Summer Reading Assignment
Pre-AP English II - Mr. Harrison
You will be required to read three books this summer, share intelligent comments on an online forum, and
complete a typed reading journal for one major text. As you read each book, you should carefully annotate
(take notes in the margin of) the text. For this reason, it is highly advisable for you to purchase a personal copy
of each book rather than borrowing a copy from a friend or the library. Your online postings will be monitored
during the summer and graded according to quality, depth, and timeliness of your comments. Your reading
journals will be turned in for a major project grade on the first day of school. Specific instructions on how to
post comments to our online page and how to complete a basic reading journal are attached.
Your summer reading selections are:
1. How to Read Literature Like a Professor - Thomas C. Foster
What does it mean when a fictional hero takes a journey? Shares a meal? Gets drenched in
a sudden rain shower? These incidents often convey a partially-hidden message by the
author. Subtitled A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines, this book
is very informative and even entertaining as it discusses the allusions, archetypes, and
symbols that are most common in literature. You will be asked to post a series of
comments online on various parts of this book (deadlines and login instructions attached).
2. The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde (Barnes & Noble Classic Series – only $5)
In this classic and controversial novel by Oscar Wilde, young Dorian Gray is mystically granted
a secret wish that irrevocably alters his life. Wilde has filled this novel with rich descriptions of
setting, witty dialogue, and a healthy sense of foreboding, as his protagonist struggles with
making good decisions and living with bad ones. Be prepared to enter the dark world that
explores the dual nature of man.
3. A choice of (select ONE):
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Bless Me, Ultima – Rudolfo Anaya
Reservation Blues – Sherman Alexie
A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini
All the Pretty Horses – Cormac McCarthy
The Bonesetter’s Daughter – Amy Tan
After reading one of these novels, you will be asked to go online once again and to make
comments that connect the novel with the archetypes, symbols, allusions, and ironies
detailed in the Foster book. You should be able to show me your annotation (notes) in the
margins of your book, but you do not have to complete a journal for this book.
Back to School Writings Be prepared to discuss with depth each of these readings when you return in the fall.
After class discussions, you will be writing on these selections during the first weeks of school (HINT: Your
topic pertains to the hero’s quest and the archetype of initiation).
Suggestions Plan your summer reading carefully. Give yourself about two weeks for each selection (perhaps
three weeks for the Wilde text). DO NOT SAVE ALL OF YOUR READING FOR THE LAST MONTH OF
YOUR VACATION. Copies of these books are available at local and online booksellers.
How to Post Comments to Your Classmates Online
As you read Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor, you will be required to make connections
between the information presented in certain chapters and movies, novels, and other stories you are already
familiar with. All that is required here is to make a comment like: “What Foster says about quests reminds me
of Hiro Nakamura from the NBC show Heroes. He’s always talking to his friend Ando about his ‘mission’ to
save the world.” It’s that simple. You may not use examples already given in the Foster text. You may
respond to what others say, but simply “piggybacking” on others’ comments does not qualify for earning your
credit; your contributions must be original.
Later in the summer, after reading Dorian Gray and your choice book (from the list), you will go online two
more times: once to give ONE example of ONE of the suggested motifs in Dorian Gray, and again to connect
the Foster text to the choice novel. Therefore, before returning to school in the fall, you will have posted a
minimum of SIX times. The following schedule shows your deadlines for each posting. I will monitor your
participation for a grade, and no credit will be given for postings made beyond the deadline. Also, posting
comments that would be inappropriate for the classroom will NOT be tolerated. Those who do so endanger not
only their grades on this assignment but also their conduct grades. This assignment will be part of your first
major test/project grade for the first grading period (Test/Project category = 30-35%).
Online Posting Deadlines
June 12
June 19
June 26
July 3
July 31
July 31
HTRLLaP Ch. 1-3 (Heroic quests, meals, and vampires)
HTRLLaP Ch. 5-9 (Allusions)
HTRLLaP Ch. 10-15 and 18 (Symbols)
HTRLLaP Ch. 19-24 (Setting and character archetypes)
Motifs in Wilde’s Picture of Dorian Gray – Find ONE, unique quote (different from the others
that have been posted) that mentions flowers, hands, eyes, mouth, curtain, pall, mask, mirror,
white, red, or an allusion (Shakespeare, famous art, Greek mythology, Bible). Cite the page #.
Connection between HTRLLaP and your Choice Book (ONE REQUIRED, but a second
connection may be made to make up ONE earlier missed deadline. This must be clearly
marked - as in “Make-Up Comment.” Again, ONE MAKE-UP POSTING MAXIMUM.
