June 2015 Dear Honors Student: You begin your Honors American
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June 2015 Dear Honors Student: You begin your Honors American Literature course studies with the summer assignment: to read The Crucible by Arthur Miller and to keep a journal of your reading throughout the summer. This play will be the subject of a literary analysis that you will complete by September 4, 2015. Please come by room 220 after school in order to sign out your copy of The Crucible between 2:15 and 2:35 the week of June 8, 2015 – June 12, 2015. Attached you will find a required journal packet to be used in your analysis of the play and a list of essay prompts from which to choose. As you begin reading the play, you are to select two writing prompts that interest you and for each act, you are to select and interpret two direct quotes from the play that support your analysis of the prompt. The quote interpretation journal packet will be due on the first day of school. Your journal entries will serve as the basis of your literary analysis. We will have time to discuss your interpretation of the play’s themes upon your return. We will be happy to answer any questions you might have; stop by in Room 220 or the English Office after school with a quick question or to make an appointment. Have a wonderful summer and enjoy your summer reading! Sincerely, Mrs. Williams and Ms. White Student Name ______________________________________________ English 11 L1 Summer Reading: The Crucible Mrs. Williams and Ms White Reader Response Journal As you read, you are asked to interact with the play by responding to characters, events, and ideas. As you write in your journal, you are preparing for the essay that you will submit at the end of this unit. Therefore, you should choose two essay topics that interest you and find textual support as you read. What two essay questions are you responding to: Essay Question _________________________________ _______________________________ Essay Question __________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ I. Quotations: Copy down quotes that you find particularly important or significant. Provide a response for each selection. Act I: Quote Explanation 1. _________________________________ _______________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ 2. Act II: 3. _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ 4. Act III: Quote Explanation 5. _________________________________ _______________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ 6. Act IV: 7. _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ 8. The Crucible Essay: A Summer Reading Literary Analysis Final Draft Due: September 4, 2015 Objective: Compose a thoughtful essay in which you cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly and implicitly. Requirements: Your paper must be 2-3 pages long. Your paper must have a clear thesis; you must prove this thesis. Your paper must include at least 3-6 direct quotes. You must include the page numbers of those quotes in parentheses (parenthetical citation). Your paper must include an introduction, 3-4 body paragraphs and a conclusion. Your paper must make a clear and convincing argument that is supported with outstanding textual evidence. Your paper must exhibit strong spelling and grammar. Your paper must follow the MLA guidelines. Possible Topics 1. Defend or refute: John Proctor is a tragic hero. Be sure to address his journey and the aspects of a tragic hero. Support your choice by discussing the four characteristics of a tragic hero (goodness and initial high position, a tragic flaw, realization that this flaw led to his or her fall, and a tragic fall.) 2. It is more important to stay true to one’s morals than to remain loyal to the community. How is this idea reflected throughout The Crucible? 3. A person’s pride should never get in the way of his or her personal responsibility. How is this theme reflected throughout The Crucible? 4. Not all laws are good for society. How is this theme reflected throughout The Crucible? 5. A woman’s power has nothing to do with brute (physical) strength. How is this theme reflected throughout The Crucible? 6. Which character in The Crucible best exemplifies the theme of sin and redemption and why? 7. What role does irony play in The Crucible and how does Arthur Miller use irony to convey his message? Tip – Be sure to explain what Miller’s message is.
