What’s Happening in Ap Lit? by Sophie Kuipers
As the second trimester of this year is coming to a close, Ms. Lewis’s AP Literature and Composition class has been hard at work! After reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the class dove into Their Eyes Were Watching God.
A novel by Zora Neal Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God is a coming-of-age novel, or a bildungsroman. The story follows Janie Crawford as she navigates through three marriages, and ultimately finding herself as a result. Their Eyes Were Watching God is considered a classic of the Harlem Renaissance, a time of immense growth and prosperity in areas such as literature, art, and music in 1920’s-30’s Harlem. Hurston’s novel contains numerous literary elements and with its complex themes and topics, it was no doubt a great book for the AP Lit Class to look into!
After reading and delving into Their Eyes Were Watching God, the AP Literature and Composition Class read King Lear, a classic tragedy written by William Shakespeare in the seventeenth century. The play follows King Lear, an elderly king looking to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. However, he makes a fatal mistake in his separation of the kingdom, disowning one of his daughters. This kicks off what will be a long series of catastrophic events, making the play a true tragedy. Ms. Lewis’s class read the play out loud, each student taking on a different role. In addition to reading it aloud, the class also acted out each act of the play after reading! This made for a fun experience while also recapping the events of the play for everyone.
Overall, the AP Literature and Composition class has been working hard to prepare for the College Board test at the end of the year, reading classic pieces of literature with deep themes and many different areas to analyze. In addition to reading, the class has also been doing timed essays and multiple choice tests to further prepare. All this work will no doubt pay off for the test in May, while also teaching students about important literature!
A novel by Zora Neal Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God is a coming-of-age novel, or a bildungsroman. The story follows Janie Crawford as she navigates through three marriages, and ultimately finding herself as a result. Their Eyes Were Watching God is considered a classic of the Harlem Renaissance, a time of immense growth and prosperity in areas such as literature, art, and music in 1920’s-30’s Harlem. Hurston’s novel contains numerous literary elements and with its complex themes and topics, it was no doubt a great book for the AP Lit Class to look into!
After reading and delving into Their Eyes Were Watching God, the AP Literature and Composition Class read King Lear, a classic tragedy written by William Shakespeare in the seventeenth century. The play follows King Lear, an elderly king looking to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. However, he makes a fatal mistake in his separation of the kingdom, disowning one of his daughters. This kicks off what will be a long series of catastrophic events, making the play a true tragedy. Ms. Lewis’s class read the play out loud, each student taking on a different role. In addition to reading it aloud, the class also acted out each act of the play after reading! This made for a fun experience while also recapping the events of the play for everyone.
Overall, the AP Literature and Composition class has been working hard to prepare for the College Board test at the end of the year, reading classic pieces of literature with deep themes and many different areas to analyze. In addition to reading, the class has also been doing timed essays and multiple choice tests to further prepare. All this work will no doubt pay off for the test in May, while also teaching students about important literature!