Summer Reading for College Preparatory Composition and Literature
BOOKS:
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
An American Childhood by Annie Dillard
The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy
All CP Composition and Literature students will complete novel reviews for two of the
books mentioned above. For the third book, students must choose one of the alternate
activities. See below for a description of the novel review and the alternate activities.
Novel Review Description:
Each CP Composition and Literature student will complete novel reviews for two of the
works that are read during the summer. Students should include their own analyses of the
literature and should complete the assignment without the use of SparkNotes,
CliffsNotes, or other study aids. Students will turn in their assignments on the second
day of school. The grade that they receive for their efforts will count as their first major
grade of the first quarter. Responses should be typed.
Novel Review - Use this as a template for your novel review. Please leave the bullet
points, and write paragraphs below them. For the characters you may list them with
a description of each.
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Briefly summarize the plot, including a description of the climax.
List three quotes and explain their significance.
Make a list of major characters including their names, role in the story,
significance, and adjectives that you would use to describe them.
Describe the setting and explain its significance to the story as a whole.
Describe any symbols used in the story.
Explain the significance of the opening scene.
Explain the significance of the closing scene.
Alternate Activities
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Scrapbook. Create a scrapbook for one of the characters in the book. What
newspaper clippings, magazine articles, ticket stubs, photographs, etc., would
accurately reflect the character? Your final product should include at least ten
items. Be prepared to defend your choices during a short presentation.
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Cartoon squares. Create a series of six drawings in six squares that show
significant events in the book. Under each picture or cartoon, write a few lines of
explanation. Be prepared to defend the choices you have made in terms of the
significance to the overall work.
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Create an “On the Scene Report.” Change events in your novel into breaking
news. In a video tape or audio tape, take us to the scene and interview people who
will help us as viewers to be informed about the latest events in your book’s
drama. Simulate “real life” reporting by sensationalizing the story, breaking in
with new developments, showing or describing incidents pertinent to the “drama.”
(Note: It would be acceptable to work in a group with others to complete your
audio, video, or even a “live” drama of your news report.) Be prepared to defend
the choices you have selected.
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Time line. Make a time line of major events in your book. Be sure that the
divisions of the time line reflect the sequence of events in the plot. Be clever as
you illustrate the ways subplots weave in and out of main plots. Use drawings or
magazine cutouts to illustrate events along the time line and use short, written
explanations of each event. Be prepared to explain why you chose the events on
your time line.
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For the artistic. If you have talent in creative writing, visual, or performing arts,
demonstrate your ability to think and create big ideas symbolically. In a poem,
song, drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, dance, or acted performance, illustrate
the theme or themes from the book you read. Be prepared to explain your work.
If you have any questions about this assignment, please contact Mr. Mitchell@
smitchell@covenantday.org.