“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary...

AP Literature & CompositionQuarterly Independent Novel Project

“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates

the deserts that our lives have already become.”~C. S. Lewis

The best way to prepare for the AP Literature test is to read, read, read, and read more from the AP novel canon. And aside from test preparation, the depth and breadth of good literature in this group of novels is amazing! As part of your literature study this year you will read at least two independent AP Literature novels per quarter.

ASSIGNMENT: Read at least two AP Literature novels (from

the list given) each quarter. Choose a novel that you have not read before. Complete a dialectical journal (at least 20 entries) as you read the novel and complete the novel project for that quarter.


GRADING: Dialectical Journal will be worth 30 pts.

Novel Project will be worth 20 pts. DUE DATES:Dialectical Journal:___________________

Novel Project:_______________________


DIALECTICAL JOURNALS:The term “Dialectic” means “the art or practice of arriving

at the truth by using conversation involving question and answer.” Think of your dialectical journal as a series of conversations with the texts we read during this course. The process is meant to help you develop a better understanding of the texts we read. Use your journal to incorporate your personal responses to the texts, your ideas about the themes we cover and our class discussions. You will find that it is a useful way to process what you’re reading, prepare yourself for group discussion, and gather textual evidence for your Literary Analysis assignments.


PROCEDURE: As you read, choose passages that stand out to you and record them in the left-hand column of a

T-chart (ALWAYS include page numbers). In the right column, write your response to the text (ideas/insights, questions, reflections,

analysis, and comments on each passage) Label your responses. The following is a list of sample codes:

◦ (CH) Characterization – Analyze details or dialog the author gives you to build his/her characters.

◦ (C) Connect – Make a connection to your life, the world, or another text◦ (P) Predict – Anticipate what will occur based on what’s in the passage◦ (L) Literary Device – analyze the author’s craft using literary terminology◦ (R) Reflect – Think deeply about what the passage means in a broad sense – not just to the

characters in the story. What conclusions can you draw about the world, about human nature, or just the way things work?

◦ (T) Theme - Determine the author’s overall message about some aspect of life through a close reading of a passage.

◦ (M) Mood – Determine the mood or tone of a scene and explain how that might be important.


Sample Dialectical Journal Entry: Blues Ain’t No Mockinbird by Toni Cade Bambara

CHOOSING PASSAGES FROM THE TEXT: Look for quotes that seem significant, powerful, thought provoking or puzzling. For example, you might record: - Effective &/or creative use of stylistic or literary devices - Passages that remind you of your own life or something you’ve seen before - Structural shifts or turns in the plot - A passage that makes you realize something you hadn’t seen before - Examples of patterns: recurring images, ideas, colors, symbols or motifs. - Passages with confusing language or unfamiliar vocabulary - Events you find surprising or confusing - Passages that illustrate a particular character or setting - If you find an extremely long passage that moves you, don’t hesitate to use it,

just employ ellipses (…) to shorten your writing load. You’ll have the page number so that if you decide to share your entry, the class can easily find and read along.


RESPONDING TO THE TEXT: - You can respond to the text in a variety of ways. The most important

thing to remember is that your observations should be specific and detailed. You can write as much as you want for each entry. You can use loose-leaf paper for your journals or download the template from the my website: Dialectical Journal Word Template, and type your responses on the computer.

To Get Started: Beginner Responses◦ - Raise questions about the beliefs and values implied in the text ◦ - Give your personal reactions to the passage ◦ - Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s)◦ - Tell what it reminds you of from your own experiences ◦ - Write about what it makes you think or feel ◦ - Agree or disagree with a character or the author


The Target: Higher Level Responses◦ *Analyze the text for use of literary devices (tone, structure,

style, imagery) and how they contribute to the Theme◦ *Make connections between different characters or events in

the text◦ *Make connections to a different text (or film, song, etc.)◦ *Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or

character(s) ◦ *Consider an event or description from the perspective of a

different character◦ *Analyze a passage and its relationship to the story as a

whole


HOMEWORK This Weekend: Look over the list, and following student summaries, and

decide which two novels you would like to read this quarter.Things to Consider: If you are planning on taking the AP Literature test you should

choose from the novels that are used most on it (9-21 times). You will have approximately 1 month to read each novel on

your own and complete a dialectical journal with at least 20 entries.

You must procure the novels on your own – my classroom library, school library, online, etc.

You should begin reading your first novel next week.


Choose one of the following multimedia projects to complete for one of the two AP Lit. novels you are reading this quarter. You will send a link to your final project to Ms. Smith by the Q1 DUE DATE: Friday, 10/23.

