Transcript Writing an In

Writing an In-class
Essay
Essays on the AP English Exam:
 Poem(s)
 Prose passage
 Open question on
a novel
What do they really want??
Typical novel question
 -A recurring theme in literature is “the classic war
between a passion and a responsibility.” For
instance, a personal cause, a love, a desire for
revenge, a determination to redress a wrong or
some other emotion or drive may conflict with
moral duty. Choose a novel or play of literary
merit and explain how such a conflict enhances
the meaning of the work as a whole.
So what is it REALLY asking?
 When they ask “How does it
enhances/relate to the meaning of the work
OR how does it contribute to the
EFFECTIVENESS of the work really
means:
 How does such a conflict RELATE TO THE
THEME OF THE WORK?
 Same for prose questions;
 Same for poetry questions.
 They’re ALL asking the SAME thing. What
is the theme of the work.
Make sure that you understand what the
prompt asks you to do:
The passage below is taken from the novel Tom Jones
(1749). In this scene, which occurs early in the novel,
Squire Allworthy discovers an infant in his bed. Read
the passage carefully. Then, in a well-organized essay,
analyze the techniques that Fielding employs in this
scene to character Mr. Allworthy and Mrs. Deborah
Wilkins.
Write a well-organized essay in which you analyze the
style and tone of the passage below, explaining how
they help to express the author’s attitudes.
 “expressing the author’s attitude” really
asks what is the author trying to say? which
= THEME of the work.
What is meant by style?
 What one says. . .
 How one says that something. . .
If style is thought to consist of the mannerisms and methods of an
individual writer, then one can refer to the pompous style of Dr.
Johnson, the whimsical style of Charles Lamb, the allusive style of T.
S. Eliot, the clipped style of Hemingway. Most critics agree, however,
that “what one says” and “how he says it” are basic elements in style.
Therefore, style may be thought of as the impress (influence) of a
writer’s personality upon his subject matter.
Devices used to create style:
Diction--word choice
connotation of words
Syntax--sentence structure
Imagery
Figures of speech
metaphors, similes, personification, allusions, etc.
Choice of detail
And others. . .
What is tone?
An author’s attitude toward his subject
Remember that rarely will the tone remain the
same from beginning to end, or will the tone
be limited to a single descriptive adjective.
Don’t be afraid to see opposites--the attitude is
one of - - -, yet one of - - -.
Essays are scored holistically
 The reader reads the essay without making
any marks
 The reader evaluates both what is said and
how it is said
 A score is determined based upon a rubric
 9-8--These essays address the
 5--These essays tend to be simplistic
prompt fully. They identify
techniques and then analyze
how the author uses them to
address the prompt. Though the
essays may not be error-free,
they are perceptive in their
analysis and demonstrate
writing that is clear and precise. 
 7-6--These essays offer a
reasonable attempt at the
prompt. Although not as
convincing or as thoroughly
developed as the 9-8 papers,
they demonstrate the writer’s
ability to express ideas with
clarity, insight, and control
in analysis of techniques. They
often rely on paraphrase. There may
be minor misinterpretations. These
essays are not as well conceived,
organized, or developed as upperhalf papers.
4-3--These lower-half essays offer
less than thorough understanding of
the task. They demonstrate
misunderstanding of some aspect of
the passage. These essays tend to
rely on paraphrase only. The
writing often demonstrates a lack of
control over the conventions of
composition: inadequate
development of ideas, an
accumulation of errors, or a focus
that is unclear.
Literary Analysis
In addition to understanding the
passage that you read,
and writing clearly, precisely, and as
correctly as possible under the
circumstances,
you are also expected to write good
literary analysis.
The Opening Paragraph
 It is essential to have a strong opening
paragraph.
 An opening does NOT restate the question;
instead it answers it.
 The opening paragraph must contain:
A general statement
Support for general statement
Qualifier
Thesis statement which states theme.
Opening paragraphs
 Throughout history, women have endured a
conflict of conscience: how do women
provide for their children without losing
General
their identities in the process?
statement
 It’s a slippery slope that all too often finds
mothers losing themselves in their
responsibilities of nurturing and teaching
Support for
their children. general
statement
 In Euripides’ Medea, the author creates a
conflict for his protagonist who is caught
between her love for her children and her
desire to punish her adulterous husband.
 By juxtaposing such a dilemma for Medea,
Euripides is suggesting that it is dangerous
when passion overtakes one’s reason.
Qualifier
Thesis
Statement
 The 2nd-6th paragraphs:
 Claim, data, analysis
Literary Analysis
Chunk
Claim
Data
Warrant OR
Commentary
Thesis Statement
Topic Sentences
(What you wish
to prove.)
Direct Quotes
Summary
Paraphrase
Details
opinion, insight,
analysis, reaction
explication, feelings,
reflection
Literary Analysis:
Claim
This poem uses tactile imagery to depict
how blind folks affect our lives, to evoke sympathy
for the blind, and to criticize mainstream America
Data
for its callousness towards the disabled. In the first
three lines Kooser describes how the blind can
suddenly fill an elevator “with a great white porcupine
of canes.” A porcupine is noted for its prickliness;
we are apprehensive when it is around and we do not
want to touch it. The blind person, according to
Commentary
Kooser, evokes a similar reaction: their presence in a
situation causes “prickliness,” and it makes us
uncomfortable.
Pet peeves that hurt your essay
 Using “you”
 Using “I” or “I think”
 Too much plot
 Skipping around
 Last paragraph that restates anything
 Changing tense
The last paragraph
 Do NOT restate any portion of what you’ve
already written.
 The entire final paragraph should be about
author’s intent, author’s statement, author’s
theme, author’s message, and author’s
purpose for writing the work in the first
place.
Be prepared to write
 Plan your time wisely; you
will only have 40 minutes
 Spend some time planning
your essay before you
begin--organization is an
important factor of good
composition
 You must write in black
ink. For this class, you can
write on loose-leaf paper-you may write on the back