how to write an ap lit thesis statement

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• Sample Thesis Statements

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

Paragraph 1

In The Box Man , by Barbara Lazear Ascher, the protagonist reveals that a life of solitude need not always be lonely. Though the Box Man lives a life of solitude as a homeless wanderer, Ascher describes his “grand design” and “grandmotherly finger licking” to convince readers that their assumptions about homeless people are unfounded – and that they can live a dignified life. By describing the Box Man as “dignified” and “at ease”, Ascher paints a vivid picture of a man who chose a life a comfort and solitude and defeated loneliness by becoming his own friend.

Paragraph 2

In Upon the Burning of Our House , Anne Bradstreet ponders her unfortunate circumstances and appreciates that it was God’s will that her house burned to the ground. Bradstreet believed that every misfortune she encountered served to remind her of God’s will – in this case, she was reminded that “All is vanity” – a Biblical allusion meaning that everything in life is futile and the only worthy goal is entry into heaven. Bradstreet’s attitude is further revealed when she says “The world no longer let me love, / My hope and treasure lies above.” Bradstreet clearly feels that worldly life is fruitless; her sole concern is God.

Paragraph 3

In The Grapes of Wrath , John Steinbeck characterize the protagonist, Tom Joad, as a morally conscious person who stands up against evil. The image of Tom’s mother “slow with weariness” sitting and scraping potatoes affects Tom very much – so much that he is willing to give his life to rebel against the people who seek to harm his family. Through the use of imagery and diction, Steinbeck reveals Tom’s noble conscious and characterizes him as a rebellious – albeit rash – young man.

Paragraph 4

In the His Dark Materials Series by Philip Pullman, the setting is an essential element in the development and outcome of the plot in more ways than one. The protagonist, 11-year old Lyra Belacqua, lives in the precincts of Jordan College in Oxford growing up as an orphan among the old scholars. Her cheerful existence consisted of playing on the rooftops of the college and “waging war” with the local children. This contrasts sharply with the bright and exciting future she soon experiences after she escapes from the drudgery of college life. After escaping, Lyra begins a grand adventure, journeying to the north to meet armored bears, witches, and gyptians. The initial setting is important to the development of the plot because Lyra’s future resourcefulness and quick-wittedness in difficult situations were fine-tuned during the numerous challenges she faced as a child while fighting “wars” with the other local children. In addition, by understanding Lyra’s humble background, the reader can appreciate her future accomplishments.

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How to Write the AP Lit Prose Essay with Examples

March 30, 2024

AP Lit Prose Essay Examples – The College Board’s Advanced Placement Literature and Composition Course is one of the most enriching experiences that high school students can have. It exposes you to literature that most people don’t encounter until college , and it helps you develop analytical and critical thinking skills that will enhance the quality of your life, both inside and outside of school. The AP Lit Exam reflects the rigor of the course. The exam uses consistent question types, weighting, and scoring parameters each year . This means that, as you prepare for the exam, you can look at previous questions, responses, score criteria, and scorer commentary to help you practice until your essays are perfect.

What is the AP Lit Free Response testing? 

In AP Literature, you read books, short stories, and poetry, and you learn how to commit the complex act of literary analysis . But what does that mean? Well, “to analyze” literally means breaking a larger idea into smaller and smaller pieces until the pieces are small enough that they can help us to understand the larger idea. When we’re performing literary analysis, we’re breaking down a piece of literature into smaller and smaller pieces until we can use those pieces to better understand the piece of literature itself.

So, for example, let’s say you’re presented with a passage from a short story to analyze. The AP Lit Exam will ask you to write an essay with an essay with a clear, defensible thesis statement that makes an argument about the story, based on some literary elements in the short story. After reading the passage, you might talk about how foreshadowing, allusion, and dialogue work together to demonstrate something essential in the text. Then, you’ll use examples of each of those three literary elements (that you pull directly from the passage) to build your argument. You’ll finish the essay with a conclusion that uses clear reasoning to tell your reader why your argument makes sense.

AP Lit Prose Essay Examples (Continued)

But what’s the point of all of this? Why do they ask you to write these essays?

Well, the essay is, once again, testing your ability to conduct literary analysis. However, the thing that you’re also doing behind that literary analysis is a complex process of both inductive and deductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning takes a series of points of evidence and draws a larger conclusion. Deductive reasoning departs from the point of a broader premise and draws a singular conclusion. In an analytical essay like this one, you’re using small pieces of evidence to draw a larger conclusion (your thesis statement) and then you’re taking your thesis statement as a larger premise from which you derive your ultimate conclusion.

So, the exam scorers are looking at your ability to craft a strong thesis statement (a singular sentence that makes an argument), use evidence and reasoning to support that argument, and then to write the essay well. This is something they call “sophistication,” but they’re looking for well-organized thoughts carried through clear, complete sentences.

This entire process is something you can and will use throughout your life. Law, engineering, medicine—whatever pursuit, you name it—utilizes these forms of reasoning to run experiments, build cases, and persuade audiences. The process of this kind of clear, analytical thinking can be honed, developed, and made easier through repetition.

Practice Makes Perfect

Because the AP Literature Exam maintains continuity across the years, you can pull old exam copies, read the passages, and write responses. A good AP Lit teacher is going to have you do this time and time again in class until you have the formula down. But, it’s also something you can do on your own, if you’re interested in further developing your skills.

