12th grade AP English Literature

Mrs. Kouns and Mrs. Williams (Summer 2017)

Summer Reading Assignment

“Storytelling is imaginative and creative in nature. It is an act by which man strives to realize his capacity for wonder, meaning, and delight. It is also a process in which man invents and preserves himself…Man tells stories in order to understand his experience, whatever it may be. Generally speaking, man has his consummate being in language, and there only. The state of human being is an idea, an idea which man has of himself. Only when he is embodied in an idea, and the idea is realized in language, can man take possession of himself.

If there is any absolute assumption in back of my thoughts tonight, it is this: We are what we imagine. Our very existence consists in our imagination of ourselves. The greatest tragedy that can befall us is to go unimagined.” --N. Scott Momaday

Course Overview:

“The AP English Literature and Composition course is designed to engage students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Through the close reading of selected texts, students can deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. As they read, students should consider a work's structure, style, and themes, as well as such smaller-scale elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone…

Reading in an AP course should be both wide and deep. This reading necessarily builds upon the reading done in previous English courses. These courses should include the in-depth reading of texts drawn from multiple genres, periods, and cultures. In their AP course, students should also read works from several genres and periods -- from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century -- but, more importantly, they should get to know a few works well. They should read deliberately and thoroughly, taking time to understand a work's complexity, to absorb its richness of meaning, and to analyze how that meaning is embodied in literary form. In addition to considering a work's literary artistry, students should consider the social and historical values it reflects and embodies. Careful attention to both textual detail and historical context should provide a foundation for interpretation, whatever critical perspectives are brought to bear on the literary works studied.” (The College Board, AP English Literature Online Course Description for Students, 2007)

Because reading, evaluating, and writing about complex texts is at the heart of the 12th grade AP English Literature course, summer reading is required for all students. An understanding of common texts is essential for initiating conversation and sharpening evaluation from the first day of the course.

Assignment:

1)Read and annotate (see the handout on annotation) the following novel, paying attention to structure, style, and themes, as well as character development, setting, symbol and motif, irony, tone, repetitive elements, etc. Note aspects throughout the work that you find significant.

2)2) Fill out the topic / theme handout without consulting outside sources or friends. We want to see what you can do on your own. This knowledge gives us a better idea of your strengths and weakness so we know where to start the year. We don’t want to start above your skill level, nor do we want to start below it.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

The deadline for having the books read is the first day of fall semester. Registering for this course indicates a commitment on the student’s part to follow through with course assignments. A failure to complete summer reading assignments is not a valid reason to request a schedule change at the beginning of fall semester.

If you have any questions about the reading or the course, please contact us at any time). You can see Ms. Kouns in the TAG office (B105) or email her at . You can see Mrs. Williams in her classroom (E104) or email her . We hope that you enjoy the reading.

Have a great summer!

How To Annotate Text

In order to develop a deeper appreciation for a text we are reading, it is important to read critically. Annotating the text while you are reading is an important step in developing as a critical reader. You are moving beyond assessing a work for plot and characters; you are now delving deeper into the text to find passages, images, words, figurative language, symbols, and themes. Critical reading takes longer to do than traditional reading, but you will find that you are able to find a much greater perspective and a deeper meaning of the novel when you use this type of reading. What you will find is that annotating while reading is like having your own personal conversation with the text.

When you are annotating a novel, you can use a system of highlighters and pens, or you may use post-it notes. If you have your own copy of the novel, you can make comments and highlight text as you need. If you are using the school’s copy, I suggest getting post-it notes and flags in different colors to help you devise a system of annotation.

What is the most important is that you develop a system of annotation that makes sense to YOU. For some works, you might choose to highlight corresponding images to the colors they represent. For other works, you need to devise your own system of colors and what they mean as you annotate. Overall, your goal is to be able to find passages, words, and images that bring a greater depth to the novel and observe the patterns within the novel for deeper interpretation. Having a organized system allows you to find these areas faster and will help you when you are analyzing the material.

Here are some steps to follow when you annotate a novel:

  1. Inside Front Cover: list of characters with descriptions
  1. Inside Back Cover: list of key themes, images, colors, symbols, etc. You will want to record page numbers here so you can find examples faster.
  1. Top Margin of the Page: quick plot detail that summarizes page
  1. Bottom/Side Margins of Page: Interpretative notes, questions you have about the text. Here are some examples of questions you should be asking as you are reading a passage:
  2. I do not understand...
  3. I noticed that...
  4. I wonder about...
  5. Why does...
  6. This scene reminds me of...
  7. A question I have is...
  8. This character reminds me of myself because...
  9. I now realize or think that...
  10. A phrase or line I like is...because...
  11. The setting seems to be... or The setting is important because...
  1. Circle new and unfamiliar words. Go back and get the definition and write it in after you’re done.
  1. Once you discover the theme, track passages that relate to the theme.
  1. When you see a word or image that becomes repetitive, highlight it and make observations to determine how that pattern might contribute to the novel
  1. Underline passages you think are important to the theme of the novel or character development.
  1. Bracket any passages that are too long to underline, but are still important to the theme of the novel or character development.

Title of novel ______

Topic/Theme

Topic: the subject matter; one issue that a work tackles (a word or possibly a phrase)

Theme: general insight into life or the human condition; a statement ABOUT a topic (a complete thought)

Theme statements are derived from topics. Ask yourself the question, “What does the author want me to

know/understand about ______?” Fill in the blank with a topic.

Here are some examples of the differences between topic and theme:

Topic / Theme
Love / Without love, life has no meaning.
OR
Love can be a powerful force for change.
Death / Death is an inevitable part of life that can help give life meaning.
OR
Death can be frightening for people because it is beyond our control.
Man vs nature / Nature reminds us how vulnerable man is.
OR
Human intellect is no match for the sheer power of nature.

A couple of last notes about theme:

  • theme is almost always implicit (implied, not directly stated)
  • there will be multiple themes in a lengthy work
  • to ensure universality, theme statements are constructed WITHOUT reference to the work or its characters

Here are some common topics in works of literature that you might want to consider when trying to determine theme:

  • abandonment
  • acceptance
  • anger
  • belonging
  • challenges
  • choices
  • commitment
  • community
  • courage
  • customs
  • death
  • discovery
  • discrimination
  • diversity
  • dreams
  • environment
  • ethical dilemmas
  • freedom
  • friendship
  • guilt
  • honesty
  • leadership
  • loss
  • love
  • loyalty
  • maturity
  • nature
  • patriotism
  • peace
  • poverty
  • prejudice
  • pride
  • relationships
  • responsibility
  • self-awareness
  • survival
  • teamwork
  • trust
  • violence
  • war

Novel RecapTitle of novel ______

Turning Topics into ThemesName ______

For the novel we have just finished discussing, consider the most SIGNIFICANT topics that the work addresses. In the boxes, below write a single word or phrase for topics.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Now, it’s time to turn these topics into theme statements. For each of the topics above, come up with a theme statement. Remember the theme should a) contain the word that you came up with as a topic b) be a complete statement and c) reveal what the author wants readers to know/understand about the topic.

Topic 1 Theme Statement:

______

Topic 2 Theme Statement:

______

Topic 3 Theme Statement:

______

Topic 4 Theme Statement:

______

Topic 5 Theme Statement:

______