AP English Literature Summer 2015 Please Note: This assignment is in ADDITION to the ALL Senior English Summer Reading AND College Counseling assignment. To the students in AP English Literature: Students who enroll in Advanced Placement English Literature are expected to do college-level work in order to do well on the AP exam in May and receive college credit for the course. This includes making a greater commitment to summer reading. The AP reading list contains three books of high literary merit. Furthermore, AP students are asked to write an essay during the summer for each of the three books. These three essays will be graded and will count toward the first trimester average. To prepare students for college writing, the essays should be a bit longer, around 700 words each. You should finish the 130 pages or so assigned in Don Quixote by the end of June. Your essay should be emailed to me by July 16 at dberry19348@yahoo.com. By August 20 you should have read A Doll s House and have written an essay on it from the list of prompt questions. You should email your essay to me. Before September 10 you should have read The Stranger. I trust that this work will not detract too much from your summer activities. We will probably devote the first twelve class meetings in September to the three books. Since each student will have completed an essay for the books, we can run the classes like a college seminar where the students do the presenting and the teaching. Dr. Berry SUMMER READING FOR AP ENGLISH LITERATURE 2015 Don Quixote by Cervantes Translated by Walter Starkie. Published by Signet Classics. Students are NOT required to read the entire book. Instead students should read In PART ONE Chapters 1 to 5 (pages 56-84) Chapter 7 and 8 ( pages 93-105) Chapter 18 (pages 168-177) Chapter 22 (pages 209-218) Chapter 52 (pages 507-515 [excluding the poems] ) In PART TWO Chapter 3 (pages 544-551) Chapters 12 to 17 (pages 603-647) Chapters 64 and 65 (pages 990-998) Chapters 73 and 74 (pages 1039-1050) These chapters were selected by Professor P. M. Pasinetti of UCLA for World Masterpieces published by W. W. Norton.
Essay and Discussion Questions on Don Quixote 1. Define the picaresque novel and tell how Don Quixote fits the definition. 2. The distinction between sanity and insanity is not always clear. Discuss this paradox in light of Cervantes novel, giving examples of sane behavior from Don Quixote and insane behavior from normal characters. 3. Stories are told in a variety of methods (first person narration, third person, limited omniscient narration, ironical tone, sentimental tone, authorial intrusion, etc.). Discuss Cervantes method of telling the story of his knight. How does his method differ from the methods of other novelists? 4. Tell how the main character is out of place in his world in terms of time and circumstance: Don Quixote as knight errant is an anachronism in 16 th century Spain. Give examples of the conflict and humor that arises from this discrepancy. 5. Is this a subversive book? Is Cervantes attacking the Catholic church? Look at passages that involve churchmen or that mention the church. 6. Don Quixote sees the world as a simple dichotomy of good and evil, yet the author seems to see the world differently. Cite examples of the gray areas where one person is both good and bad. 7. Cervantes is regarded as Spain s greatest writer and one of the giants of world literature. Agree or disagree with this judgment and support your view with references to the novel. 8. Our perception of people and events in the world is shaped by our culture and personality. Don Quixote has read tales of knights adventures and therefore expects to see magicians and damsels in distress. Explain how his perception is shaped by his readings and then discuss how all people fail to see the world as it really is because a person s perception is shaped by his or her education, religion, expectations, etc. 9. Consider the question of self-identity, the question that a person asks at different stages of life: who am I? How does Don Quixote answer this question and what influence do other people and events have on his answer? See page 82 especially. 10. Banning books is an age-old practice. Are there sound reasons for banning some books? How does Cervantes feel about banning books? See pages 83, 85 11. Cervantes is a satirist who makes fun of popular authors and parodies their style of writing. What is the purpose of satire and how does Cervantes use of parody shape his book? See the parody on page 58 at the top, and the footnote on 81, and pages 549-550. NOTE - Do not summarize the plot of the story from start to finish. Only bring plot details into your essay in order to illustrate some point that you are making. You should discuss one narrow aspect of the story and offer your own, original interpretations of the story.
