English 4 AP Literature and Composition Summer Reading 2012 Welcome to AP English IV! Congratulations! You have made a wise and important decision in your high school career. By enrolling in Mr. Perez s AP English Literature course, you have committed yourself to: learning to read literature more closely than ever before writing more clearly and learning to take risks in your writing thinking more deeply and more critically about the words on a page and the world around you and within you adding more stress to your senior year I look forward to working with you. Together, we will experience the immense power and meaning of great literary works. We will travel to new places, meet unforgettable writers and characters, share and discuss a multitude of thoughts about human nature, and most importantly, grow intellectually and emotionally through this process. Every book has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens." - - from The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon Our journey begins this summer with your assigned readings and accompanying assignments. The following books are available in libraries and bookstores; however, I strongly recommend you purchase these books if at all possible so that you can highlight passages and make marginal notes. Throughout the year, the Socratic- style discussion is crucial to this course. Therefore, I expect you to contribute intelligent questions and responses to our class discussions. Relying on outside sources like Spark Notes for your information and analyses is not acceptable. AP students think for themselves, question what they read, and present their own ideas to their peers with confidence and conviction. Prepare for a rigorous course in reading and writing. Lodi High School Language Arts Summer Reading Page 1 of 6
Part I: Read How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines by Thomas C. Foster. This practical and oftentimes amusing guide to literature is the perfect companion for making your reading experiences more enriching, satisfying, and fun. The author is a Professor of English at the University of Michigan, Flint, where he teaches classes in contemporary fiction, drama and poetry as well as creative writing and composition. This is the most time- intensive part of your AP summer work. There are 27 chapters in this very readable book about how to become a close reader. The attached assignment follows the book chapter by chapter. My suggestion? Do not leave this assignment off until the last week of August. You will be burning the midnight oil to finish before school starts. Instead, work through the reading and assignment by pacing yourself a few chapters each week. 27 chapters/10 weeks you do the math. I will be collecting your completed assignment on September 5, 2012. Note to students: These short writing assignments will help you practice your literary analysis. Also, this assignment will force you to remember all the literature you have already read. It will serve as a review as well as getting you ready for AP English. Whenever I ask for an example from literature, you may use short stories, novels, plays, or films. Please limit films to specific questions where I ask for a film. I However, I prefer that you refer to the literary works that you studied in your Honors English classes. DO NOT REFER TO THE SAME WORK! If your literary repertoire is thin and undeveloped, use the book s appendix to jog your memory or to select additional works to explore. At the very least, watch some of the "Movies to Read" that are listed on pages 293-294. Please note that your responses should be paragraphs - - not pages! All responses must be typed. Even though this is analytical writing, you may use "I" if you deem it important to do so; remember, however, that most uses of "I" are just padding. For example, "I think the wolf is the most important character in 'Little Red Riding Hood'" is padded. As you compose each written response, re- phrase the prompt as part of your answer. In other words, I should be able to tell which question you are answering without referring back to the prompts. Do not be overwhelmed by this assignment! View it as an introduction to the course. If you pace yourself (a few chapters each week, for example), you will be fine. You might want to bullet/outline each chapter first. Introduction: How'd He Do That? How do memory, symbol, and pattern affect the reading of literature? How does the recognition of patterns make it easier to read complicated literature? Discuss a time when your appreciation of a literary work was enhanced by understanding symbol or pattern. Chapter 1 - - Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It's Not) List the five aspects of the QUEST and then apply them to something you have read in the form used on pages 3-5. Chapter 2 - - Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion Choose a meal from a literary work and apply the ideas of Chapter 2 to this literary depiction. Chapter 3: - - Nice to Eat You: Acts of Vampires What are the essentials of the Vampire story? Apply this to a literary work you have read. Lodi High School Language Arts Summer Reading Page 2 of 6
