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📚ap english literature review
Writing the Complete Literary Argument Essay
Verified for the 2025 AP English Literature exam•Citation:
In this final study guide, we'll synthesize all the components we've covered so far—understanding the prompt, developing a thesis, using evidence and commentary, and achieving sophistication—to create a complete Literary Argument essay. We'll examine the structure of a successful essay and provide a model response to our prompt about displacement in "The Great Gatsby."
AP Essay Structure Overview
A well-structured Literary Argument essay typically follows this format:
-
Introduction (1 paragraph)
- Context for the literary work
- Clear thesis statement about displacement and meaning
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Body Paragraphs (3-4 paragraphs)
- Focused topic sentences linked to thesis
- Specific textual evidence
- Detailed commentary connecting evidence to displacement and meaning
- Transitions between paragraphs and ideas
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Conclusion (1 paragraph)
- Restatement of thesis in fresh language
- Broader implications of your argument
- No new evidence
Time Management for the 40-Minute Essay
| Time | Task |
|---|---|
| 5-7 minutes | Read and analyze prompt, brainstorm, outline |
| 25-30 minutes | Write introduction and body paragraphs |
| 5-7 minutes | Write conclusion, review, and revise |
Example Prompt and Text
We will use the following prompt to map out and create our LIterary Argument essay with "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald:
In many works of literature, characters experience a sense of displacement when they find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings or situations. Often, this displacement leads to a revelation or transformation that illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole.
Either from your own reading or from the list below, choose a work of fiction in which a character experiences displacement. In a well-written essay, analyze how the character's experience with displacement contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
Model Essay Outline
Introduction: Introduces "The Great Gatsby," presents thesis about Gatsby's social displacement revealing the illusion of the American Dream, and establishes key manifestations of this displacement.
Body Paragraph 1: Analyzes Gatsby's mansion and parties as physical manifestations of his attempt to overcome social displacement.
Body Paragraph 2: Examines Gatsby's fabricated personal history and relationship with figures like Meyer Wolfsheim as evidence of his displacement between legitimate and criminal worlds.
Body Paragraph 3: Explores Gatsby's relationship with Daisy and the symbolism of the green light as representations of temporal displacement.
Body Paragraph 4: Contrasts Gatsby with Tom and Daisy Buchanan to highlight how old-money characters reinforce class boundaries that maintain Gatsby's displacement.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the analysis of Gatsby's displacement as a commentary on American society while acknowledging the complexity of Fitzgerald's vision.
Essay Structure and Examples
Here is an in-depth look at each part of the literary argument essay.
Introduction
Your introduction should accomplish three main goals:
- Introduce the literary work (author, title, brief context if relevant)
- Present your thesis about how displacement contributes to meaning
- Establish a roadmap for your argument (optional but helpful)
⭐ Sample Introduction:
"In F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby, characters navigate a society where belonging is determined by wealth, background, and geography. Jay Gatsby, a man who has reinvented himself to enter high society, experiences profound social displacement as he attempts to cross the invisible but impermeable boundary between 'new money' and the established elite. Through Gatsby's failed attempt to overcome his social origins and recapture his past with Daisy Buchanan, Fitzgerald demonstrates that the American Dream's promise of unlimited social mobility is ultimately an illusion in a society rigidly stratified by class distinctions. Gatsby's displacement—manifested through his lavish mansion, his carefully constructed persona, and his ultimate rejection by the old-money elite—reveals the hollow core of American materialism while simultaneously celebrating the human capacity for hope in the face of impossible odds."
💡 Introduction Analysis:
- Introduces author, title, and brief context about 1920s society
- Presents clear thesis about Gatsby's social displacement and its meaning
- Identifies specific manifestations of displacement to be analyzed
- Establishes complexity by acknowledging tension between critique and celebration
Body Paragraph Structure
Each body paragraph should follow this general structure:
- Topic sentence that connects to your thesis
- Context for your evidence (if needed)
- Textual evidence (quotation, paraphrase, or description)
- Commentary that analyzes how the evidence demonstrates displacement
- Connection to the work's meaning as a whole
- Transition to the next point
⭐ Sample Body Paragraph:
"Gatsby's mansion and elaborate parties serve as physical manifestations of his attempt to overcome social displacement through material excess. Fitzgerald describes Gatsby's home as 'a factual imitation of some Hôtel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy,' emphasizing both its grandeur and its artificiality. The description of the mansion as an 'imitation' with 'new' features barely concealed by a 'thin beard' of ivy parallels Gatsby himself—a newly wealthy man attempting to disguise his origins behind a façade of old-money traditions. His lavish parties, attended by 'men and girls [who] came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars,' represent desperate attempts to belong in Daisy's world. The comparison to 'moths' is particularly revealing, suggesting these social interactions are as insubstantial and fleeting as insects drawn to light. Most tellingly, Gatsby stands apart from his own spectacles, often disappearing during the festivities or watching from a distance, highlighting that these displays fail to resolve his displacement. Through these elaborate performances of wealth, Fitzgerald suggests that material excess alone cannot bridge genuine social divides in America, revealing the fundamental emptiness of equating the American Dream with mere consumption and display."
