Honors English Options

There are ten Honors English options for high school paper topics at The Lighthouse Academy listed below. In each option, please include the book title, author, page total, and genre, as well as the date of the paper.  Please note that no option can be chosen more than once in an academic year.

1. Create a character list. Identify the protagonist, antagonist, and at least three other important characters. Write multiple paragraphs about each character describing the character’s personality and goals and how they fit into the conflict and purpose of the book.  Include at least one quote (or example with citation) from the book to support your paper's thesis for each character listed.

2. Setting: Write a paper describing the time and place in which the story occurs. Why is this particular time and place important to the conflict and purpose of the book?  How are other parts of the setting (social status, weather, season, historical period critical to the book?  Include at least one quote (or example with citation) from the book for each section (time, place, etc.) to support your paper's thesis.

3. Plot Action: Draft a paper on the general action of the book.  Focus on the general action of the book and how these actions are critical to the conflict, climax, and purpose of the book.  Include at least one quote (or example with citation) from the book to support your paper's thesis.

4. Conflict: What is the major conflict in this book? Is it internal or external? Draft a paper on the importance or relationship of the conflict to the purpose or plot of the book.  Include at least one quote (or example with citation) from the book for each section to support your paper's thesis.

5. Climax: Identify the part of the story when the reader knows how the conflict ends in a 3-5 page paper. Who wins? How did this “victory” happen? How is this "victory" important to the book? Include at least one quote (or example with citation) from the book for each section to support your paper's thesis.

6. Resolution: What loose ends or unanswered questions are explained at the end of the book? Where do the characters go from here? Invent a future, and draft 3-5 pages on your predictions for the future of these characters and your reasons for these predictions. Include at least one quote (or example with citation) from the book for each section to support your paper's thesis.

7.  Purpose: What is the purpose of the book?  Does it encourage the reader or society to make certain actions. Draft a 3-5 page paper on your reasons for believing that this purpose is the author's purpose in the book. Include at least one quote (or example with citation) from the book for each section to support your paper's thesis.

8. Symbolism: What symbolism does the author use in the book?  How is that symbolism important to the book? Explain your reasons for believing this symbolism is important to the book in a 3-5 page paper.  Include at least one quote (or example with citation) from the book for each section to support your paper's thesis.

9. Foreshadowing: What foreshadowing does the author use in the book?  How is that foreshadowing important to the book? Explain your reasons for believing this foreshadowing is important to the book in a 3-5 page paper.  Include at least one quote (or example with citation) from the book for each section to support your paper's thesis.

10.  Genre: What genre (poetry, drama/play, fiction, and non-fiction) does the author use in the book?  How is that genre important to the book? Explain your reasons for believing this genre is important to the book in a 3-5 page paper.  Include at least one quote (or example with citation) from the book for each section to support your paper's thesis.