Summer Reading Assignments
AP English 11: Language and Composition
Fiction Selections
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Cane River by Lalita Tademy
Read, the section entitled “What is the American Dream?” here:
http://useconomy.about.com/od/grossdomesticproduct/a/What-Is-The-AmericanDream.htm
Then, in a well-written critical literary analysis (3-4 pages minimum; MLA format)
respond to the following prompt about your selected text. Remember to follow all of
the rules for formal academic writing, as this should be the BEST example of your
writing abilities thus far. Remember to avoid summarizing or retelling—this is NOT
a book report. Additionally, be sure to follow proper paragraph format for a
standard academic essay, complete with exceptional ARGUMENTATION and
INSIGHT throughout.
Here is a reference guide for those of you who are unsure of what MLA format is and
how to apply it to your paper:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
PROMPT: What do you think the author of this book is trying to say about the
American Dream? How does the American Dream change as the plot of the
story unfolds? How do the central characters each experience the American
Dream differently? Why?
*NOTE: Use the prompt questions as a way to organize your paper so that you are sure
you have responded to EVERY question in a thorough manner.
Non-Fiction Selections
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
The Whole Shebang by Timothy Ferris
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
After reading your selected text, create a detailed 3-4 page detailed outline of
the book. This outline should be SINGLE SPACED in proper outline format and
provide evidence of your understanding of the text as well as your ability to
differentiate essential from non-essential information. Make sure your
outline includes the following information:
I. Major events, conflicts and/or turning points
II. The central purpose of this text (what does the author want us to do, think or feel
after reading?)
III. The main thesis (central argument) of the text—infer this if necessary.
IV. The support for the author’s thesis
V. Arguments against the author’s thesis (you need to come up with these!)
VI. How this book might impact society in your opinion
*NOTE: Remember, this is an OUTLINE, not an essay. Traditionally, outlines do not
have complete paragraphs.
ALL MATERIALS ARE DUE PRINTED AND TYPED BY THE END OF THE FIRST WEEK
OF CLASS. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO COMPLETE THESE
ASSIGNMENTS, AS IT WILL SHOW IN THE QUALITY OF YOUR WORK.