AP English IV Literature and Composition 2021 Summer Reading

“In the Universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between them, there are doors.” —William Blake. Open at least two of the nine doors below. Preview each before making your decisions. Amazon.com is an easy way to accomplish this important task. As you read, keep track of the characters, the plot events, and ENJOY!

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque Paul Bäumer enlists with his classmates in the German army during World War I. They become soldiers with youthful enthusiasm. But the world of duty, culture, and progress they had been taught breaks in pieces under the first bombardment in the trenches.

The Ballad of the Sad Café by Carson McCullers A haunting tale of a human triangle that culminates in an astonishing brawl. The novella introduces readers to Miss Amelia, a formidable southern woman whose café serves as the town’s gathering place.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton A nightmarish world, completely empty of the warmth and joy found in most loving, human interactions. Set in the cold and harsh landscapes of Starkfield, Massachusetts and told by a narrator who attempts to discover the events of the tragedy.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad The main character, Marlow, tells the story of his journey up the Congo River, where he meets Kurtz, an ivory trader. Over the course of his journey, Marlow learns that the Europeans may not be as civilized and advanced as they would like to think.

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka A traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, wakes one morning to discover that he has inexplicably transformed into a giant insect. His metamorphosis makes it impossible for him to go to work.

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf A psychological story, exploring internal lives, parallels a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, a high-society woman in post–First World War England, to the World War I veteran, Septimus Smith.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde The young Dorian, possesses extraordinarily good looks, is orphaned at birth, raised by his wealthy grandfather, who despises him, and inherits a great deal of money when he comes of age. On the surface, he seems like a decent fellow.

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse In his search for self-realization, a young Brahman, Siddhartha, discovers the contradictions between reality and what he has been taught, so he abandons his comfortable life to wander.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James A story told from the perspective of a narrator recalling a ghost story he once heard read out loud which focuses on a governess who, caring for two children at a remote estate, becomes convinced that the grounds are haunted.