Carlos' Tutorial

Carlos put together a tutorial for tackling the open ended question (specifically the 1970 prompt). Check it out and feel free to send me similar types of writing help for your classmates.


1970. Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write
an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in
which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds
to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the



Today, I’ll be telling you how to think up a brainstorm for a prompt that could be older than your parents. How fun….
Possible 1st instinct: brainstorm! WRONG! Instinct is good for tests, but for good writing,
DISCIPLINE must be used as well. first thing to do is messing around with the prompt! Words
to highlight for this prompt: CHARACTER, DESCRIBE, and HOW. To be more specific, and
less confusing if you keep looking at the prompt for guidance like me, is to just paraphrase the
prompt like a sonnet. For beginners (meaning me, the amateur blogger) we’ll just tackle the
big thing and reword what the prompt wants in a simple sentence: “Choose a novel or play that
you can remember with detail, DESCRIBE the societal norms (meaning stuff like manners and
what’s normal behavior for those of you outside psychology) of the SETTING in the work, and
HOW the CHARACTER of the work reacts (look for words that minimize space, like “react”
instead of “affected by and responds”) to that society/setting. The great part is, do this right, and
you’ve pretty much made up your thesis (or at least its sweet, sweet tootsie pop shell); you’ll
have even reworded it so you can’t get dinged for repetition of the prompt!

Now for the real fun of preparing for the fun that is writing an AP essay: pulling a Jimmy
Neutron and figuring out how to construct your essay. Now, I know I said Jimmy Neutron earlier
as an allusion, but in reality, that’s NOT what you want to do. No SANE scientist discovered
how to avert another ice age by thinking about his friend Carl. What you need to do is some
ascetic (yeppers, I went there) LINEAR thinking. Focus on this and this only: “what can I use
that will not only answer this prompt, but also build upon it?” This will probably not only get
you a 9 on your essay, but encourage your teacher to gloat about teaching you to their next AP
class. First in the check-off list? Pick a book; and I know your 1st instinct is go straight into your
most recent book, like this grading period’s The Namesake, but discipline will always temper
your 1st instinct to not only listen to your gut feeling, but your mind’s wisdom. “The Importance
of Being Earnest” is easier; The Namesake focuses on Gogol’s reactions well, but never really
speaks on what is NORMAL in society outside Gogol’s biased opinion. Next you go chunk style
(no need to worry, this is less important when actually WRITING the essay), and get some CDs.
Straight off the top of my head, I think of Victorian Society, Lady Bracknell, and marriage.

Those three things alone could write a whole essay. Analysis is up to your own opinion (at least
until I get some authority) so for now, just try to think about what it all means in the back of your
head. Now, for someone who wants to use MY essay structure, analyzing the setting/society
would take up one body paragraph and the next would be the character’s reaction. Of the top of
my head: Jack, Gwendolyn, and “bunburying”. That’s enough building blocks for a second essay
as well! Last but not least of this condensed process, come up with a thesis. Remember, if you
paraphrased the prompt already, just use that and plug in the answer (now I’m tutoring algebra as
well). Something like this: In the play “The Importance of Being Earnest”, the main character
Jack is becomes caught up in a web of mild subversion against Victorian Society etiquette. I
typed all of that in ten seconds. Improve as you write your essay. And to be honest, I came up
with all of this long before I finished typing it up; but don’t rush. Think linear and efficiently,
and you’ll finish with loads of time, trust me. Remember: DISCIPLINE. I preach what I cannot
practice; based one the proverb, this puts me in the right.
So, you’ve seen a modern brainstorm for a 40-year old essay prompt. Does it still look so
tough? Just stay calm, and keep a steady pace. Breathe, friends, relieving that stress leaves more
energy for your writing. And hey, if you like this, comment on it.