Assignment #1 - Mesquite ISD

7 th Grade Pre-­‐AP English Summer Reading Assignment #1
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Student expectations:
The students will read the novel A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle. The novel can be
found at any local bookstore or library. Students are expected to have the entire novel read and
analyzed before the first day of school. This assignment will count as two daily grades for the 1 st six-­weeks.
Assignment:
Read the novel A Wrinkle in Time.
Using the excerpt attached, analyze the text for the literary elements listed below. You will
need various highlighters to identify the items. Your comments and notes can be written
directly on the excerpt (see second handout).
1. Imagery-­‐ is when the writer or speaker uses their descriptions to access the senses of the
reader of listener. Sometimes this is called, using sensory detail. When I say “senses” or
“sensory,” I am referring to the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell.
a. Highlight in green and label
2. Conflict-­‐ A struggle between two or more characters or forces. Conflict creates tension and
interest in a story by adding doubt as to the outcome. The problem in the story. (man vs. man,
man vs. nature, man vs. self, and man vs. society)
a. Highlight text evidence in pink and explain the conflict on the excerpt, on your own sheet
of paper, or on a sticky note
3. Setting: The locale, time, and CONTEXT in which the ACTION of a literary work takes place.
a. Highlight at least 3 words/phrases in blue and explain.
4. Theme: The theme of a book is its message or statement on the human condition. The message
may be about life, society, or human nature A theme may not always be explicit or easy to
state, and a work of literature may contain more than one theme. Theme is generally the
most important part of any literary INTERPRETATION.
a. Highlight any examples of words/phrases in yellow that you think contribute to the
theme
For the second part of the assignment, choose ONE additional passage/section from
the novel. Analyze the text for the same items and literary elements listed above. Use
the attached form (handout #3) or a separate sheet of paper to complete the second
part of the assignment.

About the novel:
A Wrinkle in Time is a science fiction novel by Madeleine L’Engle, first published in 1962. The story
revolves around a young girl whose father, a government scientist, has gone missing after working on
a mysterious project called a tesseract.
A Wrinkle in Time is no ordinary adventure story. While the pages of the novel are filled with all the
action-­‐packed scenes and suspense an adventure fan could want, the novel also explores common
human struggles, such as the difficulties involved in growing up and trying to find one’s identity.
“A Wrinkle in Time combines devices of fairy tales, overtones of fantasy, the philosophy of great lives,
the visions of science, and the warmth of a good family story. It is an exuberant book, original, vital,
exciting. Funny ideas, fearful images, amazing characters, and beautiful concepts sweep through it.
And it is full of truth.”
—Ruth Hill, A Critical History of Children’s Literature
About the author:
Madeleine L’ Engle (pronounced: leng el’) wrote her first stories when she was only five years old.
L’Engle attended Smith College in Massachusetts, where she acted in the theater and wrote plays.
During the 1950s, L’Engle and her husband ran a general store in Connecticut and raised a family. She
wrote stories while raising her children and running the store. In 1959, L’Engle began writing A
Wrinkle in Time and completed it by 1960. In 1963, A Wrinkle in Time won the Newbery Medal. Other
awards followed, and the book became a classic of literature for young adult readers.
L’Engle has written more than forty books for children and young people. In 1998, she received the
Margaret A. Edwards Award from the magazine School Library Journal for her lifetime contribution to
writing for teens.