Mastering Meaning: AP Literature & Composition
Students in Advanced Placement Literature & Composition (AP Literature) are asked to dive between the lines of literature, analyze classic and complex texts, advance their writing skills, and critically think about the employment of literary devices in texts analyzed throughout the year. In AP Literature, we journey like Odysseus navigating through a sea of symbolism and themes, facing challenges that push our analytical skills to their limits!
Our recent studies have included Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The titular protagonist is caught in a web of indecision, constantly questioning his next move. The play has influenced students such as Cole K, Whittall ‘25, as he echoes Hamlet’s timeless question, “To be or not to be, that is the question.” This famous line challenges us to question our existence, the nature of choice, and our place in the world - all themes deeply explored in AP Literature.
Due to the many interested individuals in the course, there are two different classes, one under the guidance of Ms Widenmaier in A block, and my class with Mr Ganley in E block. One of my E block classmates, Addison C, Allard ‘25, notes that Mr Ganley, “is not only a teacher, but also a preacher.” When it comes to literature, he does not just instruct, he inspires. Addison also emphasizes the passion he brings to each lesson. His approach goes beyond teaching the text; he challenges students to dig deeper, to find meaning within the layers, and to think critically about the world reflected in literature. Mr Ganley expresses his enjoyment in teaching the dedicated students of this challenging Advanced Placement course saying that he “Enjoys working with the AP Literature students who are willing to take on the most challenging texts in the Western canon.”
AP Literature becomes not just a subject, but a transformative experience, where the written word becomes a lens through which students see anew. Taking AP Literature not only allows students to earn university credit but also prepares them, by exploring a wide variety of literature, and teaching valuable writing skills.
Here is a poem I wrote summing up the prowess of AP literature:
In the world of words, we take our stand,
With books in hand, we travel land to land.
A journey deep through prose and rhyme,
Where metaphors pulse, in rhythm and time.
In every line, a lesson waits to be,
A world of truth revealed for those who see.
With passion, we pursue a profound prize,
In pages powerful, perceptions rise.
Like Hamlet’s doubt, we question fate’s design
In worlds we seek, and in them they align.
Grace S, Allard ‘25