Summer Reading Assignment 2011
The Allen High School English II Pre-AP/IB team looks forward to meeting each of you next year. To help prepare you for class,
we ask that you complete a summer reading assignment. Reading extensively provides the key to becoming a great reader, and
exposure to great writing naturally underscores your evolution into a great writer. You should not simply read during the school
year when we require you to do so; life-long learners are life-long readers. Just as an athlete or musician practices his or her
skills for peak performance, a student must likewise participate in cultivating his or her reading and writing proficiency to engage
in thoughtful discussion and intelligent debate.
2011-2012 Required Reading List: We will read the following books during the 2011-2012 school year. You can find each of
these at any local book store, and we encourage you to buy your books now as opposed to the beginning of the school year
when stores struggle to meet the high demand. You must purchase clean (not annotated or highlighted) copies of the
novels that match the ISBN numbers provided below in order to facilitate class discussions and daily assignments.
 Lord of the Flies – William Golding ISBN # 9780399501487 (Summer Reading Assignment)
 Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury ISBN # 9780345342968
 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain ISBN# 9780553210798
 The Tragedy of Julius Caesar – William Shakespeare ISBN # 9780743482745
 The Tempest – William Shakespeare ISBN# 9780743482837
 Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms – ISBN# 0199208271
ASSIGNMENT ONE: Read and annotate Lord of the Flies by William Golding. This particular novel addresses what
happens when a group of young British boys find themselves stranded on an island and are left to fend for themselves. Lord of
the Flies focuses on the inherent evil of man, psychological struggles, religion, human nature, and the author’s feelings about
war (he was in the Navy during WWII).We recommend that you read the novel twice. Your first reading should focus on simply
understanding the plot.
 As you read the novel for the second time, annotate for themes and symbols while you develop an understanding of
the deeper meanings within the text. Follow the instructions for annotation on pages 2-4 of this packet.
 We will take a daily grade over this portion of your assignment at the beginning of the second week of school.
ASSIGNMENT TWO: Create a theme log based upon your reading of Lord of the Flies. A theme log demonstrates your
understanding of how each of Golding’s themes develops (manifests) throughout the novel. As you encounter quotations which
support each theme, mark them in your novel.
 After reading the entire novel, choose three quotes that clearly support each of them and include them in your theme
log.
 Your theme log should include the themes listed on page 4 of this packet and follow the specific format as described
on page 5. We will take a quiz grade over this portion of your assignment at the beginning of the second week of
school.
*** Please note that we have created each of these assignments to specifically aid you in coursework and activities planned for
the first week of school. You will utilize this information to create a detailed outline and write a literary analysis paragraph which
will count as your first major grade of the semester.
Contact information: If you have any questions over the summer, we want you to feel free to contact a 10th grade Pre-AP/IB teacher for
assistance. Please email jennifer_lloyd@allenisd.org. Mrs. Lloyd may not be your English teacher next year, but she can help
you with questions about the assignment.
We look forward to teaching the class of 2014!
Enjoy your summer and happy reading!
Brittany Castillo
Ramona Coleman
Nadine Crank
Esther Drish
Jennifer Lloyd
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English II Pre AP/IB - Summer Reading Assignment #1
Novel: Lord of the Flies by William Golding
You must read and annotate the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding and utilize the following terms as you study:
 Allegory – a narrative or description having a second meaning beneath the surface one. A story, fiction or nonfiction, in
which characters, things, and events represent qualities or concepts. The interaction of these characters, things, or
events is meant to reveal an abstraction or a truth.
 Conflict – a clash of opposing forces; man vs. man; man vs. nature; man vs. himself; man vs. society
 Figurative Language – Foreshadowing: providing vague advance indications; representing beforehand
Imagery: employing vivid figurative language to create a strong unified sensory impression
Irony: exploiting an expression or utterance marked by a deliberate contrast between apparent and intended meaning
Metaphor: comparing unlike things without using “like” or “as”; an implied comparison
Personification: giving human qualities to something that is not human
Simile: a direct comparison of unlike things using “like,” or “as”
 Theme – a statement of the meaning or message of a piece of literature
 Symbolism – when a particular color, object, person, place, or thing represents a universal concept or idea.
