Main Concept 4: Meaning

The ultimate question is the "so what?" question.  Everything we have done in class, and all of the previous main concepts feed into this one.  We are trying to figure out meaning and messages in literature.  It is what we do for every closed prompt, along with all of the open ones.  Meaning is what we search for in every novel, play and poem.  Everything  boils down to meaning.

Main Concept 3: Interpretation

We have spent a lot of time in this course discussing others' interpretations of texts.  Every time a director turns a book into a movie, he is interpreting it.  For example, we watched several different versions of Hamlet in class.  Although each movie followed the same basic plot line, little bits here and there were changed.  Shakespeare himself changed the original Hamlet, altering names and adding in concepts.  How each author or director chooses to interpret a text changes the message.  Additionally, during class discussions, each individual has his or her own interpretation of the text.  The goal of the course was to mesh all of the different interpretations of the texts into one conclusion.

Main Concept 2: Arguments

Learning about the structure of an argument has been a large part of this course.  There are two sides of this concept.  First, there are arguments that other authors write.  We had to learn to dissect an argument, finding the evidence and understanding what exactly the writer is trying to say.  Then, come arguments that we must write.  Our arguments must be clear and concise, without any excess words.  Plain style arguments are key on the AP, because there is so little time to construct an essay.

Main Concept 1: Techniques

This course focused majorly on techniques in writing, and what those techniques can express to a reader.  This includes DIDLS, novel terms, drama terms, comedy terms, and any of the other techniques authors use.  For example, we discussed multiple types of repetition in class.  Each of these types can express something different to the reader, and emphasize an alternate part of a sentence.  Being able to recognize literary techniques is an essential part of reading anything, and will be vital during the AP test, the test that the entire class aims to prepare us for.