AP Lit & Comp 9/22 – 9/23 ‘16

1. Further clarification for Soma Five Minute

Film

2. College app essay specifics

3. Big picture and writing theme statements

4. For next class…

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON SOMA

You may complete this project in a group of

up to four people.

Videos will be due on Tues 10/4 (M) / Weds

10/5 (G).

Later that week, we will have a Five Minute

Film Festival in class, which should be fun.

Your job is to be as imaginative, creative, and

thoughtful as possible when creating your film.

Let’s check out the assignment, which I’ve

posted in Classroom.

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON SOMA

Choose one modern day soma equivalent (positive or negative) to explore and present in a Five-Minute Film.

Here are some ideas:

Illegal Drugs

Prescription Drugs

Alcohol

Reality TV Shows (or some

other TV genre)

Social Media

Consumer Culture

Video Games

Exercise

Reading

Religion

Internet

Food

Sleep

Technology

Netflix

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON SOMA

Each video should be no longer than five

minutes. Include start/stop times for your readers.

Each part of the video should be accompanied by

an annotation that explains how the video relates to

the topic in a meaningful way.

Close your collection with links to at least five

recommended resources (non-videos) where your

readers/viewers could find additional relevant

information on your topic.

For all links, use linked text, not merely URLs.

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON SOMA

You will create an introduction for your video. (Approximately 200 words) This can be done in voiceover format or in text which appears on the screen.

For each section of your video, you will include an annotation of approximately 50 words which explains that section’s meaningful relevance to your topic.

Lastly, at the end of your video, you will include a link of additional resources your viewers can consult for more information.

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON SOMA

Video Resources:

YouTube

TED Talks

Media Foundation (You can’t access the entire video, but sometimes the preview is enough)

Open Culture (Tons of free documentaries)

Top Documentary Films

Platforms in which to create your video. (There are many helpful on-line tutorials, if you need one.)

WeVideo

iMovie

To download and edit a video, type an “ss” in front of the word youtube.

THE RUBRIC

Introduction (25 points)

The introduction is well-organized. It gives the reader/viewer relevant information about the topic. It narrows the topic to something that can be thoroughly analyzed within the time and space restraints of the project. Paragraphing, spelling, grammar, and mechanics are mostly correct.

Videos/Annotations (40 points)

Videos seem carefully chosen and present a variety of representations of the topic. The best and most relevant parts have been isolated with start/stop time indicators. Annotations go beyond the obvious aspects of the video and try to relate them in a meaningful way to the overall topic of the project. All links are presented in text form. Spelling, grammar, and mechanics are mostly correct.

Recommended Resources (20 points)

These seem carefully chosen and reflect real and helpful resources for those seeking more information. All links are presented in text form. The descriptions, while brief, are useful to readers/viewers.

College application essay Remember that you’re wanting to demonstrate perseverance diligence curiosity discipline

ALSO HELPFUL: showing you’re a hard worker, dedicated humble and grateful for your opportunities/blessings connected to your roots confident a team player have dreams and high hopes are reflective possess insight / wisdom (relative for your age) are creative and/or innovative

College application essay

Optional draft for feedback due Fri 9/30 (M) / Mon 10/3 (G) Workshop draft (mandatory) due Tues 10/4 (M) / Weds 10/5 (G) Polished final due: Mon 10/10 (M) / Tues 10/11 (G) Here’s the assignment description. It’s also on the website and Classroom.

DEATH to the one word theme From this moment forward, never refer to a theme in a one word (or strictly subject) form, such as: “revenge,” “love,” “war,” “technology”… These are subjects, not themes. A theme is a universal truth that speaks to some aspect of the human condition. It cannot be encapsulated in one word. It needs to be a short phrase instead. Example: “The perils of unchecked technology will lead to the end of intelligent human existence.” So even though Spark Notes and Schmoop, etc. will often list themes as subjects or in one word form, realize this is wrong. A theme needs more substance and clarity than one word can provide.

HERE’S THE BIG PICTURE

To successfully study literature at an

advanced level, and to be prepared for

the AP Lit exam in May, you MUST

know how to write a theme statement.

Here’s why.

AP Essays On the AP Test = There are three essay responses.

Essay number 3 is referred to as the Open Ended Question.

It allows you to choose any piece of literature (with literary

merit) to use as the piece you reference throughout the essay

response.

Essay #3 (OEQ) is ALL about THEME. While the prompts

will vary and will ask you to look at different literary devices

and techniques, the ultimate crux of the question wants you to

talk about the meaning of the work as a whole and HOW the

author uses specific literary devices to construct that meaning.

Meaning of the work as a whole is CODE for theme.

I call it the MOTWAW. Memorize this. You MUST address

theme in question #3.

A recurring theme in literature is the classic war between a

passion and responsibility. For instance, a personal cause, a

love, a desire for revenge, a determination to redress a

wrong, or some other emotion or drive may conflict with

moral duty. Choose a literary work in which a character

confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts

with his or her responsibilities. In a well-written essay show

clearly the nature of the conflict, its effects upon the

character, and its significance to the meaning of the work as

a whole.

