AP Literature and Composition
This Advanced Placement course will engage students in close and critical analysis of imaginative literature. The course combines work from the English 12 curriculum and suggested activities and intensive study from The College Board AP Program. This includes pieces representative of various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit. The course demands that students develop the analytic and creative skills associated with interpretation and evaluation of poetry, prose, and drama drawn from multiple genres, periods, and cultures. Students will be provided with the opportunity to subjectively respond to the literature, understand multiple meanings through analysis of literary works, and evaluate and consider the quality, artistic achievement, and social and cultural value of literary selections. Students will employ a variety of writing modes, appropriate to different assignments, as required by both lengthier outside-of-class pieces and in-class prompts. Students will be expected to routinely deliver articulate responses to literary selections in both written and oral form. Student responses to literary works should reflect critical thinking, sound logic, and meaningful reflection. The course requires a great deal of outside reading and research. Students will be required to speak well in front of a group and be willing to converse with others about a text in a sophisticated manner. This is an exciting opportunity for students to develop expertise and explore challenging college-caliber experiences through the AP 12 curriculum. This should provide you with a challenge that rewards you with improved skills for analyzing and understanding literature and texts you read, and a deeper appreciation for the English language and literature.
Trimester 1 - Old English and Middle English: Great Expectations, Beowulf, Canterbury Tales
Summer Reading-Major Works Data Sheets will be due on Monday, September 9
Literary terms and grammar
Review of core literary terminology and literary lenses with philosophical connections
Read short prose pieces (e.g., Mansfield's Bliss)
Outside Read & Major Paper: Choice of a Novel that has appeared on an AP Exam and a research based, literary critique of this work
Begin study and explication of poetry
Introduction to format of the AP Exam
Trimester 2 - Greek Classics, The Renaissance, Romantic and Victorian eras: Greek Classics, Shakespeare (Hamlet, King Lear, or Macbeth), Swift, Frankenstein
Literary terms and grammar
Read short prose pieces (e.g., Joyce's The Dead)
Greek theater, the tragic hero, tragedy, and Shakespeare
Satire and comedy
Romanticism, its philosophical underpinnings, and the explosion of poetry and the novel
Poetry presentations (explication and oral interpretation)
AP Multiple choice practice and essay writing practice
Trimester 3 - The Romantic and Victorian eras continued: focus on Poetry, All Quiet on the Western Front, Metamorphosis & The Stranger, Tartuffe, Death and the Maiden
Romantic and Victorian era poetry
Literary terms and grammar
Existentialism and other philosophies - Metamorphosis and The Stranger
Practice for the AP test
Modern Short Stories and Poetry
Tartuffe, A Doll's House, Death and the Maiden, or Pygmalion (TBD)
Farewell speeches
Literary Analysis Paper - Assignment
Rubric for Literary Analysis Paper
Summer Reading & Major Works Data Sheet 2019-20
Major Works Data Sheet for Great Expectations is due Monday, September 9
Link to The Stranger Audio:
Part 1
Chapter 1: 1:40
Chapter 2: 29:15
Chapter 3: 39:27
Chapter 4: 55:39
Chapter 5: 1:05:22
Chapter 6: 1:16:08
Part 2
Chapter 1: 1:38:58
Chapter 2: 1:53:43
Chapter 3: 2:10:59
Chapter 4: 2:38:27
Chapter 5: 2:55:01
List of New Books for Lit-Circle Assignment - Groups of anywhere from 2 to 6 readers. Choose one book from the list to read over the AP Exam Period. Groups will prepare a One-Pager that evaluates and critique the book for other HS and AP students. Avoid choosing books for grades other than 12.
5 AP Prompts Writing Assignment. This should be turned in through Schoology to Turnitin.
Original AP Poetry - Please copy and paste your original poems that you would like to share in this document. Whether you include your name or not is optional. Please be careful not to overwrite what someone else posts in the document.
Sample Sonnets - View this for an idea of how to format your poetry submissions. Please note that you will also need to do the same for your second poem, whether that be free-verse or another fixed form poem.
Sample Poetry Explication - View this for ideas on writing this assignment and formatting
AP Poetry Presentations - Presentations will be done in pairs. Presentations to start Wednesday, April 3 with written work due Friday, April 5.
Original written Poetry (fixed-form and free-verse) Due Monday, April 8.
"The Dead" Scripted Answers to Questions . . .
Poetics - Read and take notes on this to understand Aristotle's 6 components of tragedy and other concepts related to tragedy.
Also read Six Elements of Drama from the abridged version of As You Like It that we will read. This will help you solidify the elements.
