Open Response Question from the 2007 Form B AP English Literature Exam:
Works of literature often depict acts of betrayal. Friends and even family may betray a protagonist; main characters may likewise be guilty or may betray their own values. Select a novel or play that includes such acts of betrayal. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the nature of the betrayal and show how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
Example Thesis:
In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s betrayal of Hamlet emphasizes how greed corrupts friendship. This corruption of relationships creates a disparity between how people appear and how people really are.
Works of literature often depict acts of betrayal. Friends and even family may betray a protagonist; main characters may likewise be guilty or may betray their own values. Select a novel or play that includes such acts of betrayal. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the nature of the betrayal and show how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
Example Thesis:
In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s betrayal of Hamlet emphasizes how greed corrupts friendship. This corruption of relationships creates a disparity between how people appear and how people really are.
Open Response Question from the 2012 AP English Literature Exam:
“And, after all, our surroundings influence our lives and characters as much as fate, destiny or any supernatural agency.”
— Pauline Hopkins, Contending Forces
Choose a novel or play in which cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. (From the 2012 AP Lit Exam)
Example Thesis:
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet’s status as a prince of Denmark defines his actions and feelings regarding the death of his father and the ghost’s command; as the son of a warrior king, he feels like he is destined to avenge his father, and he fights his destiny throughout the play in a constant battle between fate and freewill.
“And, after all, our surroundings influence our lives and characters as much as fate, destiny or any supernatural agency.”
— Pauline Hopkins, Contending Forces
Choose a novel or play in which cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. (From the 2012 AP Lit Exam)
Example Thesis:
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet’s status as a prince of Denmark defines his actions and feelings regarding the death of his father and the ghost’s command; as the son of a warrior king, he feels like he is destined to avenge his father, and he fights his destiny throughout the play in a constant battle between fate and freewill.