Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition
JCCC English 121 and 122 (College Now)
Blue Valley North High School
Summer Reading Assignment
2015
Dear Juniors,
Welcome to AP English Literature and Composition. We hope to continue your positive
experience with North’s AP English program. Because literature study is the major component of
this course, we hope to get you off to a good start through your summer reading assignment.
We are asking all students to read at least two novels this summer. Of course, we strongly
suggest that you read several, if not all of the possible titles. By reading more, you will have
more preparation, not only for the fall, but also for the AP Literature and Composition Exam, as
well.
Directions: As you read, take thoughtful notes (see information on composition notebooks).
Respond to your readings personally, academically, and critically. If you purchase your own
copies, mark, highlight, and annotate as you read. Conduct research and learn as much as you
can about what you read. Look at historical, societal, and biographical contexts that deepen
meaning.
Be prepared to write about and further study your summer readings when you return to school.
Reading List: Choose and read at least two of the following titles:
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
We look forward to having you in class next year. Enjoy your summer reading.
Sincerely,
Your AP English Literature and Composition teachers
Summer Reading Composition Notebook Entries
Success with the opened-ended question on the AP test relies on your ability to write an in-depth
essay exhibiting your knowledge of the book (i.e. specifics, quotes) and your interpretation of
how the book illustrates the AP prompt. In a composition notebook (which we will utilize all
year long), address how each of the following elements develops your novel’s deeper meaning.
The difference between a 5 and a 9 paper is in the depth of insight, analysis and specific detail;
move beyond the obvious. Compile examples of each of the following for both of your summer
reading selections. Bring this composition notebook with you for the first day of school.
Setting: Not only where, but what role does setting play? Are there multiple settings?
Major Characters: Who are your main characters? Are they symbolic/representative of something
bigger? What adjectives would describe them? Is there a specific quote which represents a characters’
motivation? Avoid absolutes i.e. good/bad – positive/negative.
Minor Characters: Who are the minor characters? How do these characters highlight the heroics/flaws
of the major characters? What role do they play within the novel? Can you give a specific which
illustrates your thought? What adjectives would describe them?
Quotes: Create a list of quotes (no longer than one sentence) which are defining moments for characters,
or for the novel. Then, give an explanation what these quotes illustrate to a character or to the novel’s
meaning as a whole.
Historical/Social Context: Yes, you do need to research what was happening during this time period.
How historical events shape characters and their choices/actions. Also, what social dynamics
(relationships/power struggles) are in play within the novel. Are the two linked? How does this become
another obstacle which highlights the novel’s conflict? What is the social commentary the author is trying
to convey?
Defining Moments: Throughout the story (beginning, middle, end), what are the defining moments,
specific events which reveal the author’s intent for the book? What are these moments (create a verbal
snapshot so you can remember later)? Make sure you cover the breadth of the novel (beginning, middle,
end).
Nuts and Bolts (Tone/Diction/Literary Strategies): Every tool the author employs subtly highlights
his/her purpose/commentary. So what tools do you see? What Literary Strategies (Irony, Repetition,
Imagery) does the author use? What word choice/colloquial language does the author use to illustrate a
stereotype/culture? What is the author’s approach toward this subject matter (POV, satirical/veracity of
narrator)? How do all these elements add to the overall effect of the novel?
Significance of Author: Who is the author? What biographical info might help illuminate his/her tone
toward this subject? How does this biographical significance enhance the meaning of the work?
Meaning as a Whole: What is the essential truth that this novel illustrates? Remember that the difference
between a 5 and a 9 is depth of insight, analysis and specific detail. Move beyond the obvious? These
novels are complex. Dig and discover multiple meanings.