Dear Parents:

 

Your child has requested the English II Pre-AP course for the upcoming 2008-2009 school year. The purpose of this course is to offer promising students challenging work that will prepare them for Advanced Placement courses. The Pre-AP courses offered in 10th grade develop reading, writing, and thinking skills necessary for success in AP courses. Reading selections for these courses represent concepts and/or reading selections frequently cited on Advanced Placement examinations. Because these courses include works that are numerous and challenging, students are required to complete a summer reading assignment.

 

For the summer of 2008, your child must read the following selection:

 

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

There are assignments which coincide with this book.  Students will be expected to bring completed assignments to school on the first day of the 2008 fall semester, and will be tested on the material the first week of school.

 

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Please sign and return to your child’s current English teacher.

 

_____              My child and I have received notice of the summer assignment for Tenth Grade Pre-AP and will comply. We understand that the completion date for this assignment is the first day of the school year.

 

_____              My child and I have received notice of the summer assignment for Tenth Grade Pre-AP, and I do not wish my child to be enrolled.

 

 

Parent Printed Name ____________________________________________________

 

Parent Signature _______________________________________________________

 

Student Printed Name ___________________________________________________

 

Student Signature ­______________________________________________________

 

Date _________________________________________________________________

 

Current English Teacher’s Name __________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

Ball High School

Pre-AP English II

Summer Reading and Assignments

 

For the summer reading assignment you will need to acquire the novel The Great Gatsby. Because of highlighting and annotating, it is preferable that you purchase these materials. The district will ask local bookstores to stock these books.

 

The Great Gatsby

 

As you read the novel, annotate Fitzgerald’s use of language as he develops characters, and introduces symbols such as the green light, the valley of ashes, or the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg. In addition to annotation in the margins, highlight your books using the following color coding.

 

  1. Use a PINK highlighter to mark characters – when they are introduced, described, characterized (characterization may be done directly by the narrator, by the way a character speaks, dresses, acts, thinks, and by what other characters say about him or her).

 

  1. Use a YELLOW highlighter to indicate symbols and their use.

 

  1. Use a BLUE highlighter to mark figures of speech, images, repetition, interesting sentence structure, use of punctuation, and anything else that catches your attention.

 

You should come to school the first day with a very colorful book!

 

If you are unable to purchase a book of your own, you may type selections and then highlight them as above. If you choose this method, page numbers must be documented for each item. Also, be sure and indicate the annotation. If you feel you have a situation in which neither of these options will work for you, please inform us before the end of this school year.

 

As you read, you should also complete the attached study questions.

 

Come to school the first day prepared to discuss the book in class and with the questions completed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ball High School

Pre-AP English II

Summer Reading Study Guide

Chapter I

 

  1. What purpose do the first four paragraphs serve?

 

  1. What advice does Nick’s father give him?

 

  1. Why does Fitzgerald have Nick share his father’s advice with the reader?

 

  1. What is the setting of the story?

 

  1. How is West Egg different from East Egg?

 

  1. What is the relationship between Nick and Daisy and Tom Buchanan?

 

  1. Who is the other person in the Buchanan home?

 

  1. What unflattering feature of Jordan Baker’s personality is revealed?

 

Chapter II

 

  1. In the first paragraph of chapter two, what device does Fitzgerald use to create a musical effect? Cite at least three examples.

 

  1. On a literal level, what is the valley of ashes?  What might it represent on a symbolic level?

 

  1. Contrast Daisy with Myrtle, Tom’s mistress.

 

  1. How does Fitzgerald emphasize the smallness of the apartment?

 

  1. What rumor does Nick hear about Gatsby?

 

  1. What seems to be the feeling towards divorce in the 1920’s?

 

Chapter III

 

  1. What is the setting for Chapter III?

 

  1. There are at least two examples of polysyndenton in chapter three. Identify one of them and explain why it contributes to the impact of the chapter. (If you don’t know what this is, please look it up.)

