Summer reading should be required because it enables students to ready themselves for the upcoming school year, to analyze and view an author’s writing, and to read a book with literary excellence. A Hope in the Unseen by Rod Suskind and Closing the Gap between High School Writing Instructors and College Writing Expectations by Susan Fanetti, Kathy Bushrow, and David Deweese exemplify the various reasons why summer reading is a necessary requirement for high school students. Preparing students for the next educational level and refreshing the mind after a summer’s break is vital for the student and their success. When a student can remember previously taught information, it is only used to their advantage. Reading a book over the summer could be useful for a student; they could broaden their vocabulary, which could then correlate to exceptional products of writing. The success of a student depends on how hard they have worked and pushed themselves each year to reach and accomplish their goals (Suskind 107-109). If one was to truly focus and do every step possible in order to achieve their goal, consequently, …show more content…
Cedric, the main character, in A Hope in the Unseen is viewed as religious and hardworking. Throughout Cedric’s life he has yearned “sense of belonging” (Suskind 78). Cedric lived in a place full of negative influences around him, his only goal was to escape the way he was living and to move on and live a greater life. Cedric believed that, “there [was] nothing [him] and [his] God [couldn’t] handle” (Suskind 177). Summer reading allows students to have a glimpse into the perspectives of various characters in different situations. This opens up their eyes to realities that might have been foreign to them. Analyzing an individual’s story and how they live their life could impact the reader’s personal life in more ways than
The book Blind, written by Rachel DeWoskin, is about a highschool sophomore named Emma, who went blind after being struck in the face with a firework. When she first lost her sight, Emma was placed in a hospital for over 2 months, and once she was released, she could finally go home again. DeWoskin uses the characterization of Emma throughout the beginning of the text to help the reader understand the character’s struggle more. Especially in the first few chapters, it was difficult for Emma to adapt to a world without sight. For instance, DeWoskin writes, “And sat down, numb, on our gold couch. And tried to open my eyes, rocked, counted my legs and arms and fingers. I didn’t cry. Or talk” (DeWoskin 44). As a result of losing a very important scent, she’s started to act differently from a person with sight.
In the Lilies of the Field by William E. Barrett, Homer and Mother Maria both display straightforward, hardworking, and stubborn character traits. Firstly, Homer and Mother Maria both display a straightforward personality by being brutally honest about their opinions. For example, when Mother Maria asks Homer to build a chapel, Homer speaks his mind by telling her he does not want to build it. Mother Maria shows her straightforward behavior during Homer’s stay at the convent. One morning, when Homer sleeps in late, Mother to becomes extremely upset and is not afraid to show how she feels about him. Secondly, both Homer and Mother Maria display a hardworking spirit. Homer is a hardworking man because after finally agreeing to build the chapel,
The very beginning of the novel The Death Cure by James Dashner starts off with Thomas, the protagonist, trapped in a solid white room. He is trapped there for months. As he is in the room, he may have thought “ Oh, me, myself and I, solo ride until I die” (G-Eazy). This is a lyric from G-Eazy’s Me, Myself and I. The song is about being alone and not wanting to be with no one. Although Thomas does wish to see and to somebody, he goes perseveres through his problems just like the singer in the song.
In the novel Let the Great World Spin, the author, Colum McCann, shows that the kind of love Tilly is in is only for the other partner’s personal good. Tilly is a hooker attempting to live on the streets and make money, but does have a husband, called TuKwik. Tilly says, “TuKwik was flash (...) was coming through” (202-203). Tilly has been with quite a few men, however she stays loyal to only one, which is TuKwik. She explains them as a couple like she was ‘on his arm like a piece of jewelry’. Jewelry is often used to show off wealth, therefore TuKwik is only using Tilly to expose her great looks next to him. She also states that she is one of his five wives. Often people stay faithful and only have one wife, however TuKwik is not faithful
In the novel “The Chosen” by Chaim Potok, the story talks about a strong relationship between two friends. In the novel Potok also shows that the change in motives was what the main characters used to build up and make new connections. Reuven Malter, also known as a protagonist in the story, experiences many motives that led to changes, and how it affected him as the novel comes to an end. Making friends and communicating was a huge deal for Reuven and Danny. Each of them had to learn how to do those things to see how it would impact their future. The author shows a motive for each of the characters, and that the quote Ben Jonson said “True happiness consists not in multitude of friends, but in the worth and choice”, can be consider as the theme for the book.