ESSAY AND DISCUSSION TOPICS FOR A DOLL S HOUSE 1. Demonstrate that Torvald is blind to the real issues in his and Nora s world. Explain the causes for his blindness and describe how his blindness comes out through his reactions. Also, explain how Torvald gradually emerges from his darkness to see the truth at the end of the play. See page 79 bottom. 2. Nora is an inveterate liar. Prove this point with examples from the play. What types of lies does she tell? Does her motivation for lying mitigate our judgment of her? Does a sexist, Victorian society force a woman to lie? See pages 46 and 78. 3. Is Krogstad a villain? Examine his actions and his statements. Where does he do hurtful things? Where does he act magnanimously? What do these actions tell us about how his character changes from the beginning to the end of the play? 4. Ibsen wrote in the tradition of the well-made play : his plots are neatly unified with no loose ends, and his dialogue fits together smoothly (unlike real conversation). Describe Ibsen s style of writing plays and give specific examples. How is he different from other dramatists like Arthur Miller or Tennessee Williams. (You might contrast Ibsen s play to the plots and characterization and dialogue in movies, as well). 5. Ibsen is a didactic writer who preaches about certain themes in a deliberate manner. What are three of Ibsen s major themes in A Doll s House? How does he develop these themes throughout the play? 6. Is society (learned behavior) in conflict with biology (instinctive behavior) in this drama? Consider what characters wish for and the barriers that hamper them. Also, think about how they behave and what the social reaction to that behavior is. Is society artificial and are many of the conflicts (lawsuits, poverty, unhappiness) the result of that artificiality? Do Chimps live a happier existence than people do? 7. How would a Marxist critic interpret this play? Nora and Torvald lead bourgeoisie lives based on affluence and social propriety. Would a communist literary critic simply regard their lives and problems as absurd? What would the critic say is the cause for their conflicts? 8. The major characters have connections with each other from their pasts. For example, Nora and Mrs. Linde went to school together. Chart the connections between the major characters and explain how these connections influence their actions in the play and create binds (traps) for the individuals. 9. Analyze Mrs. Linde s character from a moral point of view and in terms of her motivations, statements, and actions. Is she the least interesting of the major characters? Is she a realistic, three-dimensional character or merely a functionary for the sake of the plot? 10. In a social sense, how does the sex drive influence how the characters behave? Who flirts with whom? Who plays the dominate role? How are alliances formed? What conflicts arise? 11. Is the ending of the play satisfying? How might you prefer to see the play end? Do the earlier acts lead the audience to expect Ibsen s ending? Does the ending reinforce Ibsen s themes? 12. Rank the major characters in order of their strength of will. Who is the strongest character? Who is the weakest? Does this change from act one to act five? Cite evidence from the play to support your assertions.
13. What symbols and what metaphors does the dramatist use to develop character and to express his themes? Do the symbols fall into groups based on type of image? Are several of the dominate metaphors related some how? The title itself is both symbol and metaphor. Does Ibsen make good choices in his use of symbols? NOTE - Do not summarize the plot of the story from start to finish. Only bring plot details into your essay in order to illustrate some point that you are making. You should discuss one narrow aspect of the story and offer your own, original interpretations of the story. TOPICS ON THE STRANGER BY ALBERT CAMUS 1. How do issues of sexual fidelity reveal the differing values of the characters in this story? 2. What do the two females, the dead mother and the Arab girlfriend, represent in Meursault s world? Are they symbols? Opposites? How do they shape Meursault s life? 3. Is justice well served in this story? To what degree are the Arab brothers guilty? To what degree is Meursault guilty? Do the lawyers behave properly? Does the punishment fit the crime? 4. What does it mean to be an outsider? Are loners abnormal, social misfits, mentally ill? Or do we see the solitary person as being strong, uncompromising, true to his own values? 5. Comment on the following quotation from near the end of the book: As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself so like a brother, really. 6. Think of yourself as a novelist. Would you organize your story the same way that Camus did? Would you use the same kind of plain, matter-of-fact language that Camus did? Would you deliberately make a point or would you merely imply it? 7. Rate The Stranger in comparison to Washington Square, Billy Budd, or another well known, short novel. Is The Stanger a great work of art? Why or why not? 8. Describe the differences between the French and Arab cultures as depicted in this book. Do the differences in culture play a role in the violence and resulting tragedy? Is Camus making a point about cultural differences? NOTE - Do not summarize the plot of the story from start to finish. Only bring plot details into your essay in order to illustrate some point that you are making. You should discuss one narrow aspect of the story and offer your own, original interpretations of the story.
