AP English Literature Summer Assignment
Our first unit in AP English is called “The Meaning of the Journey,” and we will be studying a variety of types of literature relevant to this theme. In addition, we will begin in-depth lessons and practice in critical and analytical writing. Your summer assignment will prepare you for both the reading and writing that is to come in our first unit. BOTH PARTS OF YOUR SUMMER ASSIGNMENT ARE DUE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. Below is a breakdown of each part of your summer assignment:
Part 1: Read The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
You need to read this novel in its entirety. The best strategy is to purchase your own copy of the novel so that you can mark it up as you read—underline significant passages, ideas you do not understand, other aspects you want to ask questions about. As you read, keep paper or a notebook close by that can correspond to what you have marked up in the book. For example, if you underline a passage on page 67 because it is unclear, write something in your notebook like, “Page 67—what does this mean?” This type of active reading will help you participate in our discussions about the novel, and will help prepare you for the quiz over the book. BE PREPARED FOR A QUIZ ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. The complete reading of the book is due on that day, and you will be evaluated over it. The book has thirty chapters. You can read a chapter a day and get finished in plenty of time. I highly recommend you finish early enough to allow yourself time to review the entire novel before school begins. This will help you prepare for the quiz as well.
General information to help you read: Set in the plains/west during the time of The Great Depression, this book is about a family of migrant workers who are displaced from their home because there is no work for them in that area (they live in Oklahoma). They travel west along Route 66 toward California, where there is rumored to be work. This family, the Joads, is a large family, and moving is difficult. This journey affects them both as individuals, and as a whole. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO HOW EACH FAMILY MEMBER IS AFFECTED throughout their travels.
As you read, you will notice that the chapters alternate between the story of migrant workers as a large group and the story of the Joads specifically. Steinbeck cared deeply about the struggles faced by this group of people. His chapters about the entire group were his way of calling attention to the plight of the migrant workers. He then made these struggles personal by relating it to one particular family. Although the Joads are a fictitious family, they are based on actual members of various migrant families. This alternating structure is not difficult to understand if you are aware of it throughout the book.
Finally, it is important to know that throughout AP English we will focus intently on the language of what we read. Pay attention to Steinbeck’s language in this novel. Notice his descriptions of natural events (there are two natural disasters in the novel, one at the beginning and one at the end), his development of characters (what they say, believe), and his descriptions of the struggle (in the chapters about the large group). You can learn a lot about the author’s tone and theme just by looking at how he writes.
Part 2: Critical Analysis Essay—MUST BE TYPED AND DOUBLE-SPACED
After reading the entire novel, you must respond to the prompt below in a WELL-STRUCTURED, FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY. Your essay must be typed, double-spaced, saved to a flashdrive, and PRINTED OUT to be turned in the first day of school. Read the prompt carefully, and answer it in a clear, concise, specific essay. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you use the writing structure handout attached to this assignment for the format of your essay.
Before you begin, make sure you do the following:
--Read the writing structure handout carefully
--Read the prompt carefully
--Plan your essay carefully, making sure your examples fit both the prompt, and your chosen theme (based on the directions below)
Essay Prompt:
In many works of literature, a main character often finds him/herself in conflict with the social or moral values of his/her environment. Using The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, choose a character that is at odds with the people around him/her, or with society at large. Write an essay in which you explain how these conflicts are essential to the overall meaning of the work. Use specific, developed examples and DO NOT merely summarize the plot.
Here are the steps to follow for completing your essay. READ THESE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY:
1. Decide which character you will use. Remember, the character has to be “at odds” with others or society in some way.
2. In the prompt it states “explain how these conflicts affect the meaning of the work as a whole.” This means, how does the character being in conflict with others bring out a theme in the novel? A theme is a universal, abstract idea stated in sentence form, and containing concepts. It should be able to apply to life as well as the book. For example, “The desire for revenge only creates despair and regret” is a theme that works for a play like Hamlet, and can also be seen in life.
