Upper School > Curriculum > Summer Reading > 9/10 English and History - Summer 2007

June 8, 2007

To: Rising Freshman and Sophomores
From: Mark Burns, Don Fried, Kevin Lang and Karen Nichols
About: 2007-08 English and History Courses

Summer Reading
The King Must Die by Mary Renault (English)
A World Lit Only By Fire by William Manchester (History)

We are giving you copies of the summer reading books. You should record reactions, questions and observations about the texts in a reading journal every time you read, even if it is only for a short time. Each entry should only take a few minutes to complete; while entries do not have to be long, they should be thoughtful and enable you to recall your ideas about the reading. You will be referring to these entries after school starts, and you will be using the journals throughout the year in connection with your literature studies. More specific information about the reading is on the reverse of this letter.

We are also giving you a vocabulary list for next year. (It will also be available on the upper school page of the PDS Portal.) Many students have found it useful and stress relieving to do their vocabulary work over the summer. Even if you complete only a portion of the list, that will be helpful. For each word, write down a definition, a note on etymology and a sentence in which you use the word idiomatically.

Your English course for next year is Ancient and Medieval Literature: among works we will study are The Odyssey (Homer), Oedipus the King and Antigone (Sophocles), Mourning Becomes Electra (O'Neill), The Canterbury Tales (Chaucer) and selected stories from the Bible.

Your history course is Ancient and Medieval History. It will introduce you to several ancient civilizations that laid the groundwork for modern societies. It will also focus on the early-modern European period, including the Medieval, Renaissance and Reformation subperiods.

Read a lot, write a lot, run around a lot and have a great summer. Below is the assignment related to the reading:

The King Must Die by Mary Renault (English)

The author Mary Renault uses the myth of legendary hero Theseus as the basis for her novel. Start by reading the back cover of your copy. Then read pages 336-338 to get an overview of the legend.

As you read this novel, consider the following prompts and be sure to write about them in your journal, along with any other ideas, questions and notes that occur to you (in other words, do not limit yourself to these prompts in your journal responses):

1. What is the concept of moira, which first appears in the novel when young Theseus struggles to understand his grandfather's explanation of why the King Horse was sacrificed?

..my great-grandfather said to me that they came by the will of All-Knowing Zeus, because this was the place of their moira.
He paused in thought. I said to him, "What is that?"
"Moira?" he said. "The finished shape of our fate, the line drawn round it. It is the task the gods allot us, and the share of glory they allow; the limits we must not pass; and our appointed end. Moira is all these."
I thought about this, but it was too big for me… (Renault, 15-16)

2. How does Theseus grapple with the truth of his father's identity - and how does that impact his idea of who he thinks himself to be?
3. How does Theseus know - or think he knows - how to make the important decisions in his life?
4. How is he heroic?
5. What is the Greek conception of immortality? How does it apply to Theseus?
6. What are the characteristics of the societies and cultures that Theseus encounters in his travels?

You will be using your journal entries and the annotations you make in your books as a reference for course work related to this novel.

A World Lit Only By Fire by William Manchester (History)

Before you begin reading, try to figure out what the book is about. Look at the cover, the list of illustrations, list of maps and chronology (time line) at the front of the book. Finally, read the author's note to get a sense of who the author was and what he thought. You might also want to read some book reviews, which are available online. Your first journal entry should be about what you learned before you read the book.

Consider the following topics as you read and write about them in your journal.

Part I: The Medieval Mind
Consider the relationship of the people and the Church during the Medieval period. What was the role of the Church in society? Who were the peasants? The pagans?

Part II: The Shattering (social problems and the corruption of the Church, pp 31-86)
The Church was in many ways a political institution in that it wielded power and was subject to corruption. Consider whether you believe history repeats itself with respect to principles of corruption that are detailed.

Part II: The Shattering (the arts and learning, pp. 86-131)
This is an age marked by the rise of Humanism. How might this have conflicted with the ideas of the Church (and thus led to problems for people such as Copernicus and Leonardo da Vinci)?

Part II: The Shattering (the Protestant Reformation, pp. 131-219)
Who was Martin Luther? How was the authority of the Church challenged not just by Humanism but by Lutheranism?

Part III: One Man Alone (pp. 221-296)
Was Magellan the "mightiest explorer in history" as Manchester says he was, or was he a lunatic with god-like delusions who could not even finish the job he started? Who had the greater impact on history - Luther or Magellan?

If you were to summarize this book in four sentences, could you do it?