LITERARY ANALYSIS RUBRIC GRADE Intro Paragraph / Thesis A Engaging opening (excellent) introduces the essay s general topic and inspires thinking about that topic; logically proceeds to thesis; thesis is an easily identifiable, wellphrased argument that assesses the text and addresses a specific idea to be analyzed and proven in the essay; the idea offered in the thesis reflects sound critical, analytical thinking; title and author of work are appropriately referenced B (good) Generally engaging opening; areas to be strengthened may include: presentation of general topic; development of transition between general opening and specific thesis statement; thesis statement is phrased as an argument but may be strengthened through clarification of the main idea being offered Body Paragraphs / Organization Each topic sentence clearly connects to the thesis and offers an identifiable, wellphrased idea to be proven in the paragraph; concrete details are well-chosen and incorporated; paragraphs are wellorganized to create a coherent, carefully developed and supported argument; transitions between ideas are logical and each idea builds on the preceding; writer maintains focus and control of argument so that the point of each paragraph is always clear Each topic sentence generally connects to the thesis but in one or more TS the main idea may need to be clarified; concrete details are generally wellchosen though some may be irrelevant or insufficient as evidence to effectively support the thesis and/or TS; paragraphs are generally wellorganized, although some transitions may be awkward and there may be gaps in the development of ideas; focus and control of argument may need improvement because the point of Literary Analysis Language Style / Voice Writing reflects a critical, Writing is academic analytical understanding in tone, of the text; through clear demonstrating a reasoning, writer draws clear sense of sophisticated, insightful purpose and inferences from concrete audience; writer's details to support the voice is evident -- connected ideas of the TS confident and and thesis; inferences are sophisticated; developed so that all vocabulary and claims and points made phrasing are are well-supported and academically persuasive; analysis appropriate, focuses on both thematic persuasive, and and stylistic elements of sophisticated without the text, demonstrating being pretentious writer s ability to interpret the function of literary devices in the service of thematic meaning; appropriate balance of quotes & writer's analysis; writer is clearly engaged with and moved by his/her thinking process Writing generally reflects a critical, analytical understanding of the text but is uneven; inferences demonstrate interpretive ability but could be developed further to better explain significance of detail and support thesis and/or TS; some claims may be vague, generalized, or lacking in support; analysis could be stronger through focus on stylistic elements that create thematic meaning; some imbalance of quotes and writer's analysis Writing is generally academic in tone; writer s voice may not be consistently persuasive but is discernible; writing demonstrates an awareness of the purpose to persuade; vocabulary in some places may be simplistic or ineffective
C (satisfactory) D (marginal) Opening is functional but too brief and/or simplistic, essay s topic is apparent but needs to be developed to engage the reader; abrupt transition from first sentences to thesis statement; paragraph may be incoherent, jumping from one point to the next without developing a smooth progression of ideas; thesis may be too general, vague, or imprecisely phrased; thesis may not directly address the prompt (though still an argument that assesses the text) Opening is ineffective, poorly organized, and undeveloped (inappropriately brief); thesis may summarize plot point rather than present argument about text; thesis may not address the prompt at all; author and/or title of text may not be referenced properly (i.e. only author's last name, title incorrectly formatted) a paragraph may not always be clear Topic sentences are present but more than one is weak in the following areas: main idea not discernible; a fact about the text is summarized; unclear connection to thesis. Concrete details are present but weak because they provide insufficient evidence to support TS and/or are irrelevant because they do not support an insightful inference. Lack of coherent organization of ideas within individual paragraphs or from one paragraph to the next; abrupt transitions impede smooth flow of ideas; essay lacks consistent focus and control of argument; paragraph(s) may lack clear point(s); content of paragraphs does not consistently support or connect with thesis and/orts Topic sentences absent or consistently lack focused ideas, either offering general, irrelevant comments or stating facts about the text; there is no discernible argument or point guiding essay; concrete details are absent or ineffective/ insufficient; consistent lack of coherent organization of Writing demonstrates basic comprehension of the text but not a critical, analytical understanding of it, as reflected by one or more of the following: lack of focused, developed idea guiding essay; interpretive analysis inconsistent or unsubstantiated; frequent summary of plot details that retell the story; writer restates the content of cited concrete details rather than draws significant inferences about sub-textual meaning; little or no analysis of how stylistic elements of the text create meaning. Writing marked and weakened by frequent generalizations, unsupported claims, assumptions, vague statements. Writing demonstrates some awareness of text details but not a critical, analytical understanding of the text; points made are vague and unsubstantiated; essay lacks focus; no literary analysis present Writing tends to be mechanical in tone; writer s voice is not discernible in the essay; writing demonstrates inconsistent awareness of the purpose to persuade; vocabulary tends to be simplistic, marked by instances of informal or imprecise diction Writing is mechanical in tone; writer s voice is not discernible in essay; writing demonstrates no awareness of purpose to persuade; vocabulary is simplistic and/or inappropriate
ideas within paragraphs and from one paragraph to the next; points of paragraphs are unclear F (unacceptable) requirements of the assignment requirements of the assignment requirements of the assignment requirements of the assignment