Creating a Thesis for the AP English Literature Composition Prose Free Response Question

In order to write a successful PROSE essay, understanding the concept of writing a thesis is the primary
key to ensure you will master the AP English Literature Composition !ake a look at the following
writing e"amples and see what stands out regarding the thesis#s that are present in the $ and % scores
AP 2009 Question #2 Prompt
!he following selection is the opening of Ann Petry#s &$'( no)el, The Street &* Read the selection
carefully and then +* write an essay ,* analy-ing how Petry esta.lishes Lutie /ohnson#s relationship to
the ur.an setting through the use of such literary de)ices as '* imagery, 0* personification, (* selection
of detail, and 1* figurati)e language
2 3hat is the prompt asking4
2 Identify the steps in the prompt a.o)e
ntro!u"tor# Paragraph
In this e"cerpt from Ana Petri#s !he Street, the wind is the central antagonist !he narrator efficiently
utili-es a third5person omniscient narrator to relay to the reader the .itterness of the cold, along with the
steadfast determination of Luke /ohnson !hrough the use of 6&* chillingly descripti)e 6+* imagery and
6&* )i)id 6+* personification, the narrator 6,* successfully 6'* con)eys the 6&* unmerciful 6+* nature of
the cold to enhance Lutie /ohnson#s 6&* temporal and sensory 6+* e"periences
Score7 %
o Identify the thesis in the a.o)e thesis
o 8nderline the thesis in the a.o)e introductory paragraph
o 3hat is uni9ue a.out the a.o)e thesis4
:ow chart the thesis
A!$e"ti%e &'( )oun &2( A!%er* &+( ,er* &-(
Chillingly descripti)e Imagery Successfully Con)eys
;i)id Personification
8nmerciful :ature
!emporal and sensory E"periences
AP 2009. Question #2 Prompt
!he passage .elow is the opening of Seraph on the Suwanee 6&$'%*, a no)el written .y <ora :eale
=urston Read the passage carefully !hen write a well5organi-ed essay in which you analy-e the
literary techni9ues =urston uses to descri.e Sawley and to characteri-e the people who li)e there
2 3hat is the prompt asking4
2 Identify the steps in the prompt a.o)e
ntro!u"tor# Paragraph
In her description of Sawley and its inha.itants, <ora :eale =urston paints a picture with her words of a
town )ery different to most that e"ist today =urston organi-es her description of the town carefully,
using descripti)e ad>ecti)es to create )i)id images, as well as repetition of sentence structure and the
inclusion of collo9uial phrasing to gi)e the town and its inha.itants a )oice
Score7 %
o Identify the thesis in the a.o)e thesis
o 8nderline the thesis in the a.o)e introductory paragraph
o 3hat is uni9ue a.out the a.o)e thesis4
Chart the a.o)e thesis
A!$e"ti%e )oun A!%er* ,er*
AP 200/ Question #2 Prompt
Read carefully the following passage from ?alton !rum.o#s no)el Johnny Got His Gun 6&$,$* !hen
write a well5organi-ed essay in which you analy-e how !rum.o uses such techni9ues as point of )iew,
selection of detail, and synta" to characteri-e the relationship .etween the young man and his father
2 3hat is the prompt asking4
2 Identify the steps in the prompt a.o)e
ntro!u"tor# Paragraph
A young man and his father go camping e)ery summer, preferring each other#s company to that of
friends their own age 8ntil one summer, it changes suddenly In this e"cerpt from ?alton !rum.o#s
no)el /ohnny @ot =is @un, /oe, a young man, comes of age !hrough de)ices like sym.olism, point of
)iew, carefully descri.ed details, and unusual synta", !rum.o creates a )i)id sense of the relationship
.etween /oe and his father
Score7 $
o Identify the thesis in the a.o)e thesis
o 8nderline the thesis in the a.o)e introductory paragraph
o 3hat is uni9ue a.out the a.o)e thesis4
Chart the a.o)e thesis
A!$e"ti%e )oun A!%er* ,er*
3hile identifying the theses did you notice the acti)e use of ad>ecti)es and ad)er.s that were used to
gi)e life to the theses4 Aou are going to try doing the same
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Thesis Time! 0riting
Aou will ha)e &05,C minutes to create a thesis from the following prompts listed .elow using the same
format as pro)ided a.o)e
& !he following selection is a passage of Dary Shelley#s 6&%&(* no)el, Frankenstein Read the
selection carefully and then write an essay 6&* analyzing how Shelley establishes the
relationship .etween ?r Erankenstein and the monster 6+* through the use of such literary
de)ices as characteri-ation, personification, selection of detail, and irony
2 3hat is the prompt asking4
2 Identify the steps in the prompt a.o)e
Chart the a.o)e thesis
A!$e"ti%e )oun A!%er* ,er*
Smart Shelley ?econstructi)ely Analy-ing
!rou.led Relationship Deticulously esta.lishes
Cra-y ?r Erankenstein
Lonely Donster
Literary ?e)ices
Specific Characteri-ation
?escripti)e Personification
;i)id ?etail
Fountiful Irony
Complete a full thesis .elow
In Dary Shelley#s passage, she deconstructi)ely analy-es the trou.led relationship .etween the cra-y ?r
Erankenstein and the lonely creature through the use of specific characteri-ation, descripti)e
personification, )i)id detail and .ountiful irony so as to meticulously esta.lish the comple"ity of .oth
characters in the no)el
+ !he passage .elow is from the no)el Erankenstein 6&%&(*, written .y Dary Shelley Read the
passage carefully !hen write a well5organi-ed essay in which you analy-e the literary
techni9ues Shelley uses to descri.e the monster and characteri-e the people who li)e in the
)illage
2 3hat is the prompt asking4
2 Identify the steps in the prompt a.o)e
Chart the a.o)e thesis
A!$e"ti%e )oun A!%er* ,er*
Complete a full thesis .elow
, Read carefully the following passage from Dary Shelley#s no)el Frankenstein 6&%&(* !hen
write a well5organi-ed essay in which you analy-e how Shelley uses such techni9ues as
sentence structure, point of )iew, and flash.ack to characteri-e the setting of the no)el
2 3hat is the prompt asking4
2 Identify the steps in the prompt a.o)e
Chart the a.o)e thesis
A!$e"ti%e )oun A!%er* ,er*
Complete a full thesis .elow