The Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science
AP Literature and Composition – Summer Assignment
“A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.”
― Franz Kafka
Welcome to the Advanced Placement Literature and Composition program. Deciding to become an AP student indicates that you enjoy being academically challenged and learning for learning’s sake. The course involves a substantial amount of reading, analyzing, and writing at the college level. The summer reading assignment is a fundamental component to starting the academic year properly, and your commitment level, for all assignments, is not only expected, but crucial to your success in the upcoming academic year. You are responsible for purchasing all these works except for Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko; I will supply these two novels to you; however, if you would like to purchase them, please do so, as you continue to build your personal library.
Novels:
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Native Son by Richard Wright
Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko
1. Read How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster first, as you will apply the techniques outlined in this work to complete the rest of your assignment. Start this reading early and pace yourself.
2. Annotate and take notes on each novel; research each author’s life and times. Refer to Bloom’s Guides and any other supplemental reading comprehension materials (i.e. Literature for Students, Novels for Students and Themes for Students).
3. Do not underestimate this assignment. You will be graded on your ability to analyze complex works of literature.
Assignment:
1. Submit assignments via Word Document (GoogleDocs may also be used, but Word is preferred).
2. Submit one assignment for each novel (except How to Read Literature Like a Professor); title each document with your full name and the name of the novel. Example: “Mia Dill– Jane Eyre”
3. E-mail all 4 assignments to by Wednesday, August 26, 2015. Please submit all four assignments attached in ONE EMAIL.
Directions: Using quotations/support from both texts answer the questions accompanying the following quotations. This should be a well-written discussion (i.e. four to five paragraphs ONLY) of the message Foster is expressing in How to Read Literature Like a Professor and the messages Bronte, Hawthorne, Wright, and Silko are expressing in his or her novel. Please use parenthetical citations, regardless of which novel’s addition you purchased. You are also required to bring a printed copy of these questions to class on the first day of school. Do not lose the file and do not accidently plagiarize.
1. Every Trip is a Quest – Chapter One: “The real reason for a quest is always self-knowledge” (Foster 3).
Ø In the novel, what is the quest? Choose a character and explains how he or she gains self-knowledge.
2. It’s More Than Just Rain or Snow – Chapter Ten: “It’s never just rain” (Foster 75).
Ø Choose a scene where weather or the environment is more than what it seems and explain the significance.
3. Geography Matters – Chapter 19: “Geography in literature…can be revelatory of virtually any element in the work. Theme? Sure. Symbol? No problem. Plot? Without a doubt” (Foster 166).
Ø Pay special attention to the geography in the novel and explain its importance in the story, the characters, and the message the author is sending to his or her readers.
4. Marked for Greatness – Chapter 21: “How many stories do you know in which the hero is different from everyone else in some way…” (Foster 195).
Ø Who is the hero in the novel? How do you know he or she is the hero? Is there a visible, physical difference between the hero and other characters?
5. Don’t Read With Your Eyes – Chapter 25: “…take the works as they were intended to be taken…” (Foster 228).
Ø Choose a quote that reflects the overall meaning of the work. What did you glean from this reading experience?
Be diligent and prepare yourself for a thought-provoking and challenging year. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me: .