Name______________________
Honors English 9: Summer Reading Study Guides
ROMEO AND JULIET-William Shakespeare
Summer Reading Guide
William Shakespeare’s classic love story, Romeo and Juliet, is between two individuals from
feuding families in Verona. The play covers the tragic conflicts caused by this relationship.
This study guide on Romeo and Juliet should be completed and ready to hand in on the second
day of school.
1. Write a paragraph describing Mercutio or Tybalt using at least five of the words from this list.
Give examples and texts to show what the character like.
Adieu
rancor
Poultice
scurvy
Knave
perjury
Intercession
prorogued
Beshrew
shrive
Valor
chide
Herald
abhor
2. It’s been an eventful day for Juliet. Assume that she sits down to write an entry in her diary
immediately after the Sunday evening party (end of Act I).
Write Juliet’s entry for her. First, evaluate the events of the day that she might consider
important. Then arrange these events in the order that Juliet might discuss them in her diary.
Be sure that the tone and content of the diary is keeping with Juliet’s personality--polite and
obedient yet emotional and strong-willed.
3. Characterize Lord and Lady Capulet. Explain whether or not you approve of their parenting
styles. Give specific examples and texts to justify your opinion of each.
4. Choose Friar Laurence, the Nurse, or Prince Escalus of Verona to accept responsibility for
the deaths of the Paris, Romeo, and Juliet. Explain why the person is at fault and suggest an
acceptable punishment for that person based on what you can research out about the church or
government of the time of the play. Use texts to prove the person’s guilt.
5. Give three examples of Romeo and Juliet’s maturity. Include actual quotes to support your
points.
6. Give three examples of Romeo and Juliet’s immaturity. Include actual quotes to support
your points.
7. Using the famous balcony scene in Act II, discuss what the text says about youth. What are
they like? Why? Give examples.
8. Define Irony. Explain several ways in which the marriage to Paris and preparations for the
wedding feast are create irony in the play.
9. Evaluate the actions of each of the following characters based on the graveyard scene in Act
5 scene 3.
Paris
Romeo
Juliet
10. Research out a famous feud in history. Explain how this feud parallels the one portrayed in
Romeo and Juliet. Give examples from the play as well as from your research.
11. Shakespeare’s language has inspired people for over 400 years. It is quoted, referenced,
and remembered. Choose three quotes from the play that you found to be particularly
interesting. Write a brief paragraph responding to what the quote says to you.
12. Write a paragraph defining love as it is portrayed in Romeo and Juliet. Include texts to
show your characterization.
Name________________
A Separate Peace-By John Knowles
Study Guide-Honors English 9
A Separate Peace is a novel by John Knowles that was based on his experiences as a student at
Exeter Prep School in New Hampshire during the 1950’s. The novel captures the atmosphere of a
boarding school with high expectations of academics, athletics, and discipline set in an idyllic New
England countryside. The story focuses on two young men, the narrator Gene and his roommate
Finney. Together the two form a timeless friendship as they try to escape the rules of Devon Prep
and the inevitable march toward graduation and enlistment in World War II. As they attend
summer school together, it seems they truly achieve the peace the rest of the world is deprived of,
until a dreadful “accident” threatens life as they know it.
A Separate Peace is the winner of the William Faulkner Foundation Award and the Rosenthal Award
of the National Institute of Arts and Letters.
Section 1-Chapters 1-4
1. At the beginning of the novel Gene returns to Devon, the exclusive boarding school he
attended during his high school years. Most of you have never attended a boarding school.
Using actual quotes from the book, list descriptions of Devon below as you read. Then
write a brief paragraph contrasting Devon to the schools you are accustomed to attending.
2. Gene’s return to Devon is years after his graduation. Describe his mood as he returns.
Quote from the text to help show what he is feeling toward the school and the tree.
3. What references are made to the war in this section? How do the boys feel about the
war? How do the teachers feel? Why is this summer so important to the boys?
4. What does it mean that “Phineas was the essence of this careless peace”? Include at
least three quotes that illustrate this. Explain each.
Give three details about each of the following. Explain why they are important to
the book.
Blitzkreig ball or blitzball-
A. Hopkins Parker-
The day at the beach-
Chet Douglass and trigonometry-
Section Two-Chapters 5-7 Life Without Finney
1. Consider the discussion between Gene and Phineas at his home. Discuss the following
statement giving specific quotes and evidence from the book to prove your point. (Do not
always settle for obvious answers). “Gene purposely jounced the limb so Phineas would
fall.”
2. What does Gene decide to do for Phineas? Explain his decision. What is Gene’s
obsession with rules at the end of Chapter 5 and the beginning of 6? Why do you think he
feels this way?
3. Contrast Quackenbush and Phiney. What is the importance of Gene’s outburst with
Quackenbush?
4. Contrast the summer session with the 163rd Winter session at Devon. Which does
Gene prefer? Why?
5. Contrast Brinker Hadley and Lepellier. What is the purpose of describing these two
very different young men in the same chapter?
Section 3 Chapters 9-11-Give three details about each of the following. Explain why
they are important to the book.
Finney’s “vision of peace.”
