AP English Literature and Composition

Course Description
The AP English Literature and Composition Course is designed and taught thematically
with an emphasis on core readings and more modern selections that illuminate and
expand upon the themes. The course will provide students with the intellectual
challenges and workload consistent with a typical undergraduate university English
literature/Humanities course. Each week students will discuss modes of writing including
interpretation, analysis, rhetorical strategies, exposition, structure, and style. Students
will read of classic, sophisticated world literature. We will use the Holt Elements of
Literature-Essentials of British and World Literature (Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and
Winston, 2007), as well as The Bedford Introduction to Literature (Boston: Bedford
Books of St. Martins Press, 1993). The course will concentrate on the experience of
literature, the interpretation of literature, and consistent writing to develop stylistic
maturity.
Course Elements

Compositions every two weeks

1. Students will submit drafts to the instructor for comments, as well as
participate in peer review. Extended papers will be revised at least once.
2. Late papers will lose grade if handed in the same day, one grade if handed
in the next day, and an additional a grade thereafter up to two grades.
Grammar will be covered as problems arise in the writing.
Periodic quizzes will be given on reading
Annotated bibliographies will be assigned during the 2nd quarter; a research paper
will follow during the 3rd quarter
Preparation for the AP Literature and Composition exam
College application essay practice

Required Texts and Materials

In the AP Literature and Composition course, students should consider obtaining a
personal copy of the various novels, plays, epics, poems, and short fiction used in the
course; however, copies of all reading materials will be provided for each student.
Preliminary list of novels, drama, and anthologized materials:

Beowulf, (epic poem)

The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne
Macbeth, Shakespeare
A Dolls House, Ibsen
Frankenstein, Shelley
Native Son, Wright

The Awakening, Chopin

Pygmalion, Shaw
Tess of the DUrbervilles, Hardy
Death of a Salesman, Miller
A Raisin in the Sun, Hansbury
Metamorphosis, Kafka
The Canterbury Tales (prologue and selected tales), Chaucer
Brave New World, Huxley
1984, Orwell
Animal Farm, Orwell
Short fiction and essays, as selected
Poetry, as selected
Modern novels, as selected

Writing Expectations
As this is a literature and composition course, students will be expected to use every
assignment that involves writing to practice their best composition skills. Composition
assignments will include statements, paragraphs, timed writes (essay tests), and formal
essays.
1. When an assignment calls for a paragraph, please check your work against the
paragraph criteria below:
Stand Alone Paragraph Criteria
Use these points to evaluate paragraphs that are not part of a longer piece of writing:
The first, second, or last sentence contains the main idea and key words from
the question or assigned topic. (The first sentence is preferable).
Paragraph contains at least two explanatory sentences.
Paragraph contains two to four sentences about specific details.
Details are colorful, interesting, and appropriate.
Paragraph ends with a good closing sentence that refers to the main idea
without repeating it.
Paragraph contains no run-ons or sentence fragments.
Paragraph is free of errors in agreement.
Paragraph is free of punctuation errors.
Paragraph is free of spelling errors.
Handwriting is easy to read.
2. All assignments for formal papers will include a specific grading rubric. The
rubric will be discussed prior to paper submission. Chapters from The Bedford
Introduction to Literature will supplement composition instructions. Students will
be expected to rewrite larger papers and literary analysis after receiving feedback.

3. Students will be asked to keep a free-write spiral journal in which they will keep
their responses to the reading. These responses may include content questions,
unclear vocabulary, annotations, etc. The journal must be brought to class
everyday.