1. POWERPOINT/GOOGLE SLIDES/PREZI PRESENTATION

2. TWITTER ACCOUNT 3. YOUTUBE VIDEO

4. WEBPAGE (WEEBLY, BLOGGER) 5. FACEBOOK PAGE



PROJECT REQUIREMENTS :

1.) Author biography (2-3 paragraphs)2.) Genre & literary time period overview (2-3 paragraphs) 3.) Summary of plot (4-5 paragraphs) 4.) Main characters sketches (1 paragraph per character) 5.) Setting map visual (time, place)6.) Major themes with explanation (1 paragraph each)7.) Important quotations (at least 3) with explanation (1 paragraph each)8.) Literary analysis thesis statements for an analysis essay (at least 3) 9.) Writing Style: explain the author’s style of writing using literary terms (diction, syntax, tone) (2-3 paragraphs) 10.) Your review of the novel overall with explanation (2-3 paragraphs)

AP LiteratureStudent Novel

Summaries

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya

The book begins with Ultima a folk healer moving in to live with the Marez family. Antonio at this time is in engrossed in knowing his destiny, whether to be a priest which is his mother's choice or something else like a cowboy which is his fathers choice. He then starts a religious study and become concerned with the good and evil in the world. His life changes when Ultima inspires Antonio to question authority and see the world from a new perspective which has a profound effect on his concepts of divinity and fate.

Major Themes-importance of moral independence-loss of innocence-good vs evil -religion-influence of culture on identityThesis Statements:The golden carp’s apocalyptic prophecies frighten

and sadden Antonio at first because it seems so inevitable, but after the end, the world is reborn which comforts Antonio.

Throughout the book Antonio changes from a innocent shy kid into older mature boy with great understanding and wisdom through many frightening experiences he had to endure.

Catcher in the Rye

by J.D. Salinger

Catcher in the Rye begins with the main character, Holden Caulfield, being expelled from his prep school for failing 4 out of five classes. After a few encounters with his acquaintances in the prep school he ventures into the city. In the city Holden travels around reflecting on the phoniness of the adult world. He meets up with several different people and has a number of encounters in which he points out much of the fakeness of the city. However he refuses to realize his own hypocrisy.

Major themes:AngstInnocencePhoninessHypocrisy

Thesis Statements:Holdens hat is a representation of his inner hypocrisy and contradiction.

To Holden, phoniness represents everything that is wrong with the adult world.

1984By George Orwell1984 is a dystopian novel set in the then future of 1984. In this world the entire population of the earth is controlled by 3 superpowers who hold absolute control over their populace. They maintain their power through brainwashing the people and continuously changing history to fit their needs. Everything that disagrees with them is erased The main ideas of this book revolve around whether or not objective reality exists, and the power of ignorance and self-deceit to control reality.

Themes:AuthoritySexualityFreedomRulingPowerReality

Thesis Statements:The most prevalent themes of 1984 are authority, sexuality and reality.1984 is about the existence of objective reality, and the ability to alter it.

The Good SoldierThe story starts with the meeting of two different families. John and Florence Dowell, and Edward and Lenora Ashburnham. Florence and Edward make up a heart condition to be together and have an affair. Everything gets messed up when Nancy, the ward to the Ashburnhams, shows up. Edward starts to fall for her. Florence sees Edward talking to Nancy and runs back to John. When she gets back to John, she sees John talking to another guy she had an affair with. thinking that John knows everything she commits suicide. When Edward figures out that Florence is dead, he starts going after Nancy. Lenora tells Nancy all about Edwards adultery, and how terrible of a person he is. Nacy then goes to India to spite Edward. When Edward receives word from Nancy that she likes it in India, he slits his throat with a pen

The biggest theme in the story is the differences between appearance and reality. on the outside they are all nice people but in reality, they all are untruthful.

In the novel The Good Soldier, the author symbolically connects the characters to a shuttlecock. The characters are all being hit back and forth emotionally be the other characters in the book.

The Plagueby Albert Camus

Rats start dying in the street of Oran, Algeria. Suddenly a Plague strikes the city, but the only one who truly knows what is going on is Dr. Rieux. Eventually the city gets quarantined, and people are stuck on both sides of the wall. At first the city is full of people who only care about themselves and looting is prevalent. Father Praneloux gives a sermon saying that this plague is an act of god, punishing the city for its sins.

After several months, the population of the city starts to think of everybody as a whole. A young child is stricken by the plague and Pranenloux has to rethink his faith. He gives another sermon, but this times says that if you live or die is a test of faith, and not based on sins. Eventually the plague goes away, but the amount of death and despair leaves the citizens of the city in ruin.

The major themes in this book are Religion vs Science, Human nature during crisis, and struggle against the inevitable.

In the novel The Plague, the author shows the similarities and differences in science and religion through the characters Dr. Rieux and Father Paneloux.

The Kite RunnerBy: Khaled Hosseini

Amir and Hassan are friends living in Afghanistan, however Hassan is the poor son of Amir’s servant. Amir is constantly trying to make his father, Baba, proud of him and in an attempt to do this he wants to win the kite runner competition. During the competition, he sees Amir getting raped by Assef, but instead of stopping the rape of his friend he continues to get the kite to try to make his dad proud. The rest of the novel takes place later in Amir’s life in the US as he struggles to deal with his past actions. After finding out Hassan is dead, he adopts his son and travels back to Afghanistan to get revenge on Assef.

Themes: Redemption Life in Afghanistan Society’s social classes Dealing with the past

Irony is the main literary device used throughout the novel to develop Amir’s character and decisions. The past continuously effects the motivation for every character. Throughout the novel, past decisions are what eventually creates the climax of the book.

