Honors English IV Required Summer Reading
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Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians:
We are pleased that you have committed yourself to a challenging academic year by enrolling in Honors British Literature (English IV). It is our hope that this rigorous course will be an exciting and intellectually stimulating experience. In preparation for the class you will complete a summer reading assignment that has been designed to expand your academic abilities and foster a deeper appreciation of British literature.
The summer reading selection this year is 1984, a classic written by George Orwell . You will be assessed on your comprehension of this text in two ways: a formal exam and an analytical reading journal. Whether you are registered for the fall or spring semester, you will take the exam at 2:45 on either August 25th or 26th (students who need to ride a late bus home should plan to take the test on the 26th) . You will turn in your analytical reading journal at the exam session. Students who do not turn in a reading journal or who do not pass the exam will be strongly discouraged from taking the course: during the first weeks of class, those who have not read will be unable to participate in discussions and projects related to the novel.
If you have any questions about these assignments, please contact us through email at (brad.robinson@carteretk12.org, paul.slater@carteretk12.org, or sherri.meadows@carteretk12.org).
Sincerely,
The Croatan High English Department
**STUDENTS WHO WILL BE TAKING ENGLISH IV IN 2011-2012 HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY THEIR COUNSELORS. IF YOU ARE UNSURE WHICH YEAR YOU ARE TAKING ENGLISH IV, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR COUNSELOR ASAP.
Analytical Reading Journal Directions
As you read 1984, 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
Entries must be hand written, not typed.
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. |