AP Language and Composition Summer Assignment
Mrs. Davis
All Assignments will be due on the first day of school.
The Texts
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass (ISBN: 0486284999)
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman
(ISBN: 014303653X)
Assignment One: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass (ISBN:
0486284999)
Essay
Choose two prompts, one from each section, to analyze. Be sure to use MLA Format, including
page citations for quotes. (If you are unfamiliar with MLA format please visit the Purdue Online
Writing Lab.) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
Section one:
These essays require some research into slave narratives.
1. The scholar J. Blassingame has written of nineteenth century autobiography that “truth, history
and divinity met as the autobiographer struggled to reveal his or her inner character.” How does
this apply to Douglass’s narrative? How does Douglass’s “inner character” relate to truth,
history, and divinity? Please cite specific events and passages in the book to illustrate this thesis.
2. Analyze Douglass’s biography based on his use of rhetorical devices. How does the way he
writes his story better affect the audience? You should focus on at least three different devices
and the effects of each. Please refer to the list of devices on the following sheet as a reference.
Section Two:
A. Douglass maintains that slavery dehumanized both the slave and slaveholder. Quoting
specific passages in the Narrative, support this thesis with examples.
B. Douglass defines freedom as more than escape from the slaveholders. What is freedom
according to Douglass and how does he achieve it? Make sure to cite specific examples from the
Narrative.
Assignment Two: Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
by Neil Postman
Tasks:
Critically and closely read the text. Keep in mind that Postman is creating an argument here.
Your job is not to agree or disagree with him necessarily, but as a student of language and
composition you should critique his argument. Read closely to determine what his argument is,
how he constructs it, and the strategies he uses in order to persuade his reader to believe it.
You need to TYPE a two-paragraph summary of Postman’s main idea/argument in chapter 1.
You need to TYPE a two-paragraph summary of Postman’s main idea/argument in chapter 2.
You need to choose one quote/passage from chapters 3-11. The quotes you choose should focus
on the main ideas of the chapters. These should be the passages that capture the essence – the
true meaning – of the text. Each quote also needs to be accompanied by a TYPED paragraph
response; that’s nine paragraphs altogether! In each paragraph you need to:
1. Explain how the passage "fits" into the chapter.
2. Discuss the importance of the passage to the chapter’s main argument.
3. React to the passage as a reader. Make me understand WHY you have selected this passage.
To generate responses, you can consider the following:
Why does the passage impress, intrigue, horrify, or puzzle you?
Do you find the author’s use of language appealing or powerful? Does the passage jump off
the page as a great descriptive passage?
Does it prompt a strong response from you as you read it? Does it present itself as so wellcrafted that you just love the sound of it? Is the language beautiful, descriptive, graphic?
Is it particularly meaningful?
Do you find yourself in agreement/disagreement with the ideas expressed?
Does the passage remind you of a situation you have lived as well?
Does the passage make you laugh out loud? Melancholy? Something else?
Does the author raise intriguing questions or issues?
Does the passage challenge or expand your thinking?
You are not limited to the above list, nor do I expect you to answer all of the above. But your
responses to the passages should clearly explain to me WHY these passages mean something to
you, WHY these passages caught your attention, and HOW these passages illustrate Postman’s
ideas.
These assignments will be due the first day of school!
Come prepared to discuss and be tested on the content.
bring both texts to class. Original edition (1985- 1986) 20th Anniversary Edition (2005)
Either edition is fine. The Original edition can be purchased on Amazon.com for 1
cent plus $3.99 shipping, but if you do have the Original edition please read the
“Introduction to the Twentieth Anniversary Edition” and “In 1985” on online.
http://books.google.com/books/about/Amusing_Ourselves_to_Death.html?id=zGk
hbPEjkRoC
There are a variety of different editions of Narrative of the Life of Frederick
Douglass and some editions say Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An
American Slave, but they are all basically the same. I have found the Dover Thrift
Edition to be the least expensive. The text can be read online, but since it will be
used in class it might be benifecial to have the hard copy.
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/