Pre-AP Essay for The Crucible
How and why does Arthur Miller create and sustain an atmosphere of hysteria in The Crucible? You may zone in on a particular scene (or scenes) to highlight, but be sure to address the tone/mood of the play as a whole, too. Incorporate analysis of specific aspects of craft (anything from characterization and symbolism to the style of stage directions), not just plot summary of the hysteria in Salem. Please remember to…
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compose a 5- or 6-paragraph double-spaced response that focuses on answering
what the prompt asks.
develop a clear thesis statement.
use evidence from the text (incorporate at least three properly quoted, analyzed
passages that illustrate ways, incidents, and/or reasons Miller conveys hysteria).
demonstrate strong analytical skills (do not simply summarize).
You will be submitting this to TurnItIn.com on or before 8 a.m. on Thursday, August 25,
2016. Please include your last name, period number, and “Crucible” in your document
name. (Example: Woods_6_Crucible.)
The wording in the rubric below reflects the description an exemplary essay:
Component
Exceeds
Expectations
Meets Expectations
Meets Some
Expectations
Demonstrates control
of mechanics;
is well-written (9)
Shows outstanding
insight into the
topic (6)
Is very well
organized; has distinct
progression of ideas (9)
Supports assertions with
appropriate examples and
follow-up analysis (14)
Remains focused
on all aspects of
the topic (3)
Presents a
unique, commanding
writer’s voice (9)
_____ / 50 TOTAL POINTS Why do I have to do this…?
On the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition Exam, students are given an open
free-response question and a list of possible works to choose in answering the question. This
particular prompt has been written with a specific work in mind, The Crucible*.
As an honors level, pre-AP student, your goals are to demonstrate the following:
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your ability to formulate and support an argument in response to this style of prompt
your skill in choosing and incorporating evidence from the assigned text
your insightful understanding of this work of literature from our syllabus
*Note that, on the actual AP exam, students are never restricted to a given work (or even to the suggested titles
the College Board lists), and they do not have access to any books or plays; all evidence must be from memory.
How do I submit this to TurnItIn.com? After logging into the turnitin.com website, please use the following codes to join the Honors English 11 (2016-­‐17) group: Enrollment ID = 12702891 Enrollment Password = summer Submit your essay in the appropriate assignment dropbox. Please be sure to confirm that it uploads.