Summer Reading Assignment: Honors 12th Grade British Literature
Students enrolled in Honors 12th Grade British Literature & Composition for the 2015-2016 school year are required to
read one of the following novels in its entirety:
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again....” With these words, the reader is ushered into an isolated gray stone
mansion on the windswept Cornish coast where the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter recalls the chilling events that
transpired when she began her life as the young bride of a husband she barely knew. In every corner of the house lurks
foreboding phantoms of a time dead but not forgotten—a past devotedly preserved by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs.
Danvers. The second Mrs. de Winter walks in the shadow of her mysterious predecessor—Maxim’s hauntingly beautiful
first wife, the gone but not forgotten Rebecca.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
When Jonathan Harker is sent to Transylvania to meet with Count Dracula, he’s warned by the villagers that the Count
has evil powers and diabolical ambitions. When Jonathan attempts to leave, he discovers that the villagers are right
since he barely escapes being held captive by Dracula. Meanwhile, back in England, his beautiful wife-to-be Mina joins
her friend Lucy in Whitby to wait for Jonathan to return. When Lucy falls ill and begins acting strangely, it becomes
apparent that Lucy's illness is related to the evil count. With the help of two of Lucy's suitors, a brilliant old professor,
and a new-found incentive to protect Mina, Jonathan sets off -- back to Transylvania to destroy the Count.
**************************************************************************************************
Students should be prepared to take a test on the book on the first day of the semester. During the first week of the
semester, students will write an in-class essay analyzing some aspect of the novel. Additionally, it is strongly
recommended that students complete the following assignment, which will enhance understanding and provide better
preparation for the in-class essay and test.
The Gothic Novel (See the chart on the back for use in taking notes as you read.)
Both of the assigned novels contain strong gothic elements. These elements may include, but are not limited to:
Setting in a castle. The action takes place in or around an old castle, or a building that functions as a castle. There may
be secret passages or rooms, trap doors, or hidden staircases.
An atmosphere of mystery and suspense. There is a pervasive feeling of fear which is enhanced by the presence of
the unknown.
An ancient prophecy is connected with the castle or its inhabitants.
Omens, portents, and visions. Characters may experience disturbing dreams or visions; there may be events that
foreshadow doom or destruction.
Supernatural or otherwise inexplicable events. Ghosts walk; inanimate objects come to life. Events occur which lack
natural explanations.
High, overwrought emotion. Characters are often overcome by strong emotions such as anger, sorrow, fear, or even
terror.
Women in distress. Women are often depicted as fainting in terror or screaming in horror.
Women threatened by a powerful, impulsive, tyrannical male. Women find themselves at the mercy of some
powerful male figure—a father, a husband, or even a king.
The metonymy of gloom and horror. Metonymy is a kind of metaphor in which an object is substituted for another
word closely associated with it. Examples: “Pay tribute to the crown”; “The White House has decided” Pay
particular attention to the weather when considering this element. For example, a funeral scene is often depicted
with rainy weather, with the rain representing the sorrow of the mourners.
The vocabulary of the gothic includes words related to mystery, fear, terror, sorrow, surprise, anger, or evil. Examples
might include the following:
haunted, ominous, secret, enchantment, diabolical, agony, grief, shrieks, mournfully, melancholy, alarm,
amazement, shock, enraged, furious, provoked, rage, wrath, enormous, vast, tremendous
Consider these Gothic elements as you read your selected text. It is strongly suggested that you make notes as you
encounter them and support them with quotations from the book, including page numbers. For long passages, you could
simply quote the first sentence and the last sentence with the page number. You may want to use the chart below to
organize your work. These notes may be helpful in reviewing the novel when the semester begins and/or in writing an
extended analysis of the work. (See the other side of this handout for the descriptions of each element.)
Gothic Elements
Setting in a castle
An atmosphere of
mystery and suspense
An ancient prophecy
Omens, portents,
visions
Supernatural or
otherwise inexplicable
events
High, even
overwrought emotion
Women in distress
Women threatened by a
powerful, impulsive,
tyrannical male figure
The metonymy of
gloom and horror
The vocabulary of the
gothic
Evidence from novel (quotations and page numbers)