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Homework I have to finish at school and don't have a thumb drive. Thank you Writer's Cafe! ^^

Ap Literature   Pd.1

December, 27, 2011

Isabel’s Mum - 2002 AP Free Response Question

Prompt- In the following excerpt from a recent British novel, the narrator. a young man in his early twenties, is attending a play with his new girlfriend Isabel when she unexpectedly discovers that her parents are in the theatre. Read the passage carefully. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the author produces a comic effect.

Dating, Coincidence, and Parental Quirks- These elements combine to create a young lover’s nightmare. In the text, the protagonist finds himself in a similar situation; while the young man attends a play, his new girlfriend, Isabel, discovers that her parents are present in the same venue. HIlarity ensues as the author, through the use of irony, exaggerated dialogue, and evocative tone, illustrates such a situation, producing a comic effect, and an amusingly relatable experience for the reader to enjoy.

The text opens with Isabel coming to the realization that her mother is present in the theatre. Isabel states that her parents were unaware she had tickets to see the play, for which she had expressed a desire to see. She observes her parents, whose actions seem repetitive to the point of predictability, as she envisions the events to come later in the evening. Isabel’s commentary illustrates the comic atmosphere through the use of such phrases as, “ What’s that dress? It looks like a willow tree.” and “Where’s Dad? I hope she didn’t come with one of her gentlemen friends. She’s really to old for that.” that Isabel is anxious through the amount of questions she asks, as she begins to panic. We observe One cannot help but laugh at such an awkward, yet relatable moment. The author’s comic tone draws on past experience of the reader, as everyone has once experienced such interactions and occasions with parents. The irony of the situation is that of all nights to go, the parents chose to attend the play the exact same night as Isabel, and as fate would have it, they would encounter one another. The fact that Isabel would run into her parents while on a date, with the added effect of her reaction, provides the reader with a  comedic impression.

As luck would have it, Isabel’s father, Christopher Rogers, notices Isabel in the theatre.  As Isabel attempts to ignore her father and pretend she had not noticed him, he stands among the elegantly dressed audience and begins waving maniacally, “making the vigorous hand gestures of a man waving off a departing cruise ship.” To add to the humiliation, Isabel’s mother is informed of her whereabouts and proceeds to shout Isabel’s name, as if beckoning a long-lost friend. The play begins, much to Isabel’s relief, and as the parents take their seat, they point to an exit sign, signaling it as a rendezvous point for after the show. The humor in this portion of the excerpt primarily comes from the actions of Isabel’s parents. From the deranged waving of her father to the obnoxious calls of her mother, the author paints an uncomfortable scene for Isabel, but a hilarious one for the reader. To add to the hilarity, of course, is the irony in the fact that her parents did spot her, despite her efforts to be unseen, as well as the reaction Isabel has to such actions. She turns to her boyfriend and asks, “Please let them shut up”, in a panicky tone, stressing the embarrassment for the young women. The reader, once again, find humor in the familiarity of such a situation, and cannot help but laugh at imagining such a spectacle.

After the production concludes, the two couples meet. As Isabel converses with her parents, we, as the readers, are introduced to her parents many eccentricities, adding to the humor. Isabel’s mother comments on her dress and then adds, “Well, it’s very nice, pity you don’t have the cleavage for it,” further embarrassing her daughter. Her father remains distant, focused on the light fixtures, then commenting on their origin, his irrelevancy adding to the humor as well. Her mother then shifts the the boyfriend and states, “She’s a lovely girl, really, in case my theatre companion had inspired doubts to the contrary.” The conversation ends with the father stating, “Don’t mind her bean, she’s had a hard day.” Much of the humor from this portion of the excerpt comes from the dialogue, from the incessant insults of her mother to the irrelevance and peculiarity of her father’s contributions to the conversation. Through such dialog, the author illustrates an aura of discomfort for Isabel, as we further begin to understand her parents quirks. As we observe such an event, we can only imagine the thoughts the boyfriend must be experiencing, which adds to the hysteria.

In the excerpt, the author utilizes tone, dialog and exaggeration in order to depict a situation in which a date goes all but well. It is with these elements that the author creates a comic effect, producing an enjoyable experience for all readers who can relate to the couple.

Ap Literature   Pd.1

January, 5, 2011

The Other Paris - 2003 AP Free Response Question

Prompt- The following passage is an excerpt from “The Other Paris,” a short story by the Canadian writer Mavis Gallant. Read the passage carefully. Then, in a well-written essay, explain how the author uses narrative voice and characterization to provide social commentary. 

voice draws on vivid imagery, cliches, 

The text opens by introducing us to the protagonist, Carol, and describing her preconceived ideas concerning love. This belief is one of cliches: the Eiffel Tower, Acacias in flower, and moonlight paint the backdrop for such a fantasy. However, when the time comes, she is proposed to over lunch, Tuna to be exact, by Howard Mitchell, who has only known her for three weeks. Carol, under the illusion that she may have no other chance for marriage, immediately responds, and accept the proposal. The author focuses first on Carol’s cliche romance, and the describes the actual proposal to create a sense of surprise, using such small details as, “over a tuna fish salad” to enhance the lack of true romance and the magnitude of Carol’s shock. The author also uses this moment to elaborate how little the two know each other. The fact that Howard proposes after only knowing Carol for 3 weeks suggests that he is proposing due to a sense of obligation, not true love; the same goes for Carol as she accepts his offer.  The author, through employing such aspects of narrative voice, provides that marriage no longer has value. Marriage is no longer as sacred. The social commentary given by Gallant is that marriage is no longer built upon the values of love and sacrifice, but a sense of obligation and necessity.

The passage continues by stating that Carol was not concerned with the lack of love in such a relationship. She had learned in college that common interest was the basis for happiness and that love was just an illusion conceived by media responsible for a high divorce rate. Carol, it seems, begins to bargain with herself, listing commonalities between the two “lovers.” There is no reason for the engagement or marriage to fail. Carol decides that after marriage, she will truly fall in love with Howard and the relationship will flourish. The author’s diction in this portion of the excerpt (voice) aids in expanding upon the relationships lack of meaning. Gallant states, “Carol...set about the business of falling in love.” The word business implies that to Carol, falling in love and getting married are nothing more than a chore, something that has to be done. Carol assumes that through taking care of the marriage meticulously, like a geranium, everything will be fine. Carol, in the excerpt, is characterized as foolish and blind, as it is absurd that one would have to take classes to fall in love and get married. Gallant provides  us insight, giving social commentary that marriage has lost its value as people continue to marry due to external pressures, such as money and security, rather than love.

Howard, however, has no notion for love at all