Advanced English I & English I Summer Assignment

Welcome to STA!  As an incoming at St. Teresa’s Academy you must complete a Summer Reading Assignment by the first day of school.  Your assignment contains two parts and is worth a possible 100 points.  We will discuss the memoir the first few weeks of school, so you should bring your copy of the book to class daily and be prepared to discuss.

READ: Read the novel When I was Puerto Rican, by Esmeralda Santiago.

WRITTEN RESPONSE: Respond to the following questions.  A digital copy of your typed and labeled answers is due the first day of school.  You can bring these to class on a flash drive or on your netbook.  You will be graded on content, grammar, spelling, and mechanics. Each response should be well-developed, supported, paragraphed, and about a page in length (12-point, Times New Roman, double spaced).

Question 1 - Foreshadowing 

“I push my cart away, toward the apples and pears of my adulthood, their nearly seedless ripeness predictable and bittersweet.”

The above quote, taken from the Prologue of Santiago's memoir, is an example of foreshadowing. In literature foreshadowing is the use of hints or clues that suggest what will happen later in the story. Consider the technique foreshadowing in regards to this novel. Use the following questions to help guide your written response.

What does this quote (and basically entire Prologue) foreshadow? How does the author weave what is foreshadowed throughout the memoir?  Why would an author use foreshadowing?

Question 2 - Theme

The theme in a piece of literature is the common thought or repeated idea the author presents to the reader. Some themes are obvious and easy to identify, while others may be deeper or more intricate. It is important to recognize themes in literature, because it allows the reader to understand the author's purpose. A memoir, such as the one you read, may have more than one theme woven into the story.

Identify one theme present in this novel; be sure to state it as a complete thought rather than just a single word (ex: “friendship influences how a person views him or herself” not just “friendship”). How does the author depict and create this theme in the novel? How are the characters and settings used to develop the theme? How has this memoir changed your personal view on your particular theme in regards to your life?

Question 3 - Characterization

"I would just as soon remain jamona than shed that many tears over a man.”

A character is a personality portrayed in a piece of literature. However, characters are much more important and in depth than that small definition. Characters are the vehicles through which stories are told. A good author uses characters to develop and influence themes, settings, plots, and other literary techniques.

In Santiago’s memoir, Negi is not only the protagonist (main character), but she is also the narrator, allowing the reader to truly understand her personality, interests, emotions, thoughts, etc. The above quote depicts Negi’s struggles with understanding herself and her independence. What are some of the reasons (explored throughout the memoir) Negi wants to remain jamona? How does this affect the decisions she makes throughout the memoir and the person she is?  How does the Epilogue hint to the decision Negi makes in regards to this dilemma?

Question 4 – Setting & Mood

“There was nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to talk to.  The apartment was stifling.  Inside the closed rooms, the air was still.”

The setting of a literary work is the time and place in which it occurs, including all of the sensory details, which create a sense of a particular time and place.  Often times, the setting directly affects characters in a story.

Throughout the book, Negi moves several times.  How do her surroundings in various homes affect her, positively/negatively?  What does she particularly like about each place?  Why?  What does she not like?  Why?  When does Negi feel most at home?  What aspects of “home” does Negi value?  Explain.

Question 5 – Style

Style refers to the manner in which something is said or written.  A writer’s style is characterized by various elements, such as diction, structure, length, recurring features, etc.  The structure of a literary work refers to the arrangement of its parts.  A poem, for example, may be arranged in stanzas, while a novel may be arranged by chapters.  Good authors purposely focus on structure to enhance the style of their writing, thus strengthening the reader’s experience.

In Santiago’s memoir, the chapters not only depict creative titles, but each begins with an insightful quote (written in Spanish and translated into English).  This particular type of structure creates a unique style.  What purpose does the quotes at the beginning of each chapter serve?  Go beyond foreshadowing, focusing on theme, character development, plot analysis, etc. Explain two different quotes and their relation to the chapter.