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

Told by Iris Chase, this story is a series of flashbacks to her childhood. She reflects on her sister’s suicide. Also, it tells the story of daily life with the Chase sisters from their birth to Laura’s death and how their family was very prominent in society but lost a lot of money during the Great Depression. The reader learns that Iris feels responsible for Laura’s suicide because she finds out that Laura was having an affair with her husband. This leads Iris to have an extremely troubled life and pushes away most of her loved ones. At the time of Iris’ death, she does not have many people left close to her.

Major Themes

1. Sacrifice (Iris vs. her family)

2. Death (Laura, Mrs. Chase, Richard)

3. Reality vs. Fantasy

4. Self vs. Society

Thesis Statements1. Iris believes that she is responsible for Laura’s death because she finds out about Laura’s affair, her being raped by Richard, and Iris’ anger towards her own sister.

2. Margaret Atwood conveys the somber tone of this novel through her short syntax, to-the-point metaphors and series of flashbacks that the novel consists of.

Atonement by Ian McEwan

SUMMARY:Briony Tallis lives in England with her family. When she witnesses a rape, she falsely accuses Robbie Turner, the lover of Cecilia, her older sister. Robbie is from a lower social class, so everyone believes Briony, and Robbie is sent to jail. Cecilia remains loyal to Robbie, despite her family’s anger. Five years later Robbie is serving in France during WWII, and it is his love for Cecilia that keeps him going. In the end, Robbie and Cecilia are reunited, and live together in London. However, a surprise twist ending reveals that everything is not as it seems.

MAJOR THEMES:Guilt, Atonement, Perception, Misunderstanding, War, Identity, Social Class, Innocence, Literary Tradition

THESIS STATEMENTS:1). The whole conflict of Atonement stems from Briony’s misunderstanding of events, and this leads to sorrow and pain for many characters.

2). Briony does atone for her actions through honoring Robbie and Cecilia’s love by keeping them alive and happy in her account.

Cecilia and Robbie

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

SUMMARY:This is a story of a young man, the adopted son of a humble blacksmith. At a tender age, the young man runs into an escaped convict when out on a walk, and provides him with food and drink. Pip later becomes the playmate of young Estella, adopted daughter of an eccentric old woman named Miss Havisham. Pip falls in love with the aloof Estella at this point. Pip comes into a great deal of money, and he assumes it to be from Miss Havisham, and that she intends him for her daughter. Her designs turn out to be most cruel, as she seeks to torment Pip with her beauty. Near the end, Pip learns that the true source of his money is the convict from his youth.

MAJOR THEMES:One-sided love, the corrupting power of money, the importance of good deeds, arrogance, greed, vengeance

THESIS STATEMENTS:1) The corrupting influence of money can dissolve even the strongest of bonds.

2)Social caste means little, the poorest of men can become rich, and the richest and greatest of men can fall on hard times.

Pip from the 2011 Masterpiece rendition of Great Expectations

The Invisible Manby Ralph Ellison

SUMMARY:The narrator is told by his dying grandfather to live a meek life, subservient to the white man, in order to wear them down.. The narrator takes this advice to heart, hating himself even as he writes speeches about how black people should be meek. He goes on to college. While there, he is tasked with showing a rich white man around. he shows this man, Norton, the wrong places. He is banished from the school, sent with letters of recommendation and told that if he works hard, he can come back. He is later shown that these letters tell of how he will never be welcomed back, and that he must be kept under the hopeful delusion that he can someday return. The one who revealed this to him, Mr. Emmerson, gives him a job at a paint factory. After a factory accident that leaves him shaken up in the head, he is given severance and leaves. He moves around a couple times, ending up renting from a kind black lady. After giving a stirring speech at the site of an eviction, he is given a job as a political speaker. where he is given a new name. Sharp divisions between his organization and another lead to turmoil, and eventually to race rioting. As events go down, he realized that his organization engineered the division in order to spark rioting to further their goals. His political opponents call him a traitor, and try to kill him, but he escapes, only to be locked in an underground coal cellar by the police. It is after this that he decides to go back to living underground, and to give up his political influence.

MAJOR THEMES: Racism, politics, morality,

THESIS STATEMENTS:1) Through his powerful use of symbolism, Ellison is able to show his readers what life was like for black people, rather than simply telling them.

2) “A house divided against itself cannot stand”, the black community was divided against itself, the differing political view prevented them from accomplishing anything truly meaningful.

The Red Badge of Courageby Stephen Crane

Summary

The Red Badge of Courage is the story of Henry Fleming, a teenager who enlists

with the Union Army in the hopes of fulfilling his dreams of glory. Shortly after

enlisting, the reality of his decision sets in. He has not yet experienced battle and

the more their company waits, the more doubt and fear begins to creep into his

mind. His biggest doubt is his own courage, for he fears he will flee from battle

when it comes. Their first battle, Henry stays his ground and fires blindly at the

enemy , but never once sees his enemy. When the second wave comes, Henry’s fear

of death overwhelmes him and he flees from the field. The guilt and self-hatred he

feels for abandoning the men and fleeing follows him into his next battle, where he

manages to turn it into anger. Henry becomes a leader, fighting boldly at the side

of his lieutenant, and becomes a confident, assertive soldier who becomes,

basically, a fighting machine. Henry leads the men and restores moral by saving

their flag from falling with their flag-bearer and by stealing the enemy’s flag. His

experiences in this last battle lead him to discover that he came through the “red

sickness” of battle and has proved himself a man by not fleeing again today and

being successful.

