AP LIT - here's what you need to know:

  • Homegoing

    by Yaa Gyasi Year Published:

    This contemporary novel follows the lineage of two African sisters: one who is sold into slavery, the other who marries a European slave trader. Their lives diverge drastically, yet the stories of their offspring are punctuated by a delicate line of familial connection. This is not an easy read, but it is an important one.

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  • The Bluest Eye

    by Toni Morrison Year Published:

    Pecola Breedlove is a little girl who wants nothing more than to be pretty, and in her small, sheltered perspective, that means having blonde hair and blue eyes. In Toni Morrison's first novel, she challenges our sense of beauty and breaks down the role that society plays in our perception. 

    **This is one of the books that has been in the news in the past year for being banned in several Missouri schools. CVPA proudly reads and responsibly analyzes this life-changing novel ;)

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  • One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

    by Ken Kesey Year Published:

    This novel explores the thematic ideas of power, control, and sanity. When a rabble-rousing new patient enters the orderly ward of the 1950s mental hospital, he pushes the other men to revolt against the status quo. The ensuing action begs the question: how do we judge who is crazy?

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  • Welcome back, Seniors!

    I love teaching freshmen, but AP Literature is the course that brings me the most joy. It is such a delight to have the school's top ELA scholars in one classroom, reading the same text, discussing literature and its impact on the collective group and the individual student. 

    One of the exciting things about this course is that it offers you dual enrollment - while you are earning high school English credit, you will also be earning 3 hours of college credit through the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Additionally, your score on the AP exam in May could potentially earn you an additional 3 hours of college credit.

    The books we read in this course are therefore college-level, and will consequently deal with controversial topics and scenarios, complex characters and captivating themes. It is my pleasure to learn alongside with you this year :)

    Happy reading,

    Miss Schuh