Chapter 4 - - If It's Square, It's a Sonnet Select three sonnets and show which form they are. Discuss how their content reflects the form. (Submit copies of the sonnets, marked to show your analysis). Where to find sonnets? Try these online resources or skim the poetry books at Barnes & Noble or at a library. Shakespeare sonnets at www.opensourceshakespeare.com Sonnet Central at www.sonnets.org where I would recommend John Donne s Death Be Not Proud www.sonnets.org/donne.htm#110 ) William Wordsworth ( The world is too much with us is another favorite: www.sonnets.org/wordsworth.htm#050 ). And take a look at some modern sonnets: 1) http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmmid/20090 2) http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmmid/16660 3) http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1916brooke.html Chapter 5 - - Now, Where Have I Seen Her Before? Define intertextuality. Discuss three examples that have helped you in reading specific works. Chapter 6 - - When in Doubt, It's from Shakespeare... Discuss a work that you are familiar with that alludes to or reflects Shakespeare. Show how the author uses this connection thematically. Read pages 44-46 carefully. In these pages, Foster shows how Fugard reflects Shakespeare through both plot and theme. In your discussion, focus on theme. Chapter 7 - -...Or the Bible Read "Araby by James Joyce. You could read it online. Discuss Biblical allusions that Foster does not mention. Look at the example of the "two great jars." Be creative and imaginative in these connections. Chapter 8 - - Hanseldee and Greteldum Think of a work of literature that reflects a fairy tale. Discuss the parallels. Does it create irony or deepen appreciation? Chapter 9 - - It's Greek to Me Write a free verse poem derived or inspired by characters or situations from Greek mythology. Be prepared to share your poem with the class. Need some help or a memory refresher on Greek mythology? Try these sites: http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html www.pantheon.org www.mythweb.com Chapter 10 - - It's More Than Just Rain or Snow Discuss the importance of weather in a specific literary work, not in terms of plot. Lodi High School Language Arts Summer Reading Page 3 of 6
Interlude - - Does He Mean That Chapter 11 - -...More Than It's Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence Present examples of the two kinds of violence found in literature. Show how the effects are different. Chapter 12 - - Is That a Symbol? Use the process described on page 106, and investigate the symbolism of the fence in "Araby." (Mangan's sister stands behind it.) Chapter 13 - - It's All Political Assume that Foster is right and "it is all political." Use his criteria to show that one of the major works assigned to you since you ve been at LHS is political. Chapter 14 - - Yes, She's a Christ Figure, Too Apply the criteria on page 119 to a major character in a significant literary work. Try to choose a character that will have many matches. This is a particularly apt tool for analyzing film - - for example, Star Wars, Cool Hand Luke, Excalibur, Malcolm X, Braveheart, Spartacus, Gladiator and Ben- Hur. Chapter 15 - - Flights of Fancy Select a literary work in which flight signifies escape or freedom. Explain in detail. Chapter 16 - - It's All About Sex... Chapter 17 - -...Except the Sex OK...the sex chapters. The key idea from this chapter is that "scenes in which sex is coded rather than explicit can work at multiple levels and sometimes be more intense than literal depictions" (141). In other words, sex is often suggested with much more art and effort than it is described, and, if the author is doing her job, it reflects and creates theme or character. Choose a novel you read in which sex is suggested, but not described, and discuss how the relationship is suggested and how this implication affects the theme or develops characterization. Chapter 18 - - If She Comes Up, It's Baptism Think of a "baptism scene" from a significant literary work. How was the character different after the experience? Discuss. Chapter 19 - - Geography Matters... Discuss at least four different aspects of a specific literary work that Foster would classify under "geography." Chapter 20 - -...So Does Season Find a poem that mentions a specific season. Then discuss how the poet uses the season in a meaningful, traditional, or unusual way. (Submit a copy of the poem with your analysis see suggested websites for chapter 4 or visit a library or bookstore.) Interlude - - One Story Write your own definition for archetype. Then identify an archetypal story and apply it to a literary work with which you are familiar. Lodi High School Language Arts Summer Reading Page 4 of 6
