Westmont High School
English II Honors: The Wider World
Summer Project
Instructor: Mr. Jeff Bengford
EMAIL: bengford@sbcglobal.net Web
Site: www.WestmontEnglish.com
Dear Honors Sophomore,
Congratulations
on your recommendation for Sophomore Honors English: The Wider World for the
2005/06 school year. This course
will prepare you for Honors Junior English (American Literature) and Advanced
Placement Senior English. The
focus of the course will be on in-depth literary analysis of works from around
the globe, and essay writing skills.
To
begin the experience, you must complete eight assignments this summer.
1) Read Medea an ancient Greek play written by Euripedes
Translated and edited by James Morwood (do
not use other translations)
$7.95 New @ Amazon.com
2) Complete
twenty dialectical journal entries on Medea.
The dialectical journal
encourages students to record their thoughts about literature.
Using a two column format, copy a quote and
write a critical and reflective response.
Include your last name and page number in the upper right hand corner of each page.
Sample entry:

Cover page:
Underlined
Title of Published Work
Author’s
name
Dialectical
Journal
complied
by Your Name
use
the majority of the space on this cover page to create
your
own colorful original art
work that represents Medea
(no
clip art or computer copied downloads)
DO
NOT USE GLITTER!!!!
Notes on completing the Dialectical Journal:
• You must use the passage/response format to receive full credit for this assignment.
• Select twenty passages from the play from different places.
• Write responses to those passages in which you discuss the following literary terms in this order.
1. Exposition (setting, characters)
2. Inciting
Incident (argue how this moment initiates the
central conflict)
3. A rising action incident that relates to the central conflict
4. Climax as it relates to the central conflict
5. Resolution of the central conflict
6. Character trait shown through indirect characterization
7. Character trait shown through direct characterization
8. Static character
9. Dynamic character
10. Motivation for a particular action or behavior
11&12) Two examples of the author’s use of simile
13&14) Two examples of the author’s use of metaphor
15&16) Two examples of the author’s use of personification
17&18) Two examples of the author’s use of foreshadowing
19) Mood
20) Theme
Complete your entries in the preceding order. Entries listed out of order, will not be graded.
Requirements for entries:
• Use the 2 column format: number passages/responses as they are on the sample
• Use MLA format for your paper but single space each passage/response
• Use the work’s title as the title-line title.
• Use significant passages and thoughtful responses.
• In the topic sentence
of each response, underline the term
being analyzed.
• Do your own work!
• Do not use any secondary sources (friends, family, classmates, Cliff Notes, Internet)
Hint: In your discussion of terms/concepts, strive for a sophisticated approach. Do not just state the obvious such as, “This is a metaphor,” or “This play has a variety of characters,” or “The author uses excellent wording so that we can picture the scene.” In other words, if you were to analyze the passage: “Emily’s joy was like a shooting star,” avoid a juvenile, empty response: “This is a simile because it uses like or as.” A less juvenile response would be, “This simile compares the woman’s joy to a shooting star.” Those of you trying for depth and maturity, can take the analysis a step further and discuss why the image is effective: “In this simile, the author compares the protagonist’s joy to a shooting star. The figurative language is effective because the reader can see that the shooting star lighting up the sky and bringing joy to the spectators is similar to Emily’s joy. Like the star, her happiness can be seen and felt by everyone around her.” Instead of simply stating the obvious, this analysis shows some maturity and depth by explaining why the simile is effective. If you read the literature as a true honor student and scholar, you will begin a valuable learning process this summer. If, however, you simply skim the material or read the literature in a non-analytical way, you will not be prepared to begin Sophomore Honors English. Do not rush the process.
CAUTION: It is a good idea to challenge your vocabulary. It is a bad idea to use words inappropriately.
Due Date: The Dialectical Journal is due in the homework tray before the tardy bell rings on the first day your class meets. If you will not be in class on that day, you must have a parent, relative, or trusted friend bring the assignment to the main office or to the Cafeteria Classroom before the tardy bell rings for your class period.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
1. When
talking about the author of the story in our journal, do we mention the name of
James Morwood or Euripides?
