Summer Reading and Short Story Syllabus
Summer Reading Assignments discussions (Unit 1) will take place during the first two weeks of school.
o Quote/ID test on summer reading –Monday, August 31st.
Unit 2: Introduction: basic info about class, info on STYLE, info on writing, short stories and poetry
Writing Assignment for Short Stories:
• After discussion of each short story, you will write an analytical, reflective or creative piece, which will
usually be due the next day of class. For the collection of short stories below, I have given you
specifics on which to write.
•
FYI: For other short stories we read in class, the writing component is more general and should
include discussion literary devices, which stand out to you, the purpose for incorporating these
devices into the story, discussion of the theme the author wants to convey to the reader and how the
author conveys said theme and finally your reaction to points brought up during class discussion.
This writing component is a mix of formal (analytical) and informal writing, so you may use personal
pronouns. Make sure you use evidence from the text to support your claims.
Short stories for this unit
• Have the chapters entitled “Plot and Structure” and “Characterization” read and annotated (by annotated, I
mean you’ve HANDWRITTEN notes about these chapters in your Major Lit works section of notebook)
by 9/1
o Have the short, “Miss Brill” read and prepared for discussion by 9/2
! For the story, prepared for discussion means you are required to come to class with written
questions you have about the text.
• Writing assignment for this story: in a well-developed paragraph or paragraphs,
discuss how the author develops/characterizes the character Miss Brill. Due on 9/3
•
Have the short story “Paul’s Case” read by 9/3 (We will be reading the informational chapter on “POV”
the first few minutes of class on 9/3 and then applying the information to the short story during discussion.
o For the story, you are required to come to class with written questions you have about the text.
! OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT: Writing assignment for this story: rewrite a scene from
“Paul’s Case” from another POV. Apply what you learned about point of view from the
informational chapter to this part of the assignment. After the creative piece, discuss how
POV impacts the reader’s perception. Due 9/4
•
Have the chapter entitled “Symbol, Allegory, and Fantasy” and “Where Are You Going, Where Have You
Been” read by 9/8
o For the informational chapter “Symbol, Allegory, Fantasy,” you are required to “annotate the text.”
(By annotated, I mean you’ve HANDWRITTEN notes about these chapters in your Major Lit
works section of notebook.)
o For the story, you are required to come to class with written questions you have about the text.
• Writing assignment for this story: In a note accompanying the article she coauthored, Gretchen Schulz says that Oates told her the allusions to fairy tales in the
story are intentional. What allusions to fairy tales can you identify and how do these
allusions contribute to the overall work? Due on 9/9
•
Please read the chapter entitled “Humor and Irony” read and annotated (by annotated, I mean you’ve
HANDWRITTEN notes about these chapters in your Major Lit works section of notebook) by 9/9
o Have the short story “The Kugelmass Episode” read by 9/10
! For the story, you are required to come to class with written questions you have about the text.
! Writing assignment for this story: Discuss how irony (specify what type of irony) contributes
to the humor in this story. Due on 9/11
•
Have the chapter “Theme” read and annotated (by annotated, I mean you’ve HANDWRITTEN notes
about these chapters in your Major Lit works section of notebook) by 9/11
Please have the story “Once upon a Time” read by 9/11
o For the story, you are required to come to class with written questions you have about the text.
! IN-Class Writing assignment for this story on 9/11
•
Discussion topics for short stories:
• Plot and structure, characterization, theme, irony, symbol, allegory, other literary devices that come up
during discussion
• Please come to class with questions for discussion and/or clarification.
Please excuse the interruption to this unit, but I need to give you information about Unit 3: Life’s
Values, Conduct and Meaning before continuing with the due dates for Unit 2.
******Beowulf and Grendel***** – You will be reading this text that I give to you and completing an
annotation assignment on your own. I will try to give you some class time on which to work. The text is
abbreviated and not difficult to read. I will also give you the background notes and historical context
notes, which you NEED TO READ prior to reading Beowulf. You need to start reading Beowulf by 9/9
You need to finish the Beowulf assignment by 9/14 at the latest, so you can start reading Grendel.
• We will start discussing Beowulf on 9/22, so come to class with questions about the text.
Start reading Grendel by 9/14- I will give you historical context and author info notes at the
beginning of this novel study.
• We will start discussing this novel starting on 9/23? (chapters 1-3), 9/24 (chapters 4-5), 9/28
(chapters 5-8), 9/29 (chapters 9-10), 9/30 (rest of the novel and bigger picture questions.)
o Discussion of Robert Merrill Critical Essay (I will provide for you) on 9/30-10/1
o Fiction Analysis and Essay 10/2
Intro to Poetry ☺
Prior to coming to class, please have the informational chapters “What is Poetry,” “Reading the Poem,” and
“Denotation and Connotation” read and “annotated” read and annotated (by annotated, I mean you’ve
HANDWRITTEN notes about these chapters in your Major Lit works section of notebook) by 9/15.