on or before the first day of school, I will receive a 10 point deduction for each day it is late (up to two days), and that on the third day my work will not be accepted and I will receive a zero test grade for the first marking period. I also understand that any form of plagiarism will receive an automatic grade of zero no exceptions. Print First and Last Name: Student s Signature Grade in Sept. *I have read the above assignment and reviewed this packet with my child. We understand all requirements for the OSNAS Summer Reading Assignment: Parent/Guardian s Signature Date: