Writing the Introductory Paragraph
for the AP Literature Essays
K. Matteson
Most Important:
• Figure out what the prompt wants from you,
and make sure you address all parts of the
prompt somewhere in your paragraph!!
YOUR VOICE
• I want to hear it.
• The AP readers want to hear it.
• WRITE WITH IT!
(Just make sure you use proper grammar when
you do so )
Things to include in your Intro:
1. You must identify the name of the work
(novel or poem).
2. You must identify who wrote the poem or
prose.
3. Some background information, or brief
summary of the work.
4.A Thesis statement.
Let’s look at an example:
See handout: “The Flowers” by Alice Walker
My introduction:
All children find themselves, at one time or
another, at a threshold between innocence and
experience, youth and maturity. In her short
story “The Flowers”, Alice Walker captures this
moment for a ten year-old girl named Myop as
she makes “her own path, bouncing this way and
that” toward a discovery that irrevocably steals
Myop’s innocence. Walker’s shifting imagery and
laden symbols prepare the reader for the horrific
scene while the child’s quiet reaction creates an
effective climax to this coming of age tale.
Hook – Common association
Brief Summary of the work
Thesis
All children find themselves, at one time or
another, at a threshold between innocence and
experience, youth and maturity. In her short
story “The Flowers”, Alice Walker captures this
moment for a ten year-old girl named Myop as
she makes “her own path, bouncing this way and
that” toward a discovery that irrevocably steals
Myop’s innocence. Walker’s shifting imagery and
laden symbols prepare the reader for the horrific
scene while the child’s quiet reaction creates an
effective climax to this coming of age tale.
Hints:
• If there are more than two devices listed in
the prompt for you to consider in your
discussion, choose 2-3 to focus on. You are
NOT required to address all devices.
• Always, even if the prompt doesn’t directly ask
you to do so, discuss the theme of the piece.
The readers want to see you are able to make
connections between the devices and the
overall meaning of the work.