STOUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER READING 12 th Advanced Placement English

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1 A Few Suggestions: Read each book carefully; take notes as you read. Utilize the guiding questions but be sure to take your own notes in addition to those points. While you will be given a Summer Reading Test during the first week or two of school, each work that you read over the summer will also be the basis for at least one major component of the year-long literary study, so read well! LITERARY CRITICISM READ THESE TEXTS FIRST! HOW TO READ LITERATURE LIKE A COLLEGE PROFESSOR (Revised Edition) by Thomas C. Foster. Apply two chapters to each of the fictional texts; please use different chapters for different texts. While you read, please take sufficient notes. As our core literary criticism, Foster s text will provide a strong basis for discussion all year long, so read carefully. SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS (Required Class Handouts) Read these second! This year, we will return to the study of literature; thus, you should anticipate that 12AP will be a significant departure from 11AP, which is a predominantly language and rhetoric-based course. In order to quickly reintroduce you to the realm of literary analysis, I have prepared basic overviews of commonly-seen archetypes and allusions, types of literary criticisms, and the predominant literary time periods and movements. For each text, apply the literary criticisms; this task doesn t have to be formal but you should try to connect each novel from the perspective of these critical lenses. Please note, you will be accountable for this information throughout the year, particularly the archetypes and allusions which will form the basis of at least one major project during the first semester. These handouts are available electronically on the Stoughton Public Schools website and I will send electronic copies via a shared Google Classroom site to each in-coming member of the class. These handouts are mandatory course readings; treat them as such. If you are not willing to dedicate the time to beginning to commit some of these very popular literary archetypes and allusions to memory, you might wish to reconsider your placement in this course. These packets are less fun, but necessary! As part of our year-long study on the villain, you will be expected to consult actual stories and myths in more depth. I will provide links to these stories and ELECTRONIC copies on our shared Classroom site, but will not be sacrificing a tree by printing them out. Be advised that these are part of the required summer reading and you are accountable for reading through and researching these myths/legends. Our Google Classroom code is unaze4. *12AP DOES NOT READ STEPHEN KING S ON WRITING (so you don t have to ask me about it later)!*

2 2. FICTIONAL TEXTS: JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte One of my favorite novels (I have the Norton Critical edition, but any complete version will suffice), so do not take the shortcut; I will be able to tell! We will be discussing this text not only in terms of its interesting employment of gender dynamics but also and perhaps more importantly in terms of the reliability of its central narrator. Please read carefully. In your notes, consider: A. What is Bronte's attitude toward each of her characters? Jane s? How can you tell? B. Using JE as a blueprint, what appear to be the traditional components of a Gothic Romance? Of a Byronic Hero? How does Jane s narration help shape our understanding of the other characters? C. Note Bronte's style. Cite instances in the text in which supernatural or psychological elements, repetition of situation or symbolism, irony, and other various figurative and rhetorical devices are used. D. Be prepared to discuss the implications of Bronte s decision to end with St. John s letter and consider why Jane would bestow this honor of the last word to him. E. Research physiognomy and consider how Jane s understanding of this concept impacts her understanding of the people in her life. F. What is the central conflict in the story? Who or what are the antagonists in Jane s world? How does she shape our perspective of these villains? THE ODYSSEY by Homer (I prefer the Fagles version for its poetry, but will most likely reference the Robert Fitzgerald translation in class) In order to help motivate you to slog your way through the supplementary reading, I m adding this classic epic tale to the course summer reading. Not only should this text help bolster your fledgling abilities to recognize classical allusions but it also should be an interesting study on the art of lying and manipulation. If you have read this book previously, you MUST reread the text regardless of your familiarity. Again, in your notes, please consider: A. How the narrative structure of a true epic starting in medias res and the use of flashback helps develop both story and character

