ECE UCONN 1011, Seminar in Writing Through Literature
2015-2016
INSTRUCTOR: David Bridges
E-MAIL ADDRESS: bridgesd@newlondon.org (school)
Summer Reading
Welcome to ECE UNCONN 1011--Seminar in Literature! This course is designed for highly
successful New London High School English students who have completed their Junior year advanced
placement classes with a “B” or better average and who have demonstrated an appropriate level of
commitment and ability. This is a senior honors class that will result in four University of Connecticut
English credits (given a final grade of “C” or better).
You will have two tasks to complete over the summer in preparation for the fall 2015 semester.
One will be a close reading of Sylvia Path’s 1971 novel, The Bell Jar; the other will be a contemporary
issues assignment.
Part One--. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath (ISBN: 0-553-27835-5)
Your task is a close reading of the novel by Sylvia Plath. I do not have copies to distribute and it
will be your responsibility to either buy a personal copy or borrow one from a local library.
Reading Response Journal:
You will need to create a three-part journal, each analyzing a different aspect of the book:
1.
The Rhetorical Examination is aimed at interpretation and analysis of various
rhetorical methods the author uses such as syntax, speaker, occasion, purpose, tone,
and vocabulary.
2.
The Literary Examination asks the questions, “What makes good writing and what
makes this novel an effective (or ineffective) piece of literature?”
3.
Identifying Archetypal Patterns as a way of investigating embedded, universal
themes, symbols, motifs and other fundamental expressions regarding humanity.
Each journal section should present itself as a response to a close reading of the text.
You are trying to achieve an interaction with the text in which you are the lens through which the
novel flows and your interpretation of the literature is affected by your experiences, other texts,
and the way the author asks you to read.
Each journal entry should reflect this struggle to elevate the novel beyond simple
comprehension. I have no preconceptions concerning length, but each section should reflect
insight and rigorous thought, not great length.
I suppose each journal section may end up in the 7-14 page range.
Part Two- Society Today
You will need to collect, read, summarize and respond to five articles from magazines and
newspapers, print or online, throughout the summer. You may choose any topics you chose. Please
know, however, that you will be writing an essay upon your return to school about an issue of local,
national, or global importance. Therefore, it would behoove you to investigate the following categories:
politics, science, the economy, culture, major events, and social issues.
All articles must have accompanying bibliographic information (author, title, source, date of publication,
etc). I encourage you to take summary and reaction notes on the articles themselves as you read.
Please organize your writing as follows:
1. The bibliographic information.
2. A one-paragraph summary for each article
3. Your personal reaction, including questions, thoughts, feelings, et cetera, which exposes
what you have learned.
4. The original article, stapled to the back of your response.
Both parts will be assessed on completeness, depth of thought, and expressive ability. Simple
summaries will be thought of in the lowest possible way. Down where the rats live—down with the dirt
and bugs and stuff….
Feel free to contact me via the school’s email: bridgesd@newlondon.org
Thanks!
Bridges