AP Lit (AP English IV) Summer Assignment

AP Literature and Composition is a college-level elective focusing on critical reading, interpretation, and writing. Throughout the year, students read a variety of mature works of fiction and non-fiction in order to develop writing skills through a series of assignments in and out of class. This course aims to prepare students for life (and college) by exposing them to great writing and inspiring them to move beyond rudimentary assumptions and expression into higher-level insight and writing. Many of the works we read are challenging. The writing is frequent and requires a student to respond to readings that we worked with in class as well as works that have not been analyzed or discussed in the classroom. Research, synthesis, poetic analysis, critical thinking, critical reading, and critical writing make up the foundation of this course.

Enrollment in the 12th grade Advanced Placement English Program means that you, the student, have the training, the discipline, and the intelligence needed to succeed in an accelerated course.

Major Works:

• How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
  
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
  

Textual Interface (Assignments)

• How to Read Literature Like a Professor
  • Actively read this book and answer the corresponding questions from the handout.
    
    
• Brave New World
  • This novel can be considered; fiction, science fiction, speculative fiction, and even prophetic. Read the novel and keep a list of details Huxley uses to illustrate his world.
  • In a brief composition, explain whether you fell Huxley correctly predicted the future. In other words, how closely does Huxley’s Brave New World society mimic out own. Remember, the novel was published in 1932.

Essay Prompts
In a typed, 500-700 word response that follows standard MLA format, choose one prompt.

1. Do you tend to believe in the idea of fate or destiny; in other words, that “there are no random acts?”, or Do you believe in free will and the power to decide your path?
2. Consider the following: “Sacrifice is a part of life…It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to”. Analyze the concept of sacrifice, and then in a well written essay explain how the act of sacrifice is treated within literature.

All assignments are due on the first day of class in August. No exceptions or excuses.

Failure to complete any and all assignments will result in an F for the first six weeks, parent conference, and removal from the AP Lit course

It’s pretty simple; you have two and half months. Get it done.