We have provided you with a list of specific ideas to be aware of as you read the book and a “how to” guide on page 5
to assist you in your annotations. ***Be aware that students who annotate throughout the ENTIRE book will receive
higher grades than students who only annotate the first portion of the novel.
1. Dionysus Allusion: Highlight these allusions and label them. You need to understand the myth of Dionysus to do so.
2. Biblical Allusions: Highlight and label allusions to the Garden of Eden and Beelzebub.
3. New Characters: Place a box around each character’s name as he appears and highlight descriptions relating to him.
4. Character Traits: Annotate the main characters in terms of the following character traits – 1.physical (how they look),
2. mental (what they think), 3. emotional (what they feel), 4. behavioral (how they behave, act, or react), 5. relational
(how they relate to others), and 6. spiritual (what they believe in; core values).
5. Vocabulary in Context: Circle vocabulary words you do not know.
6. Figurative Language: foreshadowing, imagery, irony, metaphor, personification, simile
7. Civilization/State of Nature: Consider the behavior of man within civilized society and in the uncivilized natural world.
8. Themes: Highlight and label examples of the themes listed on page 4 of this packet.
9. Symbols: Highlight the passages which include the symbols and label what they represent.
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Themes:
 Breakdown of socialized behavior - One of the big questions is whether the boys, in their primitive actions, revert to
a somehow inferior state of life, or whether their natural and rightful states drive them. Primitive nature means hunting,
the desire for food, the desire for power, bloodlust, violence, sadism, and a general inability to distinguish between man
and beast.
 Fear of the Unknown - The boys struggle with fear of the unknown. They fear what they cannot see, the parts of the
island they haven’t explored, the mysterious beast, and of course, though they may not realize it at first, they fear the
damage they may do to one another.
 Loss of Identity - As the boys grow more violent, they begin painting their faces with clay, supposedly so the pigs
won’t see them. As the boys grow more savage and less like their normal selves, this change manifests itself physically
in their appearances.
 Loss of Innocence - The boys find themselves stranded on the island at just the age (between six and twelve,
roughly) to leave the idealism of youth and face the actuality of the real world. Because of their circumstance, the boys
leave behind not only youth, but civilization, and the reality they face is not one of adults, but one of untamed human
nature.
 Need for social order - The ethical nature of any society depends ultimately on the morality of its individual members,
and humans prove basically corrupt and inherently evil. It seems that rules and order are the only boundaries keeping
people from their true, violent natures. Man needs the structure provided by civilization.
 Power leads to violence - Power often serves as a source of violence. The desire for power breaks down the
boundaries set by rules and order, causes strife and competition, and governs the actions of many of the boys on the
island. Once achieved, power has the ability to either improve or corrupt its holder.
 Religion - Lord of the Flies can be read, at least in part, as a religious allegory. The island can serve as the Garden of
Eden before its corruption by mankind and his evil activities (as represented by the beast) (the “snake-thing”).
 True vision leads to knowledge - Knowledge is more about awareness and wisdom than anything else. Some
characters gain insight into certain important truths while others do not.
Symbols
Novel – an allegory for the Garden of Eden
head of the pig – evil
conch –democratic power, law and order
beastie – all that the boys fear
fire – a universal symbol of warmth and comfort, salvation, hope
Piggy’s glasses – clear sightedness, vision and truth being manipulated and twisted until it no longer represents the truth; good
used for evil purposes
the meaning of the Lord of the Flies – Satan
the mountain – menace; hope
snake - like shapes in the sky – their first “sin” of irresponsibility
the beast (human) – the capacity for evil that is present in all human beings
Ralph – democratic power
Jack – totalitarian power
Piggy – intelligent and rational thinking
Simon – goodness, a Christ figure, religion; reason
Darkness – the barbarism in the boys
The boys – representative of different ways of life
The jungle – the darkness of the human spirit
The sea – the destructiveness of man
The platform – reason
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Annotation Notes
Before Reading:
 Examine the front and back covers (books).
