“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."
― Jorge Luis Borges
― Jorge Luis Borges
It is incredible how much I have learned while taking AP Literature and Composition. Back in May 2013 when I signed up for this class, I never could have imagined the knowledge I would ultimately walk away with. AP Literature and Composition is such an enriching class and I will absolutely miss my time spent in it.
Three things I've experienced in AP Literature and Composition:
- Growth as an analytical reader and writer
- Became more open-minded and willing to explore different styles of writing
- Learning how to use your classmates (the right way!)
1
While I'm nearing the end of my year of AP Lit, I feel much more confident in my ability to write analytical papers and find the deeper meaning in a piece of literature. Analysis wasn't exactly my strong suit when I began AP Literature and Composition, but it did not take long for me to develop decent analysis skills and step away from too much summary.
The Foster application paper was one of my very first true analysis papers and it is still the one I am most proud of. While I'm sure my writing skills have become stronger since October (or at least I hope!), I still enjoy looking back on my Gatsby/Foster paper and seeing the moment when my analysis skills first began developing.
"It could be argued that because their homes are divided by “dark water" (Fitzgerald, 20) the two were never meant to be. The obstacles that continuously come between them emphasize the role that geography plays in keeping them apart."
- The Great Theories of Foster
The Foster application paper was one of my very first true analysis papers and it is still the one I am most proud of. While I'm sure my writing skills have become stronger since October (or at least I hope!), I still enjoy looking back on my Gatsby/Foster paper and seeing the moment when my analysis skills first began developing.
"It could be argued that because their homes are divided by “dark water" (Fitzgerald, 20) the two were never meant to be. The obstacles that continuously come between them emphasize the role that geography plays in keeping them apart."
- The Great Theories of Foster
2
We all know about the old saying, "don't judge a book by its cover" and it really rang true in this class! I learned to put aside my misjudged opinions of poetry, strange plot lines, and different styles of writing and ended up really appreciating them.
This class taught me to be more open minded and willing to try different styles of writing. Early in the year, I was definitely one of those people with opinions about poetry that had no real backbone; I thought poetry was just too weird and structured and too often about gushy, lovey-dovey topics. And who would ever want to write some of that?! I had quite the eye-opener after writing out own apostrophe poems. I learned that poetry is actually a very fun and unique way to tell a story and I'm even inspired to attempt some more.
The Metamorphosis poses as another example of where open-mindedness came into play. It is such a strange book and it took me the longest time to get past the plot - a man just turns into a bug?! - but after accepting that, it became very interesting to dissect Kafka's purpose and themes within the piece.
Apparently I've always struggled with writing narratives (which, unfortunately, I've had to write in my past two English classes) but I don't want to give up on them! I'm determined to keep exploring the genre and figuring out how I can write something I'm truly happy with. Reading The Kite Runner really helped me gain perspective on narratives; they are meant to be stories that sound like they could be fiction! I may not be the best storyteller now, but I have a lot of time left throughout college and my life to keep working on that.
My favorite creative piece was my apostrophe poem - titled "A Thank You Letter."
"I let you heal - crooked and cracked -
And you remind me every day that I can handle myself just fine.
I am stubborn; older; stronger."
This class taught me to be more open minded and willing to try different styles of writing. Early in the year, I was definitely one of those people with opinions about poetry that had no real backbone; I thought poetry was just too weird and structured and too often about gushy, lovey-dovey topics. And who would ever want to write some of that?! I had quite the eye-opener after writing out own apostrophe poems. I learned that poetry is actually a very fun and unique way to tell a story and I'm even inspired to attempt some more.
The Metamorphosis poses as another example of where open-mindedness came into play. It is such a strange book and it took me the longest time to get past the plot - a man just turns into a bug?! - but after accepting that, it became very interesting to dissect Kafka's purpose and themes within the piece.
Apparently I've always struggled with writing narratives (which, unfortunately, I've had to write in my past two English classes) but I don't want to give up on them! I'm determined to keep exploring the genre and figuring out how I can write something I'm truly happy with. Reading The Kite Runner really helped me gain perspective on narratives; they are meant to be stories that sound like they could be fiction! I may not be the best storyteller now, but I have a lot of time left throughout college and my life to keep working on that.
My favorite creative piece was my apostrophe poem - titled "A Thank You Letter."
"I let you heal - crooked and cracked -
And you remind me every day that I can handle myself just fine.
I am stubborn; older; stronger."
3
Classmates are the best resources! All ten of us have the ability to interpret the meaning of a piece differently, so it was really beneficial to hear everyone's perception of the piece.
In class, we used this to our advantage in the following ways:
Hearing a different side of the story can really help expand your own understanding, and often we would become very intrigued in a story and just really enjoy discussing it. Seminar circles at times reminded me a little of a book club! Seminar also helps create a relaxed environment, which I think proves to be necessary in AP classes. We're teenagers - we can stress our own selves out, thank you very much; we don't need the classroom atmosphere contributing to that!
In class, we used this to our advantage in the following ways:
- Seminar discussions
- Various activities
- Sharing with a partner
Hearing a different side of the story can really help expand your own understanding, and often we would become very intrigued in a story and just really enjoy discussing it. Seminar circles at times reminded me a little of a book club! Seminar also helps create a relaxed environment, which I think proves to be necessary in AP classes. We're teenagers - we can stress our own selves out, thank you very much; we don't need the classroom atmosphere contributing to that!
Looking into the near future...
I wholeheartedly believe that AP Literature and Composition has prepared me for college - in a number of ways!
Although AP Lit has done so much to help me feel college-ready, it also inspired me to create goals for my future English classes - which I know there will be lots of! Even though English is the one subject that will never feel as much like work as other classes, I know I will need to continue developing my analytical reading and writing skills. I need to stay motivated and work hard, but I also need to make sure I don't lose my love of reading and writing along the way.
- Helped me choose my major for next year!
- Taught me better time management
- Taught me how to write quality papers for any class/subject
- Enhanced my analytical skills
- Encouraged me to broaden my reading horizons
Although AP Lit has done so much to help me feel college-ready, it also inspired me to create goals for my future English classes - which I know there will be lots of! Even though English is the one subject that will never feel as much like work as other classes, I know I will need to continue developing my analytical reading and writing skills. I need to stay motivated and work hard, but I also need to make sure I don't lose my love of reading and writing along the way.
Citations
Seminar image:
http://vector.me/browse/153977/meeting_clip_art
WMU:
http://aviation.wmich.edu/Portals/187428/images/wsmlcentercmyk.jpg
http://vector.me/browse/153977/meeting_clip_art
WMU:
http://aviation.wmich.edu/Portals/187428/images/wsmlcentercmyk.jpg