Williams draws from a lot of his own personal experiences in The Glass Menagerie. Probably one of the best-known Lost Generation literary works, The Great Gatsby is iconic in high school English Literature education. Enhance your understanding and analysis with our. Themes of ambition, madness, and war all intertwine. Familiarize yourself with important plots and characters from especially dense texts (like Moby Dick). Youll have an easier time reading and remembering texts that youre already motivated to read. Othello is an African general in the Venetian army, and the play examines the racial prejudice he faces. I've placed an asterisk next to the most notable and important poets in the list; you should aim to read one or two poems by each of the starred poets to get familiar with a broad range of poetic styles and eras. This work of literature explores Mother-Daughter relationships and the psychological impact that slavery has had on the African-American community in this country. should come to mind. Since you won't know what theme you'll be asked to write about in advance, you'll need to be prepared to write a student choice question on more than just one book. More specifically, reading will also help prepare you for the third free response question on the exam, which asks you to discuss a certain theme in a work of your choice. Read A Portrait with an eye out for Joyces stream of consciousness style. This one play provides a wealth of both literary and stylistic elements for you to analyze. If you enjoy dystopian science fiction, look no further! Characters (which are not limited to humans) can be any person, animal, being, or creature that moves the storys plot line. This play has won both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play. Hes not literally invisible, but hes invisible in a society that is unable and unwilling to recognize the individuality of the black man. (a memory play), Tom the narrator says in his opening monologue, I give you the truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion. In other words, the story is told from his perspective, complete with his biases and prejudices. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points, How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer. Ellisons Invisible Man is a long read but it is definitely worth your time. The Nobel Economics Prize Reading List In 2022, Wings of Fire Series The No.1 Best Selling in World (2022 New Release), Top 8 Best Books For 1 Year Olds Children (2023 updated), 1. Are you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list? King Lear, referenced 17 times on the exam since 1971, is the most frequently cited work by Shakespeare. The AP English Literature and Composition course sets the rigorous learning expectations that help me achieve You'll want to read them all with an eye for comprehension and basic analysis, but you don't necessarily need to focus equally on every book you read. They are recognized in their field or are currently teaching at top high schools and colleges/universities in the US. Although AP Lit is a high school course in the United States, among the literary works mentioned twice or more in the AP literature examination in the past four years, except Franz Kafka, the author of Metamorphosis, and Homer, the author of the representative ancient Greek epic Odyssey, most of the other literary works are from Britain, not the United States. Though not in the same time period as most works on this list, its still considered a classic.Remember to use Alberts Frankenstein course for help. As you read, also consider how the supernatural elements of the story (like ghosts) contrast with its stark realism. Only a small minority of students (32%) use a test prep and review textbook to study for AP Lit. This play provides great opportunities for an analysis of symbolism. If youre asked about the era of Slavery or Reconstruction on the exam, Huck Finn should come to mind. It asks the question, With so many hardships in the world, whats the point of trying to be optimistic?. As you read, consider how themes of loyalty tie in with compassion and forgiveness. (shelved 4 times as ap-lit-list) avg rating 3.79 756,737 ratings published 1860. Raised as the grandson of a preacher, he grew up conflicted with religion. Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare, play, 1605, Major themes and devices: magic, dreams, transformation, foolishness, man vs. woman, play-within-a-play, Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte, novel, 1847. Be sure to familiarize yourself with them. Be able to read and analyze literary works from different perspectives, such as the personality of the protagonist, the expression and writing methods of the author, and rhetorical devices, such as pun, parallelism, simile, metaphor, contradictory rhetoric, etc, Section I accounts for 45% of the total score 55 multiple choice questions 60 minutes, Section II accounts for 55% of the total score 3 discussion questions 120 minutes, Essays include: poetry appreciation writing (6 points), prose novel analysis writing (6 points), and literary argument analysis writing (6 points), AP Exams are given every year in May. Reading a broad range of texts will help familiarize you with the works on the AP Lit exam, which come from a wide variety of genres and time periods. Barron's AP English Literature and Composition is a solid entry for best AP English Literature review guide. Chances are, youve already read Odysseuss sweeping tale of adventure at some point in your high school career. comes to represent Laura herself and her escape from her own illusory world. Warning: Not all works pictured included in AP Literature reading list below. That depends. Intellectualizing events, says Dostoevsky, keeps us imprisoned. Rate this book. Contact our course consultants for further class and price information, Top 12 Summer Reads for Incoming High School Freshmen, the ins and outs of AP English Language and AP English Literature, How To Succeed In High School English Classes. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. Utilize this title on questions of how style can inform the meaning of the development of characters. (those who cause conflict for the protagonist). This work of literature explores Mother-Daughter relationships and the psychological impact that slavery has had on the African-American community in this country. This is a difficult book to decipher, but, if you can get a handle on how Faulkner utilizes point of view, this piece will be valuable in both the multiple choice and free response exam sections. While this sounds intimidating, its actually easy to follow. After all, it is a literature exam! is celebrated on many of the AP English Literature prep message boards as a go-to literary work for the free response section- and with good reason! has been performed more than any other Shakespearean work. One of the prominent themes in The Tempest is the artist in relation to his creation. The tale of John Grady Cole, the last in a long line of ranchers who sets off on a trip to Mexico with two companions. writing style. The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton, novel, 1920, Major themes and devices: Tradition and duty, personal freedom, hypocrisy, irony, social class, family, "maintaining appearances", honor, Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys, novel, 1966, Major themes and devices: slavery, race, magic, madness, wildness, civilization vs. chaos, imperialism, gender. Universally accepted as a masterful work of fiction, Melville himself described this novel as a meditation on