Summer Reading Assignments 2013
Xaverian High School
English 11 (3226)
English 11 Honors (3230)
Juniors in the above courses read TWO books: Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass and Tobias Wolff’s This Boy’s Life.
The two 50-point assignments for each of the works will total a 100-point formal essay
grade toward the 1st quarter. On Friday, September 13, 2013, your English teacher:
• will administer a 50-point objective question test on Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass, and
• will collect the 50-point written assignment for Tobias Wolff’s This Boy’s Life, which
must be typed and must adhere to proper MLA standards (i.e. heading, format,
citations, etc,).
Assignment #1: In-class test on Frederick Douglass’ Narrative Life of Frederick
Douglass (50 points)
Assignment #2: Essay on Tobias Wolff’s This Boy’s Life (50 points)
Wolff’s memoir is about a young boy’s struggle with the frustrations and cruelties of
adolescence. In preparation for Part 4 of the English Regents in January 2014, you will
write a 4-paragraph Critical Lens Essay based on your reading of This Boy’s Life ONLY.
Your Task:
Write a critical essay in which you discuss This Boy’s Life from the particular perspective
of the statement that is provided for you in the Critical Lens. In your essay, provide a
valid interpretation of the statement, agree or disagree with the statement as you have
interpreted it, and support your opinion using specific references to appropriate literary
elements from This Boy’s Life.
Critical Lens:
"The purpose of life is to fight maturity."
~ Dick Werthimer
Guidelines
• Provide a valid interpretation of the critical lens that clearly establishes the criteria for
analysis
• Indicate whether you agree or disagree with the statement as you have interpreted it
• Use the criteria suggested by the critical lens to analyze This Boy’s Life
• Avoid plot summary. Instead, use specific references to appropriate literary elements
(for example: theme, characterization, conflict, setting, symbolism, irony, point of view) to
develop your analysis. Choose two literary elements (one body paragraph for each) in
your analysis of the work. EACH BODY PARAGRAPH MUST HAVE TWO DIRECT
QUOTATIONS FROM THE WORK THAT SUPPORT YOUR ANALYSIS!!!!
• Organize your ideas in a unified and coherent manner
• Follow the conventions of standard written English
This Boy’s Life Essay Grading Rubric (50 points)
Your English teacher will use this rubric to grade your essay.
Criteria (MODEL)
Meaning
clear thesis with assertions; sense of purpose and sound understanding (of text);
thoughtful and analytical interpretation (of text)
Organization
logical and skillful organization of paragraphs: writing has direction, shape, coherence;
topic sentences and transitions connect and further develop ideas
Development (evidence)
compelling level of reasoning; specific details are cited to support the thesis;
citations are explained & relevant (two direct quotations per body paragraph)
Execution of Format
Proper MLA standards: 1) heading, 2) title, 3) pagination, 4) line spacing, 5) margins, 6) 12 size
font, 7) Times New Roman, 8) in-text citations, 9) works cited page, 10) stapled
Language
control of grammar, sentence variety and structure, word choice and conventions of standard
written English (spelling, capitalization, punctuation)
Scoring Guide
0: no demonstration
1-2: very poor demonstration
3-4: weak demonstration
5-6: adequate demonstration
7-8: very good demonstration
9-10: excellent demonstration
Achievement
Level
____ out of 10
____ out of 10
____ out of 10
____ out of 10
____ out of 10
TOTAL
____ out of 50
NOTE:
Needless to say, the final paper must reflect the individual student’s original work, free of any
and all plagiarism, improper citation, student collusion, etc. If any form of plagiarism is
detected, the paper will automatically receive a zero.