1. Writing for AP Lit Do: Write in present tense Use PEA format Answer the prompt Prewrite with outline Use specific examples

2. Do NOT Use “I” or “You” pronouns Use past tense verbs Guess what MIGHT have happened IF… Provide hypothetical situations Talk about yourself…how something similar happened to you or how you would feel if this happened to you.

3. Compare and contrast your passage, novel, or poem to another unless directed by the prompt. Feel the need for a long intro or concl.

4. More DO: Take all your directions from the prompt. Develop your thesis, and keep it ONE sentence. Use words like “shows,” “demonstrates,” “indicates” to show/demonstrate or indicate your ANALYSIS

5. Outlining the PEA Way Thesis: subject + opinion+ why Each body paragraph must contain your opinion, evidence, and WHY or HOW analysis. ANALYSIS answers the reader’s questions of, “so what?” “why is this significant?” “how?”

6. Examples: Meursault is influenced by the surrounding heat, which influences his actions and demonstrates the meaninglessness of life. I.Heat/actions A. Funeral 1. sleepy 2. dozes off 3. shows how he has no concern for his mother/death meaningless

7. B. Beach 1. Sun is in eyes 2. Surroundings-heat-surreal 3. Shoots Arab 5x 4. Does not care about others’ lives 5. Seals his fate/jail

8. C. Courtroom 1. Focuses on heat 2. Pays no attention to lawyers/surreal scene 3. Realizes too late what prosecutor does to him 4. Accepts conviction/has had a good life 5. Gives his “new” life meaning II. Meaninglessness of life A. Meursault 1. Enjoys his life a. Washing hands b. Marie c. Food 2. Believes in nothing 3. Shows Absurdist idea of nothing matters B. Society 1. Does not understand Meursault 2. Inflicts its meaning of life on others

9. 3. Religion a. Forces religious belief on others b. Fear c. Crutch to make meaning out of life 4. Does not accept outsiders 5. Destroys what it doesn’t understand a. In the end, nothing matters b. Life continues for those left c. Life after death?