2014 US Summer Reading - English Department
English 9
Title and author:
Animal Farm by George Orwell
ISBN: 9780452284241
iBook: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/animal-farm-readers-edition/id556038350?mt=11
Students may either read the paperback edition of the book or an electronic edition of the book
available through iTunes. The summer reading text will be the platform through which iPad note taking
skills will be introduced.
Overview:
Animal Farm has a timeless quality to it, but its author’s vision is very dark. George Orwell’s 1946
novel uses an allegory which tells of a group of barnyard animals who try to create their own society,
independent of humans, in which all animals are equal. This well-intended social experiment,
however, goes horribly wrong, and on a symbolic level the tale becomes a caution against the threat
posed by controlling, tyrannical governments. While the story was written to parallel the Russian
Revolution of 1917, contemporary readers will also see parallels in today’s society, in the attempts to
influence and control public opinion and behavior coming from all directions - governmental,
commercial, personal - on a daily basis.
In addition to serving as an introduction to archetypal/symbolic literary theory, this novel will familiarize
the students with the literary device of allegory, in which a work communicates its message by means
of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation.
Expectations:
1. Students are expected to read the novel and take solid notes about their observations and
questions as they read within the actual text (whether it is a paper form or an electronic form).
2. Students are to look up the following information. A hard copy needs to be brought to class
with them to turn in, and they should also save what they find to their iPads.
symbol
allegory
communism
propaganda
Joseph Stalin
Leon Trotsky
Karl Marx
Vladimir Lenin
Russian Revolution of 1917
3. Use only reliable academic sources such as: Encyclopedia Britannica, dictionary.com, or
Bedford-St.Martin’s literary terms glossary (http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/litgloss/). Sources
on the web that have URLs ending in “edu” would be considered reliable because they are
educational institutions. Students are discouraged from using sources such as Sparknotes.
4. Be prepared to turn this in on the first day of school.
Once school begins, your teacher will notify you of what the assessment will be.
English 9 Honors
Titles and authors:
1) The Sword in the Stone (Book 1 of The Once and Future King) by T.H. White
ISBN: 978-0441627400
iBook: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-once-and-future-king/id582467717?mt=11
2) How to Read Literature Like a Professor (Revised Version) by Thomas C. Foster
ISBN: 978-006-2301673
iBook: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to-read-literature-like/id771737663?mt=11
Overview:
In How to Read Literature like a Professor (Revised Version), Thomas C. Foster, himself a professor
of literature at the University of Michigan, has put together an entertaining introduction to archetypes,
which he calls the “grammar of literature.” Over the course of the book, he shows readers how to
identify these patterns, themes, and symbols that can help illuminate meaning in literature.
T.H. White’s novel The Sword in the Stone, is the story of the legendary King Arthur, before his ascent
to the throne. Rich in political and religious allegory as well as in understated wit, this first book of
White’s tetrology The Once and Future King introduces Arthur to his magical, absent-minded mentor
Merlyn and shows the inspiration for Arthur’s Round Table and the golden age of chivalry. In keeping
with many versions of Arthurian legend, Arthur’s story parallels events in the world of the storytellers:
in this case, the political landscape of WWII.
In addition to serving as an introduction to archetypal/symbolic literary theory, these books will
familiarize the students with the literary device of allegory, in which a work communicates its message
by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation.
Expectations:
Students are expected to read both books and annotate (highlight/take margin notes) in the texts OR
take separate notes, either on paper or Notability:
In The Sword and the Stone, students’ focus should be on:
(1) the various things they believe Merlin seems to be trying to teach the Wart/Arthur over the
course of the book and their thoughts about his effectiveness;
(2) the way in which elements of the story may seem familiar – that is, have readers
encountered similar characters/obstacles elsewhere in literature/history/religion?
In How to Read Literature Like a Professor (Revised Version)students should try to apply
the descriptions of various archetypes to reading/viewing of fiction they have encountered in
and out of school.
Students will have an assessment upon returning from summer vacation.
English 10
Title and author:
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
ISBN: 978-0060530945
Author Bio:
Neil Gaiman, born 10 November 1960, is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books,
graphic novels, audio theatre, films, and television - including an episode of Doctor Who! His notable
works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline,
and The Graveyard Book. He has won numerous awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Bram
Stoker awards, as well as the Newbery and Carnegie medals. He is the first author to win both the
Newbery and the Carnegie medals for the same work, The Graveyard Book (2008). In 2013, his novel
The Ocean at the End of the Lane was voted Book of the Year in the British National Book Awards.
