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AP Language and Composition
Welcome to AP English Language & Composition! I am very excited that you have chosen to be part of this class. AP English Language and Composition is a college-level writing course and will follow the course requirements described in the AP Language and Composition Course Description published by the College Board. Thus, according to College Board, “An AP English Language and Composition course cultivates the reading and writing skills that students need for college success and for intellectually responsible civic engagement. The course guides students in becoming curious, critical, and responsive readers of diverse texts and becoming flexible, reflective writers of texts addressed to diverse audiences for diverse purposes. The reading and writing students do in the course should deepen and expand their understanding of how written language functions rhetorically: to communicate writers’ intentions and elicit readers’ responses in particular situations” (https://apcentral.collegeboard.org).
AP Language and Composition Syllabus
AP Language and Composition Calendar of Events
Introduction: TEXTS CONVERSING: Rhetoric and Ethics
During the first two weeks of school, we will explore the goals and purposes of the course, aligning our learning with College Board objectives. We will delve into the meanings of rhetoric, rhetorical situation, and rhetorical awareness, as well as examine the key elements of the rhetorical situation, such as audience, purpose, occasion, and exigence. Our exploration will highlight rhetoric's particular focus on use, relevance, and circumstance, echoing Aristotle's notion of utilizing available resources in a given situation. Additionally, this introductory unit will provide a historical overview of rhetoric, distinguishing between the perspectives of Aristotle and Plato in Ancient Greece and tying these perspectives to rhetoric’s ethical dimension. To illustrate the course's three main objectives—rhetorical analysis, argumentation, and synthesis—we will read Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," along with excerpts from the works of Keats and Whitman. The introduction will culminate in collaborative group work and brief presentations.
Unit 1: LANGUAGE, POWER, AND MADNESS: Rhetorical Strategies in a Dramatic Work (William Shakespeare's King Lear)
This unit focuses on close and critical reading as essential for understanding the rhetorical aspects of the text. Using Shakespeare's renowned play, King Lear, we will practice analyzing the rhetorical functions and effects of the writer's words—specifically, what these words accomplish in relation to the text and its audience. We will learn that rhetorical reading involves listening to various voices in the conversation and being attentive to our own reactions to the text. A key question this unit will address is: How does Shakespeare employ diverse linguistic techniques, such as rhetorical strategies, imagery, and wordplay to enhance the text and deepen the audience's engagement with the characters and events? Additionally, how does Shakespeare's strategic use of language shape the play's themes, character development, and emotional intensity? The unit will particularly explore rhetorical techniques of flattery, persuasion, and manipulation. We will examine how Shakespeare uses wordplay, double meanings, and irony to delve into themes of deception and self-delusion. Furthermore, we will investigate the relationship between language and madness by studying the play's disjointed syntax, repetition, and rhetorical questions, which reflect King Lear's fragmented mind. We will wrap up this unit with the writing of an Argument Essay.
Unit 2: IDENTITY, DIFFERENCE, AND OTHERNESS: The Art of Language in Personal Essays and Letters
In this unit, we will explore the art of rhetoric and argument through personal essays and letters, focusing on the themes of identity, difference, and otherness. The essay form as a whole has long been associated with an experimental method and goes back to Montaigne's suggestive use of the term essai for his writings. To essay is to attempt, to test, to make a run at something without knowing whether you are going to succeed. This journey into the unknown, evident in our readings of Dodge, Seneca, Borges, Woolf, Didion, and many others, gives each essay its flexible and adaptable structure, self-reflective and interrogative qualities, and often candid, conversational tone. We will learn to read personal essays closely, paying attention to detail, and describe the writer's tone and style. Additionally, we will connect the essay's stylistic choices to the author's argument and purpose. Our practice will include composing argument-purpose statements, aligning topic sentences with claims, and analyzing rhetorical strategies as they effectively support the argument. We will finish this unit with a writing of Rhetorical Analysis Essay.
Unit 3: SUBVERSIVE RHETORIC: Meaning-Making Strategies in the Works of Satire
Unit 3 examines satire as a distinct form of rhetorical persuasion and argumentation. We will investigate the key characteristics of satirical works, focusing on the devices and strategies used particularly in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (verbal and situational irony, hyperbole, humor, sarcasm, paradox, euphemism, understatement, etc.). We will explore Chaucer's contributions to language, specifically his skill in incorporating words from various linguistic backgrounds, including Old English, Old French, Old Norse, and Latin, and how this blending of vocabulary produces a satirical effect. Furthermore, we will analyze how historical context enhances our understanding of satire through Jonathan Swift's classical essay, "A Modest Proposal." As we engage with both texts, we will discover that the effectiveness of satire lies in its subversive rhetoric, which disrupts the connection between expectation and reality. This unit will involve close reading, active participation in group and class discussions, and Presentations, culminating in a Quiz that covers both readings.
