LINKS TO YEAR LEVEL SUMMER READING GUIDES

Grade 09
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12

SUMMER READING STUDY GUIDE

As you read your assigned works of literature, use the following guidelines to assist you in a thorough comprehension and appreciation of the texts.

1. CONFLICTS

There are generally four types of conflict in any work of literature:

Man vs. Man Conflict with another person
External Man vs. Nature Conflict with a force of Nature
Man vs. Society Conflict with an organization (i.e. a government)

Internal Man vs. Himself Conflict with oneself
(struggle within character's own mind or with his/her conscience)

Identify the different conflicts experienced by the main characters and identify the origin of the conflict and the resolution (if any) of each conflict. What did they learn about themselves and others as a result of these conflicts?

2. CHARACTERIZATION

Characterization is the method an author uses to acquaint the reader with his or her characters. An author may describe the character’s physical traits and personality, report the character’s speech and behavior, give opinions and reactions of other characters toward this individual, or reveal the character’s thoughts and feelings. Thoroughly describe and analyze the main characters using the methods of characterization.

3. THEME

What are the main themes of these works of literature? Use specific examples from the texts to support your opinion.

4. OTHER LITERARY TECHNIQUES

Identify other literary techniques (allusion, dialect, foreshadowing, flashback, mood, tone, point of view, symbolism, irony, setting, imagery, etc.) utilized by the authors and analyze how they contributed to your understanding of the plot and the characters.