IMPORTANT: You may post your connections and comments at any time prior to the deadline. In fact, you can easily complete the
Foster text and post on the first four topics within the first week of summer. Anyone who will be away from internet access because of
camps or family vacation should strive to complete his or her postings prior to traveling.
How and where to post comments? The site that we are using for this assignment is www.NiceNet.org. This
site is free for you to use and is devoid of obnoxious advertising.
1. Go to www.nicenet.org (please notice the “.org”, not “.com”).
2. Locate the box on the right that says, “New Users Start Here,” and click on “Join a Class.”
3. In the box labeled “Class Key,” type the following code: 2332602P38
4. Create a user name and password. Your user name must be your first name and your last name (for instance,
I would be “Scott Harrison”). Your password is entirely up to you, but I strongly encourage you to write
both of these down inside the front cover of your copy of the Foster book.
5. Click on “Conferencing” (on the left), locate the thread you wish to post to, and click on the topic for an
example of the type of posting that I am expecting. You may then add your own comment.
Why an online discussion? The best way to develop critical reading and rhetorical analysis skills, which are
the basis for college-level literary analysis, is through the experience of class discussions following readings.
Unfortunately, summer schedules do not afford us the opportunity to come together for such discussions. The
online site is the most convenient way for you to share ideas with your classmates over the summer months. I
expect you not only to post your original thoughts, but also to read and respond to the posts of others.
How to Keep a Reading Journal
Instead of writing a book report on your readings, you will keep a reading journal for Oscar Wilde’s Picture of
Dorian Gray. The reading journal will count as a major project/test grade and is due on the first day of school,
August 6th (25 points will be deducted for failing to meet this deadline). Points will be deducted for not
completing each part of each reading journal as described below.
What should your journal include? Each basic reading journal has five required parts
IMPRESSIONS/CONNECTIONS: Were there scenes in the book that reminded you of the situational
or character archetypes in the Foster text? What about symbols or allusions? Record anything that
reminded you of people, places, events, or situations from real life, from a movie, or from another
story. What lessons did you learn? Record a minimum of TEN Impressions or Connections that you make
as you read this novel. Use COMPLETE SENTENCES.
QUESTIONS: Good readers are involved in their reading. List any questions that come to your mind as
you read. Use question words such as who, what, when, where, how, and especially WHY. In the left
column, record the quote and page number you were reading when the question occurred to you. Ask a
minimum of TEN questions for each journal (at least five of your questions must be a WHY or
HOW question).
INTERESTING PHRASING: Pay attention to the author’s use of words, especially the way people,
places, or events are described. Did the author say something in a clever way? Does he reveal something
about a character using a simile or metaphor? Are certain passages so vivid that they pull you into the
scene? Record at least TEN brief quotes and the page number where each can be found. Tell why you
chose each and what you think that author is trying to accomplish.
SIGNIFICANT QUOTES: Look for lines spoken by characters that reveal his or her thoughts about his
or her current situation. Watch for remarks that characters make about life or about dealing with
issues; these may reveal a major change or growth in the character. Sometimes the author may
directly tell us what the character has learned; at other times, the author tells us indirectly through
dialogue. Such quotes are usually related to themes in the book. In the left column, write the entire
quote (may be more than one sentence), identify the speaker of the quote, and cite the page number
where the quote may be found. You are required to cite a minimum of TEN important quotes for your
journal.
NEW WORDS: Locate and choose at least FIFTEEN unfamiliar words to define from the novel. In the left
column, type the entire sentence in which the word is found (cite page number). Then, in the right column
include a brief definition or synonym (use a dictionary). Also, tell whether the word is one that you have
“never heard before” or one that you have heard but are “uncomfortable using” yourself.
How should my journal look? The final journal must be turned in TYPED. You should create a two-column
format (similar to dialectical journals, for those of you who are familiar) with a direct quote in the left column
and your thoughts or comments in the right column. If you are using Microsoft Word, the easiest way to
format your document is to insert a table that is two columns wide. A direct quote may come from narration or
dialogue. Each direct quote should be cited with a page number. Group each type quote first by category,
then chronologically (all of your “Impressions/Connections” should appear together and be arranged in order
of appearance in the book). Since journaling is a habit I would like for you to develop as you read, you should
make handwritten notes in the margins of your book. Your typed journal should be headed with your name,
the title and author of the book, and the date you complete the journal.
What if I have a question this summer? If you get stuck or do not understand the instructions, you may reach
me by e-mail at ascottharrison@yahoo.com. I will have very limited internet access from 6/10 – 6/16.