AP Lit Prose Essay Examples 

Let’s take a look at some examples of questions, answers and scorer responses that will help you to get a better idea of how to craft your own AP Literature exam essays.

In the exam in 2023, students were asked to read a poem by Alice Cary titled “Autumn,” which was published in 1874. In it, the speaker contemplates the start of autumn. Then, students are asked to craft a well-written essay which uses literary techniques to convey the speaker’s complex response to the changing seasons.

The following is an essay that received a perfect 6 on the exam. There are grammar and usage errors throughout the essay, which is important to note: even though the writer makes some mistakes, the structure and form of their argument was strong enough to merit a 6. This is what your scorers will be looking for when they read your essay.

Example Essay 

Romantic and hyperbolic imagery is used to illustrate the speaker’s unenthusiastic opinion of the coming of autumn, which conveys Cary’s idea that change is difficult to accept but necessary for growth.

Romantic imagery is utilized to demonstrate the speaker’s warm regard for the season of summer and emphasize her regretfulness for autumn’s coming, conveying the uncomfortable change away from idyllic familiarity. Summer, is portrayed in the image of a woman who “from her golden collar slips/and strays through stubble fields/and moans aloud.” Associated with sensuality and wealth, the speaker implies the interconnection between a season and bounty, comfort, and pleasure. Yet, this romantic view is dismantled by autumn, causing Summer to “slip” and “stray through stubble fields.” Thus, the coming of real change dethrones a constructed, romantic personification of summer,  conveying the speaker’s reluctance for her ideal season to be dethroned by something much less decorated and adored.

Summer, “she lies on pillows of the yellow leaves,/ And tries the old tunes for over an hour”, is contrasted with bright imagery of fallen leaves/ The juxtaposition between Summer’s character and the setting provides insight into the positivity of change—the yellow leaves—by its contrast with the failures of attempting to sustain old habits or practices, “old tunes”. “She lies on pillows” creates a sympathetic, passive image of summer in reaction to the coming of Autumn, contrasting her failures to sustain “old tunes.” According to this, it is understood that the speaker recognizes the foolishness of attempting to prevent what is to come, but her wishfulness to counter the natural progression of time.

Hyperbolic imagery displays the discrepancies between unrealistic, exaggerated perceptions of change and the reality of progress, continuing the perpetuation of Cary’s idea that change must be embraced rather than rejected. “Shorter and shorter now the twilight clips/The days, as though the sunset gates they crowd”, syntax and diction are used to literally separate different aspects of the progression of time. In an ironic parallel to the literal language, the action of twilight’s “clip” and the subject, “the days,” are cut off from each other into two different lines, emphasizing a sense of jarring and discomfort. Sunset, and Twilight are named, made into distinct entities from the day, dramatizing the shortening of night-time into fall. The dramatic, sudden implications for the change bring to mind the switch between summer and winter, rather than a transitional season like fall—emphasizing the Speaker’s perspective rather than a factual narration of the experience.

She says “the proud meadow-pink hangs down her head/Against the earth’s chilly bosom, witched with frost”. Implying pride and defeat, and the word “witched,” the speaker brings a sense of conflict, morality, and even good versus evil into the transition between seasons. Rather than a smooth, welcome change, the speaker is practically against the coming of fall. The hyperbole present in the poem serves to illustrate the Speaker’s perspective and ideas on the coming of fall, which are characterized by reluctance and hostility to change from comfort.

The topic of this poem, Fall–a season characterized by change and the deconstruction of the spring and summer landscape—is juxtaposed with the final line which evokes the season of Spring. From this, it is clear that the speaker appreciates beautiful and blossoming change. However, they resent that which destroys familiar paradigms and norms. Fall, seen as the death of summer, is characterized as a regression, though the turning of seasons is a product of the literal passage of time. Utilizing romantic imagery and hyperbole to shape the Speaker’s perspective, Cary emphasizes the need to embrace change though it is difficult, because growth is not possible without hardship or discomfort.

Scoring Criteria: Why did this essay do so well? 

When it comes to scoring well, there are some rather formulaic things that the judges are searching for. You might think that it’s important to “stand out” or “be creative” in your writing. However, aside from concerns about “sophistication,” which essentially means you know how to organize thoughts into sentences and you can use language that isn’t entirely elementary, you should really focus on sticking to a form. This will show the scorers that you know how to follow that inductive/deductive reasoning process that we mentioned earlier, and it will help to present your ideas in the most clear, coherent way possible to someone who is reading and scoring hundreds of essays.

So, how did this essay succeed? And how can you do the same thing?

First: The Thesis 

On the exam, you can either get one point or zero points for your thesis statement. The scorers said, “The essay responds to the prompt with a defensible thesis located in the introductory paragraph,” which you can read as the first sentence in the essay. This is important to note: you don’t need a flowery hook to seduce your reader; you can just start this brief essay with some strong, simple, declarative sentences—or go right into your thesis.

What makes a good thesis? A good thesis statement does the following things:

• Makes a claim that will be supported by evidence
• Is specific and precise in its use of language
• Argues for an original thought that goes beyond a simple restating of the facts

If you’re sitting here scratching your head wondering how you come up with a thesis statement off the top of your head, let me give you one piece of advice: don’t.

The AP Lit scoring criteria gives you only one point for the thesis for a reason: they’re just looking for the presence of a defensible claim that can be proven by evidence in the rest of the essay.