Unit 4: LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL CONTROL: The Rhetoric of Dystopia (G. Orwell, 1984)
Unit 4, often favored by students, will immerse us in critical discussions regarding the relationship between language and social control. This unit will explore several key questions: What strategies do institutional powers employ to manipulate language, and what are the resulting benefits? How can individuals resist social control to preserve language from degradation or erasure? How can one distinguish between truth and falsehood in a language that is inherently shaped by rhetorical influences, such as social and political factors? With these questions in mind, the unit outlines two significant tasks. First, we will analyze essays by T. Morrison, G. Orwell, F. Nietzsche, and A. Solzhenitsyn, engaging in contemporary critical discourse surrounding language and society. Second, we will investigate these themes through the lens of the dystopian novel 1984, focusing on its rhetorical function—specifically, how it utilizes language to evoke moral judgment and persuade the reader of its arguments. Two key assignments in this course will be a Formal Fishbowl Discussion and a Synthesis Essay/Editorial. In both tasks, we will synthesize various texts and arguments. The essay will require us to integrate these arguments to develop our own perspective on a specific issue related to language and social control.
Semester 1 Final: Rhetorical Terms Exam and RA /Argument Paragraph
Unit 5: INTERACTING WITH AUDIENCE: Persuasive Strategies in Speeches and Songs
In this unit, we will once again explore rhetorical analysis, focusing specifically on famous speeches and the dynamic relationships between the speaker and the audience. We will engage in close readings and analyses of speeches by notable figures such as Roosevelt, McCarthy, Kennedy, Bush, Reagan, Lincoln, MLK Jr., and others. Through this examination, we will uncover how the effectiveness of each speech hinges on the speaker's understanding of the audience's beliefs, values, needs, and backgrounds. We will also discover that the speaker's connection to the audience influences their rhetorical choices and shapes the speaker's persona. The unit will highlight the significance of the context and occasion of each speech to fully grasp the rhetorical situation. Moreover, we will investigate how considerations of audience, persona, and context can be applied in writing. Additionally, we will analyze the language and strategies used in modern and contemporary songs, once more emphasizing the interaction between the singer and the audience. The unit will culminate in a group assignment focusing on the Rhetorical Analysis of Song and an Essay centered on the analysis of a famous speech.
Unit 6: INDIVIDUAL, SOCIETY, AND NATURE: Argument and Rhetoric in the Work of Non-Fiction (J. Krakauer, Into the Wild)
The goal of this unit is to foster meaningful conversations about humanity and nature. Throughout history, the tension between the natural world and human society has led writers and philosophers to explore the idea of escaping civilization to find refuge in nature. We will examine essays by Lopez and Thoreau, as well as the non-fiction work Into the Wild, which delve into the themes of escaping civilization, defying progress, and seeking peace and transcendence. In contrast, we will also analyze writings from those who challenge the notion that nature and humanity can coexist harmoniously (Oates). Additionally, inspired by Odell's discussion on leisure and slowness in a consumption-driven economy, we will question the feasibility of escaping civilization altogether. While the unit emphasizes developing rhetorical skills for close reading of each text, its primary objective is to engage students in forming arguments by synthesizing diverse ideas and opinions. We will conclude with the writing of a Personal Essay that reflects on the meaning of nature in our life and incorporates elements of argumentation, rhetoric, and synthesis.
Unit 7: LANGUAGE AND AMBIGUITY: Unreliable Narrator as Rhetor (K. Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day)
With this unit, we delve once more into the rhetoric of fiction, this time honing in on the nuances of ambiguity and unreliability. Through our meticulous examination of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel The Remains of the Day, we will uncover how meanings emerge from the intricate interplay of language and silence, where understatements often reveal greater depth than explicit and elaborate explanations. We will also explore the rhetorical functions of plot and characterization, giving special attention to the role of the unreliable narrator in articulating the book's arguments. Furthermore, we will analyze the rhetorical significance of the historical context within the narrative, investigating how the metaphorical implications of the text extend beyond its historical relevance. This unit serves as a rigorous assessment of your capacity to engage with the text both rhetorically and argumentatively. Assignments will include both Rhetorical Analysis and Argument paragraphs, along with Reading Quizzes and Annotations.
Semester 1 Final