Honors English 2
Mrs. Thaler
Book Talk Assignments
Periods 1, 2, 4 and 7 must work in threes on a play of “AP literary merit” for Quarter 3,
and then a Non-Western novel for Quarter 4. NO repeats in class between groups on
plays or books. Tell Mrs. Thaler early if you want to claim a title. First come, first
served.
Plays/Books chosen for these talks are your choice, but must meet the AP standard of “literary
merit.” Among your two talks, you must choose books that are new to you, of high interest to
you, and provide an opportunity for you to be exposed to more good literature. This is essential
to prepare for AP Literature next year as the more you’ve read, the better prepared you will be.
Consider reading plays or novels that are on the suggested list. If you have another title in
mind, please ask permission beforehand.
PLEASE NOTE: MANY CONTEMPORARY PLAYS and NOVELS EMPLOY LANGUAGE OR ADDRESS SUBJECTS THAT YOU
MAY FIND OBJECTIONABLE. YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO A BOOK TALK ON ANY APPROVED PLAY/BOOK, BUT KEEP
YOUR OWN STANDARDS IN MIND, AND BE SURE THAT ANY MATERIAL YOU PRESENT IS APPROPRIATE FOR SCHOOL.
HOW TO DO A “BOOK TALK”-A book talk is a formal presentation in which you tell/instruct us about the book WITHOUT
summarizing it in its entirety. It is NOT a summary from beginning to end. Tell us, instead,
about the important characters and the essence of the book—in one sentence, what is the book
about? What is the central question or theme the author grapples with in the book? Discuss
the text within that framework and what the author’s message was in the text.
Your book talk must include:
1. Introduction to the group members, the title, author, and genre. Give the basics of
the story line and central theme/question of the text. Define the theme. Show the
book to the class.
2. Discuss the central characters that feed into this central theme. Who are they?
What do they want in the play/novel? What drives them? How do they develop the
idea of the theme?
3. A Reading: Provide a short, practiced reading from the book—no more than 2-3
minutes’ worth (please time yourselves ahead of time), and the passage you read out
loud should show development of your theme through the text—share a passage early
on and one later.
(a) Illustrate the main theme or essence of the book and its development
(b) Help your audience get a feel for whether or not they would like to read the book
and help in their understanding of the main idea of the text. Have your books
present at the book talk.
(c) After sharing the passage, please provide mature insight and analysis into what
the excerpt illustrates about the theme and why it is significant to the text. This is
where you really earn your grade. Explain in some depth about the theme
development.
4. Each group member must create a unique, thought-provoking Level 3 question and
answer it in a solid paragraph with three points of assertion. Share out your question,
take a stance, and share your prepared, justified response. Type it out, Mrs. Thaler
will collect. Use MLA header and heading.
a. IE: Evaluate the character of Bob Ewell for his decision to incriminate Tom
Robinson for a crime he did not commit.
5. In your conclusion, provide the audience with your closing points—include a specific
text to text, text to self, or text to the world connection. Then, give your
recommendation about the book. How does it meet the definition of “AP Literary
Merit”? Justify your answer consulting the definition (10 criterion) of literary
merit.
Please, do not be negative or overly-critical about the author or the text. Respect the work as
part of the recognized literary community.
#Quarter 4 ORP has additional requirements (see below)
Everyone in the group must participate in the book talk in equal measure. Further, the
analysis must be uniquely your own, in your OWN words—not that of another source or
online summary. Demonstrate your knowledge. Plagiarizing will certainly end you up in a
heap of trouble, and earn a zero on a 100 point assignment. 
**If you are struggling with ways to present your book without summarizing the plot, try to fit
your book talk into the following framework:
Somebody Wanted
Name a character(s) and what
his/her desire is
(You can discuss more
than one character)
But
What happens that interferes
with the character’s attempts
to get what he/she wants?
Then
What’s the result?
Does the character
succeed or not?
Quarter 3—A Pre 1800 play or Post 1800 play.
1 book talk; this is to be completed the week of ____________________________________
Quarter 4—Non-Western novel:
1 book talk (different group this time); this is to be completed the week of _______________
Suggested Readings for Book Talks
These plays can be found in our CHS library or library system, the public library, at local
bookstores, or perhaps online. This is just a suggested listing, but of course, there are many
other authors to choose from. Please clear your choice with Mrs. Thaler first before beginning
the play/book, and of course, check that it meets your own personal standards. Of course, I
suggest you read as many of these as possible before next year, and also read from your
recommended AP reading list.