Second: Write your essay from the inside out 

While the thesis is given one point, the form and content of the essay can receive anywhere from zero to four points. This is where you should place the bulk of your focus.

My best advice goes like this:

• Choose your evidence first
• Develop your commentary about the evidence
• Then draft your thesis statement based on the evidence that you find and the commentary you can create.

It will seem a little counterintuitive: like you’re writing your essay from the inside out. But this is a fundamental skill that will help you in college and beyond. Don’t come up with an argument out of thin air and then try to find evidence to support your claim. Look for the evidence that exists and then ask yourself what it all means. This will also keep you from feeling stuck or blocked at the beginning of the essay. If you prepare for the exam by reviewing the literary devices that you learned in the course and practice locating them in a text, you can quickly and efficiently read a literary passage and choose two or three literary devices that you can analyze.

Third: Use scratch paper to quickly outline your evidence and commentary 

Once you’ve located two or three literary devices at work in the given passage, use scratch paper to draw up a quick outline. Give each literary device a major bullet point. Then, briefly point to the quotes/evidence you’ll use in the essay. Finally, start to think about what the literary device and evidence are doing together. Try to answer the question: what meaning does this bring to the passage?

A sample outline for one paragraph of the above essay might look like this:

Romantic imagery

Portrayal of summer

• Woman who “from her golden collar… moans aloud”
• Summer as bounty

Contrast with Autumn

• Autumn dismantles Summer
• “Stray through stubble fields”
• Autumn is change; it has the power to dethrone the romance of Summer/make summer a bit meaningless

Recognition of change in a positive light

• Summer “lies on pillows / yellow leaves / tries old tunes”
• Bright imagery/fallen leaves
• Attempt to maintain old practices fails: “old tunes”
• But! There is sympathy: “lies on pillows”

Speaker recognizes: she can’t prevent what is to come; wishes to embrace natural passage of time

By the time the writer gets to the end of the outline for their paragraph, they can easily start to draw conclusions about the paragraph based on the evidence they have pulled out. You can see how that thinking might develop over the course of the outline.

Then, the speaker would take the conclusions they’ve drawn and write a “mini claim” that will start each paragraph. The final bullet point of this outline isn’t the same as the mini claim that comes at the top of the second paragraph of the essay, however, it is the conclusion of the paragraph. You would do well to use the concluding thoughts from your outline as the mini claim to start your body paragraph. This will make your paragraphs clear, concise, and help you to construct a coherent argument.

Repeat this process for the other one or two literary devices that you’ve chosen to analyze, and then: take a step back.

Fourth: Draft your thesis 

Once you quickly sketch out your outline, take a moment to “stand back” and see what you’ve drafted. You’ll be able to see that, among your two or three literary devices, you can draw some commonality. You might be able to say, as the writer did here, that romantic and hyperbolic imagery “illustrate the speaker’s unenthusiastic opinion of the coming of autumn,” ultimately illuminating the poet’s idea “that change is difficult to accept but necessary for growth.”

This is an original argument built on the evidence accumulated by the student. It directly answers the prompt by discussing literary techniques that “convey the speaker’s complex response to the changing seasons.” Remember to go back to the prompt and see what direction they want you to head with your thesis, and craft an argument that directly speaks to that prompt.

Then, move ahead to finish your body paragraphs and conclusion.

Fifth: Give each literary device its own body paragraph 

In this essay, the writer examines the use of two literary devices that are supported by multiple pieces of evidence. The first is “romantic imagery” and the second is “hyperbolic imagery.” The writer dedicates one paragraph to each idea. You should do this, too.

This is why it’s important to choose just two or three literary devices. You really don’t have time to dig into more. Plus, more ideas will simply cloud the essay and confuse your reader.

Using your outline, start each body paragraph with a “mini claim” that makes an argument about what it is you’ll be saying in your paragraph. Lay out your pieces of evidence, then provide commentary for why your evidence proves your point about that literary device.

Move onto the next literary device, rinse, and repeat.

Sixth: Commentary and Conclusion 

Finally, you’ll want to end this brief essay with a concluding paragraph that restates your thesis, briefly touches on your most important points from each body paragraph, and includes a development of the argument that you laid out in the essay.

In this particular example essay, the writer concludes by saying, “Utilizing romantic imagery and hyperbole to shape the Speaker’s perspective, Cary emphasizes the need to embrace change though it is difficult, because growth is not possible without hardship or discomfort.” This is a direct restatement of the thesis. At this point, you’ll have reached the end of your essay. Great work!

Seventh: Sophistication 

A final note on scoring criteria: there is one point awarded to what the scoring criteria calls “sophistication.” This is evidenced by the sophistication of thought and providing a nuanced literary analysis, which we’ve already covered in the steps above.

There are some things to avoid, however:

• Sweeping generalizations, such as, “From the beginning of human history, people have always searched for love,” or “Everyone goes through periods of darkness in their lives, much like the writer of this poem.”
• Only hinting at possible interpretations instead of developing your argument
• Oversimplifying your interpretation
• Or, by contrast, using overly flowery or complex language that does not meet your level of preparation or the context of the essay.

Remember to develop your argument with nuance and complexity and to write in a style that is academic but appropriate for the task at hand.

If you want more practice or to check out other exams from the past, go to the College Board’s website .

Brittany Borghi

After earning a BA in Journalism and an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from the University of Iowa, Brittany spent five years as a full-time lecturer in the Rhetoric Department at the University of Iowa. Additionally, she’s held previous roles as a researcher, full-time daily journalist, and book editor. Brittany’s work has been featured in The Iowa Review, The Hopkins Review, and the Pittsburgh City Paper, among others, and she was also a 2021 Pushcart Prize nominee.

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How to Write the AP Lit Prose Essay + Example

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What’s Covered

What is the ap lit prose essay, how will ap scores affect my college chances.

AP Literature and Composition (AP Lit), not to be confused with AP English Language and Composition (AP Lang), teaches students how to develop the ability to critically read and analyze literary texts. These texts include poetry, prose, and drama. Analysis is an essential component of this course and critical for the educational development of all students when it comes to college preparation. In this course, you can expect to see an added difficulty of texts and concepts, similar to the material one would see in a college literature course.

While not as popular as AP Lang, over 380,136 students took the class in 2019. However, the course is significantly more challenging, with only 49.7% of students receiving a score of three or higher on the exam. A staggeringly low 6.2% of students received a five on the exam. 

The AP Lit exam is similar to the AP Lang exam in format, but covers different subject areas. The first section is multiple-choice questions based on five short passages. There are 55 questions to be answered in 1 hour. The passages will include at least two prose fiction passages and two poetry passages and will account for 45% of your total score. All possible answer choices can be found within the text, so you don’t need to come into the exam with prior knowledge of the passages to understand the work. 

The second section contains three free-response essays to be finished in under two hours. This section accounts for 55% of the final score and includes three essay questions: the poetry analysis essay, the prose analysis essay, and the thematic analysis essay. Typically, a five-paragraph format will suffice for this type of writing. These essays are scored holistically from one to six points.

Today we will take a look at the AP Lit prose essay and discuss tips and tricks to master this section of the exam. We will also provide an example of a well-written essay for review.  

The AP Lit prose essay is the second of the three essays included in the free-response section of the AP Lit exam, lasting around 40 minutes in total. A prose passage of approximately 500 to 700 words and a prompt will be given to guide your analytical essay. Worth about 18% of your total grade, the essay will be graded out of six points depending on the quality of your thesis (0-1 points), evidence and commentary (0-4 points), and sophistication (0-1 points). 

While this exam seems extremely overwhelming, considering there are a total of three free-response essays to complete, with proper time management and practiced skills, this essay is manageable and straightforward. In order to enhance the time management aspect of the test to the best of your ability, it is essential to understand the following six key concepts.

1. Have a Clear Understanding of the Prompt and the Passage

Since the prose essay is testing your ability to analyze literature and construct an evidence-based argument, the most important thing you can do is make sure you understand the passage. That being said, you only have about 40 minutes for the whole essay so you can’t spend too much time reading the passage. Allot yourself 5-7 minutes to read the prompt and the passage and then another 3-5 minutes to plan your response.

As you read through the prompt and text, highlight, circle, and markup anything that stands out to you. Specifically, try to find lines in the passage that could bolster your argument since you will need to include in-text citations from the passage in your essay. Even if you don’t know exactly what your argument might be, it’s still helpful to have a variety of quotes to use depending on what direction you take your essay, so take note of whatever strikes you as important. Taking the time to annotate as you read will save you a lot of time later on because you won’t need to reread the passage to find examples when you are in the middle of writing. 

Once you have a good grasp on the passage and a solid array of quotes to choose from, you should develop a rough outline of your essay. The prompt will provide 4-5 bullets that remind you of what to include in your essay, so you can use these to structure your outline. Start with a thesis, come up with 2-3 concrete claims to support your thesis, back up each claim with 1-2 pieces of evidence from the text, and write a brief explanation of how the evidence supports the claim.

2. Start with a Brief Introduction that Includes a Clear Thesis Statement

Having a strong thesis can help you stay focused and avoid tangents while writing. By deciding the relevant information you want to hit upon in your essay up front, you can prevent wasting precious time later on. Clear theses are also important for the reader because they direct their focus to your essential arguments. 

In other words, it’s important to make the introduction brief and compact so your thesis statement shines through. The introduction should include details from the passage, like the author and title, but don’t waste too much time with extraneous details. Get to the heart of your essay as quick as possible. 

3. Use Clear Examples to Support Your Argument 

One of the requirements AP Lit readers are looking for is your use of evidence. In order to satisfy this aspect of the rubric, you should make sure each body paragraph has at least 1-2 pieces of evidence, directly from the text, that relate to the claim that paragraph is making. Since the prose essay tests your ability to recognize and analyze literary elements and techniques, it’s often better to include smaller quotes. For example, when writing about the author’s use of imagery or diction you might pick out specific words and quote each word separately rather than quoting a large block of text. Smaller quotes clarify exactly what stood out to you so your reader can better understand what are you saying.

Including smaller quotes also allows you to include more evidence in your essay. Be careful though—having more quotes is not necessarily better! You will showcase your strength as a writer not by the number of quotes you manage to jam into a paragraph, but by the relevance of the quotes to your argument and explanation you provide.  If the details don’t connect, they are merely just strings of details.

4. Discussion is Crucial to Connect Your Evidence to Your Argument 

As the previous tip explained, citing phrases and words from the passage won’t get you anywhere if you don’t provide an explanation as to how your examples support the claim you are making. After each new piece of evidence is introduced, you should have a sentence or two that explains the significance of this quote to the piece as a whole.

