2014 Keyport High School AP Literature & Composition
Summer Reading Assignments
CONGRATULATIONS on your choice of AP English Literature for your senior year! Your AP
participation is a tremendous honor that is, most likely, the result of years of hard work. I hope
you will find that the rewards are well worth the time and effort the class requires. AP Literature
and Composition will demand a lot of you as students. Your first assignments will require overthe-summer reading, which are due at various points in the summer. Please review
this assignment carefully to ensure that you do not miss any deadlines.
AP Literature and Composition is designed to strengthen and refine your ability to analyze and
write about literature. I hope these assignments will invigorate your love of reading as well as
your understanding and appreciation of literature. The pressures of the normal school year do
not always permit the kind of leisurely reflection needed to absorb the intellectual richness of
great works. In addition to the advantages inherent in pursuing stimulating reading, you will
benefit from these assignments in practical ways.
Incoming AP Literature students are required to read two books over the summer in preparation
for the course and subsequent AP exam. One portion of the exam, the Free Response essay,
demands that students have a wide range of challenging literary works on which they can draw
when writing that essay. The goal of this summer’s reading, however, is not to prepare you for
the exam but to initiate you into the conversation about ideas through books.
AP Literature is a college-level course; it not a preparation for college. Students who do not
complete the summer reading assignments sufficiently, as spelled out by the following
guidelines—will not be eligible to take the course and will be obliged to transfer to a different
English class. Text substitutions are not permitted. I understand that some of you do not have
computers and expect that as AP students, you will find a way to complete this assignment.
Additionally, if any of the work you turn in is plagiarized, partially or wholly, you will not be
permitted to take this course.
If you have any questions about the assignments, feel free to email me. I will be checking my
email throughout the summer. Please do not wait until the days before the deadlines to ask
questions. Have a great summer; I look forward to working with you!
Mrs. Egan
cegan@kpsdschools.org (school)
cmchris2@gmail.com (home)
P.S. Please have a 3-ring binder, with dividers and paper with you on the first day of class. You
will also need a highlighter and writing utensil.
Assignment Timeline (all assignments emailed and time stamped by midnight):
1. July 28th by Midnight
 How to Read Literature like a Professor assignment
2. August 18th by Midnight
 One book read and Major Works Data sheet emailed
3. First day of classes
 Second Major Works Data sheet
 Annotations for one summer reading book
ASSIGNMENT # 1
Due Monday, July 28th by midnight
How to Read Literature like A Professor – Thomas C. Foster
Note—this assignment should be done before you attempt assignment #2.These short writing
assignments will let you practice your literary analysis. Whenever I ask for an example from
literature, you may use short stories, novels, plays, or films. If your literary repertoire is thin and
undeveloped, use the Appendix of this book to jog your memory or to select additional works to
explore. At the very least, watch some of the "Movies to Read" that are listed on pages 318-319.
Please note that your response for each chapter should be well-developed—at least half page; all
work must be typed.
Even though not all chapters require a written response it is essential that you read all chapters,
as we will refer back to Foster and his ideas throughout the year. Additionally, we will be using
Foster’s HTRLLAP exclusively the first few weeks of school, and familiarity with all chapters is
necessary.
Introduction: How'd He Do That?
How do memory, symbol, and pattern affect the reading of literature? How does the recognition
of patterns make it easier to read complicated literature? Discuss a time when your appreciation
of a literary work was enhanced by understanding symbol or pattern.
Chapter 1 - Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It's Not)
List the five aspects of the QUEST and then apply them to something you have read (or viewed)
in the form used on pages 4-5.
Chapter 2 - Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion
Choose a meal from a literary work and apply the ideas of Chapter 2 to this literary depiction.
Chapter 3 - Nice to Eat You: Acts of Vampires
What are the essentials of the Vampire story? Apply this to a literary work you have read or
viewed.
Chapter 4 --Now, Where Have I Seen Her Before?
Define intertextuality. Discuss three examples that have helped you in reading specific works.
Chapter 5 - When in Doubt, It's from Shakespeare...
Discuss a work that you are familiar with that alludes to or reflects Shakespeare. Show how the
author uses this connection thematically. Read pages 39-41 carefully. In these pages, Foster
shows how Fugard reflects Shakespeare through both plot and theme. In your discussion, focus
on theme.
Chapter 6 - ...Or the Bible
no written assignment
Chapter 7 - Hanseldee and Greteldum
Think of a work of literature that reflects a fairy tale. Discuss the parallels. Does it create irony
or deepen appreciation?
Chapter 8 - It's Greek to Me
no written assignment
Chapter 9 - It's More Than Just Rain or Snow
Discuss the importance of weather in a specific literary work, not in terms of plot.
Chapter 10 – Never Stand Next to the Hero
No written assignment
Chapter 11 - ...More Than It's Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence
Present examples of the two kinds of violence found in literature. Show how the effects are
different.
