GRADE 12 AP Language & Composition
SUMMER READING
NOTE: If you are going into
junior year this is not the
correct assignment please see
the SHS website for the
Grade 11 Honors &
AP Language Assignment.
Students entering the Grade 12 AP Language & Composition class in September need to complete the work
described below in addition to reading your assigned school-wide book.
Read the two selections listed below carefully, take formal notes, and complete the essay assignment.
Supplementary Summer Reading
ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTIN’, Rick Bragg
THE LIAR’S CLUB, Mary Karr
1. Dialectical Journal for each book: List page numbers in all cases to support your notes. Specific TEXT
EVIDENCE is required. See Dialectical Journals description in packet. Typed- No less than 15 entries per
book. (30 entries total- 30 pts)
2. ESSAY PROMPT: READ the ideas to consider on the next page before reading the books.
Compare and contrast the rhetorical (aka writing) techniques (tone, style, figurative language, diction,
persuasive appeals, etc. see SOAPSTone sheet for more ways to analyze) the writers of these two works use to
deliver their respective messages. Support your rhetorical analysis with direct quotes from each work. Length:
4-5 pages (double spaced). (100pts graded on SHS Writer Rubric and examined under the 9pt AP Lang rubric)
The essay is in response to a comparison/contrast prompt. You must deal with both texts evenly, and examine
the links and points of divergence between these two works of non-fiction. You must demonstrate depth of
thought, skill level with analytical literary essay writing, and that you completed and comprehended your
summer reading. Please use the books and your dialectical journal to show that you know how to reference
literary works.
DUE DATES:
First day of class:
· Dialectical journal due for summer reading books. They will be collected and read carefully. Please
type and neatly organize & use supporting evidence. If you are having trouble with the format- See the
SHS website for a Dialectal Journal template.
· Essay due on supplemental summer reading books
First week of classes: discussion of class summer reading books and memoir as a viable genre.
Developing Your Thesis
Helpful Hints
Your thesis defines your topic, states your positions, and sets your analysis in motion. It sets the boundaries of your
essay; if information doesn’t work to support your thesis, it shouldn’t be in your essay. Your thesis cannot simply be a
statement of fact or a restatement of the writing prompt. It should be stated in one sentence, usually the last sentence of
your introduction.
Thesis Required Elements: topic, position, analysis
Topic: obviously, what your essay will be about
Position: your angle on the topic, something debatable, arguable, provable
Analysis: provides additional insight into the topic and position. Think, WHY?
à Don’t forget to correctly integrate & cite quotations!
Example:
As the Director observes this disturbing behavior, he calls it “charming,” and later as he discusses it with
his students, he continues, “For a very long period before the time of Our Ford…” (Huxley 31).
Ideas to consider when approaching the summer reading essay:
These are questions to guide you in your analysis of the books,
you do not necessarily have to answer or address all of them.
1. Who is the intended audience of these works? Conduct research on sales figures and critical reviews at
the time of its publication. Karr’s book continues to be popular and Dubus’s book is still on Best Seller
lists nationwide- why? Feel free to cite outside sources such as reputable reviews from newspapers and
magazines (not Amazon).
2. What did book critics say at the time of the novel’s publication? (Do not simply cite quotes from the
back cover of the book. Do a little research.)
3. Does the text demonstrate a respect for its audience? What stance does it adopt toward that audience-one of teacher, peer, etc? Is the text superior to the audience? Is it the equal of its audience? Is it afraid
of or hostile towards its audience? Does it welcome the audience into the discussion, or exclude them
from it?
4. What strategies of rhetoric and persuasion does the writer employ? Emotion? Logic? Ethics?
5. How did the author’s biographical and educational background lead him/her to writing this book? This
may seem obvious as it’s a memoir, but dig deep to think about what moved them to write their own
story.
6. Some critics may argue that certain scenes in these books are needlessly graphic. While your job in this
essay is not to review, but rather you may want to analyze the authors’ purpose for including
particularly disturbing moments of their lives and the language they chose to tell these stories.
7. What entails good writing? Provide some direct examples from the books and explain how those
passages constitute good writing. Consider word choice and the arrangement of ideas. These should
provide you with insightful material. Often such inquiry will reveal methods that the author uses to
affect readers' understanding of and response to the material.
A Strategy for Analysis:
SOAPSTone
SOAPSTone (Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone) is an acronym for a series of questions
that students must first ask themselves, and then answer, as they begin to plan their compositions.
The SOAPSTone strategy can be an effective tool making meaning from written text. The strategy enables the
reader to consider some of the relevant circumstances that surround the creation of an n essay or speech and
draw conclusions regarding the reasons why specific choices were made in the production of the text. Each of
the six features which are analyzed using SOAPSTone impact the way an essay might be read and understood.
The strategy may also be used to help a writer invent ways to compose and essay or speech.
