AP Literature & Composition
Available to Grades 12th
Prerequisites: 1.) Teacher recommendations AND 2.) A score of 3 or better on the AP Language exam OR 90% or better in both Writing 11 and British Literature
Advanced Placement Literature is a challenging course that prepares students for the rigors of university level literature studies as they engage in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Students consider the larger elements of each work's structure, style, and themes as well as the finer elements of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. The literary theory, historical and cultural context of important works challenge students to think deeply as they cover diverse topics within the genres of poetry, novels, plays, and short stories from a variety of times.
The first semester breaks into units of prose, poetry and drama to allow students to focus on the essentials of each genre. The second semester is more thematically driven and diverse in the selections of literature, while allowing for more time to be devoted to direct preparation for the AP test. Writing about and discussing literature are the norm and climax in three ways: a large literary research project second semester, the AP Literature test in the spring, and the ability to feel comfortable discussing and analyzing literature for years to come.