3 B. The ways in which Odysseus manipulates/lies to his various audiences (even his wife!) is he able to fool/charm everyone? Is he more successful with women? C. Consider the first four books of the text (also often referred to as The Telmakhy ) and how they help establish Telemakhos s legitimacy as heir to Odysseus as well as his transition from boy to man. Is he as charismatic as his father? As good (or as clever) a liar? D. Apply different types of criticism (from the supplementary packet) to your reading (see the text through a feminist eye or a psychological eye in order to help deepen your understanding). E. Is Penelope actually a good match for Odysseus in terms of cleverness and manipulation? Is lying here gendered in any specific ways? Is she a good mother? F. List and describe the poem s key monsters, temptations (usually in the form of women and monsters), and antagonists. Why show evil in such myriad ways here? When we consider the primary speaker of the poem, how are our perceptions of these literary terrors shaped fairly and unfairly? THE HANDMAID S TALE by Margaret Atwood A work of speculative fiction (GOOGLE IT), this novel is one of Atwood s most well-known and well-celebrated texts. First, to ensure you are reading effectively, be sure you Google any allusions/biblical references or names you don t recognize or know. In order to understand Atwood s themes, some biblical knowledge is necessary - most is covered in your allusions handout or in the book, but not all! Written with alarming prescience to address various social issues of the 1980s, Atwood s text feels particularly relevant today and should serve as a warning of what is currently possible, not merely what once was. I am acutely aware of both the film version (1990) and the current Hulu series, and, like with Jane Eyre, I will be able to spot any cinematic short cuts you might consider. Please consider in your notes: A. How do we get our bearings in the text? How are we able to piece together various bits of crucial backstory while simultaneously keeping track of Offred s current narrative? What does the narrative structure reveal about this society and women s role therein? Why is this text considered speculative more than science fiction and what current issues seem relevant to the discussion of the novel as a whole? B. Choose a minor character or secondary plot/scene. Delineate its significance to the meaning of the work as a whole.

4 C. How reliable is the narration? Consider the final epilogue (the historical notes) as part of your response. When do we see the narrator claiming to be unreliable? About what in particular is she most vague or deceptive? How does the ambiguity of her ending further create unreliability in the text? D. Explain the significance of the title. Use relevant and specific details from the text to help support your understanding (yes, that means quotes). E. Who or what is the primary antagonist in the text? How does this antagonist thrive and grow in the greater context of the novel s narratives? Who can we trust here? What do you think happens to Offred? F. Consider deeply the way gender and race is perceived in the novel. What happens to various minorities in Gilead? What has happened to the women? While the men are often sympathetically depicted and the women cruel and vindictive, why is that inherently ironic? What larger statement is Atwood making here and who is really responsible for what happens in Gilead? For each FICTION text, you need to have: a. Clear, well thought-out answers to each guiding question. b. Strong, varied theme statements for each fictional text (3 minimum) c. Q3 timed writing for each novel/text (two hour timed exercise) d. application of two chapters from HTRLLP to each text. These should be no more than one page total per text (perhaps one paragraph per chapter) and should not reflect analysis provided in Q3. (see rubric at end of handout) e. Personal notes, reflections, dialectical journals, annotations, connections to the literary criticisms (info from class bible), etc. (please look at corresponding rubric for expectations) For each LITERARY CRITICISM, you need to have: a. notes and good working knowledge of key terms and ideas b. for HTRLLP, connections to each fictional text (see note in FICTION section, rubric at the end of this packet)

5 In addition to these tasks, you must also write the introductory paper. This effort will give me greater insight into your ability to think creatively, research broadly, and consider an open topic analytically; it will also be my first real look at your writing capabilities, so be sure to put forth your best effort. Please read the Welcome to the Darkness handout for more specific requirements. The Q3: As part of your AP exam in May, you will be tasked with writing THREE essays in TWO hours. Time, therefore, is of the essence, as is your ability to read and comprehend material quickly. Your summer reading is designed with these concerns in mind. To maximize some summer time to build in prep for your impending AP doom, I want you, AFTER you have read all the summer reading books, to budget TWO hours one afternoon (or evening or early morning) to complete the following THREE Q3 prompts. You must complete the selected prompt for the designated text; you do NOT need to incorporate quotes (unless you happen to have some memorized; I do but I teach lit). Q3A: The Odyssey Palestinian American literary theorist and cultural critic Edward Said has written that Exile is strangely compelling to think about but terrible to experience. It is the unhealable rift forced between a human being and a native place, between the self and its true home: its essential sadness can never be surmounted. Yet Said has also said that exile can become a potent, even enriching experience. Select a novel, play, or epic in which a character experiences such a rift and becomes cut off from home, whether that home is the character s birthplace, family, homeland, or other special place. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the character s experience with exile is both alienating and enriching, and how this experience illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot. Q3B: Jane Eyre A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel, recounts the psychological or moral development of its protagonist from youth to maturity, when this character recognizes his or her place in the world. Select a single pivotal moment in the psychological or moral development of the protagonist of a bildungsroman. Then write a well-organized essay that analyzes how that single moment shapes the meaning of the work as a whole. Q3C: The Handmaid s Tale Many works of literature contain a character who intentionally deceives others. The character s dishonesty may be intended either to help or to hurt. Such a character, for example, may choose to mislead others for personal safety, to spare someone s feelings, or to carry out a crime. Choose a novel or play in which a character deceives others. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the motives for that character s deception and discuss how the deception contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