Major ThemesCourage, Transformation, Warfare, Masculinity, Transformation, Duty

Thesis Statements

The Red Badge of Courage is a book about facing your fears, bravery in the face of despair, and friendship

throughout stressful times.

In The Red Badge of Courage, the main character, Henry, matured as a soldier greatly throughout the course of the

book.

Cold Mountain

by Charles Frazier

Summary

Cold Mountain tells the story of a wounded Confederate soldier, Inman, who was wounded in his last battle. He

knows that the second he recovers, he will be returned to the battlefield again, and deserts while he still has the chance. Inman strugges on his journey home to Cold Mountain,

North Carolina, and back to the woman he left behind, Ada. Along the way, he meets a lone line of interesting and

colorful characters, often having to escape the Home Guard, a military group assigned to find all deserters from the army.

Back home, in Cold Mountain, Ada is learning the ropes of mnaging her deceased father’s farm. Originally from the

city, Ada has no idea how to manage the farm on her own - but luckily help comes in the form of a girl named Ruby, a

drifter who assists and teaches Ada along the way.

Themes

Isolation, Retribution, Forgiveness, Loss of Innocence, Kindness, Love Conquers All

Thesis Statements

In the story Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, the protagonists, Inman and Ada, learn several

important life lessons through their separate journeys.

The main character, Inman, in the story Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, learns on his journey home from the war that nature is

beautiful, even with all the carnage he has seen, because it led him home to the love of his life.

Jane EyreBy Charlotte Brontë

Summary: Jane Eyre is an orphan raised by her cruel aunt. She is sent to Lowood school, where she lives for eight years as both a student and teacher. She then becomes a governess at Thornfield, where she teaches a young french girl named Adèle. Jane falls in love with the owner of Thornfield Hall, Edward Rochester. Rochester is rash, rich and mysterious and despite his and Jane’s difference in social class they decide to get married. As they are about to exchange their vows it is discovered that Rochester is already married and his wife is still alive. Rochester does not deny this and they make their way back to Thornfield where the truth comes out that his wife, Bertha, is alive but crazy and mentally unstable. Jane flees from Thornfield and is taken in by St. John and his sisters. Jane inherits a large sum of money from her deceased uncle who she never knew and St. John urges her to become his wife and move to India. Jane denys this new marriage proposal and leaves to find Rochester. She discovers Thornfield hall was burned to the ground and Bertha was lost in the flames. Jane finds Rochester still alive in Ferndean, but blind and one handed. At the end Jane writes that they have been happily married for ten years and they had a son.

Themes:- Love vs. Autonomy- Religion- Social Class- Gender Relations- Love/ Passion- Madness

Thesis Statements

1. The novel, “Jane Eyre,” illustrates how Jane's independence is threatened by male suppression, religious authority, social norms, and her self-doubt.

2. “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte unravels the life of a young girl named Jane and her fight between living the life society has stereotypically laid out for her or use her independent mind she's been given to break away and be greater than what the world feels she's capable of.

The Things They CarriedTim O’brien

Summary: “The Things They Carried.” is a collection of O’briens experiences in the Vietnam war. Some of the stories from the book are true and others were made up by O’brien. The story is not in chronological order and it jumps around from O’briens perspective to a third person narrative. The novels characters are what make this book believable and interesting. One of the short stories from the book looks back into O’brien’s past when he was drafted for the war. This moment from his passed illuminated a difficult decision and the problem many young, male americans faced during that time of serving their country or running away and saving their own lives. This book brings up many ideas like what a “true war story” is and the emotional baggage soldiers carry during and after the war.

Themes:-Physical and emotional burdens - Shame as motivation- The truth- Storytelling- Morality- Isolation- Death

Thesis Statements:1. “The Things They Carried,” provides insight into the minds of soldiers and enlightens the reader into the emotional and psychological costs of war.2. “In The Things They Carried,” by Tim O’Brien, O’Brien shows the reader that storytelling is extremely powerful in the ways that it can help a person deal with physical and emotional burdens.

Catch-22By Joseph Heller

Summary: During the second half of World War II, a soldier named Yossarian is stationed with his Air Force squadron on the island of Pianosa, near the Italian coast in the Mediterranean Sea. He and his squadron are sent on countless missions that are brutal and dangerous. The government has set up a Catch-22, a technique which uses circular reasoning to form an illogical prison that keeps the soldiers risking their lives every day. An example of this is exposed when Yossarian figures out that you can be discharged if your are insane. He tells doctor that he is insane, but it is told that only sane people are able to claim insanity. Eventually, Yossarian is given a choice by Colonels Cathcart and Korn: either face a court martial or be honorably discharged (however the second option comes with the agreement that Yossarian is to testify to the good practice of the Colonels in sending the men on all of the suicide missions). Realizing that one option would lead to his imprisonment and the other to letting his friends continue to horrible missions, Yossarian flees to neutral Sweden.

