Yes, satire can be tough to analyze! Let's take a look at a previous AP Language and Composition Exam prompt which challenged the test-takers to do exactly that:
• Review Question 2 from the 2005 AP Language and Composition Exam. (https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/apc/_ap05_frq_englishlang_45428.pdf)
You may wish to print out the question and annotate it as you read. Consider how you might approach this question were you to receive it on the exam.
• Finally, review the student responses. (https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/apc/ap_englangcomp_apcent_47314.pdf)
• And the scoring commentary. (Below the assignment)
Your Assignment
Respond to the following questions after you have read the student responses and the scoring commentary:
- What elements of satire did you notice the first time you read the article?
- What rhetorical strategies contribute to the satire? How are they effectively used?
- What are the key differences between student response 2A and student response 2B?
- Explain the score received by the writer of student response 2C. Where do you think this writer might have missed an opportunity to craft a much stronger essay? Where are the opportunities for improvement?
- Based on your evaluation of the question, responses, and scoring commentary, what advice would you give to your classmates for approaching a question that requires an insightful analysis of satire?