Memoirs and Autobiographies Summer Reading Project

Dual Credit Senior English Mrs. Wendy Turner Wendy.turner@fayette.kyschools.us Fall 2011-2012 Paul Laurence Dunbar High School www.staff.fcps.net/wturner

Step 1: Choose Your Book

Choose one of the books from the list provided on the PLD Library page - OR - find another comparable title and obtain my approval by the deadline. Please be sure to check that your title is OK BEFORE you begin this assignment. Titlesall others must have prior approval. You dont have to limit yourself to the titles on the PLD listfeel free to go investigate other titles if you want! My two rules about choosing a title: 1) You cannot read a book that you have read before, and 2) If you choose something NOT on the PLD library list, you have to email me with your title to get prior approval. To get to the PLD Library Resource list for Autobiographies and Memoirs: 1) Click on the Library tab on the PLD main page. 2) Click on the Library Catalog button.

3) On the left hand side, switch to the Resource Lists view by clicking that tab. Then move over to the right and click on public lists.

4) Once there, click on the view button next to memoirs/autobiographies.

5) Youll be taken to a page of books that you can check out from the PLD library. There are 149 titles here, so hopefully there will be something that interests you. You can print the list, or you can scroll through and sort by call number. Also remember that the PLD librarians would be happy to assist you! NOTE: If you are choosing a book on this list, you do not need prior permission.

Step 2: The Assignment

After you read the book, please complete the tasks outlined below (part A and part B) Part A: Analyzing the Content In this section, I ask you to take a journalistic approach by asking, and then answering, the 5 W's and H: who, what, where, when, why, and how. Using these six words as your sub-categories, describe the basics of your book. Its OK if the Ws and H overlap in some sectionsIn fact, they probably will. As long as you give each W and H ample coverage, youre good to go. Its also your choice to present them in whatever order works for you. Who In this section I might discuss who the book is about and give plenty of details about this person. Use vivid description and imagery. Your readers need to be able to visualize this person in their minds. Cite specific examples from the text to illustrate his or her personality. Use page numbers to help your readers easily move to your cited examples in the text. What, Where, and When In these paragraphs I might discuss what major events took place in the persons life, explaining where and when they took place. Again, cite examples (and page numbers) from the text to back up your explanations. How In this section I might discuss how the major event(s) impacted the person's life. Again, please cite from the text to support my conclusions. Why In this paragraph I would discuss why the memoir or autobiography was written. Offer possible reasons: Redemption? Confession? To help others? To lead by example?

Part A Rubric

You will be graded in Part A on your ability to describe the 5 W's and H in detail, citing from the text, including page numbers where necessary, and using MLA style correctly. This section will be about 1-2 pages long, depending on the length of your examples. Part B: Analyzing Writing Style Analyze the writing style of the author by finding specific examples for any 10 of the following literary devices. Youll do three things for each entry: 1) List the term 2) Cite the example, either in a direct quotation or by paraphrasing, and include the page number on which it appears, and 3) explain the significance of that rhetorical device in the book. Please choose any 10 terms from the list below, but do not repeat a term. If you dont know some of these terms, look them up. Analogy Euphemism Hyperbole Parallelism Alliteration Connotation Mood Personification Example Entry: 1. Simile 2. "On top of having a bad experience in the regular classroom, there was the physical education teacher; he had us all scared. He kept us in line all of the time and barked out commands like a military drill sergeant" (15-16). 3. This simile illustrates how orderly and strict Dennis' new physical education teacher was in high school. Poor Dennis, he had just moved from Cuba where he was a top student who loved to learn. Now, as a Cuban refugee in Florida, he could not keep up with his classes because he did not speak English. This was a big disappointment to him because he knew that getting an education was important in order for him to become a pilot. He missed his old school and friendly teachers.
Part B Rubric

Anaphora Metaphor Syntax Punctuation Litotes Jargon/Slang Allusion Circumlocution

Colloquialism Simile Synecdoche Satire Asyndeton Repetition Polysyndeton Rhetorical Question

Pun Imagery Paradox Oxymoron Ethos Pathos Logos Tone

You will be graded on your ability to correctly identify and analyze rhetorical devices as they are used in the book. Failure to cite specific examples and page numbers will result in a deduction of points. This section will be around 2 pages long, depending on the length of the examples.

Step 3: The Narrative Essay

After completing Step 2, you will a 2-3 page narrative essay that focuses on the person your chosen book is about. Please format it in a double-spaced, a 12 pt. sans-serif font, with 1 inch margins. Include page numbers and a document ID in MLA style. At the end of the essay, please include a correctly formatted MLA citation of your book. Need help getting started? One topic in your essay might be about the persons profession/background/family history, etc. There is a fine line to tread here: dont include TOO much background; just include enough so that your reader understands enough about the person in order to understand your reflection in this essay. Another topic could be your personal opinion about the persons reaction to the obstacles he or she faced. Keep in mind that its easy to judge from the outside, and hindsight, as they say, is 20/20. Try to be open-minded. Also, keep in mind that reader response is going to play a huge role in your feelings about the writer. If you can identify with the writer, say so. If you cant, say so. Just explain why. Another paragraph could be about your favorite portion of the book, either because of what happened, or because of the way the writer described the events. In this case, cite the pages, use direct quotations or paraphrasing as necessary, and be very descriptive. Another topic could be your thoughts on the writing style including sentence types and variety, pacing, and tone.

Start English with an A: Assignment Tips and Hints HUGE BIG MOST IMPORTANT NOTE: This project is due on the first day of our class meeting, and late submissions will receive a grade penalty based on school policy. Not to mention, its a really bad first impression.
Give yourself about two weeks to do this assignmentit probably wont take that long, but I dont want you to stress out by failing to start the project until the week before school begins. Depending on the length of the book and the speed at which you read, youll need a week or two just to read the book. Look for devices and techniques as you read. Use post-its to mark the pages where you find similes, metaphors, etc. This way, you can save a little time when you begin writing. Pace yourself when completing the written assignmentskeep it low stress. It will take you about four hours give or takebased on your personal writing

habitsto complete all of the writing portions. I, personally, would tackle one section of Step 2 per day (Part A, Part B, and Part C). Then I would complete Step 3 on the following day. In college, your professors expect that paragraph length is about 7-12 sentences, and so do I. Be conscientious about the depth of your explanations and the development of your examples. Show me that not only have you read this book, but that you have also been thoughtful about it. If you dont know something, look it up! You are responsible for your own education at times. Be proactive (Dont know that word? Look it up). Put everything into a folder (not a 3-ring binder!!) Your name and class period should be clearly labeled on front of the folder. Part of your grade will reflect your neatness and ability to follow instructionslabeling, spacing, typing, page numbering, etc. Label every category of this assignment clearly. I do not need the copy of your book when you submit this assignment.

Email me if you need help. Ill check my email throughout the summer.