Major Themes: The absolute power of bureaucracy, the loss of religious faith, and the inevitability of death.

Thesis Statements: 1) Name and explain one example of a Catch-22 that Yossarian faces during his time in Italy.2) What does Catch-22 say about death, especially from Yossarian’s point of view?

Left, Yossarian on one of his many missions. Although determined to quit the Air Force, he is trapped into staying by the Catch-22 the government has set up for the military. Right, a WW2 bomber.

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

SummaryThe Jungle revolves around Jurgis Rudkus and the rest of his family who have immigrated to Chicago from Lithuania in pursuit of the American Dream. However, they get quite the opposite when they work and live in Packingtown, a cruel and brutal meat packing industry. Jurgis and his family are slowly destroyed their harsh living circumstances, where they are surrounded by unsafe working conditions, poverty, corruption, greed, and rape. At the end of the book, Jurgis has been separated from what was left of his family and comes across a socialist rally. This inspires him to join the socialist party and fight for the rights of the workers. The capitalist reality of Packingtown was that a few corrupt rich people own the factories while honest workers are oppressed, and Jurgis devotes his lifeto stop this.

Major Themes: Socialism/Capitalism, the American Dream

Thesis Statements1) Upton Sinclair uses corruption, poverty, and the alternative of socialism to depict the negative effects of capitalism.2) The fallacy of the American Dream is exposed in “The Jungle” by the destruction of Jurgis’ Lithuanian immigrant family.

The unsanitary work environment in the meat industry was fixed after the release of “The Jungle”

The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

SummaryThe story begins with a flashback from the

protagonist, Amir. He was a boy living in Afghanistan with his father, Babi, and their two servants, Ali and his son, Hassan. Thier servants are Hazaras, an ethnic minority. When Amir and Hassan are running a kite in the annual kite-fighting contest, Hassan gets the kite, but he is trapped and raped by three older boys. Amir runs away, pretends it never happens and later, from guilt, frames Hassan for stealing and causes him to leave. The flashback ends and 26 years later, after Amir has moved to America, he is called back to Pakistan to see a dying friend. The friend tells his that the Taliban had killed Hassan and Hassan’s wife and left their son, Sohrab, at an orphanage. He sends Hassan to rescue Sohrab and take him back to Pakistan where he will be taken care of. Amir rescues him and takes him back to America where he teaches him kite-running.

Major ThemesRedemption, father-son relationships,

persistence of the past.

ThesisIn Kite Runner, the protagonist, Amir, is

constantly searching for a way to achieve redemption for his horrific past. He achieves his redemption when he rescues Sohrab from the abusive Taliban orphanage after returning to his homeland of Afghanistan.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

SummaryThe story is about an ambitious

inventor named Victor Frankenstein. Victor started out like any normal kid in

Geneva, with his parents adopting a girl named Elizabeth for him to marry

when he was older. He goes to college and figures out how to bring a dead

body back to life. Victor is horrified by his new monster, abandons the

monster, and falls ill for a few months. After Victor’s brother is murdered, he

leaves to the swiss alps for a vacation and runs into his monster who

confesses to killing his brother. When the monster fled he found himself

alone, hideous, and unwanted. The monster killed Victor’s brother out of

revenge and wants Victor to make him a female companion. Victor agrees but

destroys the second monster for fear that the two would bring destruction to

humanity. The monsters sees him destroy his companion and swears

revenge. Victor and Elizabeth get married but the monster kills her out of

revenge. Victor now seeks revenge on the monster and chases him down all

over the world.

Major themes: the dangers of great knowledge, secrecy, belonging, monstrosity.

http://youtube.com/v/sCUZd1iuq3o

http://youtube.com/v/Lg17y6iz7Xs

PlotThe story As I Lay Dying centers on the Bundren family and their quest to bring their mother to Jefferson to bury her. Along the way they encounter several obstacles that hinder their journey. The story is told through point of view narrative. It is primarily told from the perspectives of the Bundren children: Cash, Darl, and Vandraman. The story has some chapters told by Anse Bundren, Dewey Dell Bundren, Addie Bundren, and Vernon Tull to name a few. Each of the characters gives a different account of the situations in the story. It begins at the Bundren home where Addie is on her deathbed. This section of the story is used to establish the personalities of the characters. Here the reader learns that Anse is selfish and lazy, Darl is a little odd and a dreamer, Dewey Dell is lost, Vandraman is an innocent child, Cash is hardworking and honest, and Jewel is separate from all the other children. Once Addie dies they embark on the journey to Jefferson. They come across a flooded river and despite the warnings of Tull they attempt to cross anyway, causing them to lose the team and Cash to break his leg. Anse insists that they continue even though Cash has a broken leg and in order to replace the team he uses Cash’s money and sells Jewel’s horse. They reach a small town where Dewey Dell goes to find a doctor in secret in an attempt to get an abortion. She is refused and they must leave the town because Addie is rotting and the coffin smells vile.The family stops for the night in a barn. In an attempt to free them of this situation Darl lights the barn on fire with Addie inside. Jewel manages to pull Addie out and they leave to Jefferson. Once the family finally arrives in Jefferson they bury Addie. The police take Darl to the penitentiary. Dewey Dell tries to go to a different doctor. The man tricks her: he gives her fake medication promising it will work in exchange for sex. Cash has to have his leg amputated because it is gangrene. Anse ignores the misfortune of his children and takes Dewey Dell’s abortion money to buy new teeth. Anse returns with new teeth and a new wife. The story ends with the family driving away in a carriage.