ANSWER: Euripides
2. Do we have
to underline the term every time we mention it, or do we underline the term
once in the topic sentence of our paragraph?
ANSWER: Underline the term every time you mention it
3. Can a
response to a quote start in the middle of one page and end on the next page
ANSWER: Yes
4. Can I
select a quote within the same paragraph that another quote has previously been
selected from?
ANSWER: I'd prefer you didn't - but if you get stuck - then go ahead
5. Can the
climax be directly stated by a character within the story?
ANSWER: Yes. And you can always email me a more specific question if you wish.
6. If the
response to a quote is twice as long as the quote, is the response insufficient
in length?
ANSWER: That
depends on each individual writer.
Some are able to say more with fewer words while others need to use more
words to express their point.
7. What is
"mood?"
ANSWER: To
quote from Prentice Hall Gold's Handbook of Literary Terms and Techniques for
English I Students, "Mood is the feeling created in the reader's mind by a
literary work or passage. The mood
is often suggested by descriptive details" (1013).
8) Do
Dialectical Journals Entries have to be on separate pages?
ANSWER: Dialectical
Journals Entries do not have to be on separate pages unless they need to
be. To save space, single space
each passage/response.
9) What
setting should I discuss?
ANSWER: Discuss
the setting that most influences the protagonist.
10)
What’s the best way to write a response?
ANSWER: Make
strong statements and defend your choices. As long as you sufficiently defend
your answers with strong examples from the text and you will do fine. Think of
your writing as a trial. Choose an
argument that has strong evidence.
Your dialectical journal responses should explain how the quotes you
have chosen represent the topic in question. There are 20 topics and you need to write 20 entries. Each
entry is on a different topic. The topics are numbered 1-20 in the
instructions. Use the topics as I
have listed them.
3) Read William Saroyan’s The Human Comedy
Publisher: Dell Publishing Company Publication Date: 1991 (Original Copyright: 1943)
Paperback = $6.99 new @ Amazon.com
(used copies can be purchased for under $1 +
shipping)
Annotation: Growing up in California's Central Valley, this Armenian American author experienced many episodes similar to those he presents here in fiction.
4) Be prepared for a detailed test on Medea
& The Human Comedy on the first day your class meets.
5) Choose one of the following classic novels. Once you
have decided which novel you want to pursue, notify Mr. Bengford in person
during tutorial before June 10, 2005. No more than five students will be able to work on the same
novel.
Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, Leo, Original Copyright: 1873, Fiction, Russian/Russian American
Marriage is a social institution that can bring fulfillment or despair. This epic tale explores both possibilities in a moving love story. Adultery and suicide are contrasted with reflective happiness. (864 pages)
Black Elk Speaks Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux, by Neihardt, John G., Original Copyright: 1932, Biography/Autobiography, Native American
Black Elk, a Sioux holy man, imparts his own life story and the story of the Oglala Sioux during the tragic decades of the Custer battle, the Ghost Dance, and the Wounded Knee massacre. Many aspects of Native American spirituality are related. (230 pages)
Doctor Zhivago by Pasternack, Boris Leonidovich, Original Copyright: 1958, Hist.Fiction, Russian
The Russian Revolution provides a dramatic background for this timeless love story. The violence of war and abusive relationships off the battlefield are among the scenes rendered in both foreshadowing and flashbacks by the Nobel Prize-winning author. (592 pages)
Dubliners by Joyce, James, Original Copyright: 1914, Fiction, Western European
In stories steeped in realism, Joyce creates an exacting portrait of his native city, showing how it reflects the general decline of Irish culture and civilization. (368 pages)
Fathers and Sons, Ivan Serge Turgenev. First published in 1862, this novel of a divided Russia, with peasants set against masters and fathers set against sons, has become one of the most controversial Russian novels ever written. Its enduring legacy of social insight and conscience has given it universal appeal. (296 pages)
Howard’s End, E.M. Forster. This is a symbolic novel about England’s fate. No dry novel this, as it draws one into people, places, and objects as they stand for things beyond themselves. The first line of the book, "It isn’t going to be what we expected", is apropos in describing this worthy book. (352 pages)
