 SMHS SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT 2015 
GRADE 9 (Class of 2019)
ENGLISH I HONORS ASSIGNMENT
If you are enrolled in the English I Honors class for the upcoming year, you must complete the
following two assignments:
1. Read Animal Farm by George Orwell. Please see your teacher for a copy of the text to
borrow for the summer. If you borrow a book from SMHS, you must return it in August
or you will be charged to replace it.
You will complete an in-class test on Animal Farm within the first 2 weeks of class.
2. Select a book from the list below and be prepared to complete an in-class essay on the
book you chose during the first week of school.
ENGLISH I ASSIGNMENT
If you are enrolled in the English I class for the upcoming year, you must complete the following
assignment:
1. Select a book from the list below and be prepared to complete an in-class essay on the
book you chose during the first 2 weeks of school.
BOOK LIST
Th1rteen R3asons Why: A novel by Jay Asher – When Hannah Baker commits suicide, she
leaves behind thirteen cassette tapes to those she feels contributed to her decision to end her life.
Clay finds the box of tapes on his front porch, and as he starts listening to Hannah recount the events
leading up to her suicide, his heartrending night begins.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins –KatnissEverdeen,girlonfire,hassurvived,eventhoughherhome
hasbeendestroyed.Therearerebels.Therearenewleaders.Arevolutionisunfolding.District13has
comeoutoftheshadowsandisplottingtooverthrowtheCapitol.Thoughshe'slongbeenapartofthe
revolution,Katnisshasn'tknownit.Nowitseemsthateveryonehashadahandinthecarefullylaidplans
buther.ThesuccessoftherebellionhingesonKatniss'swillingnesstobeapawn,toacceptresponsibility
forcountlesslives,andtochangethecourseofthefutureofPanem.Todothis,shemustputasideher
feelingsofangeranddistrust.Shemustbecometherebels'Mockingjay‐nomatterwhatthecost.
Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman - Stuck in Neutral tells the story of a (nearly) typical fourteen
year-old boy named Shawn McDaniel. He likes potato chips and rock and roll. His palms get sweaty
and his heart pounds when he sees Allison Williams. Yes he is very typical, except for one thing, he
has cerebral palsy. He cannot move a muscle, he can't blink, and he can't talk. However trapped
inside this vegetable of a body is a smart, witty, outgoing kid with Photographic memory. He never
forgets anything he sees, hears, or experiences. Shawn's life gets pretty frustrating and lonely
sometimes, however he stays positive, until he finds out his dad is planning to kill him.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold - When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in
heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in
1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn't happen. Susie
relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds
herself. With love, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie watches her family as they cope with
their grief, her father embarks on a search for the killer, her sister undertakes a feat of amazing
daring, her little brother builds a fort in her honor and begin the difficult process of healing.
Nation by Terry Prachett – Mau is caught in the tidal wave that destroyed his island and Daphne is
her ship’s only survivor of that tsunami. Together on the devastated island, they form a new nation.
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult - Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she
has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can
somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. Anna was conceived as a bone
marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most
teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always
been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be
unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the
sister she loves.
The Great Wide Sea by M. H. Herlong – Only two months after the death of their mother, Ben’s
father sells their house and buys a sailboat. The angry and resentful Ben, along with his two younger
brothers, must go with their father on a year-long voyage around the Bahamas. Their father
disappears overboard one night. The brothers must battle a terrible storm by themselves and are then
stranded on a small island with little food, water, or hope of rescue. An action packed survival story.
Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia – Trina has unknowingly insulted the unstable Dominique in the
hall, and she is in danger of being jumped after school. Leticia knows what is going on, but does not
want to get involved by telling anyone.
Last Climb: the Legendary Everest Expeditions of George Mallory by David Breashears
and Audrey Salkeld – In 1924 the explorer, George Mallory, disappeared on Mount Everest only to be
found seventy-five years later on the icy slopes. The authors reveal the astounding facts of early
mountain climbing on Mount Everest, describe the events of Mallory’s adventurous life, and suggest
scenarios that may have led to his death on this most dangerous climb.
