AP Lit:  Klenz                                                Required Summer Reading & Biblical Allusions

 

Required Texts:

 

A Prayer for Owen Meany               John Irving

The Poisonwood Bible                    Barbara Kingsolver

 

Your reading of the above texts will be assessed with a multiple choice test and an in-class essay. 

 

 

Biblical Allusions:

 

The Bible and Greek and Roman mythology are integral parts of the Western literary canon.  Nearly all novels, plays, and poems we will read throughout the school year will contain multiple allusions. Authors rely on your knowledge of the Bible and mythology in order to further your understanding of their messages. In addition, the AP test frequently expects students to glean common allusions in the prose and poetry excerpts provided both on the multiple choice portion of the exam and on the essays.

 

Accordingly, the required summer reading will include studying the allusions listed on the back of this page. I would prefer, but do not require, that you utilize the King James version of The Bible, as it is the most poetic.  Regardless of your background, please read the passages listed below with a literary, not religious, mindset. This means that you should be reading for plot points, potential references of symbolism, and major thematic ideas within each allusion. Write a brief (one paragraph) summary of each, to be turned in for credit on the first day of school. These should be typed, single-spaced, and labeled. Please note that there will be a quiz the first week of school. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the reading, please stop by my room (136).

 

It is assumed that your 9th grade honors English course included a unit on Greek & Roman Mythology. 

 

 

The first major out-of-class essay assignment will meld the summer texts and allusions assignments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALLUSION

LOCATION

OLD TESTAMENT ALLUSIONS

Creation Story; Fall of Man

Genesis 1, 2, and 3

Cain and Abel

Genesis 4:  1-16

The Flood

Genesis 6:  9-25

Golden Calf

Exodus 32

Jepthah’s Oath

Judges 11

Samson and Delilah

Judges 16: 16

King Solomon’s Wisdom

1 Kings 3

Patience of Job

Job 1, 2, 3, 40, 41, 42

Shadow of Death

Psalm 23

Seven Deadly Sins

Proverbs 6: 6-19

NEW TESTAMENT ALLUSIONS

The Beatitudes

Matthew 5: 1-12

Fall of a Sparrow

Matthew 10: 27-31

John the Baptist Head on a Platter

Matthew 14: 1-12

Rich man/camel

Matthew 19: 16-26

Judas/silver coins

Matthew 26: 14-16

Golgotha

Matthew 27: 29-34

Gethsemane/Temptation of Christ

Mark 14: 32-42

Blind leading blind

Luke 6: 39-42

Two Foundations

Luke 6: 46-49

Parable of the soils

Luke 8: 4-15

The Good Samaritan

Luke 11: 29-38

Parable of the Lost Sheep

Luke 15: 1-7

The Prodigal Son

Luke 15: 11-22

Render Unto Caesar

Luke 20: 19-26

Lazarus

John 11

Revelation

The Book of Revelation