Suggestions for Timed Writing AP Literature and Composition

Introduction Always refer to the titles and authors in the first paragraph Always refer to the titles and authors in the first paragraph Don’t make too broad a statement in intro, try to get right to the point of your paper Don’t make too broad a statement in intro, try to get right to the point of your paper “in order to make the theme of the novel deeper, the author will allude to the character’s past life.” “in order to make the theme of the novel deeper, the author will allude to the character’s past life.” “Power is one of the biggest human desires.” “Power is one of the biggest human desires.” “Life experiences oftentimes have a great impact on the opinions and values of people.” “Life experiences oftentimes have a great impact on the opinions and values of people.”

Good intro! “In both The Great Gatsby and Pride and Prejudice, the characters are affected or haunted by their past. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen’s Victorian writing focuses on teaching the reader moral values. Mr. Darcy’s relationship with Mr. Wickham is an excellent example of this. Bringing back the motif of not judging someone by what others say about them, Austen creates a distaste for gossip and prejudice. In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is haunted by his past love, which eventually leads to his death. His past affects almost all of his present decisions throughout the book.” - L.B.

Another strong intro! “Throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, each author explains a certain character’s struggle to free themselves from the power of others. Daisy Buchanan of TGG fights her husband Tom’s power over her; her struggle is fruitless because of her lower rank in society as a woman. Fitzwilliam Darcy fights his class’s expectations for his marriage; his struggle, although eventually won, is difficult because of the constrictions of his high rank in society. Therefore, each character’s struggle demonstrates a message in the works surrounding the necessity for the loosening of societal expectations.” NJ “Throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, each author explains a certain character’s struggle to free themselves from the power of others. Daisy Buchanan of TGG fights her husband Tom’s power over her; her struggle is fruitless because of her lower rank in society as a woman. Fitzwilliam Darcy fights his class’s expectations for his marriage; his struggle, although eventually won, is difficult because of the constrictions of his high rank in society. Therefore, each character’s struggle demonstrates a message in the works surrounding the necessity for the loosening of societal expectations.” NJ

Choose interesting subjects “In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald’s Nick Carraway finds himself drawn to the mystery and adventure that comes with money (and thus power). Pride and Prejudice’s Mrs. Bennet seeks to control (or ensure) the well-being of her daughters and exerts her power in doing so.”-AD “In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald’s Nick Carraway finds himself drawn to the mystery and adventure that comes with money (and thus power). Pride and Prejudice’s Mrs. Bennet seeks to control (or ensure) the well-being of her daughters and exerts her power in doing so.”-AD “In PandP, Lady Catherine held power over those she perceived as a lower class than herself.” - SW “In PandP, Lady Catherine held power over those she perceived as a lower class than herself.” - SW

Compare or contrast “In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy is blinded by his past and prejudice while in The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is motivated by his past.” -NR “In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy is blinded by his past and prejudice while in The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is motivated by his past.” -NR

High Register Try to use your highest register when you are writing a literary essay. Try to use your highest register when you are writing a literary essay. Try to avoid cliches and colloquial expressions Try to avoid cliches and colloquial expressions “Power…can also eat you alive….” “Power…can also eat you alive….” “Gatsby would have never been in this huge mess….” “Gatsby would have never been in this huge mess….” “don’t judge a book by its cover.” “don’t judge a book by its cover.”

Don’t retell plot You don’t have to prove you read the novel by retelling every detail of the plot! I have the expectation that you have read the work, and the expectation that you should be able to take one step away from the work to analyze the characters and events from a more meaningful perspective. Keep your focus on the larger ideas in the prompt. You don’t have to prove you read the novel by retelling every detail of the plot! I have the expectation that you have read the work, and the expectation that you should be able to take one step away from the work to analyze the characters and events from a more meaningful perspective. Keep your focus on the larger ideas in the prompt.

Characters are people too! When you are writing about characters, remember that they are creations of the author, but when you use the pronoun to describe them, use “who” not “that”. When you are writing about characters, remember that they are creations of the author, but when you use the pronoun to describe them, use “who” not “that”. “All in all, Austen and Fitzgerald both create characters that desire power….” “All in all, Austen and Fitzgerald both create characters that desire power….”

Grammatical issues Subject-verb agreement Subject-verb agreement “Fitzgerald clearly portrays how wealth and excess does not bring happiness as displayed in Jay Gatsby’s failure to attract Daisy.” “Fitzgerald clearly portrays how wealth and excess does not bring happiness as displayed in Jay Gatsby’s failure to attract Daisy.” Try to eliminate the word “it” from your essay writing vocabulary. “It” is usually boring and non- specific. Try to eliminate the word “it” from your essay writing vocabulary. “It” is usually boring and non- specific. “It is a continuous struggle, but it gives a learning experience to the characters and meaning to the plot of the novel.” “It is a continuous struggle, but it gives a learning experience to the characters and meaning to the plot of the novel.”

Spelling is important! Especially the authors and the characters’ names! Elizabeth Bennet (not Bennett) Elizabeth Bennet (not Bennett) Jane Austen (not Austin, a town in Texas) Jane Austen (not Austin, a town in Texas) F. Scott Fitzgerald (not Scott Fitzgerald) F. Scott Fitzgerald (not Scott Fitzgerald) “Losing” (not “loosing”) “Losing” (not “loosing”) Homophones Homophones To=towards To=towards Too=also Too=also Two=number Two=number

Be careful about diction “The use of power is used by Jane Austen to enhance both Elizabeth and Darcy as characters.....” “The use of power is used by Jane Austen to enhance both Elizabeth and Darcy as characters.....”

Don’t forget commas! In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the main character Elizabeth struggles with the power of society and her family. In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the main character Elizabeth struggles with the power of society and her family.

Embed your quotes smoothly “When Mr. Bingley encourages Darcy to dance with Elizabeth, she hears him reply that she is pleasant enough looking, “but not enough to tempt me.” “When Mr. Bingley encourages Darcy to dance with Elizabeth, she hears him reply that she is pleasant enough looking, “but not enough to tempt me.”

Conclusion Try to vary your conclusion from your introduction. Try to vary your conclusion from your introduction. Your concluding statement should include what you discovered in the process of writing the essay Your concluding statement should include what you discovered in the process of writing the essay What did you learn about the characters? What did you learn about the characters? What did you learn about the author’s intent? What did you learn about the author’s intent? What did you learn about your own understanding of the work at hand? What did you learn about your own understanding of the work at hand?

Good lead-in to conclusion “The past forms ideas. Ideas form actions. Actions form characters.” “The past forms ideas. Ideas form actions. Actions form characters.” This beginning of a conclusion refocuses the reader on the major ideas in the prompt, so the writer can return to the details from the work and then close with authorial intentions. This beginning of a conclusion refocuses the reader on the major ideas in the prompt, so the writer can return to the details from the work and then close with authorial intentions.