AP Lit
Your Assignment
Write a free-response essay addressing the following question:
In the novel Jane Eyre, Jane faces a struggle between conscience and passion throughout the final section. Considering the last few chapters of the novel, does conscience or passion win? How does her fight between conscience and passion contribute to the novel as a whole? Write a well-organized essay in which you answer these questions, supporting your thesis with evidence from the novel.
What You Turn In
Your essay should be approximately one to two pages in length. Use one-inch margins and a 12-point font.
The first paragraph should contain a thesis statement in which you clearly present the argument you want to make in your essay.
Each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence in which you clearly state the argument for that paragraph.
Be sure to support your arguments with brief, relevant examples. Each body paragraph should include at least three pieces of supporting evidence and should be clearly linked together with intelligent commentary.
When using direct quotations from the text, document your citation using standard conventions (for example, use line numbers when quoting poems, act and scene numbers for drama, and page numbers for fiction).
Hints and Tips
Be sure you understand the question before you start writing. Free response essay questions asking “how it contributes to the novel as a whole” or “how it adds value to the work” are asking you to relate the other element(s) of the question to a theme from the novel. You’ll need to decide what that overall theme is before you address that portion of the question.
You may find it helpful to use prewriting strategies, such as brainstorming, before writing your essay. Prewriting strategies will help you identify your thesis statement and each of your paragraph topics, as well as the evidence you want to use.
Proofread your essay for errors in grammar and usage.
Be sure to prioritize your arguments.