Here’s some sample prompts.

Choose a novel or play that depicts a conflict between a

parent (or a parental figure) and a son or daughter. Write

an essay in which you analyze the sources of the conflict

and explain how the conflict contributes to the meaning of

the work. Avoid plot summary.

In some works of literature, a character who appears

briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence.

Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write an essay

in which you show how such a character functions in the

work. You may wish to discuss how the character affects

action, theme, or the development of other characters.

Avoid plot summary.

Here’s some sample prompts.

Choose a novel or play that depicts a conflict between a

parent (or a parental figure) and a son or daughter. Write

an essay in which you analyze the sources of the conflict

and explain how the conflict contributes to the meaning of

the work. Avoid plot summary.

In some works of literature, a character who appears

briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence.

Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write an essay

in which you show how such a character functions in the

work. You may wish to discuss how the character affects

action, theme, or the development of other characters.

Avoid plot summary.

Here’s some sample prompts.

Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society

by using characters who are alienated from that culture or

society because of gender, race, class, or creed. Choose a

novel or a play in which such a character plays a significant

role and show how that character’s alienation reveals the

surrounding society’s assumptions or moral values.

From a novel or play choose a character (not necessarily

the protagonist) whose mind is pulled in conflicting

directions by two compelling desires, ambitions, obligations,

or influences. Then, in a well-organized essay, identify each

of the two conflicting forces and explain how this conflict

with one character illuminates the meaning of the work as a

whole. You may use one of the novels or plays listed below

or another novel or work of similar literary quality.

Here’s some sample prompts.

You will need to have a good number of books at

your disposal which you can use to address

whichever theme the prompt gives you.

To do this, we begin mentally cataloging books

(literally in your head) in March. However, for

everything we read this year, we will stringently

focus on theme so that you’ll have an arsenal of

themes you will recognize and discuss.

Thus…our focus on themes for Brave New World.

For essay #3 (OEQ)

The (genre) ______(title) _______

by (author) ___________ is about

(topic/abstract concept)

__________________________

and reveals (assertion about human

condition)

____________________________.

How to write a theme statement.

The novel Anthem, by Ayn Rand, is

about a futuristic society in which

humans no longer possess individual

identities and reveals that a

governmental insistence on creating

and perfecting collectivism will

essentially destroy humanity.

Here’s an easy example.

Exactly.

You would follow up this thesis with body paragraphs that specify (approximately three) ways in which the collectivist government in Anthem leads to the destruction of human identity and values.

Essay #3 is essentially a theme essay. You simply have to shape it to fit the prompt you’re writing to; however, it’s all about theme.

Looks like a thesis statement, right?

A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel,

recounts the psychological or moral

development of its protagonist from youth to

maturity, when this character recognizes his or

her place in the world. Select a single pivotal

moment in the psychological or moral

development of the protagonist of a

bildungsroman. Then write a well-organized

essay that analyzes how that single moment

shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.

Here’s one more example:

Let’s say I chose To Kill a Mockingbird or

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

I’d need to identify a theme from the novel

that I’m going to discuss.

Then, I’d write a theme statement.

Then, I’d discuss several ways the single

moment from the novel I chose demonstrates

the theme Harper Lee (or Mark Twain) wants

to convey.

How would I respond?

Themes you listed Emotional highs and lows are what make life worth living.

Without emotion, the world around us begins to disintegrate

Science and technology can overpower the role of mother nature to the point of extreme control and industry.

Ultimately, individuality cannot be defeated (as shown by John)

Blind conformity is a dangerous thing

Monogamy is important in a society filled with emotion and morals.

Emotion is essential for an individualistic and moral society.

If left unchecked, the power of captains of industry (such as Ford) could grow exponentially and dangerously.

Individuality is necessary to maintain our humanity.

The importance of Mother Nature and the natural world is essential to the overall scheme of life.

Life needs to be appreciated.

Science is not the most important aspect of human culture. Complexity in our emotions and ideas is what makes us human.

Relationships and true closeness are essential to make us human.

A lack of true knowledge (rather than trivial, empty information) leads to ignorance.

Choose four themes

Write a theme statement for each (of the

four you choose) and then list three specific

examples you could use from the novel to

illustrate or support that theme’s existence

and importance in the novel.

Write these on paper and turn in next class.

Here are a few samples…

The novel Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, presents a

society of futuristic humans who are unable to think freely or feel

true emotion, revealing that advancements in technology have the

potential to destruct humanity.

In the novel Brave New World, Aldous Huxley’s World State

asserts that in order to maintain stability, individuality must be

sacrificed; however, in several passages Huxley reveals that

stability is not important when considering the great losses that

come with the forfeiture of individual identity.

In Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World, Huxley repeatedly

emphasizes the importance of technology, ultimately revealing that

technological advances can easily be used to strictly control the

thoughts, actions, feelings, and lives of its people.

For next class…

• Write your theme statements (G1 will

work on this next week.)

• Figure out who you’ll work with for the

soma film and start planning, looking at

possible videos, etc.

• Start drafting the college app essay

• Blog #2 due by midnight tonight