Some of the major themes in the book are the importance that life, love, and sin have on each person’s life.

Throughout William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying the utilization of stream of consciousness gives the reader different perspectives and tell different aspects of the story: this can primarily be seen through the characters Cash, Darl, and Vandraman.

The use of symbols in William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying give the reader a connection to the story. Some examples of symbols are the fish, Jewel’s horse, and the buzzards.

http://youtube.com/v/VO68Kd2yQsE

The Remains of the DayBy Kazuo Ishiguro

Plot—The story follows Stevens the butler on a trip around England to meet up with his old colleague Miss Kenton. On this trip Stevens recalls memories from his time serving Lord Darlington, specifically during WWII. Lord Darlington was a Nazi sympathizer and despite the subconscious knowledge of this Stevens does his job dutifully. During the present day Stevens is working for an American who is improper and he is unable to converse with him comfortably as it was never his place before. He travels on this road trip to see Miss Kenton because he believes that she is unhappy in her marriage and wants to come back to work at the house. Throughout the story it is implied that Stevens always knew that Lord Darlington was working with the Nazi’s but it was never his place to question. This idea truly resonates when Stevens has to fire two maids simply because they are Jewish. During the trip he reflects if his life was ever actually his own and if he did the right thing doing his job perfectly and never questioning Lord Darlington. Once he arrives to visit Miss Kenton they discuss the past and she reveals that she had/has feelings for him. It is implied throughout the story that Stevens regrets many of the decisions that he made in his life. Stevens chooses to leave and return to his employer with his sole purpose being mastering the art of witty banter.

Some of the themes are the blurred line between duty and doing the “right” thing, regret, and loss.

Thesis Statements-In Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day the emotion of regret can be seen through the character Stevens as he reflects on his life, his relationships, and his work.The principles of duty are established in Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day through the protagonist Stevens, the maid Miss Kenton, and Stevens father.

Gullivers TravelsSummary of plot- Gulliver the protagonist and narrator of this novel goes on four different voyages each of which ending in a storm. Gulliver ends up in the imaginary countries of Lilliput, Blefusces, Brobdingdang, Laputan and Houghnhmns and gains a new perspective on his life and humankind at each. His first voyage brings him to Lilliput where the people are tiny compared to him. The second voyage is to Brobdingag where the people are giants compared to Gulliver. His third voyage is to Laputa where the people are dedicated to mathematics and music and are bad at practical things. Then from there he goes to a island called Glubbdubdrib which is occupied by sorcerers and he runs into ghosts of famous historical figures. Gulliver then returns to England but soon after sets off again on another voyage. This time Gulliver is the captain of his ship but is soon overthrown and marooned on island. This island contains two creatures, The Yahoos and the Houynhmns. The Yahoos are beast like creatures who are violent, deceitful and disgusting, they also have human like features. The Houynhmns are gentle and reasonable creatures who do not have problems but look like horses. Gulliver gets used to Houynhmn life and realizes the true depth of human awfulness, unfortunately because he looks like a Yahoo the Houynhmns kick him out. He then returns home depressed, he is disgusted at the family he has as they remind him of Yahoos and recoils himself from all humans spending more and more time with his horses.

Major Themes- Man vs Right, Individual vs. Society, The limits of human understanding, the flaws of society and how knowledge, understanding and communication is important.

Thesis Statements- 1) Gulliver is seen as an outsider in the lands he traveled to and no matter if hes twice the size or half the size of the inhabitants he is treated differently. This treatment gives him a better perspective on himself and society. 2)Jonathan Swift the author of Gulliver's Travels pays great attention to the real world, the over descriptive bodily functions add to the bit of satire in the novel but also are there to remind the reader of the imperfectness and mortality of human kind.

by Jonathan Swift

The Color

Purpleby Alice Walker

Summary-This story is told through the eyes of a poor uneducated African American women living in a racist and sexist southern USA named Celie. Celie is raped, abused and impregnated by a man who is in the novel believed to be her father called Mr. ___ at age 14 and forced into marriage. Her kids are taken away from her and her sister fled to Africa. Celie ends up turning to god and writing him letters. She starts to see god as another man in her life who could abuse her until she meets Shug Avery. Shug is a blues singer and at first seen as Mr._____’s mistress but then becomes close friends with Celie and eventually lovers. Shug helps Celie find her independence and shows her that a new way to think about god. Celie ends up moving to Tennessee and gaining independence she then returns to Georgia after a while as an entrepreneur and finds out Mr. _____ was in fact not her father and has undergone a transformation causing them to become friendly. Celie then inherits her family home and starts a new and prosperous life.