In T.H. White’s The Once and Future King, Arthur attempt to use the philosophy of might does not make right to guide himself and others in a world where the people around him believe that might does make right. Almost every chance Arthur gets to put his philosophy into practice is faced by a direct opposition. Even in the very beginning of The Sword in The Stone, the might of the people around Arthur, who is referred to as the Wart, stops him from using his own strategy. For example, in the first chapter when Kay wants to fly Cully, the goshawk, he does not let Cully rouse properly before making him fly. The Wart wants to go through the proper steps and be patient, but Kay stubbornly refuses and flies the hawk under the notion that might is
Summer reading: a single word that causes thousands of students dread and apprehension nationwide. If we single out these words "summer", this word reminds kids of endless fun and even better no school; "reading" reminds kids of boring a waste of time. Reading doesn’t deserve this title of boring and a waste of time, if anything reading is fun and a source of endless knowledge.
In the Silver Linings Playbook, there is once case that stood out to me from all the rest. The main character, Pat, is diagnosed with having bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder can be broken down into bipolar I and bipolar II. In the movie, it doesn’t state which type Pat has but if I could take a guess, I would probably say bipolar I. People with bipolar I disorder have full manic and major depressive episodes.
In the saying of “Character is what you are in the dark” by Dwight Lyman Moody, can meaning many different things. One being, “you are most yourself when no one is watching”, another one also being, “dark and troubled times bring out a person's true nature”, and “your true nature is on the inside”. This quote can or cannot apply to the play of “Romeo and Juliet” by Shakespeare.
-Right off the bat, the chapter title, “A View to a Death,” makes me think that someone is going to die in this chapter. It is also kind of foreshadowing the events that happen in the chapter.
There is an abundance of examples where In the Next Room pulled these emotions out of me. One major example of this is on page 103, after Dr. Givings has witnessed Catherine putting her hand to Leo’s cheek, he says “My darling, I don’t mind.” She then gets extremely angry with her husband for not feeling jealousy towards Leo and storms off saying: “Don’t talk to me tonight! Don’t talk to me tomorrow! I will take my breakfast in my own room!” My initial thoughts are: how ridiculous and humorous that she is dealing with this issue so immaturely in her marriage—acting as if she is a sixteen-year-old girl hungry for her boyfriend’s attention.
climbs up the first beanstalk, and playing a child’s game, he steals a golden harp from a giant.
Olness (2005) begins her piece with quotes from prominent teachers and researchers to support the connection between reading and writing and states, “the primary reason for exposing children to quality literature is for its aesthetic value; a secondary benefit is its influence on student writing” (p. 1). Olness continues by explaining the ways students develop literary skills and awareness, expansion of vocabulary, and overall literature experience by hearing t...
When I was younger, my mother and my sister were always glued to books. I could never understand what was so amazing about hundreds of pages with tiny print bound together with some ridiculous title and picture. As time passed and I got older, I dreaded any day that came with a present. I always got books I would never read instead of cool toys or simply money. It was not until I was about 16 years old in a tenth grade, English honors class that I realized I loved to read. That was the very first time I picked up Stephen King’s Christine. Instantly I fell in love with the hundreds of pages and tiny print. I know people may refer to reading as boring and time consuming. However, reading literature of any kind allows students to achieve their billion dollar dreams, instead of minimum wage nightmares.
Many educators argue that by reading over the summer students gain continued reading skills and grow intellectually. They believe summer reading will prevent a ‘summer slump’ and will prepare them for the following school year. However high