6 Some Helpful Tips for Q3 Writing: 1. Meaning of the work as a whole means THEME, MORAL, PURPOSE, PROBLEM, LESSON, SIGNIFICANCE, etc. 2. Start off with a strong theme statement (broad thematic statement about literature in general) and then move into a clear, arguable thesis. 3. Topics should be arguable and related to thesis, NOT plot points! 4. Beware of plot summary! With the Q3 it s easy to devolve into a lengthy summary of the story. You may safely assume your teacher knows the plot; only provide details that are essential to arguing your claims. 5. Use DOES verbs - in your thesis, your topic sentences, and your body paragraphs. To ensure you analyze not summarize, use DOES verbs. Also, discuss what the author DOES with the examples you provide, not just what the character is doing. Some Strong DOES Verbs: clarify concur present connect illustrate accentuate imply dissect provide determine undermine denigrate infer delineate symbolize distinguish underpin minimize highlight explicate represent criticize underscore vilify designate explain assert observe qualify postulate compare offer restate mock intimate stipulate contrast proffer reinforce critique hint/evoke envision demonstrate showcase understand satirize focus expose manipulate argue introduce classify characterize contest A sample Q3 is provided for you; please set up your paper similarly (you may type or handwrite and double-space). Each essay will be scored using the 0-9 AP scale in your course syllabus. Prompt: Q3S - LOTF It has often been said that what we value can be determined only by what we sacrifice. Consider how this statement applies to a character from a novel or play. Select a character that has deliberately sacrificed, surrendered, or forfeited something in a way that highlights that character s values. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the particular sacrifice illuminates the character s values and provides a deeper understanding of the meaning of the work as a whole. Sally Jo Johnson 12AP: Lit & Comp Ms. Fidler June 1, 2017 Q3S: Lord of the Flies While sacrifice generally appears as a strong or noble quality, at times, these cast off items - or people - can reveal far more about our values than we might prefer. In William Golding s Lord of the Flies, the boys not only sacrifice their dreams of home and rescue for the maddening appeal of bloodlust and savagery but they also sacrifice those voices of reason, spirituality, and sense in their frenzied pursuit of fun and games on the island. With his demented but partly secure society, Golding highlights the basic human struggle to follow the rigid

