Introduction to Literature  --  Mark Barlock

*A Note on Summer Reading: Summer is a great time for children to be outside, stay in shape, and experience life without the daily routine of school; however, reading should be an intricate aspect of life no matter what the season.  A good guiding rule for how much reading most students should do over the summer is to have equal time in front of a book to the time that the students have in front of a screen (either television, video game, or computer chat room/ surfing).  By using this equal time, students can usually read three or more books of personal interest over the summer and preview one or two books that will be covered in their next year’s English class.  During the fall semester of all Introduction to Literature classes, freshman will be asked to complete an independent review paper of a book that is self-chosen and teacher approved.  The paper includes the following parts:  3-4 page basic summary; 2 page character analysis; and 2 page discussion on the importance of either theme, setting, point of view, genre, or figurative language in relation to the book.  If a student would like to get a head start and have something to do over the summer, this assignment would be a good choice.  Instead of listing thousands of acceptable titles or limiting students to a few scores of books to choose from, I will ask parents or students to contact me at either Mark_Barlock@dpsk12.org or 720-280-4881 for approval of a book or for further details about this assignment.  The only books of merit that will not be approved for use on this assignment but would be great to preview are the following that will likely be used as touchstone texts during the course of freshman year:

Growing Up by Russel Baker

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou  

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer

I am the Cheese and The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor

Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Mr. Barlock's Syllabus Page

The English Faculty Page

The Reading and Writing Center Page