English 2332 Summer Reading Program

E NGLISH 2332
12 T H G RADE D UAL C REDIT C OLLEGE C OURSE – F ALL S EMESTER
S UMMER R EADING P ROJECT
K EMP H IGH S CHOOL
PROJECT INTRODUCTION
Dear English 2332 Student:
Congratulations on entering the challenging English 2332 Class at Kemp High School! English teachers at
KHS support a summer reading requirement for all English Honors / Dual Credit students.
Please note that the Summer Reading Project is due on July 29, 2015, no later than 3:00 pm at the
Kemp HS office for all Honors / Dual Credit English students. Late or incomplete work will not be
accepted. All assignments will be graded, and the grades will be included in the first nine week
grading period. Missing, late, or incomplete work are all grounds for a student and parent mandatory
Academic Progress Meeting to determine reassignment to a regular English class.
Students’ own thoughts and ideas are valued over an ability to parrot outside sources. Teachers are
aware that information about these readings exists on the Internet. Do NOT, under any
circumstances, use outside sources. Student papers that are not original (students who choose to
represent someone else’s work as their own) will receive an automatic zero for a grade. Do NOT
plagiarize, copy, or otherwise misrepresent your work. Collaboration on this project is unacceptable.
Dual Credit courses provide students with a tremendous opportunity to earn college credits while still in
high school; more importantly, they afford students the potential to enhance their cognitive abilities,
which prepare them for college-level thinking. However, to do this, students must always prepare for
class by thoroughly reading all assignments and come prepared to engage through in-depth discussion
and coursework.
I hope you enjoy the coming challenges in the English Honors Program. I look forward to welcoming you
at the start of next school year.
Sincerely,
Mr. Starr
jim.starr@kempisd.org
READINGS
The following texts are the required readings:
1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (ISBN Number: 978-0141441146)
2. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (ISBN Number: 978-0486264783)
We have provided an ISBN Number for each book but there are many equally suitable print versions
available in libraries and bookstores such as Half Price Books or Amazon.com, etc. The important issue is
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that you read the complete works. Listening to audiobooks is unacceptable. Reading books (instead of
listening to books) has been proven to improve a person’s reading and writing abilities.
Although digital text versions are acceptable, we recommend that you purchase a paperback version of
the books so that you may annotate those texts, since this is standard procedure throughout the year.
While you are reading, keep post-it notes or page markers of some kind and a pen, pencil, or highlighter
close at hand so you can annotate. The process of annotation is also called “close reading” because it
helps you to closely analyze what you read by writing notes in the margins, circling or underlining key
concepts, etc. Using the tools of annotation will help you to read actively and critically, to have a
meaningful conversation with the text, and to remember your ideas for scholarly discussion and writing.
ASSIGNMENTS
 All readings should be completed prior to the first day of school.
 All four assignments (#1-4) are due July 29, 2015, no later than 3:00 pm at the Kemp HS office,
in print format (hardcopy only; no digital files/email attachments).
Details on each assignment are as follows:
1. Essay for Jane Eyre: Pick only one of the following prompts to write an essay:
OPTION 1: Analyze the theme of deceit in the story’s plot development.
OPTION 2: Analyze Jane’s moral dilemmas and explain what is most important to her: reason or
feelings.
OPTION 3: How do different characters (Helen, St. John, and Brocklehurst) portray different
views of religion, and what is the author saying about religion through these
characters?
OPTION 4: How is Jane Eyre a feminist novel?
OPTION 5: Analyze how fire imagery works both literally and symbolically in the story’s plot
development.
Formatting Requirements:
 Use MLA formatting. There are many sources on the internet to help you with this task
but I recommend Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL). Just type in the
following phrase and you will be able to find it: “Purdue OWL MLA.”
 Typed.
 Paragraph-styled essay that is no less than 2 ½ pages and no more than 3 pages in
length.