Chapter 21 - - Marked for Greatness Figure out Harry Potter's scar. If you aren't familiar with Harry Potter, select another character with a physical imperfection and analyze its implications for characterization. Chapter 22 - - He's Blind for a Reason, You Know Chapter 23 - - It's Never Just Heart Disease... Chapter 24 - -...And Rarely Just Illness Recall two characters that died of a disease in a literary work. Consider how these deaths reflect the "principles governing the use of disease in literature" (215-217). Discuss the effectiveness of the death as related to plot, theme, or symbolism. Chapter 25 - - Don't Read with Your Eyes After reading Chapter 25, choose a scene or episode from a novel, play or epic written before the 20th century. Contrast how it could be viewed by a reader from the 21 st century with how it might be viewed by a contemporary reader from its time period. Focus on specific assumptions that the author makes, assumptions that would not make it in this century. Chapter 26 - - Is He Serious? And Other Ironies Select an ironic literary work and explain the multi- vocal nature of the irony in the work. Chapter 27 - - A Test Case Read "The Garden Party" by Katherine Mansfield, the short story starting on page 245. Complete the exercise on pages 265-266, following the directions exactly. Then compare your writing with the three examples. How did you do? What does the essay that follows comparing Laura with Persephone add to your appreciation of Mansfield's story? Envoi Choose a motif not discussed in this book (as the horse reference on page 280) and note its appearance in four different works. What does this idea seem to signify? Part II: College Admissions Portfolio. You will begin compiling your College Admissions Portfolio this summer. You must choose 3 colleges or universities that you might be interested in attending. Your portfolio will be neatly organized in a pocket folder. Follow the instructions on this document that I created, found online and on my website under Class Files AP English: https://www.box.com/s/299410c8b5b43a4bfe2a Have your portfolio for Wednesday, September 5th, 2012. APPLICATION: Your 3 applications should be typed and a copy placed in your portfolio. You do not have to include a letter of recommendation; however, you should include a list of potential references. RESUME: A resume is required. ESSAY: Write one college essay that you can use this fall. The personal statement essay is a very important part of your college application. It is the one place where you get to share with the admissions staff who you are as an individual. Choose one essay topic from your college application. Lodi High School Language Arts Summer Reading Page 5 of 6
Write a well- developed essay that is typed, 12- font, 1- inch margins, double- spaced. The length of the essay should be approximately 500 words. Part III: Read Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. This will be the first novel that we will analyze in September. Before we begin our analysis, there will be an objective test (AP style) on Wednesday, September 5 th, 2012. As you are reading, use the following questions as a guide. Of course you can add additional notes. Organize a notebook on: 1. Title 2. Author 3. Major themes or motifs: first state each major theme or motif that you discover, and then explain how the novel or play illuminates those themes or motifs. 4. Major and minor characters: state several of them and provide brief descriptions of their roles in the corresponding work. 5. Method of revealing character (i.e. internal psychological development /external actions) 6. Explore the significance of setting. 7. Analyze the significance of the fictional society in the work. 8. What is the occasion? In other words, what significant event or incident precipitates the plot of the work? 9. What is the intended audience? (Historical and dramatic) 10. Examine moral/ethical problems explored in the work. 11. Select and present quotations that illustrate the writer s craft: mood/tone, imagery, symbolism, characterization, figurative language. (Comment on each.) 12. Examine diction and grammar as they reveal the purpose of the work. 13. Analyze the relevance of the work to the present time. 14. Explore the role of fate in the work. 15. Explore the significance of the actual historical background in which the work was written. Part IV. Read Shakespeare s Macbeth. Copies are available online multiple locations, including my website: mrperezlhs.blogspot.com under etextbooks. If you check out my website, there are also guided reading questions under the Studyguide tab. Take plenty of notes, especially on all of the soliloquies and monologues. You will take an objective test on Macbeth on Monday, September 10 th, 2012. Part V. We ll be using a paperback for grammar entitled: The Elements of Style (4 th edition) by William Strunk and E.B. White. Pick up a copy. Skim through it. Are you sure you want to stay in AP English? Contact me with any questions throughout the summer. Mr. Perez Email: christopher.perez@lodi.k12.nj.us Lodi High School Language Arts Summer Reading Page 6 of 6