Honors English
Quarter 2
The Alchemist by Paul Coelho
"To realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation."
SUMMARY
“This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is
about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland
in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the
Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king,
and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest.
No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount
the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly
goods turns into a discovery of the treasures found within. Lush, evocative,
and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the
transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our
hearts.” -- from Harper Collins Publishers
ASSIGNMENT
1. Choose 5 – 10 powerful quotations from the novel. Copy each down
and follow with proper documentation.
2. CHOOSE TWO
A. Define the term alchemy. Briefly explain the theory of
alchemy and relate alchemical transformation to the
spiritual transformation Santiago undergoes. Include 1
significant quotation in your 3-paragraph response.
B. In a 1 – 2 page response, comment on the significance of the
novel’s ending: where the boy finds his treasure.What’s being
said about the importance of looking into the roots
and foundations of our lives and voyaging outward in order to
find the way back home? Include one quotation from the novel.
C. How does Santiago fit the hero archetype. Include one
significant quotation in your 3-paragraph response.
3. Write a 1 – 2 page “Personal Legend.” Do you have a dream
you want to achieve in your life?
DUE DATE: TBA
Honors English
Quarter 4
Of Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck
Read the novel and be prepared to take a 50 question objective test on March
31st.
Next, complete the following written assessment:
Let’s Pretend and You Defend: Researching and Responding to Censorship
Let’s Pretend: The RDHS Board of Directors has banned Of Mice and
Men from the Honors English curriculum
You Defend: In the form of a typed 2-3 page letter, you must argue the
case to keep the novel in the curriculum.
STEP ONE: RESEARCH
Investigate your first amendment rights.
Research reasons why schools have banned/censored the novel.
Consider the sensitive topics discussed in the novel.
Consider the lessons the novel teaches.
Web Sites for Research:
The American Library Association
This excellent site has just about everything you need to know about
censorship.
http://www.ala.org/bbooks/challeng.html
Censorship in Children's Literature - Suite101.com
Censorship issues in children's literature and reasons for some of the books
that have been banned.
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/childrens_writing/38371
A Brief and Idiosyncratic History of Censorship
Robert Atkins asks should homo sapiens be renamed homo censoris?
http://www.thefileroom.org/publication/atkinshistory.html
On Censorship, the 2000 Version
Banned Books Week 2000
http://www.henriettahay.com/politics/00sep22.htm
Censorship
Liberal friendly quotes: "Wherever they burn books, they will also, in the
end, burn people." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson "
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/Quotes-censorship.html
STEP TWO: RESPOND
Capture the attention of your audience.
In your own words, briefly summarize the novel’s plot.
Address the reasons why the novel was banned.
Quote your first amendment rights.
Defend the significance of the lessons, themes or topics the novel presents.
Discuss the impact the novel has on readers.
Include at least two quotes from the novel.
Date and address your letter at top and sign it at the bottom.
Complete a Works Cited Page (For formatting, see the "Helpful Links" folder
of my teacher web site.).
DUE DATE: April 7th
Questions: vallworth@rdhs.org or call 847.256.7660
