AP  Literature & Composition

Course Number:  0211
Level:  AP
Department:  English

Course Description
Prerequisite:  English 1 & 2, and American Lit or AP Lang & Comp
Open to:  Seniors
Length:  Year
Credit:   1
Summary:  AP Literature and Composition is a college-level course in literary analysis and the more sophisticated writing skills required to articulate a student’s insights into the substance, structure, and style of imaginative literature.  Many of the underlying fundamental reading and writing skills have been honed at the honors level freshman, sophomore, and junior years.  Elements of language that are explored in depth include symbols, images, figures of speech, diction, tone, and theme.  Tragedy as a dramatic form is a special focus of attention, as is the examination of syntax, style, and point of view for their impact upon the comprehension of a text.  Plot is explored as an artificial sense of order that is brought to bear upon experience.  Attention is paid to poetic devices as the means to convey the effect and meaning of a poem.

Course Goals:

• Becoming highly skilled in literary analysis and the language used in that discipline
• Examining tragedy as a dramatic form
• Becoming adept at examining and discussing syntax for its contribution to the development of meaning
• Becoming familiar with the language used in discussing the style of a writer
• Honing these writing skills for success on the AP exam and in college-level study:

a)  Organization that is appropriate to the design of an essay

b)  A clearly conceived and well-supported thesis

c)  Balance between generalization and specific detail

d)  Precision in diction

e)  Effective syntax

f)  Facility with conventional grammar, spelling, and punctuation

Textbooks and Materials: 
Primary Texts :  Hamlet, Heart of Darkness, Sound and the Fury, Beloved, The Dubliners
Other Texts:  assorted poems and essays
 

Major Assessments:  Reading exams and essay assignments focused on literary analysis; and assessment of grammar knowledge and editing skills

 

(Parents and students: please consult individual teachers for grading policies, extra credit info, class procedures, etc.)