What You Will Do
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You will choose a work from the list below and become the master of that work. You're expected to read it, of course, but also to read ABOUT it. My strong advice is for you to start with Wikipedia and move outward from there. If there's a film version, then see the film. If it's in translation from another language you speak, read it in that language as well. Be familiar with current or common critical views of your work of literature by browsing articles or reviews or essays. They can often be helpful, even if you don't happen to agree with them.
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How You Will Be Assessed
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We will set aside some days for independent reading assessment. On that day, it's going to work a lot like it will on the exam: You'll come in with your brain and a pen and be prepared to respond in writing to a released AP free-response prompt which will be graded using the AP rubric.
I will probably pick a question from this list.
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How You Should Prepare
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In addition to reading (obviously) and annotating (obviously), you should do some or all of the following:
ABSOLUTELY do the following:
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FAQs
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Do I have to buy the book?
No, although it's probably the simplest possible option. Amazon has books for very little money, as does Amber Unicorn (a local Vegas used bookstore). Many works are available online for free in the public domain or are free for downloading on Kindle or the Kindle app. If you do not wish to make a purchase, you may certainly check it out from the public library if you desire. What if I don't really read the book and just pretend I did? That's on you. I don't let you make up or redo the in-class essays. That will be a grade that you will live with, basically, and the AP has a tendency to expose superficial or incomplete understanding of a text. It would be a very unwise choice. Can I have the book with me during the test? No. Can I choose a book not on this list? Yes, but you MUST clear it with me IN ADVANCE. If you haven't cleared it with me, you will lose potentially all of the points for the in-class assessment, part of the purpose of which is to familiarize you with college- and AP-level works. How do I know this work doesn't contain passages, scenes, or themes that are objectionable to me? I can't tell you what you find objectionable. My strong advice is for you to read Amazon reviews, Goodbooks reviews, or visit Kidsinmind.org or similar sites to get a sense of issues that might be problematic. If you have a problem with all of the works, suggest one of similar literary quality and we'll discuss and see if we can come to a mutually satisfactory arrangement. Please remember that AP Literature is a college-level class and that many works on independent reading lists are geared toward a general adult audience and therefore deal with adult subject matter. |
Shame on You: Persecution and Exclusion
Not Always Its Own Reward: Novels About Virtue
Betrayal
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Ghosts, Vampires, Haunted Houses
The Future Is Here and It's Terrible
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Insert Mom Joke Here: Family Troubles
Bang, Bang: War in Literature
Everyone's On the Take: Corrupt Bureaucracy
Falls from Grace
The Price of Power
Here Be Dragons: Novels of Exploration
Bye-Bye: Novels About Mortality
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Mirror, Mirror: Appearance and Identity
Ceremonies, Sin, and Salvation
Dangerous Women
Money Changes Everything
What the...? (Weird Games with Narrative Form)
Guns, Germs, and Steel: Colonialism and Conquest
Secrets and Lies
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