Mr. McLean & Ms. Petrocelli
Don Bosco Preparatory High School
Freshman Summer Reading Assignment
Composition and Literature 110 and 111
Guidelines:
Students are asked to read H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine and write an essay that uses details
from the novel to support main points. It is important that students read the essay prompts before
they read, and take notes while they read on details that can be used in their essays. Be certain to
complete all of the requirements listed below, and be mindful of the note on plagiarism and the
use of TurnItIn.com at the bottom of this page. Lastly, students are encouraged to take notes on
characters, plot development and settings as they read in preparation for a multiple-choice test
that will be given the first week of class.
Requirements:
1. Students must choose one of the two prompts below and write a one- to two-page essay that
responds to all aspects of the prompt. Essays may not exceed two pages.
2. Essays must be typed and proofread for spelling, grammar and proper paragraph organization.
3. Essays must be organized with an introductory thesis paragraph, a body paragraph dedicated
to each main point, and a conclusion paragraph that restates the thesis using different words.
4. Students must be ready to bring their essays to class in electronic form during the first week of
school using a USB flash drive.
Essay Prompts:
1. On Human Decency in H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine:
The last line of The Time Machine summarizes a moral lesson: “…gratitude and mutual
tenderness […] live in the heart of man.” In a well-developed essay, describe specific
examples of how and why the Time Traveler acts according to these values at times, and
at other times he does not.
2. On Darwinism and Symbiosis in H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine:
According to renowned scientist Charles Darwin, animals must compete to survive
(“survival of the fittest”), but Darwin also celebrated animals’ ability to support one
another in a state of symbiosis and mutual aid. In a well-developed essay, describe
specific examples of how the Eloi and Morlocks from The Time Machine live in
competition for survival, and also how they might support each other in symbiosis.
Note on plagiarism and the use of TurnItIn.com:
During the first weeks of class, students will use the electronic version of their summer reading
assignments to change page formats to Modern Language Association (MLA) standards, and
then submit their essays using the TurnItIn.com website. This website is used consistently by Don
Bosco Prep’s English Department to detect plagiarism. In accordance with the school’s
Academic Integrity Policy, any student engaging in plagiarism or cheating of any kind may
receive a zero for the given assignment and face strong disciplinary consequences. While a
Works Cited page is not necessary for this assignment, it is important that students use direct
quote citations judiciously and punctuate them using quotation marks. Direct or indirect quote
citations from outside sources are not permitted.