AP English Literature and Composition Summer Assignment (2020-2021)

Biblical & Classical Allusions

Overview
Allusions based on the Bible and mythology add depth of meaning to poems, essays, and stories. When you miss
the allusion, you sometimes miss the point and almost always miss the joke. Understanding allusions lets you into a
kind of “secret club” where the subtleties and literary undercurrents enrich both your comprehension and
enjoyment. Truly!

Your task is as follows: Research the following biblical and mythological

stories (allusions) and complete the charts. YOU MUST USE THIS CHART –
DO NOT CREATE YOUR OWN. ANYTHING IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT WILL NOT
BE ACCEPTED.

Be as thorough as possible. You will see references to this information throughout the year. Further, several
assignments will be based on this information in the first week and there will be an exam. You will submit your
completed charts in SCHOOLOGY (if schoology isn’t available, submit as a Google doc to my email
(kdm4952@lausd.net). Late submissions will not be accepted. They are due on the first day of school during class
time. Be sure to have a printed copy with you on the first day for use in class.

Part I – The Bible:

The online versions

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10/10- http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html http://www.kjvbible.net/
h/10-h.htm

The Kings James Bible (1611) – The reason for the recommendation of the King James version is that this is the
language of Shakespeare. Acquaintance with the language here will facilitate the reading of Shakespeare later in
the course, as well as provide a more poetic read.
How to read the numbers: the first number in the sequence is the chapter; the second is the verse. For example, in reading #1, you begin
with the first chapter of Genesis, first verse, and you read through the third chapter, twenty-fourth verse.

Assignment: Read the following Old and New Testament selections. You will use the attached reading log to note
your information and have it ready to turn in on the 1 st day of class in August. The log should contain a brief
summary of the reading and a second paragraph of commentary on themes or archetypes that resonate in later
literature or simply a personal response in the “other” column. The log should contain the following information
(INCLUDE THESE LABELS IN EACH BOX):

 WHO is involved? (Give yourself enough context that you can place them later on. Often a name is not adequate. Be
smart, not lazy!)
 WHAT is the basic plot?
 THE POINT/LESSON (Does the story EXPLAIN some aspect of the human condition, EXALT/DISPARAGE some behavior
or trait, or ANSWER a common human question/concern? )What’s the point?
  Other information you deem noteworthy, including perhaps where you have seen it referenced already. (Obviously
this component will not always be included in your entries)
EX: Biblical – The Flood
 Who: God, Noah & Family
 What/Plot: The world had gotten full of evil and God decided to flood it and kill everyone off. He told Noah to build
an ark and sent two of each animal to him. When the 40 day/40 night rain started, God told Noah and his family to
take all the animals into the ark, seal it and wait. He did. Eventually the water receded and Noah sent a dove out 3x to
see if land was back. The 1st time, nothing happened except the dove returned; second time the dove brought back
an olive branch, and the 3rd time it didn’t return so they knew it was OK to open the ark. God sent a rainbow as a
promise that he would never again destroy the earth by flood. Noah and his family repopulated the planet eventually.
 Point: Story exalts obedience and disparages evil – shows that even God has a limit to his generosity and forgiveness.
Answers some geological oddities like seashells in mountains.
 Other: symbol of a dove with olive branch for peace comes from here, as does the rainbow as a symbol of unity and
calm after a storm and the idea that the 3rd time is the charm.

DO NOT COPY AND PASTE. YOU NEED TO PUT THIS INFORMATION IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

NOTE: YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO READ A PHYSICAL BIBLE. YOU CAN FIND THE INFORMATION ONLINE, BUT THE
INFORMATION YOU GATHER SHOULD BE FROM OR BE BASED ON THE KING JAMES VERSION.

Part II – Greek Mythology

Assignment: Research each story listed below (Mythological). For each allusion, create a reading log that will allow
you to quickly refresh your memory. Make sure you are using reliable sources. Document those sources. The log
should contain the following information (INCLUDE THESE LABELS IN EACH BOX):

 WHO is involved? (Give yourself enough context that you can place them later on. Often a name is not
adequate. Be smart, not lazy!)
 WHAT is the basic plot?
 THE POINT/LESSON (Does the story EXPLAIN some aspect of the human condition, EXALT/DISPARAGE
some behavior or trait, or ANSWER a common human question/concern? )What’s the point?
 Other information you deem noteworthy, including perhaps where you have seen it referenced already.
(Obviously this component will not always be included in your entries)

Make this a usable document by clearly labeling each entry and organizing the information for ease of access.
Finally, leave space to add new information as it comes along, and space for new entries as well. You must type
these, as they will be digitally dropped to me with plagiarism checks in place. The log is due the first day of class.
Please make sure to mark these entries clearly. . You will submit your completed charts in SCHOOLOGY (if
schoology isn’t available, submit as a Google doc to my email (kdm4952@lausd.net)/ Include your name in the
subject box, so that it doesn’t get deleted.)