Swallowing Stones by Joyce McDonald - It begins with a free and joyful act--but from then on,
Michael finds it impossible even to remember what it felt like to be free and joyful. When he fires his
new rifle into the air on his seventeenth birthday, he never imagines that the bullet will end up killing
someone. But a mile away, a man is killed by that bullet as he innocently repairs his roof. And
Michael keeps desperately silent while he watches his world crumble. Meanwhile Jenna, the dead
man's daughter, copes with desperation of her own. Through her grief, she tries to understand why
she no longer feels comfortable with her boyfriend and why a near stranger named Michael keeps
appearing in her dreams. Suspenseful and powerfully moving, this is the unforgettable story of an
accidental crime and its haunting web of repercussions.
The following essay prompts are the same prompts you will see in the first week of school for your inclass essay. You are not expected to write this essay during the summer. Essays should be
written in class when we all return from vacation. A copy of the prompts is provided below so you can
familiarize yourself with the questions before you return to school. This serves to help you start
thinking about what you might write about as you read so that you are better prepared for the in-class
essay during the first week of school.
IN-CLASS ESSAY PROMPTS FOR FIRST ESSAY ASSIGNMENT OF THE YEAR
1. Literature often depicts characters caught between colliding cultures—national, regional, ethnic, religious, institutional,
etc. Such collisions can call a character’s sense of identity into question. Using a literary work in which a character
responds to such a cultural collision, write a well-organized essay describing the character’s response and explain its
relevance to the work as a whole.
2. A recurring theme in literature is the classic war between a passion and responsibility. For instance, a personal cause,
a love, a desire for revenge, or some other emotion or drive may conflict with moral duty. Choose a literary work in which
a character confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts with his or her responsibilities. In a well-written
essay show clearly the nature of the conflict, its effects upon the character, and the significance to the work.
3. Choose a complex or important character in a literary work that might be considered evil or immoral. Write a wellorganized essay explaining both how and why the full presentation of the character in the work makes us react more
sympathetically than we otherwise might.
4. Some literary works seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a literary
work and note the particular attitudes or traditions that the author apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the
techniques the author uses to influence the reader's or audience's views.
5. In a literary work, characters are often surrounded by an opposite type of character, often known as a foil. These foil
characters possesses traits that emphasize the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character by contrast or
comparison. For example, the ideas or behavior of a foil character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths
of another character. Choose a literary work in which a character serves as a foil for the main character and write a wellorganized essay which analyzes how the relation between the two characters illuminates one or more themes of the work.
 SMHS SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT 2015 
GRADE 10 (Class of 2018)
ENGLISH II HONORS ASSIGNMENT
If you are enrolled in the English II Honors class for the upcoming year, you must complete the
following two assignments:
1. Read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Please see
your teacher for a copy of the text to borrow for the summer. If you borrow a book from
SMHS, you must return it in August or you will be charged to replace it.
You will complete an in-class test on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
within the first 2 weeks of class.
2. Select a book from the list below and be prepared to complete an in-class essay on the
book you chose during the first week of school.
ENGLISH II ASSIGNMENT
If you are enrolled in the English II class for the upcoming year, you must complete the following
assignment:
1. Select a book from the list below and be prepared to complete an in-class essay on the
book you chose during the first 2 weeks of school.
BOOK LIST
Th1rteen R3asons Why: A novel by Jay Asher – When Hannah Baker commits suicide, she
leaves behind thirteen cassette tapes to those she feels contributed to her decision to end her life.
Clay finds the box of tapes on his front porch, and as he starts listening to Hannah recount the events
leading up to her suicide, his heartrending night begins.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins –KatnissEverdeen,girlonfire,hassurvived,eventhoughherhome
hasbeendestroyed.Therearerebels.Therearenewleaders.Arevolutionisunfolding.District13has
comeoutoftheshadowsandisplottingtooverthrowtheCapitol.Thoughshe'slongbeenapartofthe
revolution,Katnisshasn'tknownit.Nowitseemsthateveryonehashadahandinthecarefullylaidplans
buther.ThesuccessoftherebellionhingesonKatniss'swillingnesstobeapawn,toacceptresponsibility
forcountlesslives,andtochangethecourseofthefutureofPanem.Todothis,shemustputasideher
feelingsofangeranddistrust.Shemustbecometherebels'Mockingjay‐nomatterwhatthecost.
Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman - Stuck in Neutral tells the story of a (nearly) typical fourteen
year-old boy named Shawn McDaniel. He likes potato chips and rock and roll. His palms get sweaty
and his heart pounds when he sees Allison Williams. Yes he is very typical, except for one thing, he
has cerebral palsy. He cannot move a muscle, he can't blink, and he can't talk. However trapped
inside this vegetable of a body is a smart, witty, outgoing kid with Photographic memory. He never
forgets anything he sees, hears, or experiences. Shawn's life gets pretty frustrating and lonely
sometimes, however he stays positive, until he finds out his dad is planning to kill him.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold - When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in
heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in
1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn't happen. Susie
relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds
herself. With love, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie watches her family as they cope with
their grief, her father embarks on a search for the killer, her sister undertakes a feat of amazing
daring, her little brother builds a fort in her honor and begin the difficult process of healing.
Nation by Terry Prachett – Mau is caught in the tidal wave that destroyed his island and Daphne is
her ship’s only survivor of that tsunami. Together on the devastated island, they form a new nation.
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult - Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she
has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can
somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. Anna was conceived as a bone
marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most
teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always
been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be
unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the
sister she loves.
The Great Wide Sea by M. H. Herlong – Only two months after the death of their mother, Ben’s
father sells their house and buys a sailboat. The angry and resentful Ben, along with his two younger
brothers, must go with their father on a year-long voyage around the Bahamas. Their father
disappears overboard one night. The brothers must battle a terrible storm by themselves and are then
stranded on a small island with little food, water, or hope of rescue. An action packed survival story.
Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia – Trina has unknowingly insulted the unstable Dominique in the
hall, and she is in danger of being jumped after school. Leticia knows what is going on, but does not
want to get involved by telling anyone.
Last Climb: the Legendary Everest Expeditions of George Mallory by David Breashears
and Audrey Salkeld – In 1924 the explorer, George Mallory, disappeared on Mount Everest only to be
found seventy-five years later on the icy slopes. The authors reveal the astounding facts of early
mountain climbing on Mount Everest, describe the events of Mallory’s adventurous life, and suggest
scenarios that may have led to his death on this most dangerous climb.
Swallowing Stones by Joyce McDonald - It begins with a free and joyful act--but from then on,
Michael finds it impossible even to remember what it felt like to be free and joyful. When he fires his
new rifle into the air on his seventeenth birthday, he never imagines that the bullet will end up killing
someone. But a mile away, a man is killed by that bullet as he innocently repairs his roof. And
Michael keeps desperately silent while he watches his world crumble. Meanwhile Jenna, the dead
man's daughter, copes with desperation of her own. Through her grief, she tries to understand why
she no longer feels comfortable with her boyfriend and why a near stranger named Michael keeps
appearing in her dreams. Suspenseful and powerfully moving, this is the unforgettable story of an
accidental crime and its haunting web of repercussions.
The following essay prompts are the same prompts you will see in the first week of school for your inclass essay. You are not expected to write this essay during the summer. Essays should be
written in class when we all return from vacation. A copy of the prompts is provided below so you can
familiarize yourself with the questions before you return to school. This serves to help you start
thinking about what you might write about as you read so that you are better prepared for the in-class
essay during the first week of school.
IN-CLASS ESSAY PROMPTS FOR FIRST ESSAY ASSIGNMENT OF THE YEAR
1. Literature often depicts characters caught between colliding cultures—national, regional, ethnic, religious, institutional,
etc. Such collisions can call a character’s sense of identity into question. Using a literary work in which a character
responds to such a cultural collision, write a well-organized essay describing the character’s response and explain its
relevance to the work as a whole.
2. A recurring theme in literature is the classic war between a passion and responsibility. For instance, a personal cause,
a love, a desire for revenge, or some other emotion or drive may conflict with moral duty. Choose a literary work in which
a character confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts with his or her responsibilities. In a well-written
essay show clearly the nature of the conflict, its effects upon the character, and the significance to the work.
3. Choose a complex or important character in a literary work that might be considered evil or immoral. Write a wellorganized essay explaining both how and why the full presentation of the character in the work makes us react more
sympathetically than we otherwise might.
