Be sure to familiarize yourself with them. Williams draws from a lot of his own personal experiences in, This play has only four main characters, and its overarching theme is the importance of accepting reality. Tess of the D'urbervilles. He uses the family drama of the character Antigone to highlight this. is a unique take on the bildungsroman (coming-of-age story), and its a relatively short read. Characters (which are not limited to humans) can be any person, animal, being, or creature that moves the storys plot line. The story is told from the point of view of a young child. A Doll's House. What ACT target score should you be aiming for? Works are alphabetical by author. is a highly cited Victorian Romantic novel. Anything you read specifically for your AP literature class is a good choice, too. Another bildungsroman (or coming-of-age story). Use. Read. This play has four separate storylines that all revolve around the marriage of two main characters, Duke Theseus and Queen Hippolyta. As you read, look out for the poetry in her language and the. Weve categorized 40 different literary works. A dark comedy focused on a middle-aged couple, George and Martha, and a night of drinking, arguments, insults, and secrets exposed. This novel not only represents Hemingways style; it represents the whole Lost Generation itself, through its stories of American expatriates in Europe. Description: In this course, students will develop skills in critically reading literature. our complete guide to AP Lit multiple-choice questions. Themes of race, identity, ideology, and stereotypes are explored. Another bildungsroman (or coming-of-age story), A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is an examination of how morality and religion can confine an artist. 32. Brontes novel resonates deeply with current feminist movements across the globe. Weve gathered some pieces that were picked more than 2 times throughout the course of 2012-2019: Among the top 19 books weve mentioned, there are 8 books that were picked more than 3 times in the past 7 years. Read this novel if youre searching for a piece that comes from a different culture. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble! Macbeth is a cautionary tale warning against evil as a means of power. But actually, there are three specific reasons why you need to read novels, poems, and plays in preparation for the AP Lit Test. Every year, the College Board lists many literary works for students to write. The title itself is a reference to the Big Bad Wolf, and Virginia Woolf herself (though the play isnt really about her at all.) Medea is a young woman who wants to take control of her own life in a patriarchal society. But, it does this while remaining true to Shelleys Gothic and Romantic roots. Simulate how different MCQ and FRQ scores translate into AP scores. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't be reading poetry, though! Its also likely to play a large role in the free-response questions. This dark comedy-drama centers on the struggling marriage of its two, flawed main characters. If you are one of those kids that likes their summer, don't even bother with an AP class. Read Top 12 Summer Reads for Incoming High School Freshmen, Whats the difference between AP English Lit and AP Eng Lang? 1. Students will reflect on what they are reading through discussion in class, with their teacher and peers, and writing in biweekly assignments. Albert has a great Jane Eyre course to help you prepare. In addition, there will be astrategy course for the multiple-choice part of the AP English exam. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. In addition, there will be astrategy course for the multiple-choice part of the AP English exam. Alberts King Lear course is a great resource for understanding the themes and concepts. Here are some works to read to help you prepare for the AP Lit exam, separated by U.S. and Non-U.S. authors, and books vs. plays. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. If youre asked about her work, chances are that understanding her style and structure will score you points. For example. comes to represent Laura herself and her escape from her own illusory world. Albee challenges the traditional notions of success for both individuals and families in this play. A two-hour, three-question free-response section. On his way, Odysseus encounters a number of mythical monsters, all preventing him from reaching his wife, Penelope. This well-known novel centers on a strong feminist character, who fights control her own destiny. East of Eden takes place around the end of WWI in California. 34. Last on this top 10 list is Moby Dick. Prospero can be viewed as a kind of artist, in that he controls the fate of every other character. Get the latest articles and test prep tips! We send weekly emails with updates about new courses, learning tips, and opportunities for 1:1 call with our consultants. Learn everything you need to know about it in our complete guide to AP Lit multiple-choice questions. Furthermore, the structure of the play is interesting in itself. One of the most versatile titles on this list, Great Expectations addresses many of the Victorian-era genres including: satire, crime, Silver Fork, Newgate, Gothic, serial fiction, romance, politics, and history. King Lear is a brutal play containing themes ranging from familial love and duty, to anger and deception. As you can see, while there is some thematic overlap in my chosen works, they also cover a broad swathe of themes. A strong example of Gothic Romanticism, it deals heavily with questions of emotion and violence. The list that follows contains titles referenced less often. Refer to theClass Schedule for more information. The tale of John Grady Cole, the last in a long line of ranchers who sets off on a trip to Mexico with two companions. Thanks for the book ideas! Its as if Shakespeare inserted himself into the story as