Jane's AP Lang Blog

  Prompt Response:  For me, it was easier to identify the rhetorical devices from their definitions. The definitions of the rhetorical devices was what I mainly studied so being able to identify them was easier for me. While studying, I also came up with an example for each rhetorical device to help me remember the definition. This part of my studying helped me when I had to read passages and then identify what type of rhetorical device was used. Sometimes it was hard to know which rhetorical device was being used because I think I misinterpreted one or two. Overall, I think I did pretty well on this test and I would be surprised if I got lower than an A. Summary: Today in class we took a rhetorical device test. Reflection: I felt good about this test. Additionally, the activity we did yesterday helped prepare me.

  Prompt Response:  One song that motivated me in 8th grade was Survivor by Destiny's Child. This song uses repetition to make an impact. It is also an upbeat song about being strong. One rhetorical device used in Martin Luther King Jr. I Have A Dream speech is antithesis. The song survivor also includes some antithesis' such as " You thought that I'd be stressed without you, but I'm chillin' You thought I wouldn't sell without you, sold nine million." Summary: Today in class we went over the I Have A Dream speech and analysed for rhetorical devices. Reflection: It was nice to have a chance to find rhetorical devices in a real passage. Doing so made it helpful to remember which ones are which.

  Prompt Response:  I pulled off a Jordan game six moment in bowling last weekend and got the win. I chose this moment because it was recently and something that came to mind when I read this prompt. I chose this reference because I grew up in a home watching basketball and my dad talking about Michael Jordan's greatness. All three of my brothers also play basketball and so I hear a lot about past and current events that take place in that sport. Overall I thought my bowling experience related to Michael Jordans game six moment because no one thought I was going to win the bowling game, however I pulled through, just like Jordan. Summary: Today in class we took notes on rhetorical analysis. Reflection: Taking these notes was helpful for me because I had forgotten a few of the things we wrote down. It was also interesting to compare positive, neutral, and negative connotations.

  Prompt Response:  I run a pet sitting business and sometimes my brother comes to jobs for fun. When I was younger he would come to the jobs so much that my parents started telling him that they would pay him from the money I earned for going to the jobs with me. I told my parents that it wasn't fair because he chose to tag along and didn't do any work. They then told me that it was nice of him to keep me company. We finally came to the conclusion that unless he was actually working at the jobs and I was willing to pay him for it because I wanted the help then he could get paid. But, if he just wanted to come for fun, he was not going to get paid. Summary: Today in class we learned about more rhetorical devices. Reflection: Writing a simile and having to use the word so to compare the two things was challenging at first. However, I eventually got the hang of it and was able to complete the exercises.

  Prompt Response:   I have worried about what others have thought of me before but I try not to and I am getting better at doing so. When I do occasionally worry, I tend to overthink whatever I am doing, and perform whatever task worse than I would have done if I wasn't worrying about what other people thought. Last year when I had to present my IMP in AP Seminar in front of the whole class, I was scared that not only my teacher was going to judge me, but that everyone else in my class was going to as well. Before presenting I talked some sense into myself and realized that everyone else was probably just as nervous and the only opinion about my IMP that mattered was college boards. After all, why let a few classmates ruin months of hard work? It simply wasn't worth the stress. Summary: In class we learned about and did exercises on hyphoras, rhetorical questions, and procatalepsis. Reflection: It was interesting to learn about these different types of questioning rhetor...

  Prompt Response:  I disagree with this antithesis. I disagree with it because in my own personal experience, I find it much easier to connect with other in person, and since its easier for me to do so in person, that's how I choose to connect with people most of the time. When trying to connect with someone online, it can be hard to understand various things such as their tone and what they really mean when they say something. When connecting with people in person, it is easier to avoid this confusion. It's also easier for me to learn to trust someone I meet in person than someone online. All in all, while the digital world offers a fast way to connect with people, but a less meaningful way in doing so, in person interactions require a more slow approach, with a more substantial outcome.  Summary: Today in class we learned how to write and identify an antithesis. Reflection: I think the hardest type of rhetorical device to write on my own was the understatement. Th...

  Prompt Response:  Me and my younger sister share a room and when we were little, I always felt like she would leave her stuff all over the floor. When my parents would ask us to clean our room, I would tell them that none of it was my stuff. Something I was say a lot that was exaggerated was, "You never pick up any of your clothes off the floor and it always looks like a pig sty in here and it's never my fault." Later on in life we ended up switching roles. Now shes better at cleaning her things up and I'm not as much anymore. Summary: Today in class we learned about hyperboles and understatements. Reflection: It was helpful to do exercises on the different types of rhetorical devices. Some of the hyperboles were hard to come up with but I finally found one for each category.