4. Some literary works seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a literary
work and note the particular attitudes or traditions that the author apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the
techniques the author uses to influence the reader's or audience's views.
5. In a literary work, characters are often surrounded by an opposite type of character, often known as a foil. These foil
characters possesses traits that emphasize the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character by contrast or
comparison. For example, the ideas or behavior of a foil character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths
of another character. Choose a literary work in which a character serves as a foil for the main character and write a wellorganized essay which analyzes how the relation between the two characters illuminates one or more themes of the work.
 SMHS SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT 2015 
GRADE 11 (Class of 2017)
ENGLISH III HONORS ASSIGNMENT
If you are enrolled in the English III Honors class for the upcoming year, you must complete the
following two assignments:
1. Read The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Please see Ms. Concienne for a copy
of the text to borrow for the summer. If you borrow a book from SMHS, you must return
it in August or you will be charged to replace it.
You will complete an in-class test on The Scarlet Letter within the first 2 weeks of class.
2. Select a book from the list below and be prepared to complete an in-class essay on the
book you chose during the first 2 weeks of school.
ENGLISH III ASSIGNMENT
If you are enrolled in the English III class for the upcoming year, you must complete the following
assignment:
1. Select a book from the list below and be prepared to complete an in-class essay on the
book you chose during the first 2 weeks of school.
BOOK LIST
Ironman by Chris Crutcher – Bo Brewster has been at war with his father for as long as he can
remember. Following angry outbursts at school that cost Bo his spot on the football team, Bo is sent
to an anger management group. There he meets a hard-edged pack of survivors whose won defenses
are rigged as high as his.
Jake Reinvented by Gordon Korman – There is a mysterious new student at Fitzgerald High, Jake
Garret. He seems to have it all figured out. He looks like he just stepped off the cover of the J. Crew
catalog; he is the best kicker the football team has ever had, and best of all, he hosts the party to go to
every Friday night. All the guys want to be like him and all the girls want to date4 him, but Jake only
has eyes for Didi, the girlfriend of alpha male and quarterback, Todd Buckley. As Jake’s friend Rick
gets to know him, he at first admires him, then starts to like him, but soon grows to fear him as he
learns Jake’s dangerous secret.
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult – The residents of a small, ordinary New Hampshire town seek
justice in the aftermath of a shocking school shooting carried out by a teenage boy who had been
bullied since kindergarten.
Senioritis by Tate Thompson – A group of high school teenagers have e to attend a 3-5 p.m.
program to make up credits, or to correct inappropriate behavior before they can graduate. A very
compassionate mentor encourages them to correct their failings as they vent their anger against
teachers in their journals.
Tell No One: A Novel by Harlan Coben – After years of struggling with grief over his wife’s murder
by a serial killer, Dr. David Beck receives a mysterious e-mail that includes a secret word only known
to his wife and himself. Is she still alive?
The Help by Kathryn Stockett – College graduate Sketter Phelan, a white twenty-four year old social
misfit and an aspiring writer, decides to secretly compile the untold stories of black domestic workers
in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. Her fellow conspirators, two black women, Abilene and
Minny, risk their lives and livelihoods in the racially charged South of the 1960’s to help collect the
interviews she seeks.
Homer and Langley by E. L. Doctorow – Based on the true lives of the very unusual Collyer
brothers of New York City, this novel allows the reader a glimpse into the hoarding existence of
anonymity of the two reclusive brothers. The story is written in the voice of one of the eccentric
brothers.
Outliers: the Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell – Gladwell examines the backgrounds of
extremely successful people to explore the common traits leading to their success. He compares birth
date, birthplace, community values, family, and other factors to draw his conclusions.
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher - He's got a starting spot on the football team, good friends, and a
smart, beautiful girlfriend who loves him as much as he loves her. Early in the fall, he sees all his
ideas of fair play go up in smoke; by spring, what he cares about most has been destroyed. How can
Louie keep going when he's lost everything?