Make Literary Analysis Paper Submissions to: Turnitin.com. To do this you need to create a new account as a student (unless you already have a Turnitin Account). You will need an email address.
https://turnitin.com/newuser_type.asp?lang=en_us
The Class ID is: 19516234
The Enrollment Key is: Nunnery
When uploading your essay, you must ensure that it falls under any of the file types listed below: Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf) HTML (.html, htm) Microsoft Word (.doc) Plain text (.txt) PostScript (.ps) Rich Text Format (.rtf) WordPerfect (.wpd)
When you submit, you can change what you upload by selecting the drop-down menu and choosing SINGLE FILE UPLOAD:
Visual for Literary Analysis Paper
Thesis + Detailed Outline This is due on Monday, November 19. Some Sample Literary Analysis Outlines - Due Monday, November 13 - Include your THESIS + TOPIC SENTENCES + ABBREVIATED QUOTES/INFORMATION YOU WILL CITE IN YOUR PAPER...
Type your "working" Thesis Statement into this spreadsheet by Thursday, November 15: Thesis Statements for AP Lit - Do not overwrite others' writing!
Forming Thesis Statements for your Literary Analysis Papers. You will want to attempt to analyze character, literary devices, and view from a critical perspective to show how this develops and creates a theme. This is all related to AP FRQ No. 3 as this question focuses on theme. Read through the following 2 documents to understand more about Analytical Thesis Statements and developing a degree of specificity in them Analytical Thesis Statements No. 2. Work up a thesis statement for Thursday, November 15.
Analytical thesis statements break-down an issue or idea into its component parts, evaluates an issue, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience. Read the linked information on thesis statements to better understand them before class on Wednesday, November 16. Read the following: Writing Strong Thesis Statements, Thesis Statements for Literary Analysis, and print-out and complete this assignment on Range of Thesis Statements
Beowulf Close Reading Writing Advice
Sample Literary Analysis Outline
Beowulf Close Reading Assignment-Collaborative Essay
Library Search Tools: Methods to find Criticism on your Novel or Play for the Literary Analysis Paper
Go to > WHS Website > Students > Media Center > Media Center Resources > Bloom's Literature or https://online.infobase.com/HRC/Browse/Product/12
Username: 1345827. Password: digital. You may need this when you are not in school.
Search "Monsters and Critics." Read Jay Ruud's "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics" Critical Companion to J. R. R. Tolkien, Facts on File, 2011.
Reader Response. Write your thoughts, a reaction (typed or hand-written - roughly a page in length) making comparisons, contrasts, and connections between Frankenstein and Ex Machina for Thursday, September 20. You could choose to focus on a couple of characters, story and its meaning, messages of the stories and their authors mean to convey, implications for women, men, or humanity, or something else that might be on your mind. Lemy wondered whether a Venn Diagram would be OK? And, that would be fine as well.
Farewell Speech--These speeches must be conducted by Friday, May 25. Speeches will be given during the last week of classes.
Sample Outlines
Paired Poetry Prompt: You should probably spend no more than an hour total on this assignment. Read and annotate the prompt for no more than ten minutes. Use your pen-name and your I.D. Single-space your essay. Type the prompt and then begin typing your essay. Submit to Turnitin.com by 11:59 April 25.
Paired Poetry Prompt
Addison Prompt Assignment: You should probably spend no more than an hour total on this assignment. Read and annotate the prompt for no more than ten minutes. Use your pen-name and your I.D. Single-space your essay. Type the prompt and then begin typing your essay. Submit to Turnitin.com by 11:59 April 22.
Addison Prompt
Tartuffe translated by Richard Wilbur (PDF)
Complete Mozart Movie Handout to discuss on Monday, April 9. If you don't have it CLICK THIS. Our substitute, Don Porath, has it, so if you ask, then he will likely pass it out.
All Reading below on Bacon, Addison, and Swift is in the Purple Text. Due Wednesday, April 11: Complete answers to questions (e.g., words such as "answer," "list," or "complete" with a high degree of probability mean you should write something on your own notebook paper) on your own notebook paper Wherefore now? What's the rationale? Dense texts such as these, that you are asked to read, though you may choose not to read, you might try to read. I'm not a pupateer, include ample low frequency vocabulary, make one wonder how people 200 to 400 years ago {from 1066 through 1800, consider Mary Shelley who we've recently read} developed better vocabularies and means of expression than we have do today. We have to wonder how, without the modern technological advancements of modern times (e.g., the internet, google, instant access to dictionaries and grammar), writers of 200 to 400 years ago were able to go beyond our ability to express ideas through vocabulary and narrative. Through older texts we have the unique opportunity to better understand history and context, as well as, critically think about the right here and right now. So, the rationale for reading this stuff is to work with difficult vocabulary and grammar which also helps us become better critical thinkers - the goal is not to indoctrinate what these writers thought, but rather to alow them to deveop what they might have been thinking. In any event do the following:
Francis Bacon: Read "To Be or Not To Be" on p. 317; Read about Francis Bacon in Build Background on p. 442 and p. 448; Define the word aphorism; Read Bacon’s "Of Marriage and Single Life" pp. 445-447; List at least two aphorisms from this reading; On page 447, answer questions 1 through 4 on this reading.
