Honors World Literature – 10th Grade
This year, rather than taking a test on your summer reading novels in class during the first week of school, 10th grade honors students are to complete a project on their summer reading.
Mandatory:
How to read literature like a Professor- Thomas C. Foster (Please note that this is the revised second edition which was published in 2014 with the ISBN # 978-0-06-230167-3)
Chapters: Introduction, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, Interlude (Does he mean that?), 12, 15, 19, 20, Interlude (One Story), 21, 24, 25, 26, and 27.
YOUR CHOICE- Choose 1 of the following options
The Alchemist -Paulo Coelho
The Phantom Tollbooth -Norton Juster
Life of Pi- Yann Martel
Stardust- Neil Gaiman
Bean Trees- Barbara Kingsolver
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon- Grace Lin
Any other book that is a “quest story”- This requires an email to me so that I can give approval to ensure the piece is on level. As long as it is not found in the children’s section...it should be ok.
Requirements:
Honors World Literature students must have read the mandatory piece as well as 1 of the novels from the list above.
· Students must complete all 200 points worth of the assignment.
· Students may use resources beyond the novel; however, outside sources will not replace reading. (I WILL know if you have read!)
· All projects must follow MLA formatting guidelines. (refer to OWL at Purdue which can be found through a link on my homepage)
· The essay must be typed (12 point, Times New Roman font, double spaced). The Double Entry Journal (DEJ) may be either typed or handwritten.
The Project
Despite Foster’s intimidating title, this book will prepare you for your future years reading and analyzing literature. We do a great deal of “reading between the lines” and questioning text in Honors 10, and you will later appreciate having “put yourself through” this piece.
Be sure to begin by reading the Introduction (Don’t leave it out; it sets the lighthearted tone with which you should read the rest of the book).
Part 1: Re-name each chapter of Foster’s book with your own creative title. (20 pts)
Part 2: Explain the main ideas of each chapter of Foster’s book. This should be done in the form of a Double Entry Journal with direct quotes from the text. Don’t just summarize here, respond to what Foster is saying throughout each chapter. Students should also be creating a DEJ for the novel of your choice. These will be valuable in Part 3 of their assignment. (80 pts)
Part 3: In a well structured essay, relate at least three of the main ideas from Foster’s book to the other assigned reading. You may make connections outside of the realm of the pieces (i.e. other literature, movies, etc.) but the focus should be on the assigned reading for the summer. Be prepared to share your connections during the first week of school. (100 pts)
Example:
Part 1: Rename Chapters
Chapter 1: To QUEST or Not to QUEST: That is the QUESTion.
Part 2: DEJ
There is usually a quester, a place to go, and a stated reason to go there (Foster #). / I can’t think of a story where the main character isn’t looking for something. Luke Skywalker is an example. I wonder………The quester usually encounters numerous challenges and trials that help him/her on the journey (Foster #). /
Again, if nothing happens to the main character it isn’t much of a plot. Luke has to fight the dark side…..
Part 3: Essay
In Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, the epic hero, Odysseus, goes on a 20-year quest to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. "We know that roads (and oceans and rivers and paths) exist in literature only so that someone can travel" (Foster #)……………………………… In addition, The quest must be undertaken for a specific reason and it is tied to some form of self-realization. ………………….During Odysseus’ journey home, he encounters archetypal seductive women like Circe and Calypso(Homer #). The archetype of seductress is universal in that it speaks to the perspectives regarding gender roles in specific societies and defines the roles of women in ancient cultures (Foster #). Continue on with a discussion of this theme as it relates to literature and the novels you have read…..
Another focus area present in The Odyssey is in the mythical challenges of the trip to the Land of the Dead (Homer #). During his quest to the underworld, Odysseus learns about the importance of humility and patience as well as the ancient world’s perspectives on mortality (Foster #). Continue on with a discussion of this theme as it relates to literature and the novels you have read…..
*DO NOT simply provide a summary of the plot of the novels, but rather focus on specifics as they relate to the themes as presented in Foster’s book. I expect a focused analysis of the elements/motifs of the novels, not a book report on the novels themselves or a plot summary.
* Be sure to provide parenthetical documentation throughout your responses. You should use MLA guidelines which can be found at OWL at Purdue.
*Please use Dbl Entry Journal format when annotating the text as you read. These may or may not be collected and used as evidence of your close reading.