Junior Summer Reading Assignments
Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians:
We are pleased that you have committed yourself to a challenging academic year by enrolling in Honors American Literature. It is our hope that this rigorous course will be an exciting and intellectually stimulating experience. In preparation for this class, you will complete two reading assignments that have been designed to expand your academic abilities and knowledge of American literature while simultaneously providing you with an enjoyable experience to foster a deeper love of literature.
Each student will read two novels. One of the texts, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, will be read by all students. The exam on Huck Finn, which will be given on the first day of class, will count as a major grade. You may choose the second novel from the list below. You will turn in an analytical reading journal for the self-selected novel on the first day of class. Directions for completing the journal are at the bottom of this page. Students who do not turn in a reading journal on the self-selected novel or who do not pass the exam on Huck Finn will be strongly discouraged from taking the course.
If you have any questions about these assignments, please contact us through email (jrobinson@chs.carteret.k12.nc.us).
Sincerely,
The Croatan High English Department
Þ All students who take Honors American Literature must read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. You will be tested on this novel on the first day of class.
Þ You must also pick one novel from the list below. You will complete an analytical reading journal for this novel and turn it in on the first day of class.
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Black Boy by Richard Wright
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
* Each text has been selected for its literary merit and is highly regarded by the academic community; however, it is important to note that some of these texts contain mature content and language. Parents and guardians who would like to shield their children from books with mature themes are encouraged to contact Ms. Robinson for advice on selecting a book.
Analytical Reading Journal Directions
As you read your self-selected novel, pay special attention to the author’s use of literary techniques. You will also want to be aware of how the author structures the text, portrays and develops characters, describes the setting, employs different points of view, and develops themes. You will create a reading journal in which you record your observations and insights about the text. Entries should be made whenever a natural pause in the reading occurs so that the flow of the novel is not interrupted constantly. This is a crucial part of your learning, as it engages you with the texts critically and thoughtfully. Good journals look beneath the surface of the text; they explore its ideas, patterns, and implications; they identify the use of literary devices and explain how and why they work; they demonstrate a mind engaged with the text. Bad journals are unacceptably brief, show little or no depth of thought, tend to merely summarize the plot, or simply identify the use of techniques without explaining their significance.
Details
Do not wait until you have finished the novel to begin your journal. This assignment is designed to actively engage you with the text as you read.
Reading journals are due on the first day of class. No late journals will be accepted.
Your log should have at least 15 entries, evenly spaced throughout the text.
This project will count as a major grade.
Journals must be pledged as completely original work. Any evidence of plagiarism or copying from any source, including your peers, will result in a zero for the assignment-a decidedly bad way to begin the year.
Entries should be in chronological order.
Use the example below as a guide.
A link to a glossary of literary terms is available on the main summer reading page.
Sample Entries
|
quote from text / page # |
literary term(s) |
significance / explanation |
|
Page 4: “There was pride in his mother’s breast. Love stirred in the hearts of the young Brahmin’s daughters […] Govinda, his friend, loved him more than anybody else.” |
third person omniscient point of view indirect characterization protagonist |
In the opening paragraphs of the novel, Hesse uses the omniscient third-person point of view to explore several characters’ impressions of Siddhartha: his father, his mother, the young girls, and his friend. This indirect characterization provides the reader with a clear understanding of the protagonist’s social status and reputation—in these characters’ eyes, Siddhartha is a paragon of a devout Brahman youth. |
|
Page 5: “Dreams and a restlessness of the soul came to him, arising from the verses of the Rig-Veda, trickling through from the teachings of the old Brahmins.” |
rising action internal conflict motivation |
This quote shatters the idealistic picture of Siddhartha that was conveyed through other characters’ impressions of him in the opening paragraphs. In these lines, the reader first learns about Siddhartha’s internal conflict: he feels that he will never “quench the eternal thirst” (attain enlightenment) if he stays at home with his mother and father. This “seed of discontent” provides him with the motivation to leave home and embark on a quest. |