Plays—Pre-1800
Any of Shakespeare’s plays not in the standard curriculum; Greek tragedies by Aeschylus, Sophocles, or
Euripides; plays by William Congreve, Ben Jonson, Moliere, or Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Plays—Post-1800: Some examples include: (but not limited to)
Edward Albee Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Samuel Beckett Waiting for Godot
Anton Chekhov The Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya, The Sea-Gull
Lorraine Hansberry A Raisin in the Sun
Lillian Hellamn The Children’s Hour; The Little Foxes
David Henry Hwang M Butterfly
Henrik Ibsen A Doll’s House; Hedda Gabler; The Master Builder
David Mamet Glengarry Glen Ross
Arthur Miller Death of a Salesman
Eugene O’Neill Long Day’s Journey Into Night; The Iceman Cometh
Jean Paul Sartre No Exit
George Bernard Shaw Pygmalion; Man and Superman; Major Barbara
Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; Streetcar Named Desire
August Wilson Fences
Athol Fugard Master Harold and the Boys
Additional components FOR YOUR NON-WESTERN-- FICTION NOVEL—Quarter 4:
Non-Western European Authors: Some examples include:
Isabel Allende, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Chinua Achebe, Anita Desai, Jean Rhys, Bharati
Mukherjee, Nadine Gordimer, Doris Lessing, Jhumpa Lahiri, Khaled Hosseini
6. Please ALSO address the cultural aspects of the novel and how it plays into the
meaning of the text. Describe where and when it takes place. Use a quote to
illustrate this.
7. Please address how the setting impacts the meaning/theme of the novel. Explain.
8. What significant comparisons/contrasts can you draw between western culture
(American culture) and the text you read? Include at least 3.
Rubric for Book Talk
Names:____________________________
Content (50 points)
_____ Audience gets good sense for the book’s theme, major issues, basic plot elements (15)
***DO NOT SUMMARIZE THE PLOT OF YOUR BOOK!
_____ Presenter(s) names title and author and shows book in introduction (5)
_____ Reading selected is appropriate to showcase theme/characters/issues --and (10)
Presenter(s) indicate the reason the reading was selected/provides analysis
_____Presenters each share a level 3 question and their in-depth justified response to it
With three assertions. (10)
_____ Presenter(s) include his/her opinion of book, literary merit, and justifies it (10)
Presentation (50 points)
_____ Volume/Presence/ Body Language (no gum chewing, nervous movement, etc.) (10)
_____ Eye Contact with Audience (10)
_____ Inflection/Expression in reading and overall presentation, practiced (10)
_____ Effective use of time, all members equally responsible (10)
_____ Creativity and unique manner in presenting (10)
TOTAL/GRADE
____________/__________
Rubric for Book Talk
Non-Western Fiction Genre
Names:____________________________
Book Title:_________________________________________________________
Content (60 points)
_____ Audience gets good sense for the book’s theme, major issues, basic plot elements
and characters as they relate to the theme (10)
***DO NOT SUMMARIZE THE PLOT OF YOUR BOOK!
_____ Presenter(s) names title and author and shows book in introduction (5)
_____ Reading selected is appropriate to showcase theme/characters/issues --and (10)
Presenter(s) indicate the reason the reading was selected/provides analysis
_____Level three question and justified response (10)
_____ Presenters include the cultural aspects of the novel and how it plays into the meaning of
the text. Describe where and when it takes place. Use a quote to illustrate this.
Analyze the quote. (10)
______Presenters include how the setting impacts the novel, and specifically include 3
comparisons/contrasts between culture presented and Western/American culture.
(10)
_____ Presenter(s) include his/her opinion of book, literary merit, and justifies it (5)
Presentation (40 points)
_____ Volume/Presence/Body Language (no gum chewing, nervous movement, etc.) (10)
_____ Eye Contact with Audience (10)
_____ Inflection/Expression in reading and overall presentation, practiced (10)
_____ Effective use of time, all members equally responsible (10)
TOTAL/GRADE
____________/100
A Definition of Literary Merit
The work of literature:
1. Entertains the reader and is interesting to read.
2. Does not merely conform to the expectations of a single genre or formula.
3. Has been judged to have artistic quality by the literary community (teachers,
students, librarians, critics, other writers, the reading public).
4. Has stood the test of time in some way, regardless of the date of publication.
5. Shows thematic depth: The themes merit revisiting and study because they are
complex and nuanced.
6. Demonstrates innovation in style, voice, structure, characterization, plot and/or
description.
7. May have a social, political or ideological impact on society during the lifetime of
the author or afterward.
8. Does not fall into the traps of “pulp” fiction such as clichéd or derivative
descriptions and plot devices, or sentimentality rather than “earned” emotion.
9. Is intended by the author to communicate in an artistic manner.
10. Is universal in its appeal (i.e., the themes and insights are not only accessible to
one culture or time period).