Unit 1: Discovering an Author’s Purpose
11 AP English
Unit Essential Questions: “What influences a writer to create?”
“How do relationships between characters develop meaning?”
Overarching Question: “How do authors use the resources of language to impact an audience?”
Essential Question: “How is our understanding of culture and society constructed through and by language?”
Assessments: (1) A formal essay comparing and contrasting the relationships within one piece of literature studied and
how the development of those relationships brings meaning to the story. (2) A timed writing identifying evidence of the
author’s purpose for writing said piece from two pieces of literature studied.
Topical Questions:
What are the contrasts between dreams and realities?
How should the conflict between passions and responsibility be solved?
How does power or lack of power influence people?
To what extent does art imitate life/life imitate art?
How does fiction mirror society?
How does an author use style to accomplish his/her purpose?
What purpose does a piece of writing have for the author?
Skills:
Elements of short story, fiction (allegory) and drama.
Analysis of literature.
Socratic Seminaring.
Introduction to literary criticism.
Major Works:
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner
Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Related readings:
“The Great Fear” by J. Ronald Oakley
Introduction to Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
Interview with William Faulkner “ The Meaning of A Rose for Emily”
Nathaniel Hawthorne “The Agonies of Inspiration” and introduction to Young Goodman Brown
Activities:
A  T  R Discussion of the relationship between the author/text/reader.
Review of Elements of Plot – Group Work – Ethan Frome and The Crucible
ABC Book on Ethan Frome – Group Work (Practice for independent reading project)
Character Dynamics – Group Work – Ethan Frome and The Crucible
Overview of expectations for Seminaring
Seminar on The Crucible
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Seminaring questions developed for A Rose for Emily
Seminar on A Rose for Emily
Seminar on authors’ motivation for writing and similarities found within texts.
(Related readings and texts discussion)
Peer Editing/CEI/Rewriting
Written Assessments:
Responses to three of the topical questions.
Choice of two AP Exam questions: Style Analysis 1999 Q2, 1995 Q2, 1994 Q3
Compare and Contrast 1999 Q1, 1998 Q3, 1993 Q1