Page 1 GRADE 11 ENGLISH SUMMER ASSIGNMENT
Juniors, you will be reading The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway this summer. MATES will provide you with a copy of this novel; therefore, you must sign out the novel – see your current English teacher. Furthermore, English III is an extremely challenging course. As a class, we will explore several literary genres, analyze literary elements, and we will write various essays including persuasive, creative, expository, descriptive, and analytical. As a result, I will use this assignment to assess both your strengths and weaknesses as critical thinkers, evaluators, and interpreters of literature. Finally, this carefully designed summer assignment will introduce and prepare you for the HSPA Exam, especially how to answer Open-Ended Questions! Therefore, it is imperative that you take notes as you read, evaluate the novel’s themes/motifs, and understand each character’s behavior and motivation before answering these open-ended questions. Read actively and aggressively!
Plot Overview
The Old Man and the Sea is the story of an epic struggle between an old, seasoned fisherman and the greatest catch of his life. For eighty-four days, Santiago, an aged Cuban fisherman, has set out to sea and returned empty-handed. So conspicuously unlucky is he that the parents of his young devoted apprentice and friend, Manolin, have forced the boy to leave the old man in order to fish in a more prosperous boat. Nevertheless, the boy continues to care for the old man upon his return each night. He helps the old man tote his gear to his ramshackle hut, secures food for him, and discusses the latest developments in American baseball, especially the trials of the old man's hero, Joe DiMaggio. Santiago is confident that his unproductive streak will soon come to an end, and he resolves to sail out farther than usual the following day.
Open-Ended Questions (HSPA PREP)
DIRECTIONS: All answers must be typed and numbered accordingly. Carefully follow the “Open-Ended QuestionsGuidelines” on the following page. Each question is worth 25 points! In order to receive the full 25 points for each question, you must fulfill all the detailed objectives/tips on the following page.
1. The Old Man and the Sea is, essentially, the story of a single character. Indeed, other than the old man, only one human being receives any kind of prolonged attention. Discuss the role of Manolin in the novella. Is he necessary to the book?
2. “A man can be destroyed but not defeated,” says the old man after the first shark attack. Explain the meaning of the quote. At the end of the story, is the old man defeated? Why or why not?
3. Discuss religious symbolism in The Old Man and the Sea. To what effect does Hemingway employ such images? You can use a historical figure instead of a religious symbol.
4. Santiago is considered by many readers to be a tragic hero, in that his greatest strength—his pride—leads to his eventual downfall. What is a tragic hero? In addition, discuss the role of pride in Santiago's plight.
5. What is the role of the sea in The Old Man and the Sea? Furthermore, how is the universal theme of Man/Human versus Nature revealed throughout the novel?
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GUIDLEINES for Open-Ended Questions
1. Incorporate the questions, the author and the name of the article/story in the first sentence of your response. (This is a MUST!)
2. Always use at least one quote from the reading passage/literature in your response. (HSPA people love that because it shows you were paying attention as you read.) Make sure you “introduce the quote,” “give the quote,” and “explain the quote.” Furthermore, use in-text citations. Examples of in-text citation: Santiago states, “Manolin, you have lost all the bait” (Hemingway 122).
3. When writing about literature, use Present Tense of the verb.
4. If possible, add in a little personal insight information to your response. If you do not have any personal insight, make up something. It does not have to be true. HSPA people will never check to verify if what you said is true. This shows great application skills!
5. Use transitions and transitional phrases.
6. An open-ended question consists of more than one question. Remember to answer ALL parts of the question!
7. Always write at least one paragraph for EACH part of the question. You need at least five to seven sentences per question! Indent the paragraphs, too!
8. Underline or Italicize the novel’s title and PROOFREAD!
Format Instructions (Use MLA Style)
Last Name 1
Name
Mrs. Dill
English III
Date
The Old Man and the Sea
FOLLOW THE OPEN-ENDED QUESTION GUIDELINES!!!
***Since I will not see you until the Spring Semester, you will be given a TEST when you return to school in the Fall ***