9th Grade Honors English
Summer Reading Assignment – Tasks One of Two
Mrs. Gahre, agahre@rusd.k12.ca.us, and Mrs. Soto, csoto@rusd.k12.ca.us
Context: One area of focus in the 9th grade English curriculum will be The Hero’s Journey. The Hero’s Journey is a 12-step literary pattern that identifies different
stages of a protagonist’s (the main character) journey. Throughout the 9th grade year, students will focus on understanding, applying, analyzing, and evaluating
The Hero’s Journey; connecting it to their own lives; and connecting it to the cyclic journey of becoming a man/woman with and for others. But don’t worry
about understanding it all right now. The summer reading assignment has been designed simply to give each student an introduction to The Hero’s Journey by
providing an opportunity to connect it to their respective summer reading novel. It should be fun; after all, it’s quite amazing just how many stories rely on The
Hero’s Journey!
The tasks (both 1 & 2) will be due upon the completion of our initial short story unit; however, there is an extra credit opportunity if turned in(thoroughly
completed) by August 28th.
You need to choose either The Princess Bride (the book) or When the Legends Die.
The Princess Bride (The book, not the movie) can be downloaded here: or purchased at any bookstore
http://mr-west.wikispaces.com/file/view/William%20Goldman%20-%20Princess%20Bride.pdf/153098115/William%20Goldman%20-%20Princess%20Bride.pdf
You may check out a copy of When the Legends Die is available in the library, or you may choose to purchase a copy. You may also want to purchase a copy of
The Princess Bride if that is your choice (The movie of The Princess Bride is not appropriate for this assignment).
There are two tasks to complete for the Summer Reading Assignment.
Task One: In the form of a 3-column table, Task One is designed to offer guidelines for connecting Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie or The Princess Bride and one
favorite piece of literature/film to the Hero’s Journey. The definitions for each stage (far-left column) have been given. Your objective is to apply the 12 stages of
the Hero’s Journey to your summer reading AND another work of literature or film (one of your choice). You will need to write in complete sentences attaching a
page number. Hint: To apply the 12 stages, summarize each chapter in the reading. Then, in one to two sentences, explain how an event in the novel matches a
stage in The Hero’s Journey. Please type your answers into the table below.
Hypothetical Example:
Stages in the Hero’s Journey
1. Ordinary World
Application (example from the text-MLA)
1. Bruce Wayne is riding a train in Gotham City
and contemplating the well-being of its
citizens (Smith).
Analysis
(why is this an example of this stage)
Bruce Wayne (while an ‘ordinary citizen’) still
experiences the daily routine of ‘ordinary’ life.
Please use the table below to complete Task One of the Summer Reading Assignment.
Stages in the Hero’s Journey
Application (text citation-MLA, with page
numbers)
Sleeping Freshman Never Lie OR The Princess Bride
1. Ordinary World –the Hero’s home. A safe
haven he must leave to start the journey
2. Call to Adventure-A challenge or quest
presented to the Hero that disrupts his
comfortable life.
3. Refusal of the Call-The Hero might initially
reject the call because he is scared, hesitant or
doesn’t want his life disrupted.
4. Meeting with Mentor-The mentor may be a
person or physical object, like a book. He give
the Hero advice and confidence
5. Crossing the First Threshold-This signifies
that the Hero is starting the journey and
moving from the Ordinary World to the
Special World
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies-In the Special World,
the Hero experiences texts of courage, meets
Allies who help him, and discovers Enemies
who hinder him.
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave- This is the
preparation for the main battle, or Ordeal.
The Hero might train, review battle plans, or
meet with Allies.
8. Ordeal-This is the central life or death crisis
of the journey. The Hero might experience
“death” and later be reborn.
9. Getting the Reward-The reward might be a
lesson, an object, or the ‘Elixir.’ He might steal
it or be given it.
10. The Road Back-The Hero must start his
journey back to the Ordinary World. There is
usually an event that pushes him back.
11. Resurrection –The Hero has one last
Analysis
(why is this an example of this stage)
Ordeal that proves he can take the lessons
learned in the Special World back into the
Ordinary World. This might be the final blow
in a battle.
12. Return with the Elixir-This is the very final
and ultimate reward the Hero experiences and
takes to the Ordinary World. It might be a
lesson, an object, or an experience.
9th Grade Honors English
Summer Reading Assignment – Tasks Two of Two
Task Two: In the novels When the Legends Die and The Princess Bride, there are a plethora of examples of the “Literary Vocabulary” words found below. Your
objective for Task Two is to choose 5 of the terms below and identify an example of the word in your reading AND then give a citation (by giving the page
number of where you found the example) for the example. Please see the “Hypothetical Example” below. Please type your answers into this worksheet.
Hypothetical Example: Metaphor. “She is my rock” (12).
1. Metaphor – Comparing two objects by implying that one object is the other (figuratively speaking). Ex: The light bulb is the sun.
2. Simile – Comparing two objects using “like” or “as” as an adverb. Ex: The light bulb was as bright as the sun.
3. Allusion—In a work of literature, a reference to another work of art, literature, or mythology for the purpose of drawing a comparison.
4. Flat Character—A one-dimensional character.
5. Round Character—A well-developed, multi-dimensional character.
6. Dynamic Character—A character who experiences significant change from the beginning to the end of the text.
7. Static Character—A character who does not change from the beginning to the end of the story.
8. Personification—Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects. Ex: The leaves danced along the ground.
9. Hyperbole—Extreme exaggeration. Ex: Ms. Gray assigns a ton of homework every night.
10. Alliteration—Repetition of consonant sounds at the start of consecutive words. Ex: The giant giraffe gently jumped.
11. Antagonist—Character in opposition to the protagonist.
12. Protagonist—Main character with whom the audience sympathizes and who moves the plot forward.
14. Oxymoron—Figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear side by side. Ex: That man is exceptionally average.