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte. Penniless and orphaned, Jane must make her way in a mid-nineteenth century world where single women have few choices. She becomes governess at Thornfield, but the dark and brooding Mr. Rochester has a secret that threatens to destroy them both. (461 pages)
Last of the Mohicans, The. James Fenimore Cooper. Cooper’s most famous novel concerning the desperate struggle of the Native Americans against the pressures and restrictions of white civilization. (400 pages)
Laughing Boy, Oliver La Farge. This novel reveals the clash of Native American and American society in Navajo country. While the author is not a Native American himself, his scholarly interest and experience with the Navajos have enable him to write an authentic story. Love, suspense, and mystery pervade this work. (302 pages)
On the Beach, by Shute, Nevil, 1957, Science Fiction, Australian
A nuclear holocaust in the northern hemisphere inspires Australians to reconsider their values, as a deadly nuclear fallout drifts toward their continent. (288 pages)
Out of Africa, Isak Dinesen. Under her pen name, Danish aristocrat Baroness Karen Blixen portrays in rich detail the vast African land around her, alive with strange and wonderful human populations; the thrilling terror of a nocturnal lion hunt; a shooting accident and its repercussions; raising and freeing an orphaned antelope fawn; getting to know the Africans and the colonial adventurers who found their way into her life. (416 pages)
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, A. James Joyce. A novel about a young man growing up in Ireland and rebelling against family, country, and religion to become an artist. Joyce’s use of stream-of-consciousness has influenced many modern writers. (329 pages)
Return of the Native, The. Thomas Hardy. Vast, brooding Egdon Heath is the setting for this 19th – century examination of the frailties of human love. (496 pages)
Room with a View, A. E. M. Forster. Adventures in Italy and at home in England give a young woman the courage to reject an insipid suitor and marry the man she truly loves. (224 pages)
Sophie’s Choice, William Styron. In this ambitious bestseller Styron tells of a young Southerner who wants to become a writer; of the turbulent love-hate affair between a brilliant Jew and a beautiful Polish woman; and of an awful wound in the woman's past, one that impels Sophie toward destruction. (576 pages)
Sun Also Rises, The. Earnest Hemingway. This poignantly beautiful story of a group of American and English expatriates in Paris on an excursion to Pamplona in Spain contains brutally realistic descriptions of bullfighting and revolves around the flamboyant Lady Brett Ashley and the hapless Jake Barnes. In an age of moral bankruptcy, spiritual dissolution, unrealized love, and vanishing illusions, this is the Lost Generation. (256 pages)
Town Like Alice, A by Shute, Nevil, 1950, Fiction, Australian
A young woman miraculously survives a Japanese death march through Malaysia during World War II. An Australian soldier, also a prisoner of war, offers to help her at the cost of his own life. (288 pages)
Tree Grows in Brooklyn, A by Smith, Betty, 1947, Historical Fiction, Western European
An Irish American family living in New York City's slums during the early years of the twentieth century endures political and economic hardships. The novel's central character, an intelligent, secretive teenage girl, suffers from her father's drinking and her brother's early death. (496 pages)
Zorba the Greek by Kazantzakis, Nikos, Original Copyright: 1946, Fiction, Western European
A Greek workman accompanies the narrator to Crete, where Zorba supervises laborers at a mine, copes with a mad monk in a mountain monastery, and embellishes the tales of his past adventures. This book was published for an adult readership and thus contains mature content. (320 pages)
6) Complete
a Summer Book Report on the novel you chose from the list above. See the next five pages for instructions
on how to create both a written and an oral report .
Summer Book Report
Written Report
This assignment is due in the homework tray before the tardy bell rings the first day your class meets. Late work will not be accepted
There are three parts to your written report. Parts I and II should be completed independently as if they were single assignments. Each part needs to have a heading on its first page and not be stapled to any of the other parts or encased in any type of folder. Part III must be sent to me via Email by midnight, Sunday August 28. Email submissions will not be accepted after midnight, Sunday August 28.