Prospero. Check out Alberts The Great Gatsby course. Though not in the same time period as most works on this list, its still considered a classic.Remember to use Alberts Frankenstein course for help. You can order this book on Amazon for $18.99! The Princeton Review is known for producing high-quality study materials for many different exams. Authors Below, we give you the list of works that have been mentioned. Youll have an easier time reading and remembering texts that youre already motivated to read. The citizens of Earth are all genetically modified and sorted in a social hierarchy based on intelligence. Chances are, youve already read Odysseuss sweeping tale of adventure at some point in your high school career. The story of a man haunted by the guilt and cowardice of his actions as a young man. It comments on war by reducing it to a bureaucratic concern. reflects Joyces own development as a young boy through adulthood at university. Features include: 5 Full length practice tests with answers and explanations Detailed glossary with 175 terms The Portrait of a Lady. The remainingbooksrange fromthe17th tothe20th century,with the exception ofthe 18th century. In this article, I'll break down why you need to read books to prepare, how many you should plan on reading, and what you should readincluding poetry. has popped up on 29 of the past 49 AP Lit exams! Below, we give you the list of works that have been mentionedonthe AP English Literatureexammany timesoverthe past 7 years. nerdymatt98 6 yr. ago I've divided up the works into chunks by time period. Best books and test prep resources for AP English Literature. The story of a beautiful and bored wife, Emma Bovary, whos searching for the excitement found in romance novels and, eventually, adultery. Demonstrates innovation in style, voice, structure, characterization, plot and/or description. The College Board doesnt have an official recommended list of books to read for AP Lit. Taking place in ancient Greece, this story follows the epic hero Odysseus as he tries to return home after the Trojan war. Reading a broad range of texts will help familiarize you with the works on the AP Lit exam, which come from a wide variety of genres and time periods. Themes of ambition, madness, and war all intertwine. 1900-1939 1940-1969 Don't get trapped in a literature vortex! A powerful literary technique, figurative language provides the reader with a deeper understanding of a writers work and is one of the primary components of the AP English Literature and Composition exam. The word character comes from the Latin word meaning mark, distinctive quality, and is a literary device used by authors to allow readers to explore a range of values, beliefs, assumptions, biases, and cultural norms. There are many religious, philosophical, and psychoanalytical undercurrents in Hamlet. Authors Books By Non-U.S. You'll want to read them all with an eye for comprehension and basic analysis, but you don't necessarily need to focus equally on every book you read. These works were selected for their quality and impact. What Are the Benefits of Earning an IB Diploma? It expertly tackles race and bigotry, and its effect on the minds of everyone involved. Its as culturally relevant today as it was when published in 1954. is one of the most highly regarded pieces on the College Board reading list. The main character, Willy, is an aging salesman who struggles to cope with his current life. Heart of Darkness is celebrated on many of the AP English Literature prep message boards as a go-to literary work for the free response section- and with good reason! This one play provides a wealth of both literary and stylistic elements for you to analyze. Death of a Salesman critiques the American dream and questions its attainability. It's likely that some of your class reading will overlap with this list, too. The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton, novel, 1920, Major themes and devices: Tradition and duty, personal freedom, hypocrisy, irony, social class, family, "maintaining appearances", honor, Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys, novel, 1966, Major themes and devices: slavery, race, magic, madness, wildness, civilization vs. chaos, imperialism, gender. Princeton Review is probably one of the biggest names in the realm of AP/exam prep, and for good reason; their resources are incredible! We also have a full scoring worksheet available below. The most important thing for the student choice free-response question is that the work you select needs to have "literary merit." Studying Macbeth is a good opportunity for you to develop your critical analysis skills in tragedy. As we read further into the story, the language in Celies letters changes to reflect her emotional and psychological development. Major themes and devices: destructive love, exile, social and economic class, suffering and passion, vengeance and violence, unreliable narrator, frame narrative, family dysfunction, intergenerational narratives. Lauras array of delicate glass animals is the single strongest symbol in the play and a strong symbol in general. What books should I read to prepare for High School Freshmans English Class? In terms of reading to increase your familiarity with literature from different eras and genres and to improve your close-reading skills, the more books you have time to read, the better. Let us help take out the guesswork! The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. is a great resource for understanding the themes and concepts. It relentlessly discusses slavery, racism, and the hypocrisy of civilized society. As you read, consider the effects of flashback on the interpretation of the themes. That depends. With a massive list of over 400 books appearing on the AP test at one time or another, it can be challenging to choose which novels to focus on during test preparation. Also, check out the work of Ngugi wa Thiongo if youre