The 1944 Olympics:
The enlistment of Lepellier:
Gene’s reaction to Leper after his “escape” from the army
The Winter Carnival:
Brinker’s “investigation” of the accident:-The Final Words: Chapters 12-13
1. Discuss the following statement. In the infirmary, following Finney’s fall, Gene and
Finney help each other achieve a “separate peace.”
2. How does Gene become like Phineas? (or “Phineas filled” as he puts it)
3. What is Gene’s explanation of war? How does he describe his involvement in the War?
How does that apply to what he has learned at Devon?
Give three details about each of the following. Explain why they are important to
the book.
Brinker’s Enlistment:
Name_____________________
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn-By Mark Twain
Ernest Hemingway expressed his admiration for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by saying, "All
modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn." H. L.
Mencken calls the novel, …”one of the great masterpieces of the world.” Nevertheless, the book
remains one of the most controversial novels ever written as well as one of the most censored
books in America. The validity of arguments surrounding the book mostly involves the many uses of
the term “nigger” in the text. In fact, recently the book has been rewritten and republished by a
college professor who washed the offensive term from the text. The rationale behind this new
edition as well as the title and author are discussed on the following site
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/45645upcoming-newsouth-huck-finn-eliminates-the-n-word.html
Of course, we at Lutheran West do not advocate racism by choosing this novel. Instead we feel it
is a significant part of America’s literary canon and must be read from the perspective of Twain’s
point of view as a young white boy who must learn, from his experiences with runaway slave, Jim, on
the Mississippi river that Jim is more human and more of a father figure to him than his own father
ever was. Huck’s relationship with Jim teaches a greater lesson of the hypocrisy of societal values
of his time that raised him to see Jim as property not as a person. As Huck grows, the intelligent
reader recognizes those same lessons, and hopefully, sees the injustices of slavery and racism.
Your student may read either text although we recommend the original text using the above
understanding of the author’s purpose.
Study Guide: Because this book is The ”Adventures” of Huck Finn, it is episodic, which means it
is written in several different episodes or stories and can be easily divided into stand-alone
sections. Twain himself wrote the first section of the book and walked away from it for over a
year. This guide will also be organized into four distinct sections of the book. Use specific
examples from the reading to support your answer to each question.
Part 1-Chapters 1-15 “Discover Moses and the Bulrushers” to “Fooling Poor Old Jim”
1. This book was set in pre- Civil War America, approximately 1835-1845. Research two
facts about each of the following, slavery, feuds, free black citizens, and voting rights at
that time. Relate these ideas to the concept of being civilized. How do these ideas relate
to what Huck views civilization to be. Do you feel he will ever become civilized? Why or
Why not?
2. Write a paragraph choosing the characters from the following list. Explain who helped
Huck become more “civilized”, choosing quotes and examples to show what he learned from
each. Then write a paragraph choosing the people who most encouraged him to be
uncivilized, again explaining each with texts and examples. Which person had the biggest
impact and why?
The Widow Douglas
Jim
Miss Watson
Huck’s Father
Tom Sawyer
3. What do you feel is Twain's attitude toward slavery? Why? Give evidence from the
text to support your view.
Part II-Chapter 16 “The Rattlesnake Skin Does Its Work” through Chapter 23 “The
Orneriness of Kings”
One of Huck's major conflicts in his life is whether or not to become socially acceptable
or "civilized." This often doesn't appeal to him because the people he meets who are
"civilized" often are uncivilized in that they lack morals or behave in a hypocritical manner.
1. Consider each of the following characters. Choose any two and write a paragraph
explaining, “Although society views these people as civilized, they are truly quite
uncivilized.” Give quotes and examples for each.
Emmeline Grangerford
The Duke
Col. Grangerford
The King
Sophia Grangerford
Col. Sherburn
Harney Shepherdson
Boggs
2. Choose two people from the above list and write a paragraph explaining, “Although
society views these people as uncivilized, they really are the most civilized people Huck
meets in this section. Again prove using the book.
Part III-Chapter 24 “The King Turns Parson” through Chapter 31 “You Can’t Pray a Lie”
1. Using at least three quotes in which Huck refers to the river, explain his feelings
toward the raft and the river. What do these symbolize and why?
2. Characterize Mary Jane. Give several reasons why Huck decided to trust Mary Jane.
3. State three changes in Huck's character in this segment and give specific evidence to
prove these changes exist.
4. What was the psychological climax of part three? Why do you feel this is a turning
point for Huck?
Part IV-Chapter 32 “I Have a New Name” through Chapter the Last “Nothing More to
Write”
A. The items listed below are all found in part IV of your reading. Think about each of
the following. Select any three and explain how they changed Huck, helping him grow and
mature.
The last time Huck saw
the King and the Duke
The sheets and the candlesticks
What happened to Tom during the escape
Tom’s surprise announcement at the end of the book
Jim’s surprise announcement at the end of the book
2. Describe each of the characters below. Tell their part in the last section of the book
and label them as a hero or a hypocrite, explaining your choice. Tell what lesson they
taught Huck in section 4 of the book.
Aunt Sally-
The townspeople-
The doctor-
Tom-
Jim-
3. At the end of the book, Huck says “Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me,
and I can’t stand it. I been there before.” Give three reasons why Huck is so dead set
against being civilized. Use examples from part four to support your answer.