| DATE:
June 8, 2009 |
|
TO: Next Year's AP English
students |
| FROM:
Mrs. Erickson |
| RE:
2009-2010
AP English Class |
In a few short
months you will be seniors, and our AP English Literature and Composition
course will begin. I want to make it very clear what the expectations are
for the course before you take off for the summer. I hope you have spoken
to members of prior classes so you know what the course entails.
I would like
you to realize the following about this course:
-
We will have a demanding reading schedule
that will begin during the summer. We will read and discuss a variety of
works that demand a mature level of understanding. You must be willing
to read whatever is put in front of you without grumbling and to
contribute vibrantly to the class discussion. It is not my goal to get
you to “like” everything but to help you explore a variety of genres and
themes.
-
Members must complete summer reading AND
writing assignments. The assignments will be collected the first day
of school. If the assignments are not completed, you will need to
drop the course. There will also be in-class assessments and activities
centered on these pieces.
-
We will
write often about the works we discuss, and you must present your ideas
in an organized, cogent manner as required in a college freshman course.
-
You are
expected to remain in the course for the entire year and take the AP
exam next May at a personal expense of approximately $85.
With all of
the above ideas in mind, look below for your summer
assignments. There are both reading and writing assignments.
Feel free to
email me if you have any questions.
SEE YOU IN
August!!
Part A: College Essay: Look at the
applications of the schools to which you may apply this fall. Choose one of
the essay questions from an application and write personal essay on that
topic (no more than 500 words). If you are stuck for a question, look at the
Common Application and use one of the topics under the Personal
Statement section. Write an engaging essay that gives the reader a window to
your inner self. We will discuss college essays in class, looking at samples
and reviewing this first essay. Expect to continue working on it as you get
feedback from others.
Part B: Literature
Assignments: The following readings reflect a conscious attempt to
expose you to older and newer literature from around the world. Read the
pieces thoughtfully and complete the writing assignments (please type them).
There will also be an in-class assessment of the pieces.
- Read TWO of the following books. There will be a quiz on the
books within the first week of school.
- A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini) —
A novel set against the three
decades of
Afghanistan's history shaped by Soviet occupation, civil war,
and the Taliban. The stories of two women, Mariam and Laila,
come together as they share a common enemies: their abusive
husband and a restrictive society.
- White Oleander
(Janet Fitch) — When her
passionate poet mother, Ingrid, is jailed for killing her
ex-lover, Astrid Magnussen must learn how to navigate her way to
adulthood through a series of Los Angeles foster families and
juvenile homes. Astrid's strength and resilience makes this
compelling novel an inspiration. Fitch writes with breathtaking
beauty about the central theme of our age: the search for self.
- The Road (Cormac McCarthy) —
A father and his son walk alone
through burned America. Nothing moves in the post-apocalyptic,
ravaged landscape except the ash on the wind. Their destination
is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits
them there. They have only a pistol to defend themselves against
the lawless bands that stalk the road. A moving story of a
journey and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the
face of total devastation. Pulitzer Prize winner.
- The Secret History (Donna Tartt) —
Six students, at a wealthy
Vermont school, immerse themselves in the study of the Classics
with an idiosyncratic, morally fraudulent professor. They become
involved in two murders, one supposedly accidental and one
deliberate. A psychological suspense thriller with many literary
and classical allusions.
- My Ántonia
(Willa Cather) — Set in Nebraska
in the late 19th century, this is the tale of a spirited
daughter of a Bohemian immigrant family who try to farm on
untamed land. Seen through the eyes of narrator Jim Burden, we
learn of Ántonia, who even though downtrodden by circumstance
and hard work, has “not lost the fire of life.” A moving,
well-written story that explores the desires for love, family,
and companionship, and the great perseverance that marked the
earliest settlers on the frontier.
- Life of Pi (Yann Martel) —
Pi Patel is the son of a
zookeeper. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior,
a fervent love of stories, and practices Hinduism, Christianity
and Islam. When disaster strikes and he finds himself alone in a
lifeboat with a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and a
450-pound Bengal tiger, Pi’s faith and ability to survive is
tested.
- Catch 22 (Joseph Heller) -
First published in 1961, this
book is a satirical indictment of military madness and
stupidity, and the desire of the ordinary man to survive it. It
is a tale of the dangerously sane Captain Yossarian, who spends
his time in Italy plotting to survive in the insane world of
war.
-
Complete each of these writing assignments.
Writing
Assignment:
(300-500 words) For ONE of the books, pretend that you have been
asked to write a letter of recommendation for one of the characters
in the book. He/she wishes to attend Malevolent University or
Benevolent University. (Note: The names reflect each school’s
values.) Take on any persona you wish for yourself, but use evidence
and details from the book to support why you recommend that
character for that specific school.
Writing
assignment:
(500 -700 words) For the OTHER book, discuss how effectively the
ending of the book resolves the conflict that is established at the
beginning of the book and then developed throughout the story.
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