So, for this step, think about what universal theme is present in The Grapes of Wrath. Write your theme like a cause/effect sentence, with one concept as the cause, and two concepts being the effects of the cause. Whatever concept you choose for your cause must be a concept present in every example of your essay, because you cannot have effects without a cause, and vice versa. Concepts are feelings or personality traits. They are not literal.
3. Your essay is composed of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each body paragraph will contain one detailed example from the book that brings out the theme. What you must do to prepare to write is to put steps 1 and 2 together. You must now think of three examples from the book that deal with your chosen character having a conflict with others, and those SAME examples must also bring out the theme you have decided upon. In other words, match examples with “conflict” scenes and theme concepts.
4. After you have completed steps 1-3, you should begin composing your essay. Use the writing structure handout to help you with format. Remember that when you write your body paragraphs, you are first describing what happens in a particular scene of the book. This is your example. It should be detailed and precise, not an overview. After you do that, you are analyzing why the example brings out the theme. In other words, how do the parts of that scene show the concepts in your theme?
To review, the following work is due ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:
--Complete reading of the novel The Grapes of Wrath. YOU WILL BE GIVEN A QUIZ
OVER THE BOOK.
--A complete essay over the given prompt. The essay should follow the Writing Structure
Handout. It should be typed, double-spaced, saved, and printed for turn in.
--If you have any questions about the reading or writing assignment, you may send
an email to my school address. I will be checking it often, and will be happy to
help you understand/work through any part of this assignment.
I look forward to seeing you in August! Happy Reading and Writing!!
Mrs. Girard
Writing Structure Handout—Critical Essay
Most forms of analytical writing can be developed using the same basic writing structure. This structure, the standard five paragraph essay, is used for a variety of writing modes and types and can be modified in any number of ways. Below you will find the basic structure, modified for the purposes of a critical essay.
Paragraph 1: Introductory Paragraph—lets reader know what topic you are addressing and the main idea of your piece (3-5 sentences)
A. The first sentence provides a relevant hook to get the reader’s attention (can be straightforward, and book-related)
B. The next sentence(s) introduce the book and essay topic
C. The final sentence states the main idea that will be addressed throughout the essay. This is where you would define the theme present in the novel.
Paragraphs 2-4: Body Paragraphs—each body paragraph provides one reason or example that supports the main idea (12-16 sentences each)
A. The first sentence introduces the topic of the body paragraph (the first example) *Occasionally, the beginning of the paragraph will need to be extended if the topic needs to be explained or “set up.”
B. The next group of sentences explain facts of the example so that it can be easily understood by the audience (Include relevant and specific details to strengthen and clarify explanations. DO NOT USE QUOTES FROM THE TEXT. THE FACTUAL EXPLANATION SHOULD BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Include the detailed facts of the specific example you have chosen. This section of the paragraph is typically 6-8 sentences in length or more.)
C. The next group of sentences in the paragraph provides an explanation which demonstrates how that example brings out your main idea (theme). In other words, WHY does that example demonstrate the universal concepts in your theme sentence? (This is called the “connection” section of the paragraph and is typically 6-8 sentences in length or more, covering all aspects of your example in depth)
D. The closing sentence of the paragraph restates and/or summarizes the main idea for the paragraph and possibly transitions into the next paragraph
Paragraph 5: Concluding Paragraph—summarizes ideas and often restates topic. It also provides a particular relevance/importance regarding the topic for the reader to consider. (3-5 sentences)
A. The opening sentence should restate or summarize the main idea of the piece.
B. The next two to four sentences should provide a specific relevance/importance for the reader to consider (related to book and/or main idea)
C. The final sentence should be a powerful statement/thought that brings closure to the piece and will make the reader remember your essay.
Keep in mind that the number of sentences given for each paragraph is a guideline—you may extend as necessary, but if your explanations are shorter than the guideline, you probably need to add detail. When writing, you should also try to use strong verbs and nouns, as well as smooth transitions. These writing techniques add depth to the piece.