💡 Body Paragraph Analysis:
- Topic sentence connects to thesis about social displacement
- Evidence includes specific quotations with page numbers
- Commentary analyzes the significance of the mansion and parties
- Language examines literary devices (metaphor, symbolism)
- Connects back to broader meaning about American Dream and materialism
- Demonstrates sophistication through complex analysis of symbols
Effective Conclusion Strategies
Your conclusion should provide closure while emphasizing the significance of your argument:
- Restate your thesis in different words
- Synthesize your main points about displacement
- Extend your analysis to broader implications
- Avoid introducing new evidence or claims
⭐ Sample Conclusion:
"Fitzgerald's portrayal of Gatsby's displacement ultimately transcends its specific historical moment to offer a timeless meditation on American identity itself. Through Gatsby's tragic inability to overcome the barriers of class and time, Fitzgerald exposes the contradiction at the heart of American mythology: a society that simultaneously celebrates the self-made individual while maintaining rigid social hierarchies that prevent true mobility. Yet even while revealing the Dream's impossibility, Fitzgerald finds something noble in Gatsby's 'extraordinary gift for hope' and his refusal to abandon his vision. This tension between critique and admiration creates a richer commentary than mere cynicism, suggesting that the very illusions that destroy us might also represent what is most beautiful about human nature. In the green light that Gatsby watches from across the bay—forever distant yet eternally beckoning—Fitzgerald captures the essential displacement of all who continue to believe in possibilities beyond their reach."
💡 Conclusion Analysis:
- Restates thesis about displacement and American Dream in fresh language
- Synthesizes the analysis of social barriers with temporal displacement
- Addresses complexity by acknowledging the tension between critique and admiration
- Ends with a symbolic image from the novel that reinforces the theme of displacement
- Extends to broader implications about American identity and human nature
Scoring Your Essay Using the Rubric
As you review your own essay, evaluate it against each row of the AP Literature scoring rubric:
Row A: Thesis (0-1 points)
- Does your thesis present a defensible interpretation of how displacement contributes to the meaning of "The Great Gatsby"?
- Is your thesis more than a restatement of the prompt or summary of the plot?
Row B: Evidence and Commentary (0-4 points)
- Do you provide specific evidence relevant to your thesis?
- Does your commentary explain how the evidence supports your interpretation?
- Does your essay develop a line of reasoning connecting displacement to meaning?
Row C: Sophistication (0-1 points)
- Does your essay identify complexities or tensions within the text?
- Do you situate your interpretation in a broader context?
- Do you account for alternative interpretations?
- Is your writing style consistently vivid and persuasive?
Common Issues and How to Address Them
| Common Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Running out of time | Create a brief outline before writing to stay focused; allocate time per section |
| Too much plot summary | Ask yourself "So what?" after each piece of evidence to push toward analysis |
| Weak connection to meaning | Explicitly state how each example of displacement reveals something about the novel's broader themes |
| Generic commentary | Focus on specific literary devices and Fitzgerald's particular choices |
| Disorganized structure | Use clear topic sentences that connect back to your thesis |
| Simplistic thesis | Ensure your thesis addresses both displacement and meaning, with complexity if possible |
Final Essay-Writing Reminders
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Address the prompt directly - Always keep the focus on displacement and its contribution to meaning
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Support all claims with evidence - Don't make assertions about the text without backing them up
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Analyze, don't summarize - Explain how and why displacement functions, not just what happens
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Maintain focus on your argument - Every paragraph should advance your thesis
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Consider complexity - Acknowledge tensions and contradictions within the text
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Write clearly and precisely - Prioritize clarity over unnecessarily complex language
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Manage your time - Leave a few minutes for review and revision
By integrating all the elements we've covered—a defensible thesis, relevant evidence, insightful commentary, and sophisticated analysis—you'll be well-prepared to craft a high-scoring Literary Argument essay for the AP Literature exam. You got this! 🌟