I. Vocabulary Generate 25 vocabulary sentences using unfamiliar, honors-level words from your novel. Number each example. Each word must be presented in three ways:
A) Copy the sentence the word in which it is used. (cite the page number)
Underline the vocabulary word you are working with in the sentence.
B) Find and copy the appropriate definition of the word.
C) Create and write an original sentence that uses the vocabulary word and defines its meaning. A semi-colon can be a very useful device for this assignment.
Bad
Example: Denise is obstinate.
Unless
he or she knows what "obstinate” means, the reader does not have a
clue what this sentence means.
Good Example: Denise is obstinate; she objects to everything I say.
The
reader understands the meaning because the word is defined within the sentence.
More
Good Examples: Notice how the good examples use a semi-colon to
help define the word.
Perjuries can wreck a man's life; it is always important to tell the truth.
The fox was cunning; it knew how to cleverly outsmart the rabbit.
Their love is infinite; it will go on forever.
Each example should follow this format:
1. A) “As the children walked into the parlor, they could hear the old organ
playing a melancholy tune” (779).
B)
melancholy: sad, gloomy, depressing
C) This house is so melancholy; it has such a sad and gloomy feeling to it.
List
the vocabulary section of the written report numerically by page number
II. Essay
Write an essay on the
theme(s) of your book.
Save
your essay on your computer or on a disk as you will be submitting your essay
to www.turnitin.com during the first week of school.
This essay should be written in the three paragraph format.
(click here on this link: Multi-Paragrah
Visual Aid for more information)
Notes on Theme
There is a difference between a Theme and a Topic. A Theme is a lesson learned about life. Topics are broad, often one-word categories. Writers can develop their Thematic Statement by asking the following questions:
What does the protagonist learn about life in this novel?
Or, what does the reader learn about life through the protagonist's actions?
Once the writer answers that, they should devise three divisions of proof for that theme.
Example:
The theme of Cindy Little’s Ladies Of Princeton unfolds as Monique comes to realize that her heart will always lead her toward the correct decision; this realization begins on her first day at school, continues during her encounter with the school bully, and radiates in her relationship with Gus.
Notes on Your Essay
This essay will constitute the largest portion of the grade for your summer work.
All essays must include:
a thesis which states the theme of the novel and includes your three divisions of proof
a creative title
complete sentence introductions to quotes
after
each quote the words: “This quote shows” for the beginning of each
clarification
please
underline the words that state what you think the theme is (see the previous
example)
WARNING:
Stay on topic!
Choose only one theme! - Talk well about very little.
Use present tense
Avoid the use of personal pronouns
III. Email Summary Without mentioning any portion of the title of your book, write a single sentence summary of the book that includes the following:
• the name of the protagonist (unless the protagonist’s name is part of the title, in which case just use the word “protagonist” to discuss this character)
• the name of the antagonist(s) (unless the antagonist’s name is part of the title, in which case just use the word “antagonist” to discuss this character)
• the basic conflict. (unless the conflict is part of the title, in which case just use the word “conflict” to discuss this element)
Send the single sentence you created to me via Email: bengford@sbcglobal.net by midnight, Sunday August 28. Late Email submissions will not be accepted.
Type or copy the sentence into the Email.
Do
not attach the sentence as a separate file
Include your
name above the summary sentence.
Summer Book Report
Oral Report
Your oral report is to be 3-5
minutes long.
Your script is due in the homework
tray before the tardy bell rings on the first day your class meets. Your goal is to present your novel as
if your audience was a classroom of small children. How will you keep them
entertained and still deliver the the book’s message? Find a way to
present your book that will be different from your classmates. Include music,
art and audience interaction. How can you make your presentation stand out and
be remembered?
The reports will be presented over the course of several days. Presentation days will be scheduled during our first class meeting, Presentations will begin on the second class meeting. Do not bring your poster or other visual aides until the day you present. Students may use note cards of the script for their presentations.
