Independent Reading Project
Winter Break, 2009-2010
The holiday season is the perfect time to read a great book. Imagine yourself curling up by the warm fire,
holding a cup of delicious peppermint hot chocolate, and immersing yourself in someone else’s world. Is there
anything better?
For second quarter, this Independent Reading Project is worth two test grades. First, you will read a book of your
choice by an author of my choice (see the back for the comprehensive list). After you have finished reading, you
will write a five-paragraph essay that analyzes a character from the novel and demonstrates your understanding of
it. Then, when you return from break, we will spend one week presenting our books to the class and one week in
the media center during which you will independently research the author of your book and derive a Critical
Biography about the author of your book (more on that later…)
Due Dates
-You have chosen your author/title
-Time you have for reading and writing your paper
-Character Analysis Paper is due (must be TYPED)
-We are in the media center/Lab 104 for author research
-Outline is due for your critical biography (more info to come)
Monday, November 30th
Monday, Nov. 30th – Sunday, Jan. 3rd
Monday, January 4th
Tuesday, Jan 5th through Monday, Jan 12th
Tuesday, Jan 13th
Five-Paragraph Character Analysis Essay*
Instructions: Choose a character from the novel (it should probably be a main character) and then decide
on three important characteristics that character embodies. Your essay will be an analysis of each of the
three characteristics (the three body paragraphs). The first and last paragraphs of the essay will be the
introduction and conclusion that contains your thesis statement. Then, the middle three body paragraphs
should contain the following: a topic sentence that contains a topic and a limiting idea; several sentences of
textual evidence that support the topic sentence, including quotes from the novel and analysis of the
quotes; and then a concluding/transition sentence. DO NOT SUMMARIZE THE NOVEL!
Grading (based on content, grammar, punctuation, and following directions):
 Your paper must be typed.
 It must be double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt font, and have one-inch margins.
 It should have a heading that consists of your name, and the class period, and the date.
 You should also have a title (centered), but not the title of the novel because your paper is about a
character.
 When writing about literature, be sure to always write in present tense.
 Avoid first and second person pronouns (I, me, my, you, your).
 Incorporates quotation marks successfully.

Also Avoid each and every Egregious Error!
*You may not use SparkNotes or any other similar aid when deriving material for your paper.
List of Authors and Books
If there is a different book/author you would like to read, please consult with me first.
Louisa May Alcott
Little Women (1868-1869)
Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice (1813)
Ray Bradbury
Fahrenheit 451 (1951)
Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre (1847)
Pearl S. Buck
The Good Earth (1931)
Olive Ann Burns
Cold Sassy Tree (1984)
Kate Chopin
The Awakening (1899)
Khaled Hosseini
The Kite Runner (2003)
John Knowles
A Separate Peace (1959)
Toni Morrison
Beloved (1987)
George Orwell
1984 (1949)
JD Salinger
The Catcher and the Rye (1953)
John Steinbeck
Of Mice and Men (1937)
J.R.R. Tolkein
The Hobbit (1937)
Kurt Vonnegut
Slaughterhouse-Five (1969)
Edith Wharton
Ethan Frome (1911)
This novel chronicles the humorous and sentimental four March sisters as they
grow into young ladies in nineteenth-century New England.
In early nineteenth-century England, a spirited young woman copes with the suit
of a snobbish gentleman as well as the romantic entanglements of her four
sisters.
This sci-fi novel depicts a futuristic society in which firefighters burn things rather
than put fires out. Firefighters are responsible for burning all books in an effort to
suppress knowledge. Guy Montag, the protagonist, is a rogue firefighter who
goes against society by trying to save the books from being burned.
Growing up, Jane Eyre has a sad life. She is orphaned and lives with an abusive
aunt and then is sent to boarding school. When she goes to live with Mr.
Rochester, her life takes a rapid turn. Could this be Jane’s chance for happiness
and love?
A coming-of-age story of a man in Imperial China that shows his family’s
struggle for survival and his ultimate rise to wealth and prosperity.
Grandpa Blakeslee marries a young milliner just three weeks after Granny
Blakeslee has died. Young Will is boggled by this act but becomes the
newlyweds’ conspirator and confidant; meanwhile, he does some growing up of
his own.
A feminist novel of the late 1800s tells one woman's emotional journey from a
stifled, miserable marriage to a spirited and lusty freedom.
Amir, a boy from Kabul, Afghanistan, is haunted by the guilt of betraying his
childhood friend. The story is set during the fall of the monarchy in Afghanistan
through the Soviet invasion, the mass exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the
United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime.
This coming-of-age novel chronicles the high school years of Gene and his best
friend Finny as they attend an all-boys American prep school during World War II.
Sethe escapes from slavery by relocating to Ohio; however, she cannot suppress
her tortured memories of being abused. This novel contains graphic content (both
violent and sexual) but won the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize and is Mrs. Huynh-Duc’s
all-time favorite.
A dystopian novel that tells about life under a futuristic totalitarian regime in
which an all-knowing government uses pervasive and constant surveillance of
its people.
An alienated, disillusioned youth is kicked out of school and spends three days
and nights in New York City in a quest for self-discovery.
A novella that tells the tragic story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two
displaced migrant ranch workers in Great Depression-era California.
Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbithole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an
adventure from which he may never return
A post-modern, anti-war, science fiction novel that deals with a soldier’s
experiences during World War II and his subsequent journeys with time travel
and aliens.
The tragic story of a New England farmer who is married to a hypochondriac and
in love with his wife’s lively cousin, Mattie.
DISCLAIMER: You are on your honor not to select a novel that you have read before. If the title you select has a movie version, you
are not allowed to watch it in lieu of reading the book. Please be aware that I have read the above novels and will know if you are
attempting to “B.S.” me in your paper. If you find yourself having difficulty with this project, send me an email over the break:
huynhdm@gcsnc.com.