Advanced Placement Literature and Composition: AP 12

Ms. Cyndi Kelley

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Advanced Placement Summer Reading:

Welcome to all to AP12! The summer reading is designed to help you get a head start on many of the works which are referenced on the AP exam. In many academic programs, comprehensive lists of primary works, “Comps” are required of students beyond the normal readings for the course. Hopefully, over the last four years, you have been reading classic works in order to widen your repertoire of knowledge. In the coming year you will be required to continue reading from a designated list of comprehensive texts. These are texts which form what we call the “canon” of great literary works. Opinion and analysis of these works are what the college board requires you to demonstrate in order to earn college credits in World Literature.

Please read about a work before you commit time and energy into reading it. Nothing is worse than limping through a work you don’t like. Also, be prepared to struggle with the text. Close reading requires effort. Many of these contain archaic syntax or out of modern context situations which might lead you to question. Read carefully, pencil in hand and take your time. Divide a text up into smaller portions so you do not become over whelmed. Some people enjoy classic works as “beach” reading, but for many of us it will take effort and motivation. Like Nike used to say… “Just do it”. Don’t wait till August to do the reading …it won’t even resemble fun by then…and that leads to poor work.

First book that all must read:

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: Thomas C. Foster

Here is the link to the free .pdf copy. You have a choice to buy a copy or download for free. It’s up to you.

Print. Annotate it as you go along. Make notes of the major points from each chapter. Bring it to class first week of school.

Part Deux:

Choose two books (one from each list) and complete the following question for one in an essay of 500- 750 words (about two to three pages double spaced, typed).

Question: Choose a quote from this work which you feel encapsulates the theme and explain how it relates the theme and connects to the meaning of the work as a whole.

Classics

The Invisible Man: Ralph Ellison

The Color Purple: Alice Walker

Wuthering Heights: Emily Bronte

The Awakening: Kate Chopin

Brave New World: Aldous Huxley

Farenheit 451: Ray Bradbury

Catcher in the Rye: J.D. Salinger

Hamlet: William Shakespeare

Modern Classics

The Poisonwood Bible: Barbara Kingsolver

Secret Life of Bees: Sue Monk Kidd

Their Eyes were Watching God: Nora Zeal Hurston

Never Let Me Go: Kazuo Ishiguro

The Round House: Louise Erdrich

The Bonesetter’s Daughter: Amy Tan

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: David Wroblewski

Make sure you HAVE NOT read works you choose previously!!! Believe me when I say I know what your teachers teach.

For the other book, fill out a works data sheet which you can download from the Internet on our school website. It should be filled out completely and in detail so that it is OF USE TO YOU in preparing for the AP Test. Skimpy works data analyses are useless. So are those that are copied from Sparks Notes simply to say you did them. This wastes your time and mine.

Soooooo…..

Read.

Take notes.

Write an essay.

Fill out a data packet.

Get ready for AP.

Have a good summer.

BAM.

MK