Late submissions will not be accepted.

Biblical/Religious Allusions
Directions: Be familiar with the following Biblical/Religious Allusions: don’t use a bible, go to the internet to find
out about each and complete the chart
 Allusion The Story / Plot (include names of major people involved) Main idea / lesson / take awa
The Old Testament – Tenants of Judaism
1. “The Creation” WHO:

WHAT:

2. Adam and Eve

3. “The Fall”

4. Lucifer/Devil/
Beelzebub/flies

5. Cain and Able

6. The mark of Cain

7. Abraham and Sarah

8. “Abraham and
Isaac”

9. “Job”
pronounced (jōb)

10 Sodom and
. Gomorrah
*NOTE- this story deals
with sexual behavior -
skip if this makes you
uncomfortable
11 Lot and his wife
.

12 “The Flood”
.

13 Moses
.

14 The 10 Plagues of
. Egypt
NAME EACH,
SEPARATELY
15 The Exodus
.

16 The 10
. Commandments
NAME EACH,
SEPARATELY
17 Ecclesiastes
. 1: 2-18
2: 1-24; 3
9: 2-12
12: 1-9

LIST & EXPLAIN

EACH SEPARATELY
18 Jonah
.

19 Jephthah
. AND
Jephthah's
Daughter

New Testament
Allusion The Story (include names of major people involved) Main idea / lesson / take awa
20 Lazarus
.

21 The Nativity
.
22 The Good
. Samaritan

23 The Last Supper

.

24 The Crucifixion
.
25 Golgotha
.
26 The Denial
.
27 Judas Iscariot/
. Thirty pieces of
silver
28 The Resurrection
.

29 David and Goliath

. (the Philistines)

30 The Four Horsemen

. of the Apocalypse
EXPLAIN THE STORY,
THEN
NAME EACH,
SEPARATELY AND
 EXPLAIN WHAT EACH
CARRIES
31 The Trinity
.

32 7 Deadly Sins
. NAME EACH,
SEPARATELY
33 Seven Holy
. Sacraments
NAME EACH,
SEPARATELY
34 Prodigal
. Son

35 Samson and
. Delilah

36 King Herod
.
37 Nine Choirs of
. Angels
38 The Lord's Prayer
.

Mythology to Know
Greek and Roman Mythology: Much of the following list of reading is taken from the contents page of Mythology:
Timeless Tales of Gods and
Heroes by Edith Hamilton. ISBN: 0-446-60725-8.

**Complete the following: Read all the stories listed below; Summarize each story in one paragraph. MUST BE
TYPED.
 The Gods Explanation / Summary (include names) Symbo
1. The Titans

NAME EACH, INDIVIDUALLY.

TELL THE OVERALL STORY

2. The Twelve Great

Olympians (include Roman
names in parenthesis) also
include the symbol for each

NAME EACH, INDIVIDUALLY.

TELL THE OVERALL STORY

3. The Birth of Zeus and the

Defeat of Cronus

4. The 3 Graces

5. The 9 Muses

NAME EACH, INDIVIDUALLY.

TELL THE OVERALL STORY

6. The Underworld

Charon

Cerberus

The Judges

7. Pan

8. The Satyrs

9. The Sirens
 Stories of Love and Adventure
Plot / Summary (include names) Does th
condition
ANSWER
point?
10. Pyramus and Thisbe

11. Aphrodite and Adonis

12. Cupid and Psyche

13. Orpheus and Eurydice

14. Ceyx and Alcyone

15. Pygmalion and Galatea

16. Hippolyta and the Girdle

17. Echo and Narcissus

18. The Quest for the Golden

Fleece

19. Apollo and the Python

20. Clytemnestra’s Revenge on

Agamemnon

21. Phaethon

22. Daedalus

Heroes of the Trojan War

Plot / Summary (include names) Does th
condition
ANSWER
point?
23. The Judgment of Paris

24. The Trojan War

25. The Fall of Troy

26. The Adventures of
Odysseus

The Two Great Gods of Earth

Plot / Summary (include names) Does th
condition
ANSWER
point?
27. Demeter (Ceres)

28. Dionysus (Bacchus)

Heroes before the Trojan War

29. Perseus

30. Theseus

31. Hercules
The Labors of Hercules

Other Important Myths

32. King Midas and the Golden
Touch

33. Sisyphus (p. 312)

34. How the World and

Mankind were Created

35. Pandora’s Box