7 structures of ordered civilization, hinting strongly that in each of us lies not only the capacity for great violence and cruelty but also the seductive voice of evil. Golding s employs the concept of sacrifice ironically in his novel in order to demonstrate that humanity tends to sacrifice what it needs most for it wants more. At the start of the novel, the early cracks in the island s makeshift civilization emerge in the repeated conflicts between hunter Jack and chief Ralph. Jack, who favors discipline, violence, and bloodshed, preoccupies himself with his pursuit of pig; meanwhile, Ralph must remain at home with the littluns, building shelters, making rules that virtually no one follows, and pondering the possibility of salvation via smoke. Golding s early dichotomy establishes Jack as father-figure - a paternalistic, quick-tempered dictator - and Ralph as mother-figure - nurturing and protective, preoccupied by domestic affairs and the promise of home. With the inclusion of the hunt, the mask, and the chant, Jack s persuasive powers and leadership prowess grows. Ralph s society of rules and order becomes less and less appealing to the boys, who prefer the fun and games presented by Jack. Yet, the sinister undertones here reveal a darker capacity for human behavior. Jack s leadership circles around his drive to hunt and kill, but at the root of that lays his desire for godlike control. Jack s society thus values hubris - a classic tragic flaw - which leads them down a dark and dangerous path toward destruction. And they are willing to surrender the dream of rescue to attain this vicious, yet almighty, goal. While the boys are willing to sacrifice their basic needs for the thrill of the hunt, the cruelest sacrifices manifest not only in the brutal murder of a sow but also in the deaths of two of the novel s primary characters: Simon and Piggy. Jack s tribe splits from Ralph s in Chapter Eight, and Jack is reborn as a primitive warlord who initiates his tribe in the gruesome rape-murder of a mother sow. The chosen pig clearly references Ralph, the symbolic mother on the island, who also provides the sole connection/reminder to home, the Home Countries, the motherland England, and the macrocosmic world of civilization (ironic considering the war going on around them). After this graphic defiling, Jack orders his new tribe to sharpen a stick at both ends, decapitating the pig s head to leave as a gift to the beast. The beast - once a source of fear on the island under Ralph s rule - now serves as something to worship, something worthy of sacrifices, marking a significant transition in the boys values. The beast, with its connotations of Satan and the Devil, presents a darker source of inspiration and motivation for the boys and this new, dark god-figure illuminates the value this tribe places on savagery over sense. With the embracing of the beast as a figure worthy of fear and worship, the boys behavior continues to devolve, highlighting once more these uncivilized and vicious objectives. Immediately following the murder of the sow, Jack orders a feast - a clever plan in which he tempts the remainder of Ralph s tribe with promises of meat and excitement. However, during the course of this feast, young Simon is murdered savagely. Simon, who hides in his nature area and symbolizes a preternatural spirituality and insight, dies hoping to reveal the truth of the beast to the boys - mainly that the creature they fear on the mountain is really a deceased and decaying parachutist. Instead, under Jack s reign and the threat of an impending storm, the boys begin their chant - a ritualistic movement that escalates in tension until culminating in destruction. When Simon enters, the boys declare him the beast, enabling them to sacrifice his little body to their newfound god of terror - but in the process they sacrifice their humanity, becoming the beast themselves at the critical point of his murder. Likewise, towards the book s conclusion, Piggy - the perpetually tortured voice of reason - must also be sacrificed, and, with him, the conch - a symbol of civilization, order, and communication. As Piggy falls, his brains opened to the seas and then washed away in a swift, brutal act, Ralph can only watch in horror and in silence. These sacrifices reveal the true depths of what humanity is willing to forgo in order to achieve their own sinister goals and sadistic enjoyment. Golding s novel ends with one final hunt - a last pursuit against sense and reason. Ralph, who holds tenuously onto the threads of Piggy s reason and blindly clings to Simon s promise of return, flees through the fiery jungle, ululating savages threatening him as he goes. But Ralph becomes Golding s last stand - one final attempt to restore humanity to its higher potential. It is no mistake, then, that Ralph weeps for the loss of innocence, the darkness of man s heart, and the fall through the air of his true, wise friend named Piggy while the other children cry around him. He, and we, see us now for what we truly aspire to be - savages waiting for the darkness to emerge and cast us adrift into a violent sea of trouble.

8 **You are on the honor system that you will do all three essays in the allotted time.** Statement of Theme / Theme Hunt: If you find yourself struggling to write decent theme statements, try the following tricks: I. Generate 5-10 key terms that you feel you would need to write an effective essay about this book (with your prompt in mind). Try to think of stronger, more abstract terms (for example, if I were writing about Lord of the Flies, some of my words would absolutely need to be savagery, sadism, and humanity ) rather than characters or plot points. II. Use 2-3 of the terms you have listed as well as 1-2 character names and draft ONE TRUE SENTENCE about the book. III. Cross out the characters names from your true sentence, remove any identifying plot characteristics, and information specific to your book (i.e. Golding, In the novel, island of British school boys, etc.). Then, begin to generate your theme statement. You may need to revise or restructure your sentence so that it emphasizes the idea as it pertains to literature in general more than the book. It can also prove helpful to use phrases or words like may, possibly, at times, often so that your statements read as less general or specific to the book. IV. Rewrite your theme statement here. If you don t like it, how could you take the kernel of the idea and rephrase it so it more accurately reflects your larger topic?