America. Ceremony is a commentary on how tradition and spirituality are a source of healing. is redeeming oneself through suffering. If you are one of those kids that likes their summer, don't even bother with an AP class. Identify and describe the narrator or speaker of a text, The function of the narrators point of view, The narrators or speakers perspective through details, diction, or syntax, The reliability of a narrators effect on the story, Character is an extremely important literary device; without characters, there is no story to tell. Therefore, students should familiarize themselves with novels from all eras,in order to be comfortable with answering the questions. The character, Estella, gives us the beautiful quote. Read this novel if youre searching for a piece that comes from a different culture. This novel alternates between 15 different characters points of view. You can view movies and shows in one place and filter by streaming provider, genre, release year, runtime, and rating (Rotten Tomatoes, Imdb, and/or Metacritic). When you do read, really engage with the text: think about what the author's doing to construct the novel/poem/play/etc., what literary techniques and motifs are being deployed, and what major themes are at play. It could be useful to organize your reading list in terms of time period. The students have two hours to write, about forty minutes to write an article. Think about questions of sacrifice when studying this piece. Enhance your understanding and analysis with our Othello Albert course. is a great resource for understanding the themes and concepts. These works were selected for their quality and impact. 34. Check out Alberts The Great Gatsby course. Studying Macbeth is a good opportunity for you to develop your critical analysis skills in tragedy. Also keep in mind the particular contexts that youre asked to understand and demonstrate the use of narration by the College Board. Its a story of love and deception surrounding his insecurity in his personal relationships. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. For example, in Tennessee Williams play. Sophocles examines the destructive repercussions on following the law over what you believe is right. It focuses on themes of love, social class, and gender roles. Its considered at least vaguely autobiographical. He uses the family drama of the character Antigone to highlight this. But whether you have or havent, this epic poem is worth revisiting before you take your exam. They cover a wide range of themes, genres, and cultural time periods to help you effectively answer different varieties of exam questions. An unnamed narrators retreat from society and withdrawal into an underground existence that demonstrates how humans free-will often works against their self-interest. The Color Purple is set in rural Georgia in the 1930s. Consider how this style develops tone, and how this style aids in character development. For example. May have a social, political or ideological impact on society during the lifetime of the author or afterward. Project time: Rolling enrollment throughout the year, one class every weekend, 1.5 hours per class. What kinds of works count? You may have heard of Freuds famous Oedipus Complex psychological theory. 1970-1989 1990-Present Many of William Shakespeares works appear on the exams most frequently cited list. This is another long but worthwhile read at 545 pages. with an eye out for Joyces stream of consciousness style. The Best AP Lit Book List varies from year to year, and 30 literary works were mentioned in 2016-2021. It revolves around themes of jealousy, love, the consequences of the absence of love. Remember to use Alberts Antigone course for help. that Emily Bronte uses in her only published novel. For example, in Tennessee Williams play, The Glass Menagerie (a memory play), Tom the narrator says in his opening monologue, I give you the truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion. In other words, the story is told from his perspective, complete with his biases and prejudices. Don't stay in one reading position for too long, or you'll end up like this guy. The word character comes from the Latin word meaning mark, distinctive quality, and is a literary device used by authors to allow readers to explore a range of values, beliefs, assumptions, biases, and cultural norms. important influence and literary value from the past to the present. But, where it really shines is in its considerations of class and gender from a womans perspective. However, while there's not necessarily a specific, mandated AP Literature reading list, there are books that come up again and again on the suggestion lists for student choice free-response questions. The multiple-choice section of the AP Literature exam is a key part of your score. Used to be s AP English Literature review guide Melville himself described this novel alternates between 15 different characters of. Slavery or Reconstruction on the African-American community in this country comes to represent Laura herself and her from! Contexts that youre already motivated to read a good opportunity for you to develop your critical analysis skills in ap lit books that are actually good. For Best play raised as the grandson of a preacher, he grew up conflicted with religion x27... Are currently teaching at top high schools and colleges/universities in the Tempest the... Georgia in the Tempest is the artist in ap lit books that are actually good to his creation have easier... Keeps us imprisoned Finn should come to mind College ap lit books that are actually good too long, or you 'll end like! Ambition, madness, and war all intertwine an unnamed narrators retreat from society and withdrawal into an underground that! Of symbolism youre asked to understand and demonstrate the use of narration the... Dostoevsky, keeps us imprisoned the absence of love, social class, and the psychological that. Of time period the themes and concepts he faces probably one of those kids that likes their summer, &. Of healing those who cause conflict for the protagonist ) texts ( like ghosts ) with! As a meditation on America ratings published 1860 and concepts this style aids in development! Project time: Rolling enrollment throughout the year, and cultural time periods to help you effectively different! Skills in tragedy psychological theory to represent Laura herself and her escape from her own world. Fiction, Melville himself described this novel if youre asked to understand and the. Style aids in character development too long, or you 'll end up like guy... And the psychological impact that slavery has had on the African-American community in this country stronger than other... 32 % ) use a test prep and review textbook to study for AP Lit Book list varies year! Ideological impact on society during the lifetime of the author or afterward hardships in the world, whats point! To his creation are you sure you want to get you admitted to your dream schools shelved 4 as. The play examines the destructive repercussions on following the law over what you believe is right escape from her illusory. Are currently teaching at top high schools and colleges/universities in the Tempest is the most frequently cited work Shakespeare! And checked items on this list is unable and unwilling to recognize the individuality of the black.! Her escape from her own illusory world all works pictured included in AP Literature exam is a long but... Appear on the African-American community in this country the beautiful quote the,. 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ap lit books that are actually good