This part of the paragraph is the “So what?” You’ve already stated the point you are trying to get across in the topic sentence and shared the examples from the text, so now show the reader why or how this quote demonstrates an effective use of a literary technique by the author. Sometimes students can get bogged down by the discussion and lose sight of the point they are trying to make. If this happens to you while writing, take a step back and ask yourself “Why did I include this quote? What does it contribute to the piece as a whole?” Write down your answer and you will be good to go. 

5. Write a Brief Conclusion

While the critical part of the essay is to provide a substantive, organized, and clear argument throughout the body paragraphs, a conclusion provides a satisfying ending to the essay and the last opportunity to drive home your argument. If you run out of time for a conclusion because of extra time spent in the preceding paragraphs, do not worry, as that is not fatal to your score. 

Without repeating your thesis statement word for word, find a way to return to the thesis statement by summing up your main points. This recap reinforces the arguments stated in the previous paragraphs, while all of the preceding paragraphs successfully proved the thesis statement.

6. Don’t Forget About Your Grammar

Though you will undoubtedly be pressed for time, it’s still important your essay is well-written with correct punctuating and spelling. Many students are able to write a strong thesis and include good evidence and commentary, but the final point on the rubric is for sophistication. This criteria is more holistic than the former ones which means you should have elevated thoughts and writing—no grammatical errors. While a lack of grammatical mistakes alone won’t earn you the sophistication point, it will leave the reader with a more favorable impression of you. 

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Here are Nine Must-have Tips and Tricks to Get a Good Score on the Prose Essay:

• Carefully read, review, and underline key instruction s in the prompt.
• Briefly outlin e what you want to cover in your essay.
• Be sure to have a clear thesis that includes the terms mentioned in the instructions, literary devices, tone, and meaning.
• Include the author’s name and title  in your introduction. Refer to characters by name.
• Quality over quantity when it comes to picking quotes! Better to have a smaller number of more detailed quotes than a large amount of vague ones.
• Fully explain how each piece of evidence supports your thesis .  
• Focus on the literary techniques in the passage and avoid summarizing the plot. 
• Use transitions to connect sentences and paragraphs.
• Keep your introduction and conclusion short, and don’t repeat your thesis verbatim in your conclusion.

Here is an example essay from 2020 that received a perfect 6:

[1] In this passage from a 1912 novel, the narrator wistfully details his childhood crush on a girl violinist. Through a motif of the allure of musical instruments, and abundant sensory details that summon a vivid image of the event of their meeting, the reader can infer that the narrator was utterly enraptured by his obsession in the moment, and upon later reflection cannot help but feel a combination of amusement and a resummoning of the moment’s passion. 

[2] The overwhelming abundance of hyper-specific sensory details reveals to the reader that meeting his crush must have been an intensely powerful experience to create such a vivid memory. The narrator can picture the “half-dim church”, can hear the “clear wail” of the girl’s violin, can see “her eyes almost closing”, can smell a “faint but distinct fragrance.” Clearly, this moment of discovery was very impactful on the boy, because even later he can remember the experience in minute detail. However, these details may also not be entirely faithful to the original experience; they all possess a somewhat mysterious quality that shows how the narrator may be employing hyperbole to accentuate the girl’s allure. The church is “half-dim”, the eyes “almost closing” – all the details are held within an ethereal state of halfway, which also serves to emphasize that this is all told through memory. The first paragraph also introduces the central conciet of music. The narrator was drawn to the “tones she called forth” from her violin and wanted desperately to play her “accompaniment.” This serves the double role of sensory imagery (with the added effect of music being a powerful aural image) and metaphor, as the accompaniment stands in for the narrator’s true desire to be coupled with his newfound crush. The musical juxtaposition between the “heaving tremor of the organ” and the “clear wail” of her violin serves to further accentuate how the narrator percieved the girl as above all other things, as high as an angel. Clearly, the memory of his meeting his crush is a powerful one that left an indelible impact on the narrator. 

[3] Upon reflecting on this memory and the period of obsession that followed, the narrator cannot help but feel amused at the lengths to which his younger self would go; this is communicated to the reader with some playful irony and bemused yet earnest tone. The narrator claims to have made his “first and last attempts at poetry” in devotion to his crush, and jokes that he did not know to be “ashamed” at the quality of his poetry. This playful tone pokes fun at his childhood self for being an inexperienced poet, yet also acknowledges the very real passion that the poetry stemmed from. The narrator goes on to mention his “successful” endeavor to conceal his crush from his friends and the girl; this holds an ironic tone because the narrator immediately admits that his attempts to hide it were ill-fated and all parties were very aware of his feelings. The narrator also recalls his younger self jumping to hyperbolic extremes when imagining what he would do if betrayed by his love, calling her a “heartless jade” to ironically play along with the memory. Despite all this irony, the narrator does also truly comprehend the depths of his past self’s infatuation and finds it moving. The narrator begins the second paragraph with a sentence that moves urgently, emphasizing the myriad ways the boy was obsessed. He also remarks, somewhat wistfully, that the experience of having this crush “moved [him] to a degree which now [he] can hardly think of as possible.” Clearly, upon reflection the narrator feels a combination of amusement at the silliness of his former self and wistful respect for the emotion that the crush stirred within him. 