The Secret Lives of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd - Living on a peach farm in South Carolina, Lily’s
entire life has been shaped around one devastating, though blurred, memory- the afternoon her
mother was killed. Four at the time, she remembers innocently picking up the gun. And, she has her
father's eyewitness account of the gun firing. People remind her it was an accident, yet she's inhabited
by a torturous guilt. South Carolina in 1964 is a place and time of seething racial divides. When
violence explodes one summer afternoon, and Rosaleen is arrested and beaten, Lily is desperate, not
only to save Rosaleen, but to flee a life she can no longer endure. Calling upon her wits and daring,
she breaks Rosaleen out of jail and the two of them take off, runaway-fugitives conjoined in an escape
that quickly turns into Lily's quest for the truth about her mother's life.
The following essay prompts are the same prompts you will see in the first week of school for your inclass essay. You are not expected to write this essay during the summer. Essays should be
written in class when we all return from vacation. A copy of the prompts is provided below so you can
familiarize yourself with the questions before you return to school. This serves to help you start
thinking about what you might write about as you read so that you are better prepared for the in-class
essay during the first week of school.
IN-CLASS ESSAY PROMPTS FOR FIRST ESSAY ASSIGNMENT OF THE YEAR
1. Literature often depicts characters caught between colliding cultures—national, regional, ethnic, religious, institutional,
etc. Such collisions can call a character’s sense of identity into question. Using a literary work in which a character
responds to such a cultural collision, write a well-organized essay describing the character’s response and explain its
relevance to the work as a whole.
2. A recurring theme in literature is the classic war between a passion and responsibility. For instance, a personal cause,
a love, a desire for revenge, or some other emotion or drive may conflict with moral duty. Choose a literary work in which
a character confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts with his or her responsibilities. In a well-written
essay show clearly the nature of the conflict, its effects upon the character, and the significance to the work.
3. Choose a complex or important character in a literary work that might be considered evil or immoral. Write a wellorganized essay explaining both how and why the full presentation of the character in the work makes us react more
sympathetically than we otherwise might.
4. Some literary works seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a literary
work and note the particular attitudes or traditions that the author apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the
techniques the author uses to influence the reader's or audience's views.
5. In a literary work, characters are often surrounded by an opposite type of character, often known as a foil. These foil
characters possesses traits that emphasize the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character by contrast or
comparison. For example, the ideas or behavior of a foil character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths
of another character. Choose a literary work in which a character serves as a foil for the main character and write a wellorganized essay which analyzes how the relation between the two characters illuminates one or more themes of the work.
 SMHS SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT 2015 
GRADE 12 (Class of 2016)
ENGLISH IV HONORS ASSIGNMENT
If you are enrolled in the English IV Honors class for the upcoming year, you must complete the
following two assignments:
1. Read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Please see Mrs. Brousseau for a copy of the text to
borrow for the summer. If you borrow a book from SMHS, you must return it in August
or you will be charged to replace it.
You will complete an in-class test on Jane Eyre within the first 2 weeks of class.
2. Select a book from the list below and be prepared to complete an in-class essay on the
book you chose during the first 2 weeks of school.
SENIOR YEAR ELECTIVES ASSIGNMENT
If you are enrolled in a Senior English elective (Literacy & Technology, Short Story, Poetry, Literature
& Film, etc.) for the upcoming year, you must complete the following assignment:
1. Select a book from the list below and be prepared to complete an in-class essay on the
book you chose during the first 2 weeks of school.
BOOK LIST
Ironman by Chris Crutcher – Bo Brewster has been at war with his father for as long as he can
remember. Following angry outbursts at school that cost Bo his spot on the football team, Bo is sent
to an anger management group. There he meets a hard-edged pack of survivors whose won defenses
are rigged as high as his.
Jake Reinvented by Gordon Korman – There is a mysterious new student at Fitzgerald High, Jake
Garret. He seems to have it all figured out. He looks like he just stepped off the cover of the J. Crew
catalog; he is the best kicker the football team has ever had, and best of all, he hosts the party to go to
every Friday night. All the guys want to be like him and all the girls want to date4 him, but Jake only
has eyes for Didi, the girlfriend of alpha male and quarterback, Todd Buckley. As Jake’s friend Rick
gets to know him, he at first admires him, then starts to like him, but soon grows to fear him as he
learns Jake’s dangerous secret.