interested in African perspectives on fiction. Read A Portrait with an eye out for Joyces stream of consciousness style. A tale of religious hypocrisy, the main character, Tartuffe, tricks a man with his professed piety while trying to seduce his wife and disinherit his children. Every year, the College Board provides a minimum of 25 literary works for students to analyze, and the list changes every year. While reading the story, think of the Mississippi River as a symbol for remaining neutral on issues of race. Centered around the lives of Torvald Helmer, his wife Nora, and their three children who are living an ordinary-seeming life, until Torvald and Noras roles are shifted and their lives upended. deals with the crisis of faith in those whove seen war. At its core, this is a story of a woman yearning for more than what traditional society would allow her to have. (a memory play), Tom the narrator says in his opening monologue, I give you the truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion. In other words, the story is told from his perspective, complete with his biases and prejudices. This well-known novel centers on a strong feminist character, who fights control her own destiny. The multiple-choice section of the AP Literature exam is a key part of your score. We devoted this portion of the list directly to the top ten works that appeared most frequently on past exams. The novel has numerous allusions to Shakespeare- the title, Brave New World, is a quote from The Tempest. The Tempest is widely regarded as Shakespeares Farewell performance. Its written in the form of letters from the main character, Celie, to God and to her sister. He returns from World War II with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. A strong example of Gothic Romanticism, it deals heavily with questions of emotion and violence. Brontes novel resonates deeply with current feminist movements across the globe. Our one-on-one online AP tutoring services can help you prepare for your AP exams. Read How To Succeed In High School English Classes to find the answer! All of these will help in free responses and multiple choice questions pertaining to character. Character is an extremely important literary device; without characters, there is no story to tell. 19 have been selected more than 2 times in 2016-2021 in AP Lit Exam Great Expectations Beloved Invisible Man Heart of Darkness King Lear Oryx and Crake The Portrait of a Lady Wuthering Heights A Raisin in the Sun Death of a Salesman It expertly tackles race and bigotry, and its effect on the minds of everyone involved. How many books do you need to read? The Catcher in the Rye (J. D. Salinger) This bold and controversial novel by J. D. Salinger centers around ideas including adolescent sexuality and relationships. Themes of ambition, madness, and war all intertwine. An unnamed narrators retreat from society and withdrawal into an underground existence that demonstrates how humans free-will often works against their self-interest. For the last subjective question, students are generally required to extract relevant knowledge from the classics of English literature for analysis. For instance, take the Lost Generation. The Merchant of Venice is important in preparing for the AP English Literature exam because it covers a timeless debate about racial and religious supremacy. To help students have an easier time learning and reviewing for this AP Exam, we have gathered the ultimate AP English Literature Reading List. Happy reading! Do your best to gain at least some familiarity with this list of books, as its likely that one of these will appear somewhere on the test. demonstrates a unique take on the Greek Tragedy. However, having a list of the most common picks will give you an idea about which pieces and which, to focus your review on. Rolling enrollment throughout the year, one class every weekend, 1.5 hours per class. Now, letstake a look! These prep classes are designed to fill in knowledge deficit and introduce new information for students. ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? Character accounts for 16%-20% of the multiple-choice section of the AP Literature and Composition exam, and will likely play a considerable role in the free-response section as well. The story of a black woman named Sethe who, despite escaping slavery in Kentucky and living a free woman in Ohio, remains haunted by the memories of her former life. is a first and foremost a satire. However, you need to be closely familiar with more than one work so that you can be prepared for whatever theme the College Board throws at you! hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(360031, 'f5a9450c-28a2-4837-94dd-69230ed94f08', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); The Queen of AP Literature surveys her kingdom. The question provides a list of works, but youre always welcome to choose another piece of similar literary merit (which well also discuss later). This is the most frequently referenced title on the AP English Literature book list since 1971. with an eye out for Joyces stream of consciousness style. Bring Albert to your school and empower all teachers with the world's best question bank for: Everyone plays favorites, and The College Board is no exception. It deals with racism and sexism, along with womens rights. While there's not an official College-Board AP reading list, there are books that will be more useful for you to read than others as you prepare for the exam. Are explored and withdrawal into an underground existence that demonstrates how humans free-will often works their... Macbeth is a great resource for understanding the themes Freshmans English class and new. The American dream and questions its attainability will overlap with this list, too with and... Structure, characterization, plot and/or description does this while remaining true to Gothic! 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