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Dear APE Student,
Welcome to Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition. You are about to embark upon a mindblowing year of reading, analyzing, and evaluating literature. You will read and write extensively, intensively,
and intensely. You will explore a cornucopia of works by authors from ancient Greece to modern Japan.
Our class will study:
Poetry
“If I read a book and it makes my body so cold no fire can warm me, I know that is poetry. If I feel
physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry. These are the only ways I know
it. Is there any other way?” Emily Dickinson
Drama
“The play’s the thing…”
Hamlet William Shakespeare
Novels and Short Stories
“Art is a lie that leads to the truth.” Picasso
All of our works are of literary merit and significant theme.
“You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when
you've robbed a man of everything he's no longer in your power- he's free again.”
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Please prepare yourself for a serious commitment; embrace the opportunity to indulge in the world of reading
and writing of the highest caliber. You must be present daily: you are an essential component of our class;
without you we sacrifice unity. You must always be prepared: we need and expect your elite contribution; your
unique flair is indispensable.
Your first mission is to complete your summer reading assignment and bring it to school on our first day of
class. You will be reading the gothic classic, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Specific instructions follow.
Feel free to call or e-mail me throughout the summer. I welcome your questions and comments and will eagerly
respond as soon as possible. I can’t wait to meet you in the fall!
Sincerely,
Mrs. P. Kaiser
Mrs. P. Kaiser
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition
[email protected]
[email protected]
(772) 971-8802
Helpful Terms for Your Summer Reading and Throughout the Year
Allusion: A reference to a person, place, thing, event, or idea in history, literature, or any branch of culture.
"I wish I had received blessings from Cupid on Valentine's Day," whispers Aeon to herself.
Characterization: The process by which an author makes a character in a narrative or dramatic work seem
real. The author may present the character’s thoughts, actions, and speech, thus allowing the reader to infer
what kind of person the character is. The author may describe and evaluate the character or else have another
character react to or comment on the character.
“Michael Corleone was not just a mafioso, but a family man. A man who walked the knife's edge to
preserve his sanity.”
Imagery: The representation through language of sensory experience. Imagery may be visual, auditory,
olfactory, gustatory, tactile, organic, or kinesthetic.
“The gushing brook stole its way down the lush green mountains, dotted with tiny flowers in a riot of
colors and trees coming alive with gaily chirping birds.”
Metaphor: A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without using a direct word
of comparison (like, as, resembles).
“Henry was a lion on the battlefield.”
Personification: A form of metaphor in which human characteristics are attributed to nonhuman things, such as
animals, inanimate objects, and abstract ideas.
“O tenderly the haughty day
Fills his blue urn with fire…”
Point of view: Who tells the story and how it is told.
“The banging on my door reverberated within my skull like a giant church bell in an empty hall. I
groaned and rolled onto my stomach, pulling the pillow over my head.”
Simile: A common figure of speech that makes an explicit comparison between two things by using a direct
word of comparison such as like, as, than, appears, resembles, or seems.
“ Mind in its purest play is like some bat
That beats about in caverns all alone…”
Symbol – An object, person, situation, or action that in addition to its literal meaning suggests other meanings
as well.
Tone: The author’s implicit attitude toward the reader or the people, places, and events in a work as revealed by
the elements of the author’s style. Tone may be characterized as angry or affectionate, ironic or serious, bitter
or nostalgic, or any other attitudes or feelings that human beings experience.
“But I feel peaceful. Your success in the ring this morning was, to a small degree, my success. Your
future is assured. You will live, secure and safe, Wilbur. Nothing can harm you now.”
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition Summer Reading Assignment

This assignment will be your first test grade in Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition. Please compile
your assignment in a composition book in the order and format shown. Place your name on the front.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Guided Dialectical Journal: 25 Entries
As you read, keep a dialectical journal according to the guidelines.
This is a very intimate way to interact with your book
and read closely. The purpose of the dialectical journal is to encourage you to engage yourself actively in a meaningful
“conversation” with the text. Use a composition book and blue or black pen. Your journal must be handwritten. You are
seeking “nuggets” of meaning--particular sentences or phrases that elicit a response --“speak” to you.
Create your journal according to the following format. Note the example entry given. Format your journal EXACTLY like
this example. Draw a line down the middle of your page. One the left side, number your entries, write the direct
quotation, label the literary device/element that applies to the quote (some will fall into more than one category), and write
the page number of the quote. On the right side, simply respond. Write in third person (do not use “I”
statements). There is no LENGTH requirement for the quotes; remember, you are seeking nuggets of meaning.
Note Taking
Note Making
On this side, list and number your
direct quotes-“aha” moments. Label
the literary device/element represented
and include the page number.
On this side, respond to the notes
on the left. Draw inferences, make
comments, comparisons, contrasts,
judgments, and ask questions.
1. Characterization
“This expedition has been the
favourite dream of my early years. I
have read with ardour the accounts
of the various voyages which have
been made in the prospect of
arriving at the North Pacific Ocean
through the seas which surround the
pole.”
p. 2
This quote is from a letter from
R. Walton to his sister, Mrs.
Saville.
It gives the reader a sense of his
adventurous nature. What
exactly does this expedition have
to do with Frankenstein? How
do these characters connect?
Preparing your novel prior to beginning your reading and writing is very helpful. I recommend using sticky notes to mark off
the segments you are addressing in your journal. Read with your journal and pen by your side; keep in mind the types of
quotes you are seeking and you will find that after the first section you will be very synchronized in your reading and writing.
Section 1: Letters through Chapter IV (Entries 1-5)
Five entries: three on characterization (Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and Henry Clerval), one on point of view,
and one on allusion. BONUS POINT (optional): one simile or metaphor.
Section 2: Chapter V – Chapter X (Entries 6-10)
Five entries: two on characterization (Elizabeth and Justine), one each on allusion, imagery, and symbolism. BONUS
POINT (optional): one simile or metaphor.
Section 3: Chapter XI-Chapter XVI (Entries 11-16)
Five entries: two on characterization (The Creature and the De Lacey family), one on point of view, one on allusion,
one on tone. BONUS POINT (optional): one simile or metaphor.
Section 4: Chapter XVII-Chapter XXI (Entries 17-20)
Five entries: three on characterization (Victor Frankenstein, The Creature, Henry Clerval), one
on tone, and one on symbolism. BONUS POINT (optional): one simile or metaphor.
Section 5: Chapter XXII-XXIV (Entries 21-25)
Five entries: three on characterization (Victor Frankenstein, The Creature, Robert Walton), one
on imagery, and one on tone. BONUS POINT (optional): one simile or metaphor.