Novel Synopsis:
In this award-winning novel, the protagonist Bod (short for “Nobody”) is an unusual boy who inhabits
an unusual place—he's the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts,
werewolves, and other cemetery denizens, Bod has learned the antiquated customs of his guardians'
time as well as their ghostly teachings — such as the ability to Fade so mere mortals cannot see him.
Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the
dead? And then there are beings such as ghouls that aren't really one thing or the other...
Before reading the novel, view the video at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhk4N9A0oCA
It outlines the Monomyth, or Hero’s Journey, archetype asserted by Joseph Campbell in his book The
Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949).
The Graveyard Book can be read as an example of a Monomyth story; consider it in these terms. Fill
out the attached graphic organizer in preparation both for discussion and for a writing assignment
(worth a test grade) to be completed very early in the school year.
See the next two pages for the Sophomore Summer Reading Graphic Organizer for
Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book as Monomyth.
WHICH PART OF BOD’S JOURNEY, IN
TO THIS STAGE?
Sophomore Summer Reading Graphic Organizer: Neil Gaiman’s
STAGE OF HERO’S
JOURNEY/MONOMYTH
1. Status quo
2. Assistance
3. Departure
4. Trials
5. Approach
6. Crisis
The Graveyard Book as Monomyth
THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, CORRESPONDS
YOUR IDEAS…
WHICH PART OF BOD’S JOURNEY, IN
TO THIS STAGE?
Sophomore Summer Reading Graphic Organizer: Neil Gaiman’s
STAGE OF HERO’S
JOURNEY/MONO-MYTH
7. Treasure
8. Result
9. Return
10. New Life
11. Resolution
Use this space to record your ideas
about Bod as embodiment of the
mythic hero archetype. Do you
agree with this assessment, or do
you think it’s a stretch?
Be ready to
explain HOW and WHY you hold this
opinion.
The Graveyard Book as Mono-myth
THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, CORRESPONDS
English 10 Honors
Title and author:
Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder
ISBN: 978-0374530716
Gaarder's novel is a walk through Western philosophy disguised as a story about a 14 year old
Norwegian girl.
The summer assignment is simple: enjoy the novel and then choose two philosophers to investigate
further. Be prepared to provide information and interesting commentary on each in a 3-5 minute
informal oral presentation. Although you are welcome to look at the biographies of your philosophers,
spend at least as much time contending with their ideas.
English 11
Title and author:
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
ISBN: 978-0679744399
Part romance, part tragedy, part comedy and part homage to the Western landscape in both its
mythological and violently realistic traditions, All the Pretty Horses tells the story of John Grady Cole,
a 16 year old young man on a journey to discover what the world has in store for him. Award winning
novelist Cormac McCarthy is deeply indebted to the best of American writers, from Melville to
Faulkner, with shades of O’Connor, Fitzgerald and Hemingway mixed in--we think you’ll enjoy the
richness and subtlety of his story-telling.
Read the novel closely, annotating in your book what you consider to be important thematic
developments, significant scenes and important language, and then be prepared to turn those
observations into discussion points and/or an essay within the first week of school.
If you enjoy the book and have the time, you are welcome to follow the protagonist and story into the
next two installments of the border trilogy, The Crossing and Cities of the Plain.
AP Language
Title and author:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Viking Critical Edition) by Ken Kesey
ISBN: 978-0140236019
Expectations:
More than just a very well told story, this novel continues to command attention for several reasons.
First, it is a tour de force in the use of first person narration; the view of an early 1960's mental
hospital ward through the eyes of a patient makes the storytelling about as interesting as it can get--it
is a hard book to put down. Second, and equally important, any reader must confront this essential
question: How can I sort out what seems real from what is actually real? Having a narrator who is a
mental patient puts us to the test on this matter, to be sure. The movie version received much acclaim
in the 1975 Academy Awards, but the book is substantially different and, frankly, much better.
Students who have never seen the movie should make it a point to read the book first. The edition we
have selected is loaded, front and back, with material that is as interesting as the book. The book and
some of the essays will be the topic of discussion and a writing sample at the beginning of school.
[Hint: reading summaries like Sparknotes or Wikipedia, or watching the movie will not help you
enough to do well]
English 12
Title and author:
Grendel by John Gardner
ISBN: 9780679723110 or ibook version
Background Information:
John Gardner’s Grendel is a retelling of the first part of the Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf, with an
important difference. In Grendel, the monster gets to tell the story. Because of this retelling,
however, Gardner assumes that his reader is familiar with the story of Beowulf, so the following is a
very brief summary of the Anglo-Saxon story.