 Support by inclusion of quotes and paraphrases from the book. Both quotes and
paraphrases should be cited within the essay using MLA in-text citation format: a
parenthetical with the author’s last name followed by 1 space and the page number.
 Times New Roman font in size 12 pt. for everything.
 Double-spacing for everything.
 1-inch margins.
 The first page only should have a heading in the upper left corner before the title line.
Include: Your name on line 1, “Mr. Starr” on line 2, “English 2332” on line 3, and “4 Aug
2015” on line 4.
 An original title should be centered on the line after the heading. Do not boldface,
underline, all-caps, or otherwise glorify the title.
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 Include page numbers in the top right corner of each page with your last name (in the
header section of the document).
 Include a Work Cited page at the end that lists the MLA citation for the book that you
have been citing within your essay.
 No outside sources should be used; only use the book and your critical thoughts.
Paragraph Requirements:
 Indent the first line of each paragraph (1 tab). Do not skip lines between paragraphs;
your spacing before and after paragraphs should be “0 pt.”
 Start with an introduction paragraph that introduces the source text formally the first
time you mention it in your essay, to include the author’s name. Give just enough
background information about the plot and characters in the novel so will be able to
follow your reasoning but remember that your essay is an analytical essay and not a
summary essay. Avoid relying on generalizations and summaries.
 Include a clear thesis statement in the introduction paragraph.
 Include a topic sentence at the beginning of each body paragraph, revealing the
paragraph’s specific purpose.
 There should be a conclusion paragraph but I do not require you to rewrite your thesis
statement but you should finish with some kind of summary of your analysis (not a book
summary). In the conclusion, be sure to suggest what future scholarship could be
written on this book to further analyze it.
Style Requirements:
 Always write academically and not conversationally. In other words, use good diction.
Do use:
 Jargon: (if it is literature terminology jargon) specialized language of a discipline
or profession. For example, “simile” or “metaphor”.
Do not use:
 Colloquialisms: informal conversational language used in every day speech. For
example, “gonna” or “that sucks”.
 Slang: more informal than colloquialism; it is used by certain groups. For
example, “noob” or “y’all”).
 Clichés: trite, overused expressions that lack originality. For example, “what
goes around comes around” or “YOLO” or “In this essay I will be writing about”.
 Idioms: expressions that do not have a literal meaning but rely on connotation
for meaning. For example, “a chip on his shoulder” or “nerves of steel” or “out
of the blue”.
 Contractions: For example, “don’t” or “won’t”.
 Do not use first person (“I” and related pronouns) or second person point of view (“you”
and related pronouns). Instead, rely on third person point of view (“he” “she” “it”
“they” and related pronouns).
 Do not begin sentences with conjunctions: but, and, or, nor, for, so, yet.
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2. Essay for The Importance of Being Earnest: Pick only one of the following prompts to write an
essay:
OPTION 1: What is the significance of being earnest within the play?
OPTION 2: Compare and contrast how Gwendolen is / is not similar to a modern woman.
OPTION 3: Compare and contrast how the play’s value about love and marriage is / is not similar
to the modern value that people generally have about love and marriage.
OPTION 4: In what ways does the author employ stage directions to enhance the scenes?
OPTION 5: Analyze a literary device of your choice and how it enhances the story’s plot
development.
OPTION 6: Explain a theme that exists in the play and how it enhances the story’s plot
development.
NOTE: The formatting, paragraph, and style requirements for this essay are the same as with the
first essay except that the required length is no less than 2 FULL pages and no more than 2 ½
pages.
3. Dialectical Journal for Jane Eyre: On lined paper, you will hand write structured, thoughtful
journal entries as you read this text. You must use blue or black ink pen only. If you make an
error, draw one line through it and continue with your corrected answer. More details can be
found later in this packet.
4. Dialectical Journal for The Importance of Being Earnest: On lined paper, you will hand write
structured, thoughtful journal entries as you read this text. You must use blue or black ink pen
only. If you make an error, draw one line through it and continue with your corrected answer.
