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Dear
sophomores-to-be:
Your required summer reading books are Charlotte
Brontë’s Jane Eyre and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Remains of the
Day. These books
connect in important ways with books we'll read in class next year.
The primary focus of English II is British literature, and if you
haven’t read many British novels, you may find these books
challenging, but they will also help prepare you for the kind of reading
we’ll be doing in class. Don’t
worry if you feel like you’re not always completely “getting” the
book – just do your best, pay attention, and keep reading.
You can buy both books at Pages for All Ages (or elsewhere, but
I’ll make sure that Pages has plenty in stock).
Please have both books read when you come to class
next August. Try to leave
plenty of time to read them, especially Jane Eyre, which is quite
long. I recommend that you
read with a pen or pencil nearby and take notes in your book as you
read. Mark passages that
seem significant, and note the names of important characters.
(You might also use the blank back pages of your book to take a
few notes). Keep the
following questions in mind as you read, and be prepared to talk and/or
write about them in the fall.
Jane
Eyre:
- As
you read Jane Eyre consider the importance of Jane’s status
first as an orphan and then as a governess.
How do these positions shape her life and how people react to
her? How does her
status effect the way that people around her judge Jane’s
character, disposition, and appearance at different points in her
life?
- Jane
Eyre
is a Victorian novel, and British novels of this period often
feature characters with names that are symbolic or have double
meanings. Think about
Jane Eyre’s name and any possible significance it might have.
Her last name is pronounced “air,” so consider any
homonym you can think of for that pronunciation of Eyre, but also
consider the fact that her name looks like it might be pronounced
“ire,” and think about the possible significance of that.
Also think about other character names that strike you as
significant.
- Find
three passages from this book that illustrate something important
about Jane or one of the other central characters.
Write these down or mark them in your book.
The
Remains of the Day:
- As
you’re reading, assess the novel’s central character, Stevens,
as a narrator. Do you
feel confident in his interpretation of the events he describes and
comments on throughout the book?
If not, what seems to get in the way of his reliability or
accuracy as a narrator? (Keep in mind that he is relating his
memories of events of the past, sometimes as long as forty years
ago). What is your reaction to Stevens?
Do you admire him, sympathize with him, pity him…?
- As
the head butler in a “great house,” Stevens is extremely
preoccupied both with “professionalism” and with appropriate
behavior and conduct. How does Stevens define professionalism?
For him, what factors determine whether conduct is
appropriate or not? What
impact do these things have on his emotional life?
Have
a great summer and enjoy all of your summer reading, including these two
excellent books.
Ms.
Majerus & Mr. Mitchell
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