AP English Language and Composition: Course Outline

AP English Language and Composition
Summer 2014 Assignment
David Gold
Introduction:

An AP course in English Language and Composition is essentially a course in rhetoric that engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Both their writing and their reading should make students aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects, as well as the way genre conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing (College Board AP English Language and Composition Course Description, Fall 2010).

Don’t be afraid, it sounds a lot scarier than it really is. Almost everything you read, view and hear is designed to persuade you think or act in a certain way. By studying rhetoric, you will be better prepared to think independently, make informed decisions, and communicate your ideas and opinions in clear and convincing manner. If you are willing to put in effort, you will be richly rewarded with vastly improved reading, writing, visual literacy and critical thinking skills. Here is something to chew on this summer.

Due Dates:
Both your Analysis Essay and Reader’s Response Journals are due August 4th at 9:00 AM.

IMPORTANT NOTES
AP Language and Composition is a rigorous, university level course. Students who do not complete the summer assignment on time will be dropped from the class.
Plagiarism: Beginning the 2014-15 school year, The Columbus School will be using Turnitin, a sophisticated internet service for detecting plagiarism. Please be aware that plagiarism is a serious academic offence. All cases of plagiarism will result in disciplinary action in accordance with the Manual de Convivencia and will result in the student’s removal from the course. Please, just learn to use http://www.easybib.com/ and do your own work, it’s better for both of us.
I will be available for questions and assistance with your summer assignment after July 12th. Please feel free to contact me at [e-mail].

AP Language and Composition Summer 2014 Assignment

Part I: Read the essays:

“What is Rhetoric” http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/Encompassing%20Terms/rhetoric.htm
“Content and Form” http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/Encompassing%20Terms/Content%20and%20Form.htm

These two short essays will give you a brief introduction to the subject of rhetoric and help prepare you to complete the rest of the assignment. It is especially important that you are clear on the difference between content and form before you begin Part II of the assignment.

Part II: Create a glossary of rhetorical strategies and stylistic devices

Listed below are 12 rhetorical strategies and stylistic devices. These strategies and devices will be the start of a much larger glossary you will compile throughout the school year. Create a googledoc then, a) define each term and b) provide an example that you find useful. The sources listed below will provide you with both. Because these will be your personal notes, you may cut and paste freely without citations.

1) Allusion
2) Aphorism
3) Diction
4) Ethos
5) Euphemism
6) Hyperbole
7) Imagery
8) Irony (dramatic, situational, verbal)
9) Logos
10) Narrative point of view
11) Pathos
12) Tone

These webpages will provide you with a variety of accurate definitions and examples for the above terms:
Shmoop: http://www.shmoop.com/literature-glossary/ American Rhetoric: Rhetorical Figures in Sound http://www.americanrhetoric.com/rhetoricaldevicesinsound.htm Silva Rhetoricae: The Forest of Rhetoric http://rhetoric.byu.edu Oxford Dictionaries http://oxforddictionaries.com/?region=us Literary Terms and Definitions http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/lit_terms_A.html Part III: Read A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf You will need either a) a physical copy of the book, b) a printed download or c) a download to read using a tablet with stylus. You may purchase your own copy online for less than $5 (ISBN-10: 0156030411) or download and/or print a free copy of the text from Project Gutenberg Australia at: http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200791h.html

Active reading means pausing to reflect on ideas, writing notes, looking up unfamiliar words and marking important ideas and passages. Annotating – marking, underlining, writing notes in the text – promotes critical reading, an essential skill in both high school and university courses. As you read, consider both the content (What is she saying?) and the form (How is she saying it?) of the text. For what purpose does the author seem to be writing this text? Where does she make good points, weak points, give credit to the other side, and provide background information? How does she use the rhetorical devices you defined in Part II to shape her message?

If you’re having a tough time understanding, or want to read some critical analysis of the book, check out Shmoop.com (which is like Sparknotes for smart people): http://www.shmoop.com/room-of-ones-own/

Part IV: Create a Reader’s Response Journal (RRJ) Create a Reader’s Response Journal (RRJ) with 8 entries from A Room of One’s Own that you will share with me on Google Drive (directions below). Your RRJ should consist of eight different devices and strategies you defined in Part II. The purpose of the RRJ is to analyze the connections between strategies and devices and the overall argument the writer makes. Each entry should be 200-350 words - please write the word count at the end of each entry. No more than 75 of those words should be quoted from the text.

Format: For each entry in your (RRJ):

a) Identify a direct quote which contributes to the argument (Woolf’s point) or tone (how she makes her point) AND contains an example of one of the rhetorical strategies and stylistic devices on the list from Assignment 2. Label the strategy or device you are analyzing.

b) Explain how the quote is an example of the strategy/device. What about the wording or structure makes the quote an aphorism, euphemism, or an example of situational irony? How does Woolf convey an ironic or moralistic tone? How does a specific detail or event contribute to Woolf’s ethos, or appeal to the reader’s pathos? c) Explain why this individual example of a device or strategy is effective in developing the larger idea of the author. Does it create a feeling, image, or relationship for the reader, and how does that help the argument or tone? How is it persuasive? RRJ Example: Entry 1:
a. In chapter four, Woolf employs hyperbole to demonstrate the plight of women who might consider earning their living as a writer:

For now that Aphra Bhen had done it, girls could go to their parents and say, You need not give me an allowance; I can make money by my pen. Of course the answer for many years to come was, Yes, by living the life of Aphra Behn! Death would be better! and the door slammed faster than ever. (64)

b. The hyperbole in the last sentence overdramatizes the fact that traditionally in England, women seeking to earn their own living, especially as a writer, were subject to all manner of rejection and abuse, even from their own families. Of course death would not be better than a woman becoming a writer, but her use of hyperbole demonstrates how strong the traditions of England were with regards to the independence of women in deciding how they might live their lives and make their own decisions.
c. This use of hyperbole shows just how disgusted Woolf was with the social structures of English society and how badly she believed they hampered a woman’s ability and freedom to pursue whatever kind of life she might be able to create for herself. It appears Woolf believed that a woman with a sense of independence could easily be kicked out of her family home and even have the door slammed in her face.

Word count: 241

Part V: Write a Short Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Now that you know a little bit about rhetoric and style, it’s time to put that knowledge to work. Write a 600-750 word essay in which you analyze how Virginia Woolf crafts her book, A Room of One’s Own, to reveal her views on the independence of women in England in the early 20th century.

a) Use the Analysis Essay Format document as a guide to structuring your essay.
b) Use 3-5 of your RRJ entries as evidence to support your position.
c) You can find plenty of

Grading

Your grade for both the RRJ and essay will be based on how well you communicate your ideas and follow directions. Your responses should be carefully proofread and virtually free of spelling and mechanical errors.

Handing in the Assignments:

Since we all have Gmail accounts, it is very convenient to share documents using Google Drive. Simply log in to your Gmail account, go to Google Drive and create a document (click on the red CREATE box). You can cut and paste from Word or another processing program, or type it up in a Google Doc. It saves automatically and you can access it everywhere. When you’re ready to hand it in, click on the blue Share box on the upper right corner of the screen, and share it with me.

Both your essay and Reader’s Response Journals are due August 4th at 9:00 AM.

Have a great vacation and enjoy A Room of One’s Own!