Joystick
Dystopian Literature
Ms. Angermeyer
Summer Reading Essay
September 9, 2014
Due Date: Submit to Turnitin by Wed. 9/17 at 9:00 PM.
Please select one of the options below and write a 4-5 paragraph essay. Include two short
quotations from the novel or play (no longer than 4 typed lines), introduced properly, and presented
as written in the text, with correct page number provided. Please also use MLA format for the
heading and title – you will find a sample on the next page.
In grading this essay I’ll be looking at the following:
• Knowledge/comprehension of the text.
• Engagement with the text beyond a literal level.
• Focus/answering the question as asked.
• Overall essay organization. (See website, All Students section for a review on essay structure.)
• Clarity of expression.
• Attention to directions.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro:
Option 1: In the movie Jurassic Park, one of the visitors is horrified by the creation of dinosaurs in
the modern world. Chiding the theme park’s founder, he angrily notes “…your scientists were so
preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn’t stop to think if they should.” What is the
essence of the visitor’s point? Discuss how this quote could apply to the novel.
Option 2: A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, indirect or vague expression for one thought to be
offensive, harsh or blunt. Never Let Me Go is filled with euphemisms such as “donations,” “completing”
and “deferrals.” After explaining what these words literally mean in the context of the novel, discuss
why the “guardians” of Hailsham use these terms in talking with the students. On a broader level, how
does the author’s use of these words enhance the effect of the novel as a whole?
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Option1: In literature the term foil describes a character that serves to highlight or emphasize opposing
traits in another character. How is
Ms. Angermeyer
Summer Reading Essay
September 9, 2014
Due Date: Submit to Turnitin by Wed. 9/17 at 9:00 PM.
Please select one of the options below and write a 4-5 paragraph essay. Include two short
quotations from the novel or play (no longer than 4 typed lines), introduced properly, and presented
as written in the text, with correct page number provided. Please also use MLA format for the
heading and title – you will find a sample on the next page.
In grading this essay I’ll be looking at the following:
• Knowledge/comprehension of the text.
• Engagement with the text beyond a literal level.
• Focus/answering the question as asked.
• Overall essay organization. (See website, All Students section for a review on essay structure.)
• Clarity of expression.
• Attention to directions.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro:
Option 1: In the movie Jurassic Park, one of the visitors is horrified by the creation of dinosaurs in
the modern world. Chiding the theme park’s founder, he angrily notes “…your scientists were so
preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn’t stop to think if they should.” What is the
essence of the visitor’s point? Discuss how this quote could apply to the novel.
Option 2: A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, indirect or vague expression for one thought to be
offensive, harsh or blunt. Never Let Me Go is filled with euphemisms such as “donations,” “completing”
and “deferrals.” After explaining what these words literally mean in the context of the novel, discuss
why the “guardians” of Hailsham use these terms in talking with the students. On a broader level, how
does the author’s use of these words enhance the effect of the novel as a whole?
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Option1: In literature the term foil describes a character that serves to highlight or emphasize opposing
traits in another character. How is