Advanced Placement Literature and Composition
Summer Reading 2014-2015
Dover High School
Mrs. Nottingham
Nottinghamsm@dovertornadoes.com
Advanced Placement Literature and Composition
Mrs. Nottingham
2013-2014 Required Reading List
Summer Reading
Cather, Willa. (1918) My Ántonia
James, Henry. (1898) The Turn of the Screw
Salinger, J.D. (1951) The Catcher in the Rye
Wharton, Edith. (1911) Ethan Frome
In-School Reading
Austen, Jane. (1813) Pride and Prejudice
Camus, Albert. (1946) The Stranger
Chopin, Kate. (1899) The Awakening
Ellison, Ralph. (1952) Invisible Man
Gibran, Kahlil. (1923) The Prophet
Milton, John. (1667) Paradise Lost in excerpts
Shakespeare. (1604) Othello
---. (1592) Taming of the Shrew
Shelley, Mary. (1818) Frankenstein
Vonnegut, Kurt. (1969) Slaughterhouse-Five
Williams, Tennessee. (1944) The Glass Menagerie
Assignments:
1. Read and annotate* The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.
2. Write a 2-3 paragraph response (using textual support) the following question and
email it to Mrs. Nottingham on or before Sunday, June 22nd by 9:00PM:
In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a foil, possesses traits that
emphasize, by contrast or comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of
the main character. For example, the ideas or behavior of the minor character might
be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths of the main character. Identify a foil
for Holden Caulfield and analyze the two characters. Then explain how their
differences illuminate a theme in the text.
3.
Read and annotate* The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.
4. Write a 2-3 paragraph response (using textual support) to the following question and
email it to Mrs. Nottingham on or before Sunday, July 6th by 9:00PM:
The reliability of an author often adds a unique layer of meaning to a text. Do you
think that the narrator of The Turn of the Screw is reliable? Why or why not? How
does the author’s reliability affect our understanding of the novel as a whole?
5.
Read and annotate* Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton.
6. Write a 2-3 paragraph response to the following question and email it to Mrs.
Nottingham on or before Sunday, July 27th by 9:00PM. The primary conflict in
Ethan Frome is an internal conflict with Frome himself. In a 2-3 paragraph response
(using textual support), explore Frome’s internal conflicts. How do his personal
conflicts contribute to the theme of the novel?
7. Read and annotate* My Ántonia by Willa Cather.
8. Write a 2-3 paragraph response to the following question and email it to Mrs.
Nottingham on or before Sunday, August 17th by 9:00PM. The epigraph for My
Ántonia is a quote from Virgil: Optima dies . . . prima fugit — "The best days are the
first to flee." What is the significance of this quotation, and how does it relate to the
last line of the novel: "Whatever we had missed, we possessed together the precious,
the incommunicable past"?
9. One of the most interesting finds when reading literature is the discovery of
overlapping or parallel themes, similar characters, comparable conflicts, and like
styles/techniques/structures of different authors. After reading these works, develop a
chart that compares/contrast these levels of analysis in Ethan Frome, The Turn of the
Screw, and The Catcher in the Rye. Demonstrate these connections and, upon
completing the chart, discuss in a 1 paragraph response, typed, double-spaced, how
recognizing such connections can enrich the further understanding and internalization
of literature as a whole.
You may want to separate the chart according to the works or according to what
aspects you may be discussing. Obviously what is mentioned above is not allinclusive. Use your discretion to determine what it is that you found interesting that
would be valuable for class discussion. Be prepared to share with the class. Design
the chart any way that you see fit and is easily understandable to you. This will better
enable you to discuss your chart with the class. Bring your complete chart to class on
Friday, August 22nd.
10. Bring all annotated* novels on the first day of class.
*Please see notes on annotating a novel.
Annotating for AP Literature and Composition
Do you want to be able to recall a book that you read weeks or months later? The best way to do
that is to be an active reader by annotating (or making notes in) a text! By annotating effectively,
you can review an entire text in 30 minutes and be prepared for any assessment! Follow the
instructions below…
Materials Needed:
 Yellow highlighter: This color is most preferred because it is the least distracting than
other colors and emphasizes the parts of the text that you want to remember. (You will
only need the highlighter if you own your own copy of the text.)
 Pencil: You need this to write in the text (or on a sticky note if you don’t own the text).
Using a pencil is a better choice since even geniuses need to correct mistakes!


A Dictionary: It is a good idea to keep a dictionary nearby in order to look up words you
may not know so that you can better understand the text.
Your Text: If possible, it is best to have your own copy of the text so that you can
highlight and write in it. However, if you don’t, you need to get some sticky notes that
you can use to put in the book and then take out when you return the book.
Before Reading:
1. Read the front and rear jackets of the book, including information about the author. This
can give you a more rounded picture of the book while reading.
2. Always read the title page, introductions, table of contents, prefaces and any notes from
the author. These will help familiarize yourself with the content of the book and its
origins.
3. Check to see if there is a glossary or any other information at the back of the book that
you can use while you are reading.
4. Find the right place to read your book. Some people need complete silence while others
can read in any environment. Only you know what your best reading environment is, so
find it and use it!
Active Reading and Annotation Methods:
1. Highlight key information, including vocabulary you don’t understand, significant
quotes, references to other literary works, or any parts of the text relating to themes,
significant characters, or events. Also pay attention to syntax, imagery, tone, diction, and
details (SITDD).
2. While you read, use your pencil to make notes in the margins about key material. You
can use punctuation marks such as stars, arrows, question marks, check marks, and
brackets to mark the text that you may want to come back to. You should come up with
your own unique system to mark what you think is important or questionable.
3. At the end of each chapter, summarize the main ideas/events in the chapter in one or two
sentences.
4. Use the inside front cover of the book to keep a list of important information with page
number references in the book. Some examples of what you could list here are themes,
text that connects to the book’s title, important names of characters, memorable quotes,
or key questions you may have about the text. (If you don’t own the book, do this on a
separate piece of paper or on sticky notes.)
5. Use the inside back cover to make a list of key vocabulary words and definitions from the
text. Choose words that are unique to the author/story/culture or advanced vocabulary. (If
you don’t own the book, do this on a separate piece of paper or on sticky notes.)
After Reading:
1. After you have read the book, you may want to re-read it, or skim it again, adding to your
notes and highlighting.
2. Keep all of your notes with the book (if you didn’t write in it) so that you can go back
and review it.
3. You may also want to make a list of characters and descriptions for the characters to
better help you remember them.
4. If there is a confusing timeline in the book, you may want to create your own timeline on
paper to help you understand the sequence of events. Choose the top ten events from the
book and put them in order.
5. When you are done with the book, don’t put it down for a while! Complete any
assignments for it and review your notes before any tests.
Information on how to annotate a novel is taken from http://www.collegeboard.com .
If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Nottingham via email for assistance.