More details can be found later in this packet.
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DIALECTICAL JOURNAL DIRECTIONS
FOR FICTION BOOK: JANE EYRE
The dialectical journal is a written conversation between you and the book. Your dialectical journal is an
original, handwritten, multi-page, double-entry journal that explains your responses to what you read,
and not someone else’s responses. Your responses are written as entries from left to right.
You should have no less than 20 entries. Besides quotes, all your entries should be in complete
sentences. Staple this assignment separately with an MLA heading on the first page.
RESPONDING TO THE TEXT
You can respond to the text in a variety of ways but all your observations should be specific and
detailed. Remember that this journal must demonstrate that you have carefully read and understood
this book. DO NOT simply summarize. Entries should be clear, understandable demonstrations of your
ability to analyze a text. When in doubt, answer the question: “This is important because...”
FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS
A. Divide sheets of loose-leaf paper into vertical columns.
B. Title the left column “Key Evidence”. This is the column for writing page number information. In
this column, list in complete sentences:
 The author’s writing style: How would you define the author’s writing style? Be sure to also
identify the author’s point of view (1st, 2nd or 3rd person) as well.
 New characters when they first appear.
 Settings when they first happen or change.
 Plot developments.
 Examples of patterns (archetypes): recurring images, ideas, colors, symbols or motifs.
 Key passages, ideas or actions by the author, narrator or character(s).
 Points in the story where the main character realizes something about himself or others.
C. Title the right column “Details and Responses”. In this column, write in complete sentences:
 Details about the Key Evidence that you wrote in the left column. (For example: You could
describe the main character’s appearance, etc.)
 Your personal reactions to the Key Evidence that you wrote in the left column.
 Tell what it reminds you of from your own experiences.
For Example:
Key Evidence
“Give me liberty or give me death.”
Page 42
Details and Responses
Patrick Henry really wanted to die if the
colonies didn’t declare a revolution. There
was no negotiating with him. This guy was
serious about political change.
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DIALECTICAL JOURNAL DIRECTIONS
FOR FICTION PLAY: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
The dialectical journal is a written conversation between you and the book. Your dialectical journal is an
original, handwritten, multi-page, double-entry journal that explains your responses to what you read,
and not someone else’s responses. Your responses are written as entries from left to right.
You should have no less than 10 entries. Besides quotes, all your entries should be in complete
sentences. Staple this assignment separately with an MLA heading on the first page.
RESPONDING TO THE TEXT
You can respond to the text in a variety of ways but all your observations should be specific and
detailed. Remember that this journal must demonstrate that you have carefully read and understood
this book. DO NOT simply summarize. Entries should be clear, understandable demonstrations of your
ability to analyze a text. When in doubt, answer the question: “This is important because...”
FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS
A. Divide sheets of loose-leaf paper into vertical columns.
B. Title the left column “Key Evidence”. This is the column for writing page number information. In
this column, list in complete sentences:
 The author’s writing style: How would you define the author’s writing style? Be sure to also
identify the author’s point of view (1st, 2nd or 3rd person) as well.
 New characters when they first appear.
 Settings when they first happen or change.
 Plot developments.
 Examples of patterns (archetypes): recurring images, ideas, colors, symbols or motifs.
 Key passages, ideas or actions by the author, narrator or character(s).
 Points in the story where the main character realizes something about himself or others.
C. Title the right column “Details and Responses”. In this column, write in complete sentences:
 Details about the Key Evidence that you wrote in the left column. (For example: You could
describe the main character’s appearance, etc.)
 Your personal reactions to the Key Evidence that you wrote in the left column.
 Tell what it reminds you of from your own experiences.
For Example:
Key Evidence
“Give me liberty or give me death.”
Page 42
Details and Responses
Patrick Henry really wanted to die if the
colonies didn’t declare a revolution. There
was no negotiating with him. This guy was
serious about political change.
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