12th grade- AP Summer Reading Assignment

Note: This project is due on the FIRST day of class. Late projects will receive a twenty point deduction

for every day it is late. You are taking a college-level class. I expect work to be turned in on time and to

reflect thorough reading and analysis. Be prepared to discuss your text in detail.

Choose one of the novels listed below.

***These books are all books that have appeared in the past on AP tests and have met the rigor and

standards of reading required for the AP test. Be advised that these books may have some language

or violent content, whether they by classics or modern books. You have many choices. Read a book

you will both enjoy and be comfortable with.

Assignments:

1) Journal: In a spiral bound notebook (or similar composition book), keep a double entry journal

on each chapter, completing each entry as you read. The top half of the page should reflect facts

about the chapter, including notes on plot, setting, and characters. The bottom of the page should

reflect your questions and observations about the plot, setting, and characters you have written

about at the top. IMPORTANT: Typed entries WILL NOT be accepted. These journal

reflections should be thorough, thoughtful and detailed.

Note: The four essays below should be typed according to MLA style, and each must contain at

least 500 words. (Google OWL Purdue MLA for help.) Use 12pt, Times New Roman, 1” margins,

proper citations, etc. Wikipedia and Spark Notes are not allowed as sources.

2) Author: Research the author. Write a five paragraph report on the author’s background, works,

and education. This paper should be in MLA format. (Google OWL Purdue MLA for help.). Use

12pt, Times New Roman, 1” margins, proper citations, etc. Wikipedia and SparkNotes are not

allowed as sources. (at least 500 words)

3) Character: In a five paragraph essay, write an analysis of the main character, focusing on the

character’s personality, inner feelings, and motivations. (at least 500 words)

4) Theme: In a five paragraph essay, analyze the theme of the novel, explaining what observations

from life the novel focuses on and what the writer attempts to convey about life through his or her

plot. (at least 500 words)

5) Setting: In a five paragraph essay, explain how the setting is significant to the novel. What is the

author able to communicate through the use of this particular place and time? (at least 500 words)

***You will have an assessment based on your book to test your knowledge and whether you truly

read the novel selection.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Pride and Prejudice OR Persuasion by Jane Austen The Count of Monte Cristo (abridged) by

Alexandre Dumas A Room with a View by E. M. Forster

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor

Dostoyevsky

A Farewell to Arms OR For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway The Time Machine by H. G. Wells A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Native Son by Richard Wright OR Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift