Top three assigned reads Senior Cindy Wang looks back on favorite reading assignments from high school CINDY WANG staff writer
“Politics and the English Language,” George Orwell A very fitting start to a class entitled “AP English Language,” George Orwell’s essay on the collapse of the English language felt groundbreaking. The essay revealed that writing I had once thought was sophisticated and mature-looking was actually much more convoluted and imprecise than it should have been. I’d once strived to complicate my sentences, thinking that more pretty words, phrases and syllables would prove my worth as a writer. However, by pointing out the prevalence and weaknesses of overused metaphors, words clearly taken from the thesaurus and phrases instead of single words, Orwell’s essay transformed how I approach and view literature of all forms. AP English Language
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“Nickel and Dimed,” Barbara Ehrenreich In her extended report, Barbara Ehrenreich chooses to leave her financially stable life as a successful writer to investigate whether or not people can truly make a living on minimum wage. What appeared to be an unnecessarily long and detailed report turned out to be one of the most fascinating reads of my years in high school. After following Ehrenreich through her ups and downs as she worked for restaurants, assisted-living facilities and cleaning-lady companies, I developed a new, poignant and informative perspective. There was so much about the world around me and our society that I’d made assumptions about and never questioned until I read “Nickel and Dimed.” AP English Language “The Iliad,” Homer Poor Hector. Although I read “The Iliad” back in freshman year, I will always remember the travesty in that one scene when Achilles acts like a jerk and drags Hector’s body in circles after his death, refusