*As I Lay Dying* Literary Analysis Prompt and Rubric

As I Lay Dying Literary Analysis Essay

In a well-organized essay explain how William Faulkner uses literary techniques to convey the existential dilemmas experienced by members of the Bundren family. Also, how do the literary techniques and the existential dilemmas they convey contribute to the meaning and effect of the novel as a whole?

Note #1:

An existential dilemma might be defined as an internal crisis in which one’s own identity, one’s relationship to one’s family and surroundings, and the very nature of existence—the nature of being--are problematic.

Note #2:

Among the literary techniques one might consider are narrative perspective (point of view), style (stream of consciousness and literary lyricism for example), diction, syntax, tone, imagery (symbolic motifs for example), selection of detail (indirect and direct characterization for example), and the juxtaposition of techniques (perspectives, styles, dictions, syntaxes, images, etc.)

Focus on how Faulkner uses the techniques to convey the existential dilemmas (the crises of identity within the characters). Focus on the particularity of the language and its relationship to the novel’s meaning.

AP English Language and Composition 9-point Rubric

for As I Lay Dying Literary Technique Analysis

Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for 8 papers and, in addition, are especially full, apt, sophisticated, insightful, original in their analysis or demonstrate particularly impressive control of language.

Essays earning a score of 8 convincingly and persuasively respond to the prompt. They refer to apt passages text explicitly and implicitly to explain how specific techniques convey the existential crises and contribute to meaning and effect of the novel as a whole. Their prose demonstrates an ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing (balance between insightful generalities and supporting details, transition between thoughts, smooth incorporation of quotations and detail, command of syntax and diction) but is not flawless.

Essays earning a score of 7 fit the description of 6 essays but provide a more complete analysis or demonstrate a more mature prose style (see above).

Essays earning a score of 6 adequately respond to the prompt. They convey plausible analysis of the techniques through explicit and implicit references to apt passages in the text, but their discussion is more limited, less convincing. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear.

Essays earning a score of 5 analyze the literary techniques, but they may provide uneven, inconsistent, inaccurate analysis. They may also choose less appropriate passages for support. They may treat the prompt in a superficial way or demonstrate a limited understanding of the prompt. (This might manifest itself in superficial or limited understanding of the techniques and/or the existential dilemmas.) While the writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, it usually conveys ideas adequately.

Essays earning a score of 4 respond to the prompt inadequately. They may misrepresent the novel’s meaning and effect, show significant or persistent misunderstanding of the passages cited and the characters’ dilemmas, analyze the techniques inaccurately, or offer little discussion of specific techniques. The prose generally conveys the writer's ideas but may suggest immature control of writing.

Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria of the score of 4 but are less perceptive about the prompt or less consistent in controlling the elements of writing.

Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in responding to the prompt. These essays may offer vague generalizations, substitute simpler tasks such as summarizing parts of the novel, offering unsupported generalizations about the characters dilemmas, omitting analysis of specific techniques, or simply listing techniques. The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing.

Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in discussion, or weak in their control of language.

Indicates an on-topic response that receives no credit such as one that merely repeats the prompt or one that is completely off topic.