AP Literature and Composition (AP Lit) is one of the many English courses offered at CHS. This class is open to grades 10-12 and focuses on analyzing different literary works, as well as completing two different multiple choice exams and six free response questions throughout the year. Students also learn how to effectively write about the texts they analyze by developing specific elements of essays, like the thesis and topic sentences. This is also learned through the two literary analysis essays written by the students in the first and second semester.

Rachel Hoffman, AP Lit student and junior, stated that she has so far enjoyed the course. At the moment, the class just finished their first novel of the second semester, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Hoffman says the course does other things than just reading novels,

“Currently in AP Lit we are preparing for our next FRQ and also analyzing short stories,” she said.

English Teacher Tony Dunham said that he believes that the novels that AP Lit students read are impactful, and he hopes his students take more out of the class than just writing and analytical skills,

“My hope is that with a class like this that (students) can learn how to analyze literature and also just appreciate it,” he said.

In the second semester, AP Literature is broken up into four different assessments. Three of these are FRQs, and the remaining one is the semester two multiple choice exam. A few weeks ago, students finished their first FRQ, and are currently preparing for their second FRQ. They are analyzing the short story The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

When asked what she thinks she’ll take the most out of this course, Hoffman says she has gained a lot. She also added that the course has for certain helped her grow as a writer along with many other things.

Hoffman said, “I know that the writing skills I’ve gained will help me in the future and in college, and it definitely made me appreciate different writing styles.”