The basic premise of an argumentative essay is that a writer wishes to take a definitive stand concerning a given
topic. The writer’s goal is to introduce the topic, describe a particular way a reader should respond to the topic,
and finally, encourage the reader to adopt the writer’s philosophy or pursue the writer’s intended course of
action. The degree to which an argumentative writer is effective depends in a large way on the choices made in
several six features analyzed using SOAPSTone. If you know or can make inferences about the Speaker,
Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, and Tone of the text, you can reach educated conclusions based on how
the text was planned. The following explanation centers solely on argumentative writing although SOAPSTone
may be used to analyze many different genres of writing.
Who is the Speaker?
The voice that tells the story. The speaker of the argumentative text is the writer unless the strategy is being
used to analyze the voice of a character in a fictional text. Identifying the physical speaker, however, is not
enough. What is it that you know about a speaker that may impact an argument the speaker makes? A
speaker’s race, class, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, religious affiliations, or membership in any identity
group may lead you to make inferences about the speaker’s argument. Of course, more localized identity
groups (jazz musician, football player, high school student) are just as important as larger identity groups like
female or American.
What is the Speaker’s Occasion?
The time and the place of the piece; the context that prompted the writing. Writing does not occur in a
vacuum. All writers are influenced by the larger occasion: an environment of ideas, attitudes, and emotions that
swirl around a broad issue. Then there is the immediate occasion: an event or situation that catches the writer's
attention and triggers a response. The occasion of an argumentative text refers to the circumstances that
necessitated the writing of the text. If you what incident or event motivated the writer to mount an argument,
you have a great deal of information to guide your reading. Does the argument respond to an unexpected death
or trumpet some new beginning? Is there some current event of which most of the audience would be aware
that the writer subtly references?
Who is the Audience?
The group of readers to whom this piece is directed. Audience is a significant element in understanding an
argument. Writers and speakers tailor their arguments to the interests of their perceived audience. The
evidence or support that a writer employs to make an argument might change based on the audience—even if
the writer has made the same argument to a different audience in the past. The reasons that a politician might
give to support the same proposed law might differ greatly, depending upon if the audience is college-aged or
elderly; yet to each audience, the politician advances the same argument.
What is the Purpose?
The reason behind the text. Knowing the writer’s purpose is also important. How does the writer want the
audience to react? Does the writer call for some specific action or is the purpose of writing to convince the
reader to think, feel, or believe in a certain way? The purpose of writing, like audience and tone affects what
the writer will offer as support or evidence for her or his argument.
What is the Subject?
Students should be able to state the subject in a few words or phrases. The subject of an effective argument
should be clear to the reader. The reader should be able to describe the subject with a few words or phrases. A
clear subject ensures that the writing be focused and does not drift into commentary that detracts from the
writer’s purpose.
What is the Tone?
The attitude of the author. Tone is the final element in SOAPSTone. The degree to which an argument is
effective may ultimately hinge upon the writer’s attitude toward the subject or audience. Here again is an area
where audience is significant. Writers adopt different tones to further the same argument as the audience
changes. The presence of anger, sarcasm, or guilt can affect an overall argument significantly.
DIALECTICAL JOURNALS
The term “Dialectic” means “the art or practice of arriving at the truth by using conversation involving question
and answer.” Think of your dialectical journal as a series of conversations with the texts we read during this
course. The process is meant to help you develop a better understanding of the texts we read. Use your journal
to incorporate your personal responses to the texts, your ideas about the themes we cover and our class
discussions. You will find that it is a useful way to process what you’re reading, prepare yourself for group
discussion, and gather textual evidence for your Literary Analysis assignments.
PROCEDURE:
o As you read, choose passages that stand out to you and record them in the left-hand column of a T-chart
(ALWAYS include page numbers).
o In the right column, write your response to the text (ideas/insights, questions, reflections, and comments
on each passage)
o If you choose, you can label your responses using the following codes:
o (Q) Question – ask about something in the passage that is unclear
o (C) Connect – make a connection to your life, the world, or another text
o (P) Predict – anticipate what will occur based on what’s in the passage
o (CL) Clarify – answer earlier questions or confirm/disaffirm a prediction
o (R) Reflect – think deeply about what the passage means in a broad sense – not just to the
characters in the story. What conclusions can you draw about the world, human nature, or just
the way things work?
o (E) Evaluate - make a judgment about the character(s), their actions, or what the author is trying
to say
Sample Dialectical Journal entry: THE THINGS THEY CARRIED by Tim O’Brien
Passages from the text + Comments & Questions
page#
“-they carried like freight (R) O’Brien chooses to end the first section of the novel with this sentence. He
trains; they carried it on provides excellent visual details of what each solider in Vietnam would carry for
their backs and shoulders- day-to-day fighting. He makes you feel the physical weight of what soldiers
and for all the ambiguities have to carry for simple survival. When you combine the emotional weight of
of Vietnam, all the loved ones at home, the fear of death, and the responsibility for the men you
mysteries and unknowns, fight with, with this physical weight, you start to understand what soldiers in
there was at least the single Vietnam dealt with every day. This quote sums up the confusion that the men
abiding certainty that they felt about the reasons they were fighting the war, and how they clung to the only
would never be at a loss for certainty - things they had to carry - in a confusing world where normal rules
things to carry” (2).
were suspended.