I. Script
All
students must provide the instructor with a script of their oral report to
receive credit. The script will be
evaluated during the oral report; if you need a script for yourself,
make an extra copy. The purpose of
the script is to provide the instructor with a written document of what you
presented so that he can accurately remember your presentation days later. The script does not need to memorized
word-for-word, but it should show
all the details of your report.
Your
script should be written in a narrative format. An outline is not sufficient.
Include:
• the
narration for the Exposition Poster
• a
hand drawn, diagram of what your actors
will be doing for the Inciting Incident Tableau
• the
narration for the Inciting Incident Tableau
• an
outline of the rising action (bulleted plot points between the Inciting Incident & Climax)
• a
hand drawn, diagram of what your actors
will be doing for the Climax Tableau
• the
narration / dialogue (75 words maximum) for the Climax Tableau
• the
three examples of the author’s creative use of literary devices and why
they are effective
II. Exposition
Poster
To begin your presentation, present your Exposition Poster. An exciting opening line can a huge difference in your presentation. Your poster should be 16” - 18” wide. The entire space of the paper should be used for this poster - push your artistic self to the edge! Create your own original art work of what you think the protagonist and setting looks like.
Do use color. Do not use clipart or computer
generated images.
The Exposition Poster must include:
• Title & Author • When (time, period, year, season)
• Where (country, place, buildings) • Who (images of protagonist and antagonist)
In creating your poster, think about its function. Why does it exist? How will this tool make your presentation more meaningful? This visual aid must be an integral part of your presentation. Can it transform as your express your ideas? Can it break the two-dimensional barrier and become interactive?
III. Inciting
Incident
Position 2-3 students as actors in a tableau (moment) that depicts the inciting incident of your book. This tableau can be a frozen statue wherein you narrate the what is happening or you can give your actors 1-5 lines from the text to say. Provide your actors with large name tags that are colorful and meaningful visual representations of their characters. The tags should be able to be worn by the actors. These tags serve as a sort of costume for your actors. The character tags should be about 12 inches wide by 8 inches tall. Be creative with your tags. Cut them into shapes that represent an aspect of the character. Use easy to identify images & color. Provide a diagram of what the two actors will be doing in your script.
Additional visual aides can
help make your oral presentation more interesting.
IV. Rising
Action
In
a few sentences, briefly summarize the transition from the inciting incident to
the climax. Although this is the
longest section of your novel, it should be the shortest segment of your oral
report.
V. Climax
Reposition your student actors into a tableau that
depicts the most climactic moment while you read the climax with energy and
enthusiasm. Your selection should
be approximately 75 words. In your
script, provide a diagram of what the two actors will be doing. Rehearse what you are going to
read. Know how to pronounce
difficult vocabulary. OPTION:
Create mini-scripts for your actors so they can act out their character’s
lines while you read the remaining narration.
VI. Language
Find three
examples of the author’s creative use of literary devices. (examples might include: simile,
metaphor, alliteration, symbolism, irony, characterization, etc...) Copy each example on to an overhead transparency and
use it as a visual aid to share the examples with the class. You should not have more than one
example of each different type of literary device. On your transparencies, it is better to use your own
hand-printing than small printed text.
Use different colors for the titles of your different literary
devices. Your examples should also be included in your
script. You will not be allowed
to present this portion of your report unless you have an overhead
transparency.
VII. Email
Send your three examples of literary devices via Email to: bengford@sbcglobal.net by midnight, Sunday August 28. Email submissions will not be accepted after midnight, Sunday August 28.
Include a short description on the literary devices being employed. Do not attach them as a separate file. Type or copy the examples and your descriptions into an Email. Be sure to indicate your name and class period at the top of your message.
Due Date: The script for this assignment is due in the homework
tray before the tardy bell rings on the first day of class. If you will not be in class on that
day, you must have a parent, relative, or trusted friend bring the assignment
to the main office or to the Cafeteria Classroom
before the tardy bell rings for your class
period.
