QUESTION 3 (OPEN-ENDED QUESTION FOR WHICH
YOU WILL CHOOSE A NOVEL OR PLAY)
You must choose a work that fits the question. Choose carefully. Your best choice will probably
come from the list of works provided. They are there for a reason—they are all examples of a book
or play that fits the question.
The list of works given for question three is not meant to constrain you and you may choose any other
work of equal literary merit. Be very careful in your choice. You will seriously jeopardize your
chance of earning a high score if AP readers think the book is not quality literature.
Do not think that AP readers are unfamiliar with a text you choose. There are hundreds of readers
and even if you choose something you think is obscure, someone will be familiar with it.
Do not use the movie version of a text. You have to read the book (play). If it is clear that you’re
referring to the movie version, you’ll lose points.
You need to be familiar with details of plot and character. You need to know who’s who and their
relationships to one another.
You will be expected to provide specific details from the text. While it is not fair to expect direct
quotations, it is fair to expect specific references. Use the graphic organizer in Chapter 4 to record
details of plot, character, theme and more for five to seven texts that you know very well. While you
won’t be able to use these self-made guides on the exam, the act of creating them will help you store
what you need to know in your long-term memory.
A plot summary is not an argument—if you write a summary, you’re going to get a very low score.
