Summer Reading: Honors Sophomores

Summer 2008 Novel Journal Assignment

Dune by Frank Herbert ($7.99) Welcome to Honors Sophomore English. We have a fun but busy year ahead and to keep you busy over the summer, I have prepared an assignment for you. Please read the novel Dune, by Frank Herbert. You may have heard of this novel or even seen one of the film versions. This novel is one of the greatest and most influential American works of Science Fiction and serves as the basis of a Tolkenesque world and five direct sequels. You will have to purchase the novel, and you should be able to find it at most book stores, libraries, or an on-line service (such as Amazon). Any unedited version of the text is acceptable. I will require you to keep a journal during the reading of this text. Think of it as your guide to the world of Frank Herbert. Use a spiral (8 ½ - 11) notebook and neatly handwrite each entry. I would like you to have a new entry for each chapter in the novel. Please label and date each entry. Since there are forty-seven chapters in the novel, this will be a lengthy assignment. Use several weeks of the summer to work on this assignment as you will not be able to rush things near August.

Each entry should include a list and explanation (short identification) of new characters introduced in the chapter. Since this is a highly political novel, I also want you to list and identify new business, political, or spiritual organizations introduced in each chapter. Obviously, the character and organization list will get shorter as you progress in the novel. The most important part of the entry should be a written (paragraph form) reflection on the events in each chapter. You may organize this reflection as a journal entry or a letter to the author. Feel free to focus on events you find interesting or even confusing rather than attempting to completely summarize the plot.

The novel is organized into 3 books: Dune, Maud’dib, and The Prophet. Each book is subdivided by a number of chapters. Chapters 1-23 are contained within book 1, chapters 24-38 within book 2, and chapters 39-47 within book 3. The chapters are not numbered but separated by italicized journal entries provided by a prominent character in the novel. Do not skip these italicized passages. I would suggest numbering the chapters (1-47) in your own book so as to avoid confusion in your journal and to facilitate class discussion upon the first few days of class. Read all of the appendices and feel free to use the “Terminology of the Imperium (glossary)” at the end of the novel to help you with the large number of “coined” terms Herbert uses.

Be advised that I will collect your journal on the first day of class and you will be tested over the novel by the beginning of the second week of classes. Your completion (and quality) of the assignment as well as your performance on the test could affect your honors status, so please give this summer assignment your full attention.

Despite the fact that this assignment may seem lengthy, you will surely enjoy this novel and may feel motivated to read the sequels to this novel on your own time. Enjoy your summer, and I look forward to meeting and working with all of you next year.

Mr. Carnicom