Joseph Addison: Read about Joseph Addison in Build Background on p. 548 and on p. 553; Know the definitions of the 11 Words to Know on p. 548; Read all of the articles from The Spectator pages 549-551; Answer all questions, 1 through 7, on page 552.
Jonathan Swift: If you have not read pages 584-585 on satire, then do so. Know the difference between Horatian and Juvenalian satire. Read about Jonathan Swift pp. 586-589. Read Build Background information on p. 611. Know the definitions of the 11 Words to Know on p. 611. Complete the "Vocabulary in Action" on p. 623. Read Swift's "A Modest Proposal" pp. 612-619. As you are reading consider anything that might be ironic or absurd. Answer questions 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 on p. 620.
To Submit your Poetry Essays go to: Turnitin.com and create a new account as a student. You will need an email address.
https://turnitin.com/newuser_type.asp?lang=en_us
The Enrollment Key is: Nunnery
The Class ID is: 17724882
When uploading your essay, you must ensure that it falls under any of the file types listed below: Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf) HTML (.html, htm) Microsoft Word (.doc) Plain text (.txt) PostScript (.ps) Rich Text Format (.rtf) WordPerfect (.wpd)
When you submit, you can change what you upload by selecting the drop-down menu and choosing:
Sonnet Templates: MS Word Google Doc
The Dead Questions Hour 2
The Dead Questions Hour 4
The Dead Some Answers . . .
Poetry Out Loud Website Poetry Out Loud Performance Dates
Poetics and Greek Theater Slides
Oedipus Crossword Answers
Poetics - Read and take notes on this to understand Aristotle's 6 components of tragedy and other concepts related to tragedy.
Also read Six Elements of Drama from the abridged version of Hamlet we read. This will help you solidify the elements.
Introductions and Conclusions: Have a look at this slide presentation. Perhaps this can help you think about and develop your introduction and conclusion.
Quotations and Writing Advice - Look over the following slides for advice and tips that you can use to improve your papers. It provides a kind of running list of random things that students have been having questions about with their writing.
Please have a look at this document that I will hand-out in class on Wed. 11/15. Use this to add variety to the way you integrate and quote sources and use transition words etc. Reporting Others' Arguments
Check-out the Hemmingway App. You can paste text into this app and find sentences that are hard to read, use of adverbs, passive voice, grade-level and other indicators of Readability that might help you improve your paper -- Hemmingway App
Here is an example of what the results look like.
Bring Hard-Copy of what you have completed for the Annotated List of Works Cited on Tuesday, October 31 - All Hallow's Eve
Sample Literary Analysis Final Papers
Complete this by Monday, November 6. Analytical thesis statements break-down an issue or idea into its component parts, evaluates an issue, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience. Read the linked information on thesis statements to better understand them before class on Wednesday, November 16. Read the following: Writing Strong Thesis Statements, Thesis Statements for Literary Analysis, and print-out and complete this assignment on Range of Thesis Statements
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Read and Answer Questions to Demystifying AP Question No. 3
Socratic Seminar for Frankenstein and Ex Mahina
King Lear AP Essay Assignment. AP Rubric that will be used for grading the assignment.
Link to Oedipus Group Questions.
Read and take notes on this slides presentation over the weekend before we start reading Oedipus on Tuesday, December 13.
Earn up to 2 points Extra Credit. By Tuesday December 13 enter up to two Non-Fiction Book Titles that you genuinely believe would be excellent reads for Woodbury students. Include: Book Title; Author; Genre; Year of Publication; Approximate Lenth (you could look at Amazon for this), and your name.
Non-Fiction Book List
For Tuesday, December 13. Compare your answers with the answers in the following document for your own understanding. Rate on a scale of 1 to 10 (being the best) how well your thought and composition compares and contrasts with the provided answers. Write paragraph that reflects on what you did well in your composition and what you could add, improve on, or how you could think in new and critical ways to expand on or improve your responses. Bring your printed copy to class - don't ask to go and print during class. The answers for comparison are here:
The Dead Responses for Comparison
For Thursday, December 8, use the google doc for your class below: Type your group member names. Next, type your questions and then type your answers that follow with a space between the question and the answer in the shared google docs below. Please have a copy of your answers handy in-class so that you can share your thoughts.
Hour 4 The Dead Questions
Hour 5 The Dead Questions
Hello to all of you out there in Hawaii. I hope you're having a great time. Have a look at the next 3 items I put on my website to help you with writing your papers: Quotations and Writing Advice, Group Close Read of Beowulf, and Reporting Others' Arguments.
Canterbury Presentations