CHOOSING PASSAGES FROM THE TEXT:
Look for quotes that seem significant, powerful, thought provoking or puzzling.
For example, you might record:
o Effective &/or creative use of stylistic or literary devices
o Passages that remind you of your own life or something you’ve seen before
o Structural shifts or turns in the plot
o A passage that makes you realize something you hadn’t seen before
o Examples of patterns: recurring images, ideas, colors, symbols or motifs.
o Passages with confusing language or unfamiliar vocabulary
o Events you find surprising or confusing
o Passages that illustrate a particular character or setting
RESPONDING TO THE TEXT:
You can respond to the text in a variety of ways. The most important thing to remember is that
your observations should be specific and detailed. You can write as much as you want for each entry.
Basic Responses
o Raise questions about the beliefs and values implied in the text
o Give your personal reactions to the passage
o Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s)
o Tell what it reminds you of from your own experiences
o Write about what it makes you think or feel
o Agree or disagree with a character or the author
HINTS:
Sample Sentence Starters:
Higher Level Responses
Analyze the text for use of literary devices (tone, structure,
I really don’t understand this because…
style, imagery)
Make connections between different characters or events in the
I really dislike/like this idea because…
text
I think the author is trying to say that…
Make connections to a different text (or film, song, etc…)
This passage reminds me of a time in my life Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or
when…
character(s)
If I were (name of character) at this point I Consider an event or description from the perspective of a
would…
different character
This part doesn’t make sense because…
Analyze a passage and its relationship to the story as a whole
(These are two separate boxes not meant to line-up/correlate)
Rhetorical Analysis Scoring Guide
Your essay will be scored out of 100 points on the SHS Writer Rubric in conjunction with the AP Rubric below.
AP English Language and Composition 9-point Rubric
9
Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for 8 papers and, in addition, are especially full or apt
in their analysis or demonstrate particularly impressive control of language.
8
Essays earning a score of 8 effectively respond to the prompt. They refer to the passage explicitly
or implicitly and explain the function of specific strategies. Their prose demonstrates an ability to
control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not flawless.
7
Essays earning a score of 7 fit the description of 6 essays but provide a more complete analysis or
demonstrate a more mature prose style.
6
Essays earning a score of 6 adequately respond to the prompt. They refer to the passage, explicitly
or implicitly, but their discussion is more limited. The writing may contain lapses in diction or
syntax, but generally the prose is clear.
5
Essays earning a score of 5 analyze the strategies, but they may provide uneven or inconsistent
analysis. They may treat the prompt in a superficial way or demonstrate a limited understanding of
the prompt. While the writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, it usually conveys ideas
adequately.
4
Essays earning a score of 4 respond to the prompt inadequately. They may misrepresent the
author's position, analyze the strategies inaccurately, or offer little discussion of specific strategies.
The prose generally conveys the writer's ideas but may suggest immature control of writing.
3
Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria of the score of 4 but are less perceptive about the
prompt or less consistent in controlling the elements of writing.
2
Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in responding to the prompt. These essays
may offer vague generalizations, substitute simpler tasks such as summarizing the passage, or
simply list techniques. The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing.
1
Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially
simplistic in discussion, or weak in their control of language.
0
Indicates an on-topic response that receives no credit such as one that merely repeats the prompt or
one that is completely off topic.
Name:_______________________
Block:____
Dialectical Journal Rubric
Category
Advanced
Proficient
Needs
Improvement
Left: Selection of
detail
Selected passages
are detailed,
complex, and
meaningful; reflect
a variety of plot
and quote
selections
Selected passages
are meaningful;
include both plot
and quote
selections
Selected passages
include few
meaningful details
Left and Right:
Literary Elements
Includes in-depth
discussion of
literary elements;
addresses how
elements such as
tone, diction,
organization and
context contribute
to purpose and
meaning
Includes
discussion literary
elements; does not
completely address
how they
contribute to
meaning
Includes some
identification of
literary elements;
has virtually no
discussion of
contribution to
meaning
Right: Interpretation
and commentary
Commentary
provides
thoughtful insight
and connection to
themes (avoids
clichés)
Commentary
intelligently
addresses thematic
connections
Commentary is
vague and/or
unsupported with
little connection to
theme
Commentary involves
paraphrase or plot
summary
Right: Personal
connections and
questions
Insightful personal
connections and
thought-provoking
questions
Appropriate
personal
connections and
pertinent questions
Limited personal
connections and few
or obvious questions
Limited personal
connection and no
good questions
Overall Effect:
Coverage of text and
assignment
Thoroughly and
completely
addresses all parts
of the assignment;
directions are
followed
Adequately
addresses all parts
of the assignment;
directions are
followed
Not thorough
(addresses most of
the assignment); not
all directions were
followed.
Unsatisfactory
Selected passages
have little or no
apparent significance
or meaning
Includes few literary
elements; has virtually
no discussion of
contribution to
meaning
Too short; directions
were not followed
Total: ____________