Major Themes-The power of narrative and voice, the power of strong female relationships, the cyclical nature of racism and secism and the importance of a disruption of traditional gender roles

Thesis Statements-1) In the novel The Color Purple most male characters are abusive and overpowering. Due to Celies experience with men like this she finds her freedom and independency. 2)The two different mediums of writing in the novel, The Color Purple create two different views into the characters and themes of the novel. The spoken narrative shows connections through each character and the written narrative gives readers a view into a specific characters ideas and actions.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Heart of Darkness tells the story of Marlow, an ivory

transporter from the congo. Along his journey he

becomes more and more interested with Kurts, and

evil genius imperialistic ivory agent. Marlow is

shocked to see what he finds when he arrives at the

congo. The European traders from London had essentially overtaken the

culture of the natives. Imperialism along with evil

has essentially overtaken the congo and Marlow is

forced to accept the surroundings.

Thesis Statements:

1) The recurring motif of darkness contributes to the theme of exposure of evil through the seclusion of the area, the unknown happenings of evil and the description of settings as always cloaked in gloom.

2) Kurtz is overtaken by imperialism due to the idea of deeds being done in the dark, lack of law and the release of evil in human nature.

Themes:ImperialismUncontrollable evilHypocrisy of power

The JungleBy Upton Sinclair

Jurgis is a lithuanian immigrant who lives in Chicago with his family. They seek the wonderful American dream but face unexpected events. They work at a meat packaging factory and soon enough life crumbles around them. Living condition become harsh and one day Jurgis comes across a rally of socialists. At the end he abandons his family and devotes his time to protest with the socialist party so more than just a few rich people own these factories.

Themes include: Socialism overcoming capitalism, immigration lifestyle and troubles, the (unexpected) American dream

Thesis statement: In Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle”, the difficulties of immigration is shown through the living conditions which is partly affected by rallies of socialism vs. capitalism.

Summary: The ex- colored man was raised in a different environment than other blacks. His mother protected him greatly and when she passed he began to live as part of the black life. When he grew up he played piano for white parties. He showed devotion to white gentlemen and even formed friendships with them. Later, she witnessed a lynching of a black man and his eyes opened to racism. He later marries a white woman and has never revealed himself to be black; he was always seen as white man.

The Autobiography of an Ex- Colored Man By: James Weldon Johnson

Themes: Racism, identity, diversity, art and culture, self awareness, and self interest.

Thesis: Johnson believes that he can find his true identity by either pursuing and believing in his African- American music or by living like a middle class white man.

-Photograph of James Weldon Johnson

Plot: The Republic of Gilead has replaced what used to be the United States, completely reshaping society and evoking the rights of women. No longer allowed to own property, work, or even read, women are deemed as property. After an unspecified nuclear disaster, conception rates are at an all time low, and high-status couples with trouble conceiving may be issued a Handmaid, a woman with viable ovaries with whom the husband can have ceremonial and impersonal sex with within his wife’s presence. The novel closely follows the experience of a handmaid named Offred as she struggles through experiences in her past and present.

Thesis Statements:● In The Handmaid’s Tale, language is

suggested to be an incredible tool of power, suggested through the ban of women’s education, dehumanizing labels used to refer to the deformed, and the biblical terms closely intertwined within politics of the society.

● In the novel, Atwood suggests the existence of both a dark and light side to the new Republic: one in which safety and security is finally accomplished in society as a whole, and the other in which this “safety” harms the individual.

The Handmaid’s Tale

by Margaret Atwood

Causes of complacency

How do we define sexual violence?

Welfare of the whole vs. the individual

Bodies serving political purposes

Surfacing

Plot: Searching for her father in the Canadian wilderness, the unnamed narrator, her quiet boyfriend Joe, and their married friends David and Anna spend a week off the grid searching for signs. Through the introspective observations of the narrator, we explore the nature of love and relationships and the way in which man controls nature and women. Ultimately, the narrator undergoes a drastic psychological transformation, just barely emerging on the other side.

Thesis Statements:

● The relationship between David and Anna represents the way in which sex can be wielded as both a weapon of spite and a form of control.

● In Surfacing, Atwood uses the relationships of David and Anna and the narrator and Joe to represent two differing types of control: emotional and physical.

by Margaret Atwood

The idea of the “natural woman”

Man’s control of nature and women

Sex as a tool of power

The Awakening by Kate ChopinSummary: The Awakening is the story of Edna

Pontellier’s transformation from an obedient housewife to a fiercely independent woman. It is set in and around Grand Isle and New Orleans in the late 1800s. While vacationing with her family, Edna feels a change begin to take place in how she shows herself to the rest of the world. She falls in love with Robert, a much younger man, but he soon leaves in fear of an affair. Edna begins to devote herself to art, and continues to become more independent. When Robert returns, she completely releases her hold on social conventions and wants to leave her family to be with him, but, before she can convince him to stay, she leaves to help her friend, who is giving birth. Edna’s friend tells her that she is being selfish and should think of her children, and, when Enda returns to where Robert was, he is gone. In his place is a note of farewell. She then realizes that not even Robert would have been enough to satisfy her newfound strength and passion, and she becomes intensely lonely, and she drowns herself in the ocean.

