Course Details

AP English Literature is a course that focuses mainly on American and British Literature with an emphasis on close reading, historical movements and periods, and AP Test Practice. The class follows the arc of development of Western Literature, politics, religious, and philosophical thinking from the axial age (600 – 800 BCE) to contemporary times and includes the study of world mythology, poetry, prose, and drama. Course objectives combine the learning of analytical and critical skills with writing about literature using the tools of analysis and criticism. In AP English Literature, students discover precisely how authors use imagery, figures of speech, symbols, tone, diction, style, theme, and structure to convey the meaning of their work. Students will be challenged to write persuasive essays and papers of various lengths as they wrestle with literary interpretation in preparation for the AP exam in May.

Prerequisites: Students should have: 1) an A or better in all non-honors/AP English courses or a B+ or better in honors/AP English courses; 2) a minimum overall GPA of 3.75; and 3) recommendations from English teachers. Students might be asked to submit a graded writing sample by the department after they review your application. Teacher recommendations will be obtained by the department chair.