One-page, printable cheatsheet
Table of Contents
📚ap english literature review
Understanding the Prose Fiction Analysis Essay
Verified for the 2025 AP English Literature exam•Citation:
The Prose Fiction Analysis is Question 2 on the AP Literature and Composition exam. This essay requires you to:
- Analyze how an author uses literary elements and techniques to develop meaning
- Provide a defensible interpretation supported by evidence
- Explain how specific details contribute to the overall meaning of the text
Breaking Down the Assignment
Let's examine our sample prompt:
Prompt: Read the following excerpt from Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story "The Yellow Wallpaper" (1892).
"It is very seldom that mere ordinary people like John and myself secure ancestral halls for the summer.
A colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, I would say a haunted house, and reach the height of romantic felicity—but that would be asking too much of fate!
Still I will proudly declare that there is something queer about it.
Else, why should it be let so cheaply? And why have stood so long untenanted?
John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage.
John is practical in the extreme. He has no patience with faith, an intense horror of superstition, and he scoffs openly at any talk of things not to be felt and seen and put down in figures.
John is a physician, and perhaps—(I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind)—perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster.
You see, he does not believe I am sick!
And what can one do?"
In a well-written essay, analyze how Gilman uses literary elements and techniques to reveal the narrator's complex relationship with her surroundings and circumstances.
This prompt has two key components:
- Context: Information about the text (author, title, date)
- Task: The analytical focus (examining literary elements that reveal the narrator's relationship to her environment)
Understanding the Scoring Rubric
The AP rubric evaluates your essay in three areas:
Row A: Thesis (0-1 points)
- Must present a defensible interpretation addressing the prompt
- Should establish your analytical focus, not just restate the prompt
Row B: Evidence & Commentary (0-4 points)
- Requires specific, relevant evidence from the text
- Commentary must explain how evidence supports your thesis
- Higher scores require consistent analysis of multiple literary elements
Row C: Sophistication (0-1 points)
- Demonstrates complex understanding and literary analysis
- May explore tensions/complexities, situate interpretation in context, or address alternative readings
Approaching the Text: Sample Annotation
Let's annotate our excerpt to identify key elements:
"It is very seldom that mere ordinary people like John and myself secure ancestral halls for the summer."
- Tone: Ironic contrast between "mere ordinary" and "ancestral halls"
- Narrator: First-person perspective established
"A colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, I would say a haunted house, and reach the height of romantic felicity—but that would be asking too much of fate!"
- Diction: Progression from neutral "mansion" to loaded "haunted"
- Punctuation: Dash and exclamation emphasize emotional shift
"John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage."
- Characterization: Reveals power dynamic in marriage
- Tone: Resignation ("of course" and "one expects")
"John is a physician, and perhaps—(I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind)—perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster."
- Structure: Parenthetical aside reveals concealed thoughts
- Juxtaposition: "living soul" vs. "dead paper"
- Symbolism: Writing as "relief" and escape
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- 🙅 Plot Summary: Simply retelling what happens instead of analyzing how it's written
- 🙅 Vague Claims: Making general statements about "effective word choice" without specific analysis
- 🙅 Listing Techniques: Identifying devices without explaining their significance
- 🙅 Ignoring the Prompt: Analyzing elements not related to the narrator's relationship with her surroundings
- 🙅 Single-Paragraph Response: Not developing a full, organized essay
Next Steps
In our next study guide, you'll learn how to develop a strong thesis statement that addresses the prompt and presents a defensible interpretation of "The Yellow Wallpaper" excerpt. We'll examine what makes a thesis successful and provide examples of both effective and ineffective thesis statements.