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult – The residents of a small, ordinary New Hampshire town seek
justice in the aftermath of a shocking school shooting carried out by a teenage boy who had been
bullied since kindergarten.
Senioritis by Tate Thompson – A group of high school teenagers have e to attend a 3-5 p.m.
program to make up credits, or to correct inappropriate behavior before they can graduate. A very
compassionate mentor encourages them to correct their failings as they vent their anger against
teachers in their journals.
Tell No One: A Novel by Harlan Coben – After years of struggling with grief over his wife’s murder
by a serial killer, Dr. David Beck receives a mysterious e-mail that includes a secret word only known
to his wife and himself. Is she still alive?
The Help by Kathryn Stockett – College graduate Sketter Phelan, a white twenty-four year old social
misfit and an aspiring writer, decides to secretly compile the untold stories of black domestic workers
in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. Her fellow conspirators, two black women, Abilene and
Minny, risk their lives and livelihoods in the racially charged South of the 1960’s to help collect the
interviews she seeks.
Homer and Langley by E. L. Doctorow – Based on the true lives of the very unusual Collyer
brothers of New York City, this novel allows the reader a glimpse into the hoarding existence of
anonymity of the two reclusive brothers. The story is written in the voice of one of the eccentric
brothers.
Outliers: the Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell – Gladwell examines the backgrounds of
extremely successful people to explore the common traits leading to their success. He compares birth
date, birthplace, community values, family, and other factors to draw his conclusions.
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher - He's got a starting spot on the football team, good friends, and a
smart, beautiful girlfriend who loves him as much as he loves her. Early in the fall, he sees all his
ideas of fair play go up in smoke; by spring, what he cares about most has been destroyed. How can
Louie keep going when he's lost everything?
The Secret Lives of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd - Living on a peach farm in South Carolina, Lily’s
entire life has been shaped around one devastating, though blurred, memory- the afternoon her
mother was killed. Four at the time, she remembers innocently picking up the gun. And, she has her
father's eyewitness account of the gun firing. People remind her it was an accident, yet she's inhabited
by a torturous guilt. South Carolina in 1964 is a place and time of seething racial divides. When
violence explodes one summer afternoon, and Rosaleen is arrested and beaten, Lily is desperate, not
only to save Rosaleen, but to flee a life she can no longer endure. Calling upon her wits and daring,
she breaks Rosaleen out of jail and the two of them take off, runaway-fugitives conjoined in an escape
that quickly turns into Lily's quest for the truth about her mother's life.
The following essay prompts are the same prompts you will see in the first week of school for your inclass essay. You are not expected to write this essay during the summer. Essays should be
written in class when we all return from vacation. A copy of the prompts is provided below so you can
familiarize yourself with the questions before you return to school. This serves to help you start
thinking about what you might write about as you read so that you are better prepared for the in-class
essay during the first week of school.
IN-CLASS ESSAY PROMPTS FOR FIRST ESSAY ASSIGNMENT OF THE YEAR
1. Literature often depicts characters caught between colliding cultures—national, regional, ethnic, religious, institutional,
etc. Such collisions can call a character’s sense of identity into question. Using a literary work in which a character
responds to such a cultural collision, write a well-organized essay describing the character’s response and explain its
relevance to the work as a whole.
2. A recurring theme in literature is the classic war between a passion and responsibility. For instance, a personal cause,
a love, a desire for revenge, or some other emotion or drive may conflict with moral duty. Choose a literary work in which
a character confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts with his or her responsibilities. In a well-written
essay show clearly the nature of the conflict, its effects upon the character, and the significance to the work.
3. Choose a complex or important character in a literary work that might be considered evil or immoral. Write a wellorganized essay explaining both how and why the full presentation of the character in the work makes us react more
sympathetically than we otherwise might.
4. Some literary works seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a literary
work and note the particular attitudes or traditions that the author apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the
techniques the author uses to influence the reader's or audience's views.
5. In a literary work, characters are often surrounded by an opposite type of character, often known as a foil. These foil
characters possesses traits that emphasize the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character by contrast or
comparison. For example, the ideas or behavior of a foil character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths
of another character. Choose a literary work in which a character serves as a foil for the main character and write a wellorganized essay which analyzes how the relation between the two characters illuminates one or more themes of the work.