Summer Reading Assignment

Eaglecrest High School
English Department
Dear Freshman English 9 Honors Student:
Congratulations on your acceptance into Honors English 9 at Eaglecrest High School.
You have chosen to challenge yourself with this class, and we are proud of your
decision. This year’s summer reading assignment requires that you read the play A
Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry prior to your first English class at Eaglecrest
High School. A summary of this play is attached to this letter. This play can be borrowed
from the public library or purchased online or from local bookstores. We strongly
suggest that you purchase your own copy of the play so that you can practice active
reading through highlighting, note-taking in the margins, and using sticky notes to mark
important passages.
In addition to reading A Raisin in the Sun, it is also required that you complete the
attached assignments that will be due on the first day of class. These assignments
are designed to help you think critically about the novel as well as to begin the process
of literature analysis.
It is extremely important for you to complete the reading and writing assignments prior
to the first day of your freshman year. Your teacher will be checking the quality of your
work and assigning points. By completing these critical reading activities, you will
ensure your successful participation in upcoming assignments.
We look forward to seeing you in class next fall, and we hope you are excited to begin
your high school experience. Should you have any questions in the meantime, please
email one of the teachers listed below.
Sincerely,
Eaglecrest High School English Department
Keith Proctor: [email protected]
Meagan Butler: [email protected]
Angela Endly: [email protected]
Yoni Fine: [email protected]
Heather Fraase: [email protected]
Patrick Zucker: [email protected]
“A beautiful, lovable play. It is affectionately
human, funny and touching. . . . A work of
theatrical magic in which the usual barrier
between audience and stage disappears.”
John Chapman, New York News
“An honest, intelligible, and moving
experience.” Walter Kerr, New York Herald Tribune
“Miss Hansberry has etched her characters with
understanding, and told her story with dramatic
impact. She has a keen sense of humor, an ear
for accurate speech and compassion for
people.” Robert Coleman, New York Mirror
“A Raisin in the Sun has vigor as well as
veracity.” Brooks Atkinson, New York Times
“It is honest drama, catching up real people. . . .
It will make you proud of human beings.” Frank
Aston, New York World-Telegram & Sun
Play Summary
Set on Chicago's South Side, the plot revolves around the divergent dreams and
conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth,
his sister Beneatha, his son Travis and matriarch Lena, called Mama. When her
deceased husband's insurance money comes through, Mama dreams of moving to a
new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other
plans, however: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of
medical school.
The tensions and prejudice they face from this seminal American drama. Sacrifice, trust
and love among the Younger family and their heroic struggle to retain dignity in a harsh
and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration.
--Ebony
Honors English 9 Summer Reading Assignment
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
This assignment is meant to prepare you for the kind of reading and writing your high school teachers will
expect from you. When we read a text, we are interested in more than simply the plot. We expect you to
engage in critical thinking about a text, and we want to see how that thinking translates into a written
essay.
PART 1: Evidence Collection
One of the most important skills that you will develop throughout your high school career is the practice
of collecting evidence from a text to support your claims.
As you read A Raisin in the Sun, you will collect evidence that helps you track the development of each of
the four major characters, focusing especially on each of their dreams for the future.
For each of the main characters (Mama, Walter, Bennie, and Ruth), collect at least FIVE examples
of textual evidence (quotes) that tell us something about the character (personality) AND/OR that
character’s dreams for the future. You will then write 2-3 sentences of analysis of that evidence,
explaining exactly what it tells us.
We recommend setting aside a page for each character and filling in the chart as you read. In the end,
you’ll have 20 quotes, total, each with a couple of sentences of analysis. Below is an example of one
character’s chart, with only the first quote filled in. Your work may be typed or handwritten.
WALTER
ACT: scene
Evidence
Analysis of character and his/her dream
I:i
WALTER (frowning impatiently) Don’t
call it that. See there, that just goes to
show you what women understand
about the world. Baby, don’t nothing
happen for you in this world ‘less you
pay somebody off!
Hansberry illustrates two key personality traits in Walter:
his bigotry towards women (that just goes to show you
what women understand about the world) and his belief
that money is the key to achieving his dreams (don’t
nothing happen for you in this world ‘less you pay
somebody off!). Walter does not believe that he can
achieve his dreams through hard work; rather, his dreams
are commodities which need to be bought (not earned),
and he is frustrated that his wife doesn’t see it his way.
p.9 HEATH
ER,
CHECK
PART 2: Essay
Now that you have collected substantial evidence to deepen your understanding of these characters and
their dreams, you are ready to write a multi-paragraph essay.
DIRECTIONS
According to the analysis of a major character in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, in
what ways does one’s personality drive one’s dreams?
To write this essay, make sure you do the following:
● Choose ONE major character (Walter, Mama, Bennie, or Ruth).
● Write a short introduction, TWO body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion.
● Each body paragraph should include at least TWO pieces of textual evidence (quotes), properly
cited. USE EVIDENCE YOU ALREADY COLLECTED IN PART 1.
● Include developed analysis of each piece of evidence, keeping your focus on answering the
question.
Your grade will be based on the quality of:
1. Your focused answer to the question
2. Your selected evidence to support your claims
3. Your analysis of that evidence
4. Your writing mechanics and attention to detail