 Read the title and any subtitles.
 Examine the illustrations.
 Examine the print (bold, italics, etc.)
 Examine the way the text is set up (book, short story, dialogue, article, etc.)
During Reading:
Highlighting and Annotating Tips
 Make brief notes at the top of the page to mark important plot events.
 Circle or highlight words that are unfamiliar or unusual. Try to figure out what the words mean through the way they
are used; supplement your guesses by discussing the words with a teacher or by consulting a dictionary.
 When new characters are introduced, highlight phrases that describe them and mark their names at the top of the
page on which they are introduced.
 Highlight words, images, and details that seem to form a pattern throughout the text. (For example, if a large clock
appears in the first chapter, and then you notice the author uses the words “timely” or “ticking” in the text, and then an
incident occurs in which a character breaks a watch or is late for an appointment, you may have uncovered a pattern
of imagery which will lead the close reader to discover a thematic idea.) Highlight these related strands and observe
the rest of the text closely to see if the author uses other linked words, images, or details.
 Highlight passages you think might be symbolic.
Important!
 When you get an idea while reading the text, note it in a brief form in the margin. You may never think of this idea
again unless you write it down. (For example: summarize; make predictions; formulate opinions; make connections to
something else (or from a previous section, analyze the author’s use of literary device (How/Why used?); write
reflections, reactions, or comments; look for patterns or repetitions.)
What ???
 If you have a question about something in the book, write it on the page when it first occurred to you.
 While listening to a lecture or participating in a discussion about the book, write down insights you hear or discover.
Writing these notes directly in the text assures you that you will be able to reference the exact passage that triggered
the ideas. Also, is less likely that you will lose track of the notes.
 Don’t mark too much. If you mark everything, nothing will stand out.
 Use [brackets],
checks,
come back to later.
stars, bullets, or *** asterisks to mark very important items or things you want to
 Connect related ideas with lines.
After Reading:
 Reread annotations – draw conclusions.
 Examine patterns/repetitions – determine possible meanings.
 Determine what the title might mean.
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Summer Reading Assignment #2: Theme Log
1. You are expected to keep a theme log over Lord of the Flies by William Golding. The final product must have three
(3) well-written entries from various parts of the novel for each theme. (We prefer that you turn in a typed version, but
neatly hand-written copies (in blue or black ink ONLY) will also be accepted.)
 What is a theme log?
o It is a log that records the development (manifestation) of themes (overarching ideas) within the text.
o Your journal should reflect the whole novel – from exposition through resolution.
 Your theme log should follow a specific format as described below.
1. Write the title of the novel at the top of the page.
2. Create a chart which has two columns (just like in the one below).
3. Label the left side: “Theme”
4. Label the right side: “Quotes & Commentary”
 As you read the novel, write down the themes listed on page 4 of this packet (in the left-hand column, “Themes”).
 In the right-hand column, “Quotes & Commentary,” include your chosen quotations and explain how they demonstrate the
theme listed in the left side column. (You need three (3) quotations and subsequent commentary per theme!)
What do I record? This table provides instructions for your theme log. (You may NOT utilize the examples provided within your
own theme log!)
Theme
Write the themes listed on page 3 of this packet.
Quotes & Commentary (include page number)
Write a sentence, quote or passage that is significant, powerful,
or thought provoking as it relates to the THEME (include the
chapter & page number (ex: 1. 23)). Include 2-3 sentences of
commentary explaining how each quotation demonstrates the
theme.
 Fear of the Unknown
Quote: “The ground beneath them was a bank covered with
sparse grass, torn everywhere by the upheavals of fallen trees,
scattered with decaying coconuts and palm saplings. Behind this
was the darkness of the forest proper and the open space of the
scar.” (1.52) Commentary: The island at first appearance evokes
a mingling of fear and awe in the boys as images of darkness,
decay, and destruction appear all around them.
 Loss of Innocence
Quote: [Simon saw] the picture of a human at once heroic and
sick. (6.140) Commentary: Simon begins to realize that humans
are capable of terrible behavior as well as heroic, noble behavior.
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