AP English Literature and Composition is one of the least consistent parts of the Glenbard South curriculum. Despite offering a useful college credit, AP Lit runs for a single period every academic year, if at all. While plenty of other English electives like Senior Composition, Journalism, and Creative Writing compete for attention, not many offer the same benefits as the AP course, which leaves the question, why will no one take it?
There are a few especially deterrent misconceptions about the class that drive students away. AP Literature is typically taken in senior year, when most students are eager for a break, and apprehensive to register for another boring, useless class with a heavy course load. Of course, it makes sense to assume that the workload would be intense; after all, the class moves through several novels throughout the year, and the test is centered around fiction and poetry analysis. Erin Doyle sympathises with the student population, stating “They think it will be a lot of work and ruin their senior year”.
However, while the class is “intellectually rigorous” according to Doyle, nearly no work leaves the class period. The first semester is especially light, Doyle explains. “We read several plays first semester, and we read those together in class”. “Some of the reading is complex”, she says, and “to assign it as outside reading would be absurd – students would hate it. I’ve found that when we read it together, the text comes alive!” Essays and analysis take place in class, and on the rare occasion that a project has to be worked on at home, deadlines are made especially generous to make up for it. Doyle works with her students to create a timeline that does not interfere with other courses, and leaves room for scholarships and college applications.
Even without such an intense workload, a year of classical literature must be boring. Hamlet, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Iliad: all old, dusty books that could not possibly be fun to read, even if they were easy to. While the titles might seem dreary at first glance, Doyle promises a thrilling journey through the year. She states, “We start with the Greeks, which sounds boring even to me until I remember those plays are populated with depraved, violent, deceptive characters. We study Hamlet and Dante’s Inferno. The poet Dante envisions Hell as a funnel; the worst sinners end up in the lowest sections and suffer the worst punishments. It’s exceptionally visual so student projects can incorporate both analysis and art”. Despite the fact that most of the books read in the class might seem intimidating, students report not only handling it better than they expected to but enjoying the process as well. Simona Georgieva, a student in AP Literature, testifies, “The novels and plays we study are sometimes difficult to understand, but Ms. Doyle always encourages us to collaborate and work with others”. The discussions are loud, opinionated and surprisingly deep. Georgieva shares, “Everyone’s opinion is always respected and welcomed, which allows for livelier discussions than I’ve had in previous classes”. Doyle encourages her students to pick favorite characters, criticize authors and explore adjacent literature during the discussions. When people are given the freedom to form absurd opinions and debate the impact (or lack of impact) of the work on the world around them, the class suddenly becomes much more enjoyable and engaging for all.
Even if the class is easier and more fun than initially imagined, what is the lasting impact? Many students prefer to fill their schedules with classes they think will affect the next four years of their lives, if not the rest of it. While the class may appear only locally relevant, Doyle promises to leave a mark. The teacher explains that her goal is to turn out “literary gangsters” with “confidence in their ability to think deeply and discuss literature”. While specialized knowledge of the circles of hell as Dante envisioned it might not serve absolutely everyone in college, the ability to recognize and interpret themes and symbolism will. Georgeiva shares, “I’ve learned more than just literature; I’ve learned how to discuss with others and effectively share my opinion. I believe AP Lit would be beneficial for every student to take, no matter what they plan to do after graduation”. Doyle explains that she has even had students come back after graduation to learn with her. She recounts, “Two students I taught as sophomores a looooong time ago contacted me when they were maybe 32 years old. They didn’t take AP Literature as seniors, and as adults looking back, they felt they’d missed out by not reading Hamlet. They asked if I would teach them Hamlet now. So they came over to my house once a week for a while, and we studied Hamlet”.
AP Literature leaves students with lifelong memories and lessons, for less effort than most other classes at South. The silly, explorative atmosphere of the class is something even the least academically prone students enjoy and learn from. In the class, students learn to love art that they might not have ever engaged with otherwise; Doyle promises that students “will go forth knowing that the books and plays that have a reputation as ‘hard’ are not that difficult and even pretty fun to read”. The most important thing that a student can take away from high school is an idea offered readily by Ms. Doyle: that learning is fun, collaborative and never has to end.
