AP English Language and Composition Summer Reading Assignment

Welcome to your AP English Language and Composition summer reading assignment! This assignment is designed to prepare you for the rigorous analytical reading and writing tasks you'll encounter throughout the upcoming school year.

Purpose of the Assignment

The summer reading assignment serves several important purposes:

• To maintain and develop your critical reading skills over the summer break
• To expose you to diverse perspectives, styles, and rhetorical strategies
• To prepare you for the analytical writing tasks central to the AP curriculum
• To foster independent thinking and literary analysis
• To establish a foundation of literary knowledge for discussions in the fall

Required Reading

Please read all of the following texts before the first day of class. These works have been selected for their literary merit, rhetorical effectiveness, and relevance to themes we'll explore throughout the year.

Option A (Choose one):

• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Reading Guidelines

As you read each work, please follow these guidelines to maximize your understanding and prepare for classroom discussions:

• Annotate thoughtfully Mark passages that seem significant, make connections to other works or experiences, note rhetorical devices, and record questions that arise as you read.
• Pay attention to structure Consider how the author organizes the text and how structure impacts meaning and effectiveness.
• Identify rhetorical strategies Note how authors use ethos, pathos, and logos, and other rhetorical techniques to advance their purposes.
• Consider historical context Research the historical and cultural context of each work when necessary.

Written Assignments

Reading Journals

For each required text and your chosen option, maintain a reading journal with entries that include:

• A brief summary of each chapter or section (3-5 sentences)
• Analysis of significant passages (select at least two per chapter/section)
• Questions about the text that you'd like to discuss in class
• Personal responses to the characters, themes, and ideas presented
• Identification of rhetorical strategies and their effects

Synthesis Essay

Write a 750-1000 word essay comparing how two of the authors you read approach a similar theme or issue. Consider:

• How each author's style affects their treatment of the theme
• The historical/cultural context influencing each work
• The rhetorical strategies each author employs
• How the works might speak to each other if placed in conversation

Rhetorical Analysis

Select one passage from any of the assigned readings (approximately 500-800 words) and write a rhetorical analysis examining how the author uses language effectively. Your analysis should:

• Identify the author's purpose and intended audience
• Analyze specific rhetorical strategies used
• Explain how these strategies advance the author's purpose
• Evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies

Expectations for Submission

All written assignments are due on the first day of class. Late submissions will result in reduced grades. Your work represents your intellectual engagement with the texts and will be evaluated based on:

• Demonstrated understanding of the texts
• Depth of analysis and critical thinking
• Specificity of textual evidence and examples
• Clarity and organization of written expression
• Technical correctness (grammar, mechanics, MLA formatting)

Additional Resources

If you need assistance during the summer, the following resources may be helpful:

• Your school or local library for access to the texts and research materials
• Online literary analysis resources (e.g., Purdue OWL, JSTOR, Project MUSE)
• Study groups with classmates preparing for the same course

We look forward to engaging with these texts together when classes begin. The summer reading assignment represents the foundation for the thoughtful literary discussions and analytical writing that will characterize our AP English Language and Composition course. Happy reading!