Chapter 12 - Is That a Symbol?
Use the process described on page 113 and investigate the symbolism of the fence in "Araby."
(Mangan's sister stands behind it.)
Chapter 13 - It's All Political
Assume that Foster is right and "it is all political." Use his criteria to show a literary work you
have read is political.
Chapter 14 - Yes, She's a Christ Figure, Too
Apply the criteria on page 126 to a major character in a significant literary work. Try to choose a
character that will have many matches. This is a particularly apt tool for analyzing film—for
example, Star Wars, Cool Hand Luke, Excalibur, Malcolm X, Braveheart, Spartacus, Gladiator
and Ben-Hur.
Chapter 15 - Flights of Fancy
Select a literary work in which flight signifies escape or freedom. Explain in detail.
Chapter 16 - It's All About Sex...
Chapter 17 - ...Except the Sex
OK...the sex chapters. The key idea from this chapter is that "scenes in which sex is coded rather
than explicit can work at multiple levels and sometimes be more intense that literal depictions”.
In other words, sex is often suggested with much more art and effort than it is described, and, if
the author is doing his job, it reflects and creates theme or character. Choose a novel or movie in
which sex is suggested, but not described, and discuss how the relationship is suggested and
how this implication affects the theme or develops characterization.
Chapter 18 - If She Comes Up, It's Baptism
Think of a "baptism scene" from a significant literary work. How was the character different
after the experience? Discuss.
Chapter 19 - Geography Matters...
Discuss at least four different aspects of a specific literary work that Foster would classify under
"geography."
Chapter 20 - ...So Does Season
no written assignment
Interlude - One Story
no written assignment
Chapter 21 - Marked for Greatness
Figure out Harry Potter's scar. If you aren't familiar with Harry Potter, select another character
with a physical imperfection and analyze its implications for characterization.
Chapter 22 - He's Blind for a Reason, You Know
Chapter 23 - It's Never Just Heart Disease...and Rarely Just Illness
Recall two characters who died of a disease in a literary work. Consider how these deaths reflect
the "principles governing the use of disease in literature.” Discuss the effectiveness of the death
as related to plot, theme, or symbolism.
Chapter 24 - Don't Read with Your Eyes
After reading Chapter 24, choose a scene or episode from a novel, play or epic written before the
twentieth century. Contrast how it could be viewed by a reader from the twenty-first century
with how it might be viewed by a contemporary reader. Focus on specific assumptions that the
author makes, assumptions that would not make it in this century.
Chapter 25 – It’s My Symbol and I’ll Cry if I Want To
no written assignment
Chapter 26 - Is He Serious? And Other Ironies
Select an ironic literary work and explain the multi-vocal nature of the irony in the work.
Chapter 27 - A Test Case
Read "The Garden Party" by Katherine Mansfield, the short story starting on page 262.
Complete the exercise on pages 282-283, following the directions exactly. Then compare your
writing with the three examples. How did you do? What does the essay that follows comparing
Laura with Persephone add to your appreciation of Mansfield's story?
(Assignments borrowed from: http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/assignments/professor/p)
ASSIGNMENT # 2
1. Students are required to select and read two of the following novels or plays below.
Choose one book from each category – one classic and one modern text. A
few of the titles have been made into movies—watching the movie is not an
acceptable substitution for reading the book. Choose a book that you have not read
before.
2. Next, students should complete a Major Works Data sheet (attached) for both works. It
is strongly recommended that students purchase the books in order to make
annotations as they read. If students cannot purchase the book they can make their
annotations on post-it notes.
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One Major Data Works sheet Due Monday, August 18th by midnight.
Second Major Data Works sheet Due on first day of class.
3. Students must annotate at least one of the books. Annotations should follow the
guidelines included in this summer reading packet. One set of annotations will be
graded.
Finally, students will be given an in-class essay on one of the titles that they have read on
the second day of class.
Classic
Contemporary
East of Eden - John Steinbeck
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier &
Clay – Michael Chabon
The Awakening – Kate Chopin
A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee
Williams
The Taming of the Shrew – William
Shakespeare
Invisible Man – Ralph Ellison
One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel
Marquez
A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled
Hosseini
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close –
Jonathan Safran Foer
Obasan – Joy Kogawa
Dreaming in Cuban – Cristina Garcia
Life of Pi – Yann Martel
Annotating a Text
From How to Read a Book (Mortimer Adler & Charles Van Doren)
If you have the habit of asking a book questions as you read, you are a better reader
than if you do not. But merely asking questions is not enough. You have to try to answer
them. And although that could be done, theoretically, in your mind only, it is easier to do it
with a pencil in your hand. The pencil then becomes the sign of your alertness while you
read.