9 Note-Taking/Annotations Rubric (Modified AP Rubric) 9-8 (High Range) Subtle, nuanced, and thoughtful notes that span both the prerequisite questions as well as the reader s careful observations on the text. Notes include a variety of styles: post-it notes/annotations in text, dialectical journals, reflective journal entries, lists of key characters/symbols/themes, webs and diagrams, connections to nonfiction summer reading, etc. The crucial defining characteristics of high-range annotations and notes are: a clear, subtle use of organization, a significant extension beyond the literal, in-depth analysis and substantiation via textual support, and a definitive flavor of this text has been read and thought about at a higher level of study. 7-6 (Mid-Range) Thoughtful and complete notes that span both the prerequisite questions as well as the reader s observations on the text. All analysis is thorough and explained, but may lack in originality or clarity. Notes should reflect a variety of styles and be comprehensive in scope; writer uses different styles of note-taking in addition to answering the reading/discussion questions and making necessary connections to the summer reading. While the writer/reader has attempted to read at a higher level, mid-range notes often reflect a more traditional approach to the literature (essentially, what we could expect if we searched study guides for the answers). 5 (Mid-Range) Notes are complete but perfunctory in nature. The 5 in essay writing is used for essays that feel supported predominantly by a retelling of the plot, shaped into whatever prompt is offered. The 5 for note-taking is similar; writer/reader takes notes that feel heavier on plot summary than analysis, lack true variety of styles, or only superficially address the prerequisite material/information. 4-3 (Low-Range) Partially incomplete, plot-heavy, or insufficient notes that skim the basic requirements but fail to offer any in-depth analysis or thought beyond the merely superficial. Notes may address the questions but lack style variety and fail to go in-depth into the texts. Notes may also include misreadings. 2-1 (Low-Range) Incomplete notes that barely scrape the surface of the texts. Student attempts to answer the prerequisite questions, but only partially. Student half-heartedly uses post-it notes in reading (or only shows post-its as notes). Student does not show any variety or ability to take notes beyond what has been heavily prescribed. 0 (Incomplete) Student did not complete the summer reading notes at all or failed to show notes on predetermined due date. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR READING AND UNDERSTANDING THE RUBRIC S PARAMETERS!

10 HTRLLP Connections Rubric (Modified AP Rubric): 9-8 (High Range) Subtle, nuanced, and thoughtful connections that span several chapters from Foster s text in relationship to the summer reading. No chapter from Foster is used more than once and student uses quotes from both the primary sources (FICTION) and the secondary source (FOSTER) to bolster analysis. Connections are higher-level and choose not merely the most obvious scene from the fictional texts but scenes that clearly reflect a subtle, nuanced reading and understanding of both the primary and the secondary material. Student persuasively argues connections. 7-6 (Mid-Range) Thoughtful and complete connections that span several chapters from Foster s text in relationship to the summer reading. All analysis is thorough and explained, but may lack in originality or clarity; no Foster chapter is used more than once. Connections are interesting, compelling, and well-supported with textual evidence but choose safer, more predictable scenes from the novels used to bolster reasonable and safe analysis. 5 (Mid-Range) Connections are complete but perfunctory in nature. The 5 in essay writing is used for essays that feel supported predominantly by a retelling of the plot, shaped into whatever prompt is offered. The 5 for these connections is similar; writer/reader make connections that feel heavier on plot summary than analysis, lack variety of Foster chapters, or only superficially address the narrative. Analysis is probable but insufficiently developed and certainly not persuasive. 4-3 (Low-Range) Partially incomplete, plot-heavy, or insufficient connections that rely heavily on the same handful of Foster chapters but fail to offer any in-depth analysis or thought beyond the merely superficial. Connections may superficially address connections between texts but fail to go in-depth and lack strong textual evidence Connections may also include misreadings. 2-1 (Low-Range) Incomplete connections that barely scrape the surface of the texts. Student attempts to make connections between the Foster and the summer fictional texts but only partially. Student half-heartedly uses information from both sources, lacks textual support, and regurgitates summarized material. Student s ideas are poorly developed and thought-out and reflect little consideration of the topic to text. 0 (Incomplete) Student did not complete the HTRLLP connections at all or failed to show connections on predetermined due date. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR READING AND UNDERSTANDING THE RUBRIC S PARAMETERS!