Mr. Prettyman’s Summer Reading for (2014)
Incoming 12th Grade CP British Literature Cadets
REQUIRED SUMMER READING FOR CP SENIORS:
Grendel—by John Gardner
·
ISBN-13: 9780679723110
The first and most terrifying monster in English literature, from the great early epic
BEOWULF, tells his side of the story.
Assignment 1: There will be a test on Grendel the first week of school.
Assignments 2: (due the first day of English class): Dialectic Notes
For each chapter, you need to have one loose-leaf page of handwritten
dialectic notes (this can be done in a journal).
Explanation of Dialectic Notes
Dialectic Notes are a way of graphically organizing your notes. First, you isolate what
you believe to be important information or text from what you are reading. This is the academic
material you are trying to understand and internalize. Then, you will re-read this isolated portion
or quote you have recorded and write your own reflection on its meaning
This reflection is not academic writing; it is record of what and how you think. The goal of this
reflection is for you to think more about how you think and improve your ability to evaluate
academic reading. The reflection should include text to explain how the academic text is
connected to your life, or what it makes you think of such as movies, songs, games, or things that
have happened in your life or in the lives of others.
The Format: Divide your loose-leaf page into two columns and record “Important Text” from
the book on the left side and “Personal Reaction” to the text on the right side
Below is an example of what your chart may look like (except yours will be handwritten
on notebook paper). This example is taken from The Chosen and Night. Notice the
content examples from the texts are in the left column and the student reactions to the
events are in the right column.
The Chosen and Night
Chapter 1 p. 7-40
Reuven describes how he and Danny first meet at a baseball game.
IMPORTANT TEXT
PERSONAL REACTION
(p. 9) "For the first fifteen years of our lives, Danny
and I lived within five blocks of each other and
neither of us knew of the other's existence."
This gives us the point of view for the novel,
first person, through the eyes Of Reuven
Malter.
(p. 25) …like specters, with their black hats, long
black coats, black beards, and earlocks."
These are descriptive details of the Hasidic
sect of Judaism. The simile and the vivid
imagery help the reader to better understand
and visualize the character.
This simple sentence can encourage hope,
bring happiness, and bring sadness. It can
make someone reflieved knowing they will
have food and shelter. It can make someone
depressed to know that they will again become
slaves, and bring the thought that might it
would have been better to die in the train.
(p. 38) We had arrived at Buchenwald.
(p. 90) The sound of a violin, in this dark shed,
where the dead were heaped on the living. What
madman could be playing the violin here, at the brink
of his own death?
The violin was what was giving Juliek hope to
survive, and he played his soul on it.
Therefore, it must have been deeply moving
music. When the violin broke, he must have
died.
NOTE: * Do not use Sparknotes, Pinkmonkey, Cliffnotes, or any comparable “short-cut”
website or book. If I find any evidence that any of these sites were used, the consequence
will be an automatic 0 on the summer assignment. I want all of your work to be completely
original and completely YOUR work.
If you have any questions, email Mr. Prettyman at Michael.prettyman@dma.k12.de.us
Mr. Prettyman’s Weebly Page: http://prettymanenglish12.weebly.com/
Please also enroll in your class on my SchoolNotes page:
http://new.schoolnotes.com/Mprettyman