4. Students will demonstrate an ability to produce essays and written compositions

that are clear, with revision in their intention, well organized, and supported by
evidence.
5. Timed writings will present a scoring guide as feedback. These will be similar to
the scoring guides as used by the AP English Literature and Composition Exam.
6. Grammar and usage: As seniors in an AP English Literature and Composition
course, students should have a good command of Standard Written English.
There will be mini-lessons throughout the course dealing with complex grammar
and usage issues, sentence constructions, and diction. Occasionally, students may
need additional help in this area, which will be covered during class time or after
school.
7. Examples of Writing Assignments for works of literature that may be covered:
Frankenstein: Compare and contrast the monster in Frankenstein to
Adam and Satan in Paradise Lost.
A Dolls House: Discuss Torvalds fascination toward beauty and
appearance throughout the play. What does this imply about his
personality and the time in which the play is set? Does his attitude
seem to change by the end of the play?
Blackberry-Picking: Read the poem Blackberry-Picking. Pay
particular attention to the physical intensity of the language. Then
write in an essay explaining how the poet conveys not only a literal
description of picking blackberries but a deeper understanding of the
whole experience. You may include any literary elements that help
you in your analysis.
The Scarlet Letter: What does the Scarlet Letter say about the division
between what is public and what is private, especially during the
Puritan time period?
Native Son: Support or refute the following statement by citing
incidents from the story: Biggers murder of Mary is a reflex action
created by oppression, NOT an act of rebellion to help him overcome
oppression.
Schedule
Pre-coursework

Assignment is due the first Friday of the school year.

Students will be required to read Brave New World by Huxley. They will be
given a timed writing on the novel.
Biblical allusion assignment-Students will be required to search a Bible for
commonly used Biblical allusions. They will write a 3-5 sentence description of
the meaning of each allusion.
Weekly Assignments:
Exercises from Voice Lessons by Nancy Dean will be used to informally write
about elements such as diction, tone, syntax, use of detail, voice, and imagery.

Vocabulary quizzes will be given to improve vocabulary knowledge and

competence and to improve sentence fluency, sentence variety, and grammatical
conventions.

Semester One
Quarter One: GOOD vs. EVIL
Week 1:

Introductory timed write (Brave New World); Course Introduction; Tone,

Mood, Irony, Theme: Poes The Black Cat; Use of Quotes in Writing;
Paragraph Write on Poes The Black Cat

Week 2:

Epic poetry, Allusions, Tone, Setting, Theme: from Beowulf; Use of

Quotes in Writing; Paragraph Write on Beowulf; from Grendel, Gardner;
Peer Review of The Black Cat paragraph

Week 3:

Rewrite of The Black Cat paragraph due; Beowulf continued; from

Grendel, Gardner; Paragraph Write on Beowulf

Week 4:

Introduction to Hawthorne: Young Goodman Brown; Allegory,

Allusion, Ambiguity, Irony, Connotation/Denotation, Tone, Symbolism:
The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne; Use of Quotes in Writing

Week 5:

The Scarlet Letter continued; Essay Write on novel

Week 6:

Peer Review of The Scarlet Letter essay; Poetry: Dramatic Monologue,

Inferences, Tone: My Last Duchess, Browning; Mood, Dramatic
Monologue: Porphyrias Lover, Browning; Allusion, Theme, Irony:
The Second Coming, Yeats; Introduction to Sonnets

Week 7:

Rewrite of The Scarlet Letter essay due; Sonnets: English and

Italian-Death Be Not Proud, Donne; When I Have Fears, Yeats;
When I Consider How My Light is Spent, Milton; Sonnet 75,
Spencer; Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, Wordsworth; Essay
Write on Poetry

Week 8:

Monologue, Soliloquy, Aside, Tragedy: Introduction to Drama; Tone,

Setting, Irony, Cause and Effect; Plot Development Terms: Macbeth,
Shakespeare

Week 9:

Macbeth continued; Memorization assignment; Paraphrasing assignments;

Timed Essay Write on Macbeth; Midterm

Quarter Two: ILLUSION vs. REALITY

Week 1:

Tone, Theme, Symbolism, Protagonist, Antagonist: A Dolls House, Ibsen;

Multiple Choice Practice Test

Week 2:

A Dolls House continued; Introduction to Annotated Bibliographies a and

Research Paper

Week 3:

