Friday, July 12, 2019

Getting Ready for the New Year

Hello Everyone,

I know it might feel like we just got out of school for summer, but the end is nigh and it is a good idea to make sure you are prepared for the new year.

The official copy of the assignment is on the main school website, but here is a easy to digest version.

On Level World Literature Classes:


Honors World Literature Classes:

  • Read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (May be purchased from local bookstores, downloaded online, or checked out from a local library)
  • Finish reading before the first day of school.  Trigger Warning: this book, while a work of fiction, does deal with real world problems, including assault.  
  • We will start the year with lessons and assessments based on the pre-course reading.
  • Assignment: Major Works Data Sheet (to be submitted to turnitin.com). 
  • Click here for a Major Works Data Sheet template that you should use with detailed instructions of what I'm looking for.  Yes, it is long.  Yes, I do expect you to complete it.
  • Read How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster, Chapters 1, 4, 6, and 10.  
  • Assignment:
    • Chapter One - “Every Trip is a Quest” : Write a 1 ½ to 2 page essay in MLA format (11 font, Ariel, double spaced, work cited page) outlining each of the five elements of a quest and then applying them to Amir in The Kite Runner.
    • Chapter Four - “Now Where Have I Seen Her Before”: Summarize the chapter by defining and then explaining intertextuality. Indicate and then explain TWO (2) examples from one literary work to another literary work OR one literary work to a movie.
    • Chapter Six: “…Or the Bible”: Write a brief summary of the chapter focusing on the central message. Then find an example of a Biblical allusion in a literary work (excluding the works mentioned in How to Read Literature Like a Professor)and then explain how the allusion enhances your understanding of the text.
    • Chapter Ten: - “Never Stand Next to the Hero”: 
      • A. Explain the differences between round and flat characters. 
      • B. What point is the author making when he says, “Never stand next to the hero?”
      • C. Identify and then how this fits with an example from literature OR a movie.
  • You will take a test during the first two weeks of the semester.
I know it might seem like a lot, so make sure you start reading the books now and looking for those memorable quotes.  

I'm looking forward to meeting you all in August!