Notes on Oral Reports
• Edit and choose what you need to say - be careful in your choices to only include what we need to know. Too much information will send you past the time limit.
• For the presentation: Dress in a professional manner. T-shirts and baggy pants or dirty jeans are a no-no. Stomachs should be completely covered and hair should be off the face. Eye contact is essential!
• Use original art.
• Double space your work.
• Be loud, be clear, be expressive and don’t talk too fast.
• Know your script well enough so that you’re not buried in it.
• Create interesting tableaus.
• Use of tags that are easy to read, colorful, and character related.
• Make an exciting & interesting poster with vibrant uses of color.
• Do not use colloquialisms or slang.
• Use movement. Move to different points of the room at key moments.
• Practice and prepare.
• Use a large, fat font for transparencies.
• Engage your audience - use them - get them out of their seats - teach them something.
• An exciting opening line can a huge difference in your presentation.
Hint
Worst way to begin an oral report:
“Hi, my name is ________ and for my book report, I read ___________.
We will all be asleep by the end of your sentence.
7) Obtain a copy of Siddhartha by Herman
Hesse before the first day of
school.
On line orders typically take two weeks, so place
your order in advance to give your book time to arrive. If money is an issue, contact me via
Email or phone (408) 979-9527 to obtain a Westmont copy.
8) If
you have not already read any of these books, do so over the summer:
The Odyssey by Homer
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Miracle Worker by William Gibson
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
“The Most Dangerous Game” a short story by Richard Connell
“The Interlopers” a short story by Saki
“The Scarlet Ibis” a short story by James Hurst.
Feel free to Email over the summer if you have
questions: bengford@sbcglobal.net
The Sophomore Honors Web Site can be seen by going
to: www.WestmontEnglish.com and
following the appropriate links.
I hope you enjoy this challenge.
I look forward to seeing you in the fall and to
reading your scholarly efforts.
Due Date Recap:
As soon as possible:
Select
your classic novel for assignment #5
(see page 5 for more information)
Due via Email by midnight, Sunday August 28:
1) Single sentence summary of your novel. (see
page 9)
2) Three examples of literary devices from your novel (see
page 11)
Due at our first class meeting:
1) 20 Dialectical Journals on Medea (see
pages 1-4)
2) 25 Vocabulary selections from your novel. (see
page 7)
3) Essay on the Theme of your novel
(see pages 7-9)
4) Oral Report Script (see page 10)
5) Be ready to take the test on Medea and The
Human Comedy.
* *
* * *
* * *
* * *
* * *
* *
Tentative Schedule
(subject
to change at the instructor’s discretion)
Fall Semester
1st
Six Weeks
Focus on literary works from East India
Core *Siddhartha
SSR: Nectar
in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya
or Lost Horizon, by James Hilton
or Passage to India, A. by Edward
Morgan Forster
2nd Six Weeks
Focus on works set during the Holocaust
Core *Night
by Elie Wiesel
SSR: Briar
Rose by Jane Yolen
3rd Six Weeks
Focus on Latino literary works
Core (2) *House
on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros and
Man
of LaMancha by Dale Wasserman
based
on Cervantes’ Don Quixote
SSR: or Parrot
in the Oven Mi vida by
Victor Martinez
or
A Place Where the Sea Remembers by S. Benitez
or
In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
Focus
on literary works from Africa
Core Things Fall Apart
by Chinua Achebe
SSR TBA
Spring
Semester
1st
Six Weeks
Focus
on literary works from France
Core *Cyrano De Bergerac
by Edmond Rostand
SSR: Les Miserables by
Victor Hugo
Speech Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
Martin
Luther King’s I Have a Dream
2nd
Six Weeks
STAR
TESTING
Focus
on literary works from England
Core *Macbeth by
William Shakespeare
SSR: Lord of the Flies
by William Golding
3rd
Six Weeks
Focus
on literary works from Asia
Core Woman
Warrior:
Memoirs
of a Girlhood Among Ghosts by M.H.
Kingston
SSR: The Good Earth by
Pearl S. Buck
or
Hiroshima, by John Hersey