So, tomorrow is my first AP test of the year (of two) and instead of studying, I am here, typing out this long drawn out thing about my nerves and fears for this AP test... and what I am going to do to study...
For AP Literature, we read at least 10 books/plays over the school year, and I have to be prepared to talk about one of them... So, in this post I am going to use it as a study guide, where I write the name of the book... and everything I remember about the book (Spoilery or not...)
I really should have done this before the night before the test... SOMEONE HIT ME OVER THE HEAD!
Some of this will definitely be super informal... other more formal... it depends on whether I liked the book or not.. and other such things... I HOPE YOU ENJOY.
1. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
I liked this book a lot more than most of the books we read over the course of the year...
The book follows four sets of mothers and daughters...
Jing Mei Woo and her mother... (what's her name?)
Lena St. Clair and Ying Ying St Clair...
Waverly Jong and Lindo Jong
Rose and An Mei
Basically, the novel really shows the differences between different upbringings... because the mothers were raised in China and the daughters were raised in America. The cultural differences play the utmost important role in the novel.
You have the chapter "Best Quality" in which Jing-Mei (June) 's mother and her go out to buy crabs for Chinese New Year and end up buying one that's leg had fallen off... this is bad luck... At dinner that night there was two crab legs left, one for June and one for her mother... and she offers to take the bad leg, so her mom doesn't have to and her mom SCOLDS her because of it. I loved the scene, and wrote an essay in class using it as well. INSERT QUOTE HERE.
Another important scene involves when Waverly and June are learning piano... Waverly was quickly better than June (I believe... ) and this created a rivalry between the two and stuff.
My head hurts... I know a little more than this..
2. Hamlet by Shakespeare
OMG THERE IS SO MUCH TO SAY. I LOVED HAMLET. IT IS MY FAVORITE.
Okay, so basically... Hamlet is the Great Dane... and lots of stuff happens.. and yeah..
JUST KIDDING.
Okay, so Hamlet can be called crazy... and many people would argue he is.. and many would argue he isn't...
I remember a bunch of vague details.. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are spies for Claudius...
The play begins after Hamlet's father dies... and a Ghost appears to Hamlet, and the lovely Horatio... warning that Claudius is the one that killed his father... and Hamlet has three choices he can make...
1. Do nothing.
2. Kill Claudius
3. Kill Himself
This is Shakespeare y'all, I WONDER WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO?!?
Kill Claudius!
What's his name, Poly... is killed by Hamlet while talking to Gertrude in her room... There is psychological stuff from Freudian Theory... and Oedipal Complex stuff..
Everyone dies at the end... Gertrude by drinking poisoned wine... perhaps the funniest death possible... Claudius dies... Hamlet dies by sword from being stabbed by that one dude... Uhh.. L?
Lots of comments on Hamlet's sanity.
I'm tired... and it's only 6:45pm... GAH
3. Oedipus by Sophocles
Basically I will not be using this on the AP test... unless I have to... I mean.. You have an Oedipal Complex... and a bunch of other stuff I am waaaaay too lazy to talk about right now.
4. Antigone by Sophocles
Definitely not using. I remember nothing. Wasn't there a scene where like 3 people die in a cave?
5. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
I did NOT enjoy this book. And I feel guilty about it. The novel follows Janie Starks as she discovers herself through three marriages... Logan Killicks, Jody, and Tea Cake... Tea Cake was her final husband, he died because a dog bit him that had rabies and then she shot him and killed him.
Logan Killicks was a pragmatic SOB and Janie only married him to appease Nanny's wishes. Nanny once told her "Da nigger woman is da mule of dah world as far as Ah can see"
The one dude has a mule, and there are vultures, the mule is treated horribly... as are black people often. A good example being when they are burying the dead... and the lead guy is told that they need to bury the white people in a coffin and the black people just straight into the ground.
Janie is passable as a white woman, and she didn't realize she was black until she saw herself in a mirror.
There is this tree that my teacher told us was all about masturbation and sex, and I frankly think it's bullshit... But if it gets me a 4 on the AP Exam, that's fine with me.
There are lots of things to say... OH EATONVILLE is important because it represents more than just the place itself.
6. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
It's been so long since I read this one... Chief Bromden... McMurphy... lots of symbols and themes... Green Smoke... Pecking Party... Control Panel... and stuff...
7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (At least, I read this one)
I LOVE this book. That's all I really need to say.
8. Obasan by Joy Kagawa (We had choices, I read this!)
HA, I remember nothing.
Independent Novels:
1. The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
I could talk about Pat, Tiffany, and Dr. Patil for hours. Easily. Just finished this book.
2. The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night Time by Mark Haddon
Very interesting outlook on Asperger's. I'm not going into detail, cause I know what I need to know...
This post is a mess of my limited notes... I am crying because of it...
Wish me luck for tomorrow... An AP test... and a Scholarship interview! D:
I'm terrified...
Any of you taking an AP class? Is it making you want to die? Let me know what you do to study! :)
Love y'all
Cody @ Roecker Reviews
You're going to do great! Good luck!
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