 

  1. What metaphor does Fitzgerald use to convey the theme of hollowness in the upper class?

 

  1. What do Gatsby and Nick have in common?

 

  1. Although there are many rumors regarding Gatsby, there is a clue given to the reader about what the nature of Gatsby’s work may be. What is the clue? What might it indicate about his work?

 

  1. What does the author do to convey the idea that the gentleman driving the car is drunk?

 

  1. The first three chapters span what time period?

 

  1. Who is Jordan Baker?

 

  1. What purpose does Jordan fulfill?

 

Chapter IV

 

  1. What symbol does Fitzgerald use as the outward manifestation of Gatsby’s wealth? What theme does this reinforce?

 

  1. Gatsby fills Nick in on the details of his life for what reason?

 

  1. Where do Gatsby and Nick go for lunch? Whom do they meet there?

 

  1. What do the characters of Buchanan and Wolfsheim represent?

 

  1. What matter does Jordan speak to Nick about? How does she know this information?

 

  1. Why is Daisy so upset on her wedding day?

 

Chapter V

 

  1. When Nick comes home to West Egg that night, what does he find unusual? How does that description contribute to the mood?

 

  1. How does Gatsby show that he is grateful to Nick for his agreeing to call Daisy?

 

  1. Cite an example of hyperbole in this chapter and explain the effects created.

 

  1. What makes Gatsby sound like Tom?

 

  1. What arouses Nick’s suspicions about Gatsby’s past? What suspicion does this apparent lie reinforce?

 

  1. Why does Daisy cry about the shirts?

 

  1. Who is the protagonist: Gatsby or Nick?

 

Chapter VI

 

  1. Who is Jay Gatsby? Where is he from and how did he get to where he is now?

 

  1. Why does Gatsby not drink?

 

  1. What does Gatsby expect concerning Daisy? Are these expectations realistic?

 

Chapter VII

 

  1. What foreshadows trouble at Gatsby mansion?

 

  1. Why did Gatsby replace his servants?

 

  1. What alerts Tom that his wife has other interests? What is Tom’s response?

 

  1. What causes Mr. Wilson’s sickness?

 

  1. Why do you suppose Tom decides to let Wilson finally have the car he has been promising him?

 

  1. What do Tom and Wilson have in common? How do they each respond?

 

  1. How does Myrtle die? Why was she running out of the garage and towards the car?

 

Chapter VIII

 

  1. Why did Daisy give up on Gatsby years ago? How does Gatsby learn of the relationship between Daisy and Tom?

 

  1. In general, what is Nick’s attitude toward Gatsby?

 

  1. What does Jordan do the morning following the accident?

 

  1. Where do you think Wilson gets the information to track the car to Gatsby? Use evidence from the text.

 

  1. How is Gatsby’s body discovered? Why does no one find Gatsby earlier?

 

  1. What do you suspect happened to Wilson?

 

Chapter IX

 

  1. When it is time for the funeral, what becomes of Gatsby’s friends?

 

  1. Where is Gatsby buried?

 

  1. What is Nick’s fantastic dream? How does Nick view the East?

 

  1. What becomes of Nick and Jordan’s relationship?

 

  1. When does Nick head west?

 

  1. Describe Nick and Tom’s final meeting.

 

  1. From what viewpoint is The Great Gatsby told?

 

  1. What events represent the rising action, climax, and falling action?

 

 

Essay Question (Pick one of the two prompts):

 

  1. The technique of a first-person narrator presents certain problems of objectivity and reliability for the reader. Write a well-organized essay in which you examine the character of Gatsby as Nick perceives him. To what extent is Nick a reliable narrator, and is his evaluation of Gatsby ultimately just? Be certain not to summarize the plot or offer a mere character description.

 

  1. Setting is often an important means for the novelist or playwright to communicate characters’ ideals and attitudes. In a well-organized essay, explain what ideals and attitudes each of the three main settings of The Great Gatsby reflects and how each setting helps establish your understanding of character.