English 11 Language and Composition AP
Pajak
As you get ready for summer, you’re probably not already thinking about next
year. Then again, by choosing to take an AP course, you have already taken the first step
toward engaging in a college-preparatory experience wherein you just may be earning
some college credit about a year from now. Congratulations on your choice to take this
course! The process for success on next year’s Language and Composition AP exam (not
to mention your crucial ACT test) is already well under way, and now it’s time to get you
ready for the “pre-season workouts.” (Pardon the sports analogy.)
First: You need to read William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. This British novel,
published shortly after World War II, showcases what happens when a group of children
are stranded on an island without any adult supervision, guidance, or love. You will
certainly recognize the novel’s influence on our current culture in terms of its characters
and themes. I have copies of this novel, so please see me if you do not want to have to
get your own copy.
Second: You need to read EITHER Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild OR Tim O’Brien’s The
Things They Carried. (If you choose Krakauer’s piece, be sure to search for him in
particular; Amazon.com, for instance, lists several pieces by the name of Into the Wild.)
Both of these pieces represent outstanding examples of contemporary non-fiction. Into
the Wild is a national bestseller often classified as either a Travel Essay or an example of
Nature Writing. The Things They Carried is a Vietnam War veteran’s stunning and
honest memoir that chronicles (almost in a story format) various people and emotions
experienced in Vietnam – with some attention paid to life after the war as well. I have
copies of this memoir, so please see me if you do not want to have to get your own copy.
What to do while reading? For Lord of the Flies, you need to do the following things:
A. Write down 10 words you didn’t know before reading this text. Using MLA
guidelines, properly record the sentence in which this word is used; you should
parenthetically include the page number as well as the author’s last name. Then,
define the words, being careful to record the definition that corresponds with how
the word is used in this text. Finally, use each word in your own sentences.
B. Think about the power of language. I want you to record at least six Reader’s
Notebook entries about a page in length – all from different sections of the
novel, please – in which you reflect on your experiences as a reader. It’s a 12chapter novel, so consider recording one entry for each two chapters. Please label
each entry according to chapters or sections explored. Feel free to include
emotional reactions, personal connections (or lack thereof), and connections to
other readings you have encountered in the past. I also definitely need you to try
your best to think about how this piece is constructed. In particular, you should
note any writer techniques/strategies present . . . think characterization, imagery,
figurative language, tone, the function of third person narration, etc. Think about
the insights you get about the characters – and the author and his tone or overall
purpose, really – that you gain via the narrator’s details.
For the non-fiction piece, you need to do the following things:
A. Write down 10 words you didn’t know before reading this text. Using MLA
guidelines, properly record the sentence in which this word is used; you should
parenthetically include the page number as well as the author’s last name. Then,
define the words, being careful to record the definition that corresponds with how
the word is used in this text. Finally, use each word in your own sentences.
B. Again, you should think about the power of language. Here, you should again
construct at least six Reader’s Notebook entries in which you reflect on what you
read. These should (again) be spread out from different sections in the work; at
the top of each entry, record which chapters or sections you will discuss. Again,
you need to be thinking about how the author works to get you thinking and
feeling a certain way. Ask yourself what this author does to get you feeling
sorrow, intrigue, ambivalence, etc. Record specific passages and quotes; discuss
whatever you feel comfortable with at this point. Discuss individual words and
their connotations, patterns with sentences/paragraphs, how the author appears to
feel about that which he/she discusses, etc.
There will also be a test on both pieces at the end of the first week we return from
school. Your Reader’s Notebooks with vocabulary will also be due at that time.
Have a great summer; if you are as excited about next year as I am, then you will
enjoy yourself so much that all your work might not even feel that much like work after
all. Well, you will have at least a little fun . Besides, any/all work you will do will be
assigned with your instructor’s absolutely best intentions in mind. You might work hard,
but I will work even harder on your behalf. The AP program is designed to be
commensurate with a college-level experience, and it is with great pride and honor that I
teach you.
See you soon!
Mr. Pajak