Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition is designed as an equivalent to an introductory college literature course. Course work requires students to read and then carefully and critically analyze challenging literary works, including American, British, and world novels, poetry, dramas, and essays.  Students will examine style, structure, themes, and literary elements such as tone, figurative language, imagery, and symbolism.  AP test preparation simulates the essays and multiple choice questions found on the AP exam.  Students are encouraged to take this exam in May.  Summer reading (4 – 6 novels prior to the start of the school year) is required.

• Wide-ranging vocabulary used with denotative accuracy and connotative resourcefulness

• A variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordinate and coordinate constructions

• A logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques of coherence such as repetition, transitions, and emphasis

• A balance of generalization with specific illustrative detail

• An effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, maintaining a consistent voice, and achieving emphasis through parallelism and antithesis