Beowulf is the oldest long poem in English, written as early as perhaps the seventh century AD. The
Danish King, Hrothgar, has built a fabulous mead hall, Heorot, for himself and his retainers. However,
Heorot is not safe: each night the monster Grendel attacks the hall and kills Hrothgar’s men. Beowulf,
a Geat (from modern Sweden), hears of Hrothgar’s distress and travels to the land of the Danes to
help rid Heorot of the monster and to garner fame for himself. Beowulf fights with Grendel when the
monster attacks the hall. You’ll have to wait until the fall to find out how the Beowulf epic ends, but
there are three main monster mêlées: this battle, one with Grendel’s mother, and one with a dragon.
Gardner’s Grendel is a book of twelve chapters, the number recalling Grendel’s twelve year battle with
Hrothgar, the months of the year, and the signs of the zodiac. The book, however, is not in straight
chronological order. Rather, Gardner uses devices such as flashbacks, allusions, and foreshadowing
to help relate the story. The present tense and passages of the book move the reader chronologically
through the twelve months of the twelfth year of Grendel’s war with Hrothgar. Interspersed among the
present tense passages are past tense passages telling of the years leading up to the present.
Consider the following questions as you read. Actively develop your own ideas about the
novel, and make notes in your text as you engage with it. You will use these notes when you
compose an essay early in the school year.
1. Why does it matter that Gardner chooses to have a monster, not a human being, narrate his
novel? What difference does it make?
2. What is the role of language in this novel? What is Gardner saying about the power of
language and the ability to use it?
3. Gardner characterizes Grendel as being lonely and isolated. What response does he hope to
evoke in the reader?
4. What is the novel’s message about the relationship between a person’s understanding of
nature and a person’s perspective in time? Look for clues as you read.
5. How does the novel approach traditional ideas of heroism?
6. How is this novel one of not only physical conflict but also ideological conflict? Think about
how this book paints a picture of competing belief systems, various and divergent ways of
making sense of it all.
AP English Literature and Composition
Titles and authors:
1) My Antonia by Willa Cather
ISBN: 978-1613820759
2) True Grit by Charles Portis
ISBN: 978-1468301250
3) Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell
ISBN: 978-0316066419
Please read the novels in the order listed above. I have chosen the three novels for a variety of
reasons: Each was written in a different century (19th, 20th and 21st centuries); each portrays a strong
female character facing great challenges; each writer creates a strong sense of place; and each work
reflects the era that produced it. Two of the titles appear on the National Endowment for the Arts
website. For each of these, listen to the thirty minute podcast (there is a transcript of the audio) and
consult the Reader’s Guide, which includes resources, a list of characters, and discussion questions.
You will find this site a great resource that will enhance, guide your reading, and increase your
appreciation of the two texts. When you return for the 2014-15 school year, you will take tests to
guarantee that you have read all three novels. We will follow up the tests with a discussion of the
novels including another assessment (test or paper). The website is www.neabigread.org or Google
“NEA The Big Read.”
English 12 / Theology
Title and author:
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
ISBN: 978-0-06-065295-1
Expectations:
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis can be read quickly; it is not a hard book to read. However, it should
be read slowly and each chapter digested carefully. As is so often the case with Lewis, there is great
depth underlying what seems to be "easy." Students should consider how the various characters are
essential types that portray an array of approaches to questions about life and death, sin and
judgment, and finally heaven and hell. No one escapes these questions, including those who insist on
avoiding them. Students should also examine the frightening power of human will, questioning just
what we think we mean when we toss around terms such as "free will." What does it mean to be free?
What makes us free? What moves the will to act? All of this and more presses up through the
surfaces of this story. Those who arrive on the first day of class full of troublesome questions will be
ready for what the course has to offer.
English 12 / Tolkien
Title and author:
Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
ISBN: 978-0-06-060852-1
Expectations:
Within the context of the Nazi horror Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote this little study about the structure of
what true community is. As the atrocities of the time unfolded around him, Bonhoeffer saw very
clearly the dangers of false constructs of human community. He was appalled by the inability of his
fellow Germans (especially his fellow clergymen) to formulate a cogent resistance against the Nazi
programs. He then formulates his own understanding of what true fellowship is and the One around
whom true fellowship forms. Keep an eye on things that you think might eventually apply to this class
as Tolkien’s narrative unfolds. You will be asked how the concepts presented by Bonhoeffer apply to
us as citizens of Episcopal as well.