Timed Essay Write on A Dolls House; Introduction to FrankensteinRead The Fall of Satan from Paradise Lost, Milton and The Rime of
the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge; Peer Review of A Dolls House essay

Week 4:

Introduction to Frankenstein continued; Gothic Fiction, Irony, Theme,

Symbolism, Tone, Point of View, Foil: Frankenstein, Shelley; Rewrite of
A Dolls House essay

Week 5

Frankenstein continued; Timed Essay Write on Frankenstein; Short

Stories: Theme, Conflict, Irony: The Jewels; Theme, Foreshadowing:
Good Country People

Week 6:

Rewrite of Frankenstein essay due; Practice Multiple Choice Test; Tone,

Allusions, Setting, Theme, Point of View: Native Son, Wright

Week 7:

Native Son continued; Annotated Bibliographies Due; Rough Draft of

Research Paper due

Week 8:

Timed Essay Write on Native Son; Poetry-Simile, Extended Simile: She

Walks In Beauty, Byron; Tone, Theme: To A Louse, Burns; Word
Music: Meter, Rhyme, Alliteration, Assonance: The Lady Shallot,
Tennyson; Multiple Choice Practice Test

Week 9:

Time Writing on Poetry; Final Copy of Research Paper Due; Final Exam

Quarter Three: FATE vs. FREEWILL

Week 1:

Introduction to Chopin: Desirees Baby; Tone, Theme, Symbolism,

Writing Style, Point of View: The Awakening, Chopin

Week 2:

The Awakening continued; Short Stories-Theme: The Bet, Chekhov;

Symbol, Theme: The Rocking-Horse Winner, Lawrence; Theme,
Character Analysis: How I Met My Husband, Munro; Time Writing on
The Awakening

Week 3:

Short Stories Unit continued if needed; Introduction to PygmalionDiscussion of Ovids Metamorphoses; Literary Archetypes, Theme,
Allusions, Symbolism: Pygmalion, Shaw; Peer grading of The Awakening
essay

Week 4:

Pygmalion continued; Multiple Choice Practice Test; Rewrite of The

Awakening essay due

Week 5:

Time Write on Pygmalion; Poetry-Tone, Allusions, Personification: The

World Is Too Much With Us, Wordsworth; Villanelle, Elegy, Metaphors:
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, Thomas; Speaker, Form and
Meter: The Road Not Taken, Frost

Week 6:

Timed Write on poetry; Form and Structure, Point of View;

Characterization: Tess of DUrbervilles, Hardy; Research Topic Due

Week 7:

Tess of DUrbervilles continued; Draft of Research Paper Due; AP Exam

Review (through exam date)

Week 8:

Tess of DUrbervilles continued; Final Copy of Research Paper Due;

Timed Writing on Tess of DUrbervilles; Peer Grading of essay

Week 9:

Poetry: Storm Warnings, The History Teacher; Rewrite of essay;

Midterm

Quarter Four: FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Week 1:

Symbolism, Novella, Characterization, Parables, Conflict: Metamorphosis

Kafka

Week 2:

Timed Write on Metamorphosis; Requiem, Characterization, Symbolism:

Death of a Salesman, Miller; AP Exam

Week 3:

Peer Review of Metamorphosis; Death of a Salesman continued; Paper

Topic Due; Rewrite of Metamorphosis Essay Due

Week 4:

Timed Writing on Death of a Salesman; Introduction of HansburyLangston Hughes poems; Irony, Symbolism: A Raisin in the Sun,
Hansbury; Draft of Paper Due

Week 5:

A Raisin in the Sun continued; Rewrite of Death of a Salesman Essay

Due; Final Draft of Paper Due

Week 6:

Timed Write on A Raisin in the Sun; Short Story-The Yellow Wallpaper,

Gilman; Poetry-For Julia, In the Deep Water, Morris; A Story, Lee

Week 7:

Timed Write on poetry; Individual Student Senior Speeches

Week 8:

Senior Speeches continued; A Raisin in the Sun film

Week 9:

Final Exam; Senior Week