2015-2016 Summer Assignment AP Literature and Composition Mrs. Schwartz Contact Information: Email: meschwar@vbschools.com or bschwar12@gmail.com Edmodo Group Code: 534ta8 OVERVIEW This summer, you will read two novels: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. You must complete a Major Works Data Sheet for each of the novels. I am distributing paper copies, but you can use a digital format. Please only consult an outside source when completing the information on page one about the author and the period of publication. Include a citation for this information. Every other portion of this should be filled out with your own personal analysis. You do not have to complete the old AP Questions section. We will do that the first week of classes. Additionally, you will do a companion writing assignment for the connection between the two novels. This assignment is due on the very first day of your AP 12 English class. Again, SparkNotes, Cliff s Notes, Pink Monkey, and the like have their place in the literary world, but they are not substitutes for reading the actual text of a novel or any other literary piece. The essay should provide personal analysis of the novel, not the opinion of someone s work you read online. Trust yourself and your own opinion; these summaries will not be there on the day of the AP exam. Using ideas from such electronic or print summaries will result in immediate failure of the essay and a grade equivalent to zero. I am only interested in your interpretation of the text. You must bring these essays to class with you the first day we meet or have it submitted on edmodo prior to our first class meeting. The assignment should be double-spaced and typed in Times New Roman / 12-point font. It should be written in MLA essay style, with transitions between ideas and quotes. Be sure to include entire quotes as well as page numbers within the body of your essays (parenthetical citations). This writing assignment is worth one test grade.
COMPARING TEXTS: Wide Sargasso Sea and Jane Eyre Themes and Issues for Connections--- annotate your texts with post-it notes when you discover any of the following motifs as you read: The past and memory Rejection Belonging and not belonging Naming Identity The supernatural and superstition Isolation Racial identity Position of women The other side of the story Secrets and repression of painful memories Motherhood/mothers and daughters Select one of the following essay topics: Discuss the importance of the past, memory, and the supernatural in Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea. Compare and contrast the narrative technique and/or structure and/or language in Wide Sargasso Sea and Jane Eyre. Compare and contrast the characterization of Rochester and/or Bertha in Wide Sargasso Sea and Jane Eyre. Analyze symbolism in Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea. For tips on compare and contrast papers, consult the Purdue Owl and search for tips on this type of literary writing. Check out the link at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource.
Here is a suggested pacing guide for the reading of Jane Eyre. I would try to read approximately 20 pages a day, averaging about 100 pages a week. You should be able to reasonably read it in about one month. As for Wide Sargasso Sea, you can read it in about two weeks. It is under 200 pages. Think of your reading as something you spread out throughout the summer. This will make everything more manageable for you. Set a timer and read for twenty minutes a day if that gets you going. Suggested pacing for Jane Eyre: Chapters 1-10 pp. 1-94 As you read these chapters, think about the characters Jane is influenced by in this section. Chapters 11-19 pp. 95-216 (121 pages) Consider Jane s feelings toward Rochester in this section and how Jane changes/grows since her arrival at Thornfield. Chapters 20-27 pp. 216-342 (126 pages) What do you think about Jane s rationale in deciding to leave Rochester? Chapters 28-38 pp. 342-485 (143 pages) How is St. John Rivers a foil for Rochester? I will send Edmodo messages to see who is available and wishes to meet somewhere as a reading/writing group to discuss the readings as well as to brainstorm your essay ideas. These will not be required, but you will want to touch base with me throughout the summer just to let me know how your reading is progressing. The rubric that is provided will be used to evaluate the essay!
Grading Rubric An 8-9 essay responds to the prompt clearly, directly, and fully. This paper approaches the text analytically, supports a coherent thesis with evidence from the text, and explains how the evidence illustrates and reinforces its thesis. The essay employs subtlety in its use of the text and the writer s style is fluent and flexible. It is also free of mechanical and grammatical errors. A 6-7 essay responds to the assignment clearly and directly but with less development than an 8-9 paper. It demonstrates a good understanding of the text and supports its thesis with appropriate textual evidence. While its approach is analytical, the analysis is less precise than in the 8-9 essay, and its use of the text is competent but not subtle. The writing in this paper is forceful and clear with few if any grammatical and mechanical errors. A 5 essay addresses the assigned topic intelligently but does not answer it fully and specifically. It is characterized by a good but general grasp of the text using the text to frame an apt response to the prompt. It may employ textual evidence sparingly or offer evidence without attaching it to the thesis. The essay is clear and organized but may be somewhat mechanical. The paper may also be marred by grammatical and mechanical errors. A 3-4 essay fails in some important way to fulfill the demands of the prompt. It may not address part of the assignment, fail to provide minimal textual support for its thesis, or base its analysis on a misreading of some part of the text. This essay may present one or more incisive insights among others of less value. The writing may be similarly uneven in development with lapses in organization, clarity, grammar, and mechanics. A 1-2 essay commonly combines two or more serious failures. It may not address the actual assignment; it may indicate a serious misreading of the text; it may not offer textual evidence or may use it in a way that suggests a failure to understand the text; it may be unclear, badly written, or unacceptably brief. The style of this paper is usually marked by egregious errors. Occasionally a paper in this range is smoothly written but devoid of content.