Passing the Prose Section!
Shawn Gibson
Neil Purohit
AP English
Analytical Focus
• The following passage is from the
novel Middlemarch by George
Eliot, the pen name of Mary Ann
Evans (1819–1880). In the
passage, Rosamond and Tertius
Lydgate, a recently married
couple, confront financial
difficulties. Read the passage
carefully. Then write a welldeveloped essay in which you
analyze how Eliot portrays these
two characters and their complex
relationship as husband and wife.
You may wish to consider such
literary devices as narrative
perspective and selection of
detail.
• The following passage is the
opening of the novel Kiss of
the Fur Queen (1998) by the
Cree novelist and playwright
Tomson Highway. Read the
passage carefully. Then
write a well-organized essay
in which you analyze how
Highway uses literary
devices to dramatize
Okimasis’ experience.
Analytical Focus (cont’d)
• From reading these
prompts, as well as
from reading other old
prompts, you can tell
that characterization
and figurative language
are two of the more
important focuses of
the Prose essay.
• Though we aren’t able
to predict the analytical
topic of this year’s
prose question, we are
only able to refresh
upon all different
literary elements in
order to be confident
on the big day!
Thematic Focus
• In order to successfully complete
the prose passage essay question
of the Advanced Placement
English Exam, time management
and some other basic ideas are
extremely vital and necessary.
Since each section of the exam is
timed, it’s extremely important to
plan your timing on each essay
section of the exam. The Prose
Essay Section is approximately 40
minutes long. Writing an essay in
40 minutes can be either a cake
walk for some or a train ride to
disaster for others, however this
time format can help ensure
completeness and a decent score
on the prose section.
• 1 – 3 minutes – Reading
Essay Question
• 10 minutes – Reading
Passage
• 5 minutes – Outlining
• 20 minutes – Writing
Essay
• 2 – 3 minutes –
Rereading Essay.
(Editing stage)
Thematic Focus (cont’d)
•
•
Additionally, according to past prose
questions from past AP English
Exams, the author’s tone, different
figurative language and
characterization are three commonly
asked questions.
•
By creating the prose section, test
makers want to determine test takers
ability to read and interpret a
sustained piece of literature. As the
prose questions vary from
characterization to the author’s tone,
test takers are tested upon their
ability to take a piece of information
such as a metaphor in a passage and
be able to connect it to the passage
as a whole. With that being said, it’s
very important to annotate the
passage and circle any words or
phrases that are parallel towards the
essay question. If an essay question is
asking for the author’s tone toward a
character (2005) underlining positive
or negative words dealing with the
character can help contribute
completeness of the essay.
Different types of Prose Questions
• Analyze narrative and literary
techniques and other resources
of language used for
characterization.
• How does a narrator reveal
character? (i.e., tone, diction,
syntax, point of view)
• How does the author reveal a
character's predicament? (i.e.,
diction, imagery, point of view)
Explain the effect of the passage
on the reader.
• Compare/contrast two passages
concerning diction and details for
effect on reader.
• How does the passage provide
characterization and evaluation
of one character over another?
(i.e., diction, syntax, imagery,
tone)
• What is the attitude of the
speaker toward a particular
subject?
• Analyze the effect of revision
when given both the original and
the revised version of a text.
• http://mikkoapl.edublogs.org/apexam-guidelines/