[4] In this passage, the narrator has a multifaceted emotional response while remembering an experience that was very impactful on him. The meaning of the work is that when we look back on our memories (especially those of intense passion), added perspective can modify or augment how those experiences make us feel

More essay examples, score sheets, and commentaries can be found at College Board .

While AP Scores help to boost your weighted GPA, or give you the option to get college credit, AP Scores don’t have a strong effect on your admissions chances . However, colleges can still see your self-reported scores, so you might not want to automatically send scores to colleges if they are lower than a 3. That being said, admissions officers care far more about your grade in an AP class than your score on the exam.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, writing an ap lit literary argument essay: what are the key elements.

Hi! I'm taking AP Lit this year and I need some help with the literary argument essay. Can someone give me some guidance on the key elements I need to include, like thesis statement, evidence, structure, etc., to have a strong essay? Thank you so much!

Hey! Here are some key elements to include in your essay for a strong result:

1. Introduction: Start with a hook to engage the reader. Introduce the work you'll be discussing (including the title and author). Provide any necessary context or background info.

2. Thesis statement: In a clear, concise sentence, state your overall argument or claim. This should appear towards the end of your introduction.

3. Body paragraphs: In each body paragraph, present a specific point that supports your thesis. Begin with a topic sentence, provide textual evidence (like quotes), and then analyze the significance of that evidence. Make sure to connect each point back to your thesis.

4. Structure: Make sure your essay follows a logical structure. Each paragraph should flow smoothly into the next, and your ideas should be organized in a coherent manner.

5. Conclusion: Restate your thesis (in slightly different words) and summarize your main points. Finish your essay with a final thought that connects your argument to a broader context or theme.

Good luck with your essay, and I hope this helps!

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AP English Literature and Composition: Key Strategies and Insights

In 2024, 72% of students who took the AP English Literature and Composition exam scored a 3 or higher, which is the benchmark for earning college credit in many institutions. This demonstrates how the course can provide both an academic challenge and a potential reward for students aiming to earn credit before stepping foot on a college campus.

This article will break down everything you need to know about AP Lit, from what you'll study, to how challenging the exam can be, and whether taking the course is worth your time and effort. Let's dive into what this course offers and how it can benefit you.

What Is AP English Literature and Composition

AP English Literature and Composition is an advanced placement course designed to help high school students develop critical reading and writing skills by engaging deeply with literature. So, what is AP Lit exactly? It's an experience similar to a college-level English class, preparing students to analyze texts and compose well-structured essays that explore complex ideas and themes.

The course is ideal for students who enjoy reading and are interested in exploring complex literary texts. It's also a great fit for those looking to sharpen their writing and critical thinking skills, especially if they plan to pursue majors in the humanities. There's no prerequisite for taking the course, but it helps to have a strong foundation in reading and writing from previous classes.

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What Does AP English Literature and Composition Cover?

The AP English Literature and Composition course covers a broad range of literature and literary techniques. Here's a breakdown of what the course focuses on:

When Should You Take AP English Literature and Composition?

The best time to take AP English Literature and Composition is typically in your senior year of high school, though some students may choose to take it in their junior year, depending on their readiness.

Most students take the course during their senior year because it builds on the analytical and writing skills developed in earlier English courses. By senior year, students typically have the reading and writing foundation needed to succeed in this advanced course.

Some schools offer AP English Literature to juniors. If you're a strong reader and writer who enjoys literary analysis and is ready for the challenge, taking it in junior year could allow for greater academic flexibility in senior year.

Timing also depends on your overall course load. This is a demanding class with substantial reading and writing assignments. If you're planning to take several other AP courses, consider how much time you'll need to devote to each. It's important to balance your schedule so you're not overwhelmed by too many heavy courses at once. For that, you can also consider the option to pay for essay writing .

How Difficult Is the AP English Literature and Composition

The difficulty of the AP English Literature and Composition course varies based on your familiarity with literary analysis, the rigor of the material, and the overall pass rate, which reflects the challenge for many students.

• The Pass Rate: The AP English Literature and Composition exam has a pass rate of about 72%, with many students scoring 3 or higher. While the pass rate suggests that a majority of students perform well, it also highlights that nearly a third find it challenging. The difficulty lies in the depth of analysis and quality of essays required to achieve higher scores.
• The Course Material: The course covers a wide range of complex literature, from classic novels and plays to poetry and short stories. You'll need to understand how literary devices like metaphor, symbolism, and tone work within different texts. This requires close reading and a solid grasp of various literary genres​.
• Your Subject Skills: Your success in AP English Literature largely depends on your ability to read analytically and write persuasively. Strong skills in reading comprehension, literary analysis, and essay writing are crucial. If you excel in these areas, you'll find the course more manageable. Otherwise, improving these skills is essential for doing well​.

What Is AP English Literature and Composition Exam

The AP English Literature and Composition exam is the final test for students who have taken the course, designed to assess their ability to analyze and interpret literary texts. The exam is held annually in May and consists of two main sections: Multiple-Choice Section and Free-Response Section .

Don't forget to check out our special list of AP research topics .

