Honors World Literature – 10th Grade
This year, rather than taking a test on your summer reading novels in class
during the first week of school, 10th grade honors students are to complete a
project on their summer reading.
Mandatory:
How to read literature like a Professor- Thomas C. Foster (Please note that this
is the revised second edition which was published in 2014 with the ISBN #
978-0-06-230167-3)
Chapters: Introduction, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, Interlude (Does he mean
that?), 12, 15, 19, 20, Interlude (One Story), 21, 24, 25, 26, and 27.
YOUR CHOICE- Choose 1 of the following options
The Alchemist -Paulo Coelho
The Phantom Tollbooth -Norton Juster
Life of Pi- Yann Martel
Stardust- Neil Gaiman
Bean Trees- Barbara Kingsolver
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon- Grace Lin
Any other book that is a “quest story”- This requires an email to me so that I
can give approval to ensure the piece is on level. As long as it is not found in
the children’s section...it should be ok.
Requirements:
Honors World Literature students must have read the mandatory piece as well
as 1 of the novels from the list above.

Students must complete all 200 points worth of the assignment.

Students may use resources beyond the novel; however, outside sources
will not replace reading. (I WILL know if you have read!)
All projects must follow MLA formatting guidelines. (refer to OWL at
Purdue which can be found through a link on my homepage)
The essay must be typed (12 point, Times New Roman font, double
spaced). The Double Entry Journal (DEJ) may be either typed or
handwritten.


The Project
Despite Foster’s intimidating title, this book will prepare you for your future
years reading and analyzing literature. We do a great deal of “reading between
the lines” and questioning text in Honors 10, and you will later appreciate
having “put yourself through” this piece.
Be sure to begin by reading the Introduction (Don’t leave it out; it sets the
lighthearted tone with which you should read the rest of the book).
Part 1: Re-name each chapter of Foster’s book with your own creative
title. (20 pts)
Part 2: Explain the main ideas of each chapter of Foster’s book. This
should be done in the form of a Double Entry Journal with direct quotes
from the text. Don’t just summarize here, respond to what Foster is saying
throughout each chapter. Students should also be creating a DEJ for the
novel of your choice. These will be valuable in Part 3 of their assignment.
(80 pts)
Part 3: In a well structured essay, relate at least three of the main ideas
from Foster’s book to the other assigned reading. You may make
connections outside of the realm of the pieces (i.e. other literature, movies,
etc.) but the focus should be on the assigned reading for the summer. Be
prepared to share your connections during the first week of school. (100 pts)
Example:
Part 1: Rename Chapters
Chapter 1: To QUEST or Not to QUEST: That is the QUESTion.
Part 2: DEJ
There is usually a quester, a place to
go, and a stated reason to go there
(Foster #).
The quester usually encounters numerous
challenges and trials that help him/her on
the journey (Foster #).
I can’t think of a story where the main charac
isn’t looking for something. Luke Skywalker i
an example. I wonder………
Again, if nothing happens to the main charac
it isn’t much of a plot. Luke has to fight the d
side…..
Part 3: Essay
In Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, the epic hero, Odysseus, goes on a 20year quest to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. "We know that
roads (and oceans and rivers and paths) exist in literature only so that
someone can travel" (Foster #)……………………………… In addition, The
quest must be undertaken for a specific reason and it is tied to some
form of self-realization. ………………….During Odysseus’ journey home,
he encounters archetypal seductive women like Circe and Calypso(Homer
#). The archetype of seductress is universal in that it speaks to the
perspectives regarding gender roles in specific societies and defines the
roles of women in ancient cultures (Foster #). Continue on with a
discussion of this theme as it relates to literature and the novels you have
read…..
Another focus area present in The Odyssey is in the mythical challenges
of the trip to the Land of the Dead (Homer #). During his quest to the
underworld, Odysseus learns about the importance of humility and
patience as well as the ancient world’s perspectives on mortality (Foster
#). Continue on with a discussion of this theme as it relates to literature
and the novels you have read…..
*DO NOT simply provide a summary of the plot of the novels, but rather focus
on specifics as they relate to the themes as presented in Foster’s book. I expect
a focused analysis of the elements/motifs of the novels, not a book report on
the novels themselves or a plot summary.
* Be sure to provide parenthetical documentation throughout your responses.
You should use MLA guidelines which can be found at OWL at Purdue.
*Please use Dbl Entry Journal format when annotating the text as you read.
These may or may not be collected and used as evidence of your close reading.