When you buy a book, you establish a property right in it, just as you do in clothes or
furniture when you buy and pay for them. But the act of purchase is actually only the
prelude to possession in the case of a book. Full ownership of a book only comes when you
have made it a part of yourself, and the best way to make yourself a part of it—which comes
to the same thing—is by writing in it. Why is marking a book indispensable to reading it?
 First, it keeps you awake—not merely conscious, but wide awake.
 Second, reading, if it is active, is thinking, and thinking tends to express itself in
words, spoken or written. The person who says he knows what he thinks but
cannot express it usually does not know what he thinks.
 Third, writing your reactions down helps you to remember the thoughts of the
author.
 Fourth, if you choose to go to college, you will most often be told to read a book or
a chapter and show up to discuss it. If you have not worked through the
material on your own, you will have a tough time benefiting from discussion;
you’ll be three steps behind because you’ll be worried about getting the gist of the
reading rather than using the reading to advance your understanding and
insight about a particular topic. This exercise helps you be prepared in this
class, other classes, and future classes.
Note: If you find annotating while you read to be annoying and awkward, do it after you
read. Go back after a chapter or assignment and then mark it carefully. You should be
reading assignments twice anyway, so this isn’t any less efficient than marking as you read
and then rereading the material.
Instructions for annotating novels:
For the sake of standardization of annotating for class and for grading purposes, your book
notes should follow this format:
 Inside Front Cover: Character list with small space for character summary and for
page references for key scenes, moments of character development, etc. Use your
best judgment—you do not need to take notes on every minor character.
 Inside Back Cover: Themes, allusions, images, motifs, key scenes, plot line,
epiphanies, etc. List and add page references and/or notes as you read.
 Bottom and Side Page Margins: Interpretive notes, questions (especially Level One
and Level Two), and/or remarks that refer to meaning of the page (Level
Three). Markings or notes to tie in with information on the inside back cover.
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Top Margins: Plot notes—a quick few words or phrases which summarize
what happens here (useful for quick location of passages in discussion and for
writing assignments).
At the End of Each Chapter: Bullet points of plot development/summaries. This
will tell you whether you understand what you’ve read.
Additional Markings:
o underlining: done while or after reading to help locate passages for
discussion, essays, or questions.
o brackets: done while or after reading to highlight key speeches, descriptions,
etc. that are too long to underline easily.
Marking and Notetaking tips (optional):
 Use one color ink to do initial marking while reading; then go back with another
color or colors to mark more thoroughly once you have finished a larger
section, have had time to think about it and are able to see development of images,
etc. more clearly.
 At chapter or section ends, stop to index page numbers on your front cover list of
character information and traits as well as on your back cover list of themes, images,
allusions, etc.
 Do underlining as you read and side margin notes as you finish a page or two.
Anthology annotating: Because space is limited, you may choose to utilize post-it notes to
supplement your marginal notes. You will notice that plays usually contain a character
list, so obviously you don’t need one. But you will want to place a post-it to mark that page,
so you can easily check on the cast of characters. Moreover, you may wish to comment on
certain distinguishing aspects of the character.
Grading: Since everyone's notes will be similar in format yet somewhat different in
content, book grades will be based on thoroughness, clarity, neatness, and apparent effort
Levels of Questioning: Open class discussion about your reading is an almost daily practice
in AP Literature. Writing, and then asking, Level One, Two, and Three Questions in class
about any reading assignment offers you a way to participate in class even when you are
unsure about the meaning of a work, and also allows you to better understand the meaning
of a work. With your summer reading assignments, practice writing these questions about
specific passages in your books; also attempt to write questions about the meaning of the
books overall.
Literal Questions/Comments (Level One)
The Questions
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Factual—only one correct answer
Address key elements
Bloom’s Taxonomy: knowledge, comprehension
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Found directly in text
Lead to a complete and accurate summary of the text
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How many items did the speaker have in his pocket?
The Answers
Examples
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What did the mother tell the girl to do?
Interpretation Questions/Comments (Level Two)
The Questions
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Inferential and require analysis—“read between the lines”
Require opinion, supported by text
There is usually more than one right answer
Bloom’s Taxonomy: analysis
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Found by following patterns and seeing relationships among parts of the text
Good answers lead to an identification of significant patterns, themes: the
underlying message or issue
The Answers
Examples
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Why did the speaker put the orange on the counter?
Why does the girl ask the question?
How is tone revealed through the man’s speech?
Experience-Based Questions/Comments (Level Three)
The Questions
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Open-ended and go beyond the text
Link text to prior knowledge, other texts or experiences
Apply themes, ideas, readings to life
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Found by testing the ideas of a text against readers’ knowledge/schema
Good answers lead to an appreciation of the text and further discussion
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Can an embarrassing situation ever be educational?
When does a girl become a woman?
What do you know about Italian culture?
The Answers
Examples