Major Themes: solitude as a result of independence, the effects of self-expression, and the question of whether to follow society’s wishes

Thesis Statements: Edna’s suicide is a final act of independence, not only

because it was her own choice, but because it was non-aggressive and she was completely rational.

Although Mademoiselle Reisz and Madame Ratignolle were both wonderful role-models, Edna couldn’t entirely exemplify either of them; she was already married and had children, unlike Reisz, and she didn’t like her children or like taking care of them, like Ratignolle. This ultimately led to her decision to kill herself.

Kafka on The ShoreBy Haruki Murakami

Summary:

The odd chapters tell the 15 year old Kafka's story as he runs away from his father's house to escape

an Oedipal curse and to embark upon a quest to find his mother and sister. After a series of

adventures, he finds shelter in a quiet, private library in Takamatsu, run by the distant and aloof

Miss Saeki and the androgynous Oshima. There he spends his days reading the unabridged

Richard Francis Burton translation of A Thousand and One Nights and the collected works of

Natsume Sōseki until the police begin inquiring after him in connection with a brutal murder.

Major Themes: Murder, adventure, suspense, humor.

Thesis Statements:

1.)In Kafka on The Shore by Haruki Murakami, Kafka learns a lot of important life lessons on his journeys.

2.) What is the meaning of love and self perseverance in the novel?

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

Plot summary: The patients in the mental ward are cowed and repressed by Nurse Ratched, the head nurse. McMurphy tries to rally all the patients together in a rebellion against her authority by asserting individualism and sexuality, while Ratched tries to show the patients what a terrible person and influence McMurphy is, shaming all the patients back under her control. There are several events in which McMurphy tries to band all against her, but in the end his plots are thwarted and the nurse ends up ruling the mental institute.

Major Themes: women as castrators, society’s destruction of natural impulses, the importance of expressing one’s sexuality, and society’s often false diagnosis of insanity

Thesis Statements: 1) I believe neither McMurphy nor Ratched truly

wins “the battle” at the end, as it sets in sort of a standstill, leaving the reader to decide further on the victor based on their opinion on what the outcome of the ward is.

2) I think our modern system of insane asylums keep people confined and do not cure its occupants, especially if they are similar to that which the book describes, because there is no true mental attempt to cure anyone but only to confine them.

The Scarlet Letterby Nathaniel Hawthorne

First the story is introduced by the narrator. Then we see Hester and her illegitimate child, Pearl being publicly shamed. Chillingworth is Hesters lost husband. Chillingworth lets her know and they keep it a secret. Chillingworth starts taking care of Dimmesdale full time because he is very sick. Chillingworth suspects something more is going on between Hester and Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale is Pearl’s father and the family is going to run away to Europe together. When Hester and Pearl are on the town scaffold, Dimmesdale confesses and then dies. Chillingworth later dies, Hester and Pearl move away. Years later, Hester moves back and Pearl (now married) writes her letters. When Hester dies, she is buried with Dimmesdale in a special scarlet letter coffin.

Major theme: What is the root of evil?Thesis: Hawthorne uses the contrast of settings in

scenes of the forest, scaffold and Europe to characterize sin.

Fahrenheit 451by Ray Bradbury

SUMMARY: Guy Montag is a fireman whose job is to burn books, which have been banned by the government because of the power they can contain. A seventeen-year-old girl named Clarisse McClellan opens his eyes to everything wrong with the world around him, and he begins to have some curiosity about books. When Guy’s boss, fire chief Beatty, discovers this, Guy is forced to burn his own home,

THEMES: Man vs. Society

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

SummaryAnna Karenina follows two characters, Anna and Levin, as they pursue existential satisfaction. The story starts with Anna’s effort to counsel her brother and his wife while Levin is courty a woman named Kitty. Anna ends up having an affair with Vronsky, the man that Kitty rejects Levin’s proposal for. After a while, Anna’s husband finds out about the affair and they go back and forth about a divorce. During this time Kitty is in Germany, and Levin is trying to reform his estate and find meaning in his life. Kitty and Levin meet again in Moscow and Kitty accepts his proposal. Levin learns that marriage isn’t quite what he thought it’d be and Anna becomes more of a social outcast because of her ongoing affair. Levin goes through a gambling and drinking phase but eventually finds happiness in his life as the good he can put into it. Anna becomes increasingly estranged and throws herself under a train when meeting Vronsky.

Themes: societal hypocrisy, love, family life, adultery, social isolation, and existential meaning.

Thesis Statements:1) Tolstoy uses death, social isolation, and emotional disorders to condemn certain ways of living.2)Anna Karenina depicts two lives headed in opposite directions to tell us that a happy life can be found by accepting some unhappiness as normal.

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