AP® English Literature
Literary Argument
Literary Argument
A literary argument presents a coherent and defensible interpretation of a literary work, supported by textual evidence and critical analysis.
Literary Analysis
Literary Analysis
An examination of methods for interpreting literature critically to construct well-supported literary arguments.
Irony in Literature
Irony in Literature
Paradox and "Profound Truth"
Paradox and "Profound Truth"
Literary Awareness
Literary Awareness
Structural Analysis
Structural Analysis
Structural Analysis examines how the arrangement and organization of a text's elements—such as plot structure, narrative techniques, and pacing—contribute to its overall meaning and thematic development.
Form of a Novel
Form of a Novel
Character Analysis
Character Analysis
Character analysis examines how authors reveal characters through descriptions, actions, and dialogue, focusing on their perspectives, motives, and complexities to interpret their roles and significance in literature.
Failure in Les Miserables
Failure in Les Miserables
Systems of Oppression
Systems of Oppression
Character versus Caricature
Character versus Caricature
A Character's Vulnerability
A Character's Vulnerability
Poetry Analysis
Poetry Analysis
Analysis of poetic devices and structures to interpret themes and meanings in poetry.
Love (III), by George Herbert (1633)
Love (III), by George Herbert (1633)
A hesitant soul feels unworthy of divine love but is gently reassured and welcomed by personified Love.
George Herbert's "Love (III)"
George Herbert's "Love (III)"
Sonnet 1, by Sir Philip Sidney (1500s)
Sonnet 1, by Sir Philip Sidney (1500s)
A lover seeks inspiration to write poetry that will convey his deep feelings and win his beloved's affections.
The Production of Poetry in Sidney's Sonnet 1
The Production of Poetry in Sidney's Sonnet 1
One Art, Elizabeth Bishop (1976)
One Art, Elizabeth Bishop (1976)
Elizabeth Bishop's poem explores how mastering the art of losing can make life's inevitable losses more bearable.
Elizabeth Bishop's Relationship to Loss in "One Art"
Elizabeth Bishop's Relationship to Loss in "One Art"
The Lake Isle of Innisfree, William Butler Yeats (1890)
The Lake Isle of Innisfree, William Butler Yeats (1890)
The speaker longs for the peace and simplicity of nature, imagining a retreat to a tranquil island far from urban life.
Speaker's Attitude in "The Lake Isle of Innisfree"
Speaker's Attitude in "The Lake Isle of Innisfree"
The Flea, John Donne (1633)
The Flea, John Donne (1633)
A speaker uses the metaphor of a flea to persuade a woman to yield to his advances, arguing that their blood mingled within the flea symbolizes the union he desires.
Central Metaphor in John Donne's "The Flea"
Central Metaphor in John Donne's "The Flea"
The Naming of the Parts, Henry Reed (1942)
The Naming of the Parts, Henry Reed (1942)
A soldier contrasts the mechanical, structured language of a weapons lesson with the natural beauty and vitality of the surrounding world, highlighting themes of disconnection and duality.
"Naming of Parts" and Internal Conflict
"Naming of Parts" and Internal Conflict
The Tempest, William Shakespeare (1623)
The Tempest, William Shakespeare (1623)
An exiled magician plots revenge against his usurping brother when a storm brings his enemies to the island he inhabits, unfolding themes of power, betrayal, and forgiveness in Shakespeare's work.
Prospero's Epilogue from "The Tempest"
Prospero's Epilogue from "The Tempest"
The Charge of the Light Brigade, Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1854)
The Charge of the Light Brigade, Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1854)
A vivid portrayal of British soldiers heroically charging into battle against overwhelming odds during the Crimean War.
The Merits of Dying in Battle
The Merits of Dying in Battle
Prose Fiction Analysis
Prose Fiction Analysis
Analysis of prose fiction involves examining how elements like character, setting, plot, and language work together to create meaning and themes in narrative texts.
Cold Mountain (Charles Frazier, 1997)
Cold Mountain (Charles Frazier, 1997)
A wounded Confederate soldier embarks on a perilous journey home through the devastated landscapes of the Civil War South, facing physical and emotional challenges while longing for reunion with the woman he loves.
Cold Mountain
Cold Mountain
A Rose for Emily (William Faulkner, 1930)
A Rose for Emily (William Faulkner, 1930)
A reclusive Southern woman becomes an object of curiosity in her town as she struggles with isolation and the changing times.
Complex Attitudes in "A Rose for Emily"
Complex Attitudes in "A Rose for Emily"
Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1866)
Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1866)
An impoverished ex-student in St. Petersburg wrestles with radical theories of morality, leading to a psychological crisis that tests his conscience and humanity.
The Beginning of "Crime and Punishment"
The Beginning of "Crime and Punishment"
In Cold Blood (Truman Capote, 1966)
In Cold Blood (Truman Capote, 1966)
A Kansas family's tranquil life is shattered when they become victims of a brutal crime, prompting an exploration of the impact on the community and the minds of those involved.
Author's Tone in Opening Passage of "In Cold Blood"
Author's Tone in Opening Passage of "In Cold Blood"
Life of Pi (Yann Martel, 2001)
Life of Pi (Yann Martel, 2001)
An Indian boy stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger faces a harrowing journey of survival and spiritual exploration across the Pacific Ocean.
Martel's Mood in Life of Pi
Martel's Mood in Life of Pi
The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzerald, 1925)
The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzerald, 1925)
A portrayal of the decadence and excess of the Roaring Twenties through the life of mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his obsessive pursuit of the elusive Daisy Buchanan.
Characterization in "The Great Gatsby"
Characterization in "The Great Gatsby"
All the Pretty Horses (Cormac McCarthy, 1992)
All the Pretty Horses (Cormac McCarthy, 1992)
A young Texan cowboy embarks on a journey to Mexico seeking adventure and meaning, facing trials that challenge his resilience, ideals, and understanding of the world.
The Atmosphere of Loss in "All the Pretty Horses"
The Atmosphere of Loss in "All the Pretty Horses"
Dune (Frank Herbert, 1965)
Dune (Frank Herbert, 1965)
A young nobleman confronts treachery and political intrigue on a desert planet as he seeks to avenge his family and fulfill a destiny intertwined with its mysterious people and valuable resources.
Setting and Characterization in "Dune"
Setting and Characterization in "Dune"
Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison, 1952)
Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison, 1952)
A young African American man navigates a journey of self-discovery and grapples with social invisibility in a racially divided society.
The "Invisible Man's" Complex Relationship With the World
The "Invisible Man's" Complex Relationship With the World
A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens, 1859)
A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens, 1859)
Charles Dickens portrays love, sacrifice, and redemption during the French Revolution as the intertwined lives of characters from different social classes are upheaved by the turbulent events of their time.
Characterizing the Monseigneur
Characterizing the Monseigneur
Barn Burning (William Faulkner, 1939)
Barn Burning (William Faulkner, 1939)
A boy grapples with conflicting loyalties between his family and his own moral compass as his father commits destructive acts.
Fathers and Sons in "Barn Burning"
Fathers and Sons in "Barn Burning"