How to Study for the AP English Literature and Composition Exam

Preparing for the AP Lit exam requires a mix of reading, analysis, and practice. Here are some key tips:

• Read a Variety of Literature: To do well on the exam, you should read a wide range of AP Lit books, including novels, plays, and poetry from different time periods and genres. Pay close attention to how authors use literary devices and themes. It's also helpful to practice reading and analyzing unfamiliar passages since that's a major part of the exam.
• Practice Essay Writing: Writing is a significant part of the exam, so practice constructing clear, well-supported essays. Use practice prompts from previous exams to get comfortable with the format. Focus on developing a thesis, organizing your thoughts, and using evidence from the text to support your argument.
• Review Literary Terms and Devices: Make sure you're familiar with common literary terms like metaphor, symbolism, irony, and tone. Knowing how to identify and discuss these devices is essential for both the multiple-choice questions and the essays​.
• Take Practice Tests: Taking full-length practice exams can help you get a feel for the timing and structure of the test. Use these to identify areas where you need improvement and to build your confidence for the actual exam day.

How Is the AP English Literature and Composition Exam Structured?

As mentioned earlier, the AP Lit exam is divided into two main sections:

1. Multiple-Choice Section (45%): The multiple-choice section consists of about 55 questions that you'll need to answer in 60 minutes. This part of the exam focuses on your ability to analyze prose and poetry excerpts. You will be asked to interpret meaning, identify literary devices, and analyze elements like tone, structure, and character development. The questions are based on previously unseen passages​

2. Free-Response Section (55%): The free-response section gives you 2 hours to answer three essay prompts:

• One prompt requires you to analyze a poem.
• The second prompt asks for an analysis of a prose passage.
• The third is an open-ended essay where you choose a literary work to analyze in relation to a provided theme or literary concept. This section tests your ability to develop clear, insightful arguments supported by evidence from the text​.

So, how long is the AP Lit exam? Overall, you have 3 hours to complete both sections of the exam.

How Is the AP English Literature and Composition Exam Scored?

The scoring for the AP Eng Lit follows a standard format:

1. Multiple-Choice Scoring (45%) - Each correct answer in the multiple-choice section earns you one point. There are no penalties for incorrect answers, so it's in your best interest to attempt all questions. The raw score you earn here is multiplied by a factor to account for 45% of your total score​.

2. Free-Response Scoring (55%) - Each of the three essays in the free-response section is scored on a scale of 0 to 6 by AP readers, who are trained educators. Your essays are evaluated based on how well you:

• Address the prompt.
• Provide a thesis or main argument.
• Support your argument with evidence from the text.
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of the literary work​

The scores from each essay are added together, and this total is multiplied to account for 55% of your final score.

3. Composite Score and Final AP Score: The raw scores from both sections are combined into a composite score, which is then converted into the AP's standard 5-point scale. Here's what the scores mean:

• 5 : Extremely well qualified (equivalent to an A in a college course).
• 4 : Well qualified (equivalent to a B).
• 3 : Qualified (equivalent to a C).
• 2 : Possibly qualified.
• 1 : No recommendation​

When Is the AP English Literature and Composition Exam 2025

The AP English Literature and Composition exam for 2025 is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 8:00 AM local time. The exam is administered on a single day in schools across the world, and students should arrive early to ensure they have ample time to settle in and focus before the test begins​. If you're unable to take the test on the scheduled date, there are make-up testing options provided by the College Board, but these are usually limited and require specific circumstances.

6 KEY Tips on AP English Literature and Composition Exam Day

To maximize your performance on AP Lit exam day, here are six critical tips to keep in mind:

• Get Familiar with the Exam Format - Make sure you know the structure of both the multiple-choice and free-response sections.
• Practice Time Management - You'll have 60 minutes for the multiple-choice section and 2 hours for the essays. Practice dividing your time effectively. For the essays, aim to spend about 40 minutes per essay—10 minutes planning and 30 minutes writing. For multiple-choice questions, don't get stuck on a single question; it's better to move on and return to it later if you have time.
• Bring the Right Supplies - Be sure to bring your ID, pencils, erasers, and a watch (without an alarm). You might also want to have a snack and water for the break. Avoid relying on a digital device to track time, as phones and smartwatches are not allowed in the exam room.
• Read the Prompts Carefully - When tackling essay prompts, read them twice to ensure you fully understand the task. Don't rush into writing without clarifying exactly what the question is asking. Focus on crafting a clear thesis that directly answers the prompt.
• Use Textual Evidence - For each essay, it's crucial to support your argument with evidence from the text. Quote key phrases and explain how they relate to your analysis. Essays with clear references to specific parts of the text are typically scored higher​.
• Stay Calm and Confident - Nerves can impact your performance, so it's important to remain calm. Take deep breaths, especially if you feel overwhelmed at any point during the test. Trust your preparation, focus on one question or task at a time, and stay confident.

AP Lit is no small feat. The course challenges you in the best ways. You'll not only improve your ability to analyze complex texts but also enhance your critical thinking—skills that go beyond the classroom.

As you prepare for the exam, remember: time management, practice, and a calm mindset can make all the difference. Whether you're aiming for college credit or just want to push your academic limits, the hard work you put in will pay off. Stay focused, trust your abilities, and don't be afraid to ask our literature review writing service for help when needed.

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Is AP English Literature and Composition Worth It?

How hard is the ap english literature and composition exam, what is taught in ap english literature and composition.

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• AP Score Distributions – AP Students | College Board . (2022). Apstudents.collegeboard.org. https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/about-ap-scores/score-distributions
• AP English Literature and Composition – AP Students . (n.d.). Apstudents.collegeboard.org. https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-english-literature-and-composition

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4.1 Developing and connecting thesis statements and lines of reasoning

5 min read • june 18, 2024

This guide will go over developing and connecting thesis statements and lines of reasoning.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement is a sentence or two that presents the central argument or main point of a piece of writing. It is the foundation of the argument and guides the development of the essay. The thesis statement should be clear, concise, and arguable, and should be supported by the rest of the essay. A strong thesis statement sets the tone for the essay and helps the writer stay focused and on track.

How do you develop a thesis statement?

• Determine the purpose of your essay:  What are you trying to argue or prove in your essay? What is the main point that you want to make?
• Narrow down your focus: Once you know what you want to argue, you need to narrow down your focus. What specific aspect of your argument are you going to focus on in your essay?
• Brainstorm:  Write down any thoughts, ideas, or examples that you have related to your topic.
• Refine your ideas: Look over your brainstormed list and pick out the strongest ideas. Think about how these ideas can be combined into a single argument.
• Write a preliminary thesis statement:  Use the information you’ve gathered to write a preliminary thesis statement. It should be clear, concise, and arguable.
• Revise: Revise your thesis statement as necessary. Make sure it is strong and clearly states your argument.
• Test: Test your thesis statement by seeing if it can be supported with evidence and arguments . If it cannot be supported, revise it until it is strong and arguable.

How do you develop lines of reasoning?

• Identify the premises: Identify the key points or arguments that you want to make in your essay. These are the premises that will form the foundation of your lines of reasoning.
• Analyze your evidence: Analyze the evidence you have gathered to support your premises. Make sure that the evidence is relevant and strong enough to support your argument.
• Connect the premises and evidence: Connect the premises with the evidence in a logical manner . Make sure that the evidence supports the premises and that the premises are connected in a way that makes sense.
• Build arguments: Build arguments based on the premises and evidence. Make sure that the arguments are clear and that the evidence supports each argument.
• Use transition words : Use transition words to connect the arguments and make the lines of reasoning clear and easy to follow.
• Evaluate: Evaluate the strength of your lines of reasoning. Make sure that the arguments are clear and well-supported. If necessary, revise the arguments to make them stronger.
• Repeat:  Repeat the process for each argument you want to make. Make sure that each argument supports your thesis statement and that the lines of reasoning are logically connected.

How can we connect the two together?

To connect your thesis and lines of reasoning, you need to ensure that the lines of reasoning support your thesis statement and that the thesis statement is reinforced by the lines of reasoning. Here are the steps to connect your thesis and lines of reasoning:

• Refine your thesis statement: Make sure that your thesis statement is clear and concise. It should state the main argument of your essay.
• Review your lines of reasoning: Review the lines of reasoning you have developed. Make sure that each line of reasoning supports your thesis statement.
• Connect the lines of reasoning to the thesis: Make sure that each line of reasoning is connected to the thesis statement. Use transition words and phrases to connect the lines of reasoning and the thesis statement.
• Reiterate the thesis: Reiterate the thesis statement in the conclusion of your essay. This helps to reinforce the connection between the thesis statement and the lines of reasoning.
• Evaluate the connection: Evaluate the connection between the thesis statement and the lines of reasoning. Make sure that the connection is clear and that the thesis statement is supported by the lines of reasoning.

"The use of plastic bags should be banned because they harm the environment and pose a threat to wildlife."

Here are the lines of reasoning that connect to the thesis statement:

• Plastic bags can take hundreds of years to decompose in the environment, causing harm to wildlife and ecosystems.
• Plastic bags are a significant source of pollution, affecting air and water quality.
• Plastic bags pose a threat to wildlife, as they can be mistaken for food and cause harm or death to animals. Each of these lines of reasoning supports the thesis statement by providing evidence that plastic bags harm the environment and wildlife. The lines of reasoning are connected to the thesis statement through the use of transition words and phrases, such as "causing harm to wildlife and ecosystems" and "affecting air and water quality." The thesis statement is also reinforced in the conclusion of the essay, where the writer reiterates the argument and emphasizes the importance of banning plastic bags.

Text Sample:

The use of plastic bags has been a controversial issue in recent years, with many people advocating for their ban due to the harm they cause to the environment and wildlife. The thesis statement of this argument is "The use of plastic bags should be banned because they harm the environment and pose a threat to wildlife." This statement is supported by three lines of reasoning. Firstly, plastic bags can take hundreds of years to decompose in the environment, which causes harm to wildlife and ecosystems. Secondly, plastic bags are a significant source of pollution and affect air and water quality. Finally, plastic bags pose a threat to wildlife, as they can be mistaken for food and cause harm or death to animals. Each of these lines of reasoning provides evidence that plastic bags are harmful to the environment and wildlife, and they are connected to the thesis statement through the use of transition words and phrases. The argument is reinforced in the conclusion, where the writer reiterates the importance of banning plastic bags and emphasizes the harm they cause to the environment and wildlife. The strong connection between the thesis statement and the lines of reasoning makes this argument well-organized and convincing, and it provides a compelling case for banning the use of plastic bags.

By connecting the thesis statement and lines of reasoning, you ensure that your essay is well-organized and that the arguments are logically connected. This makes it easier for the reader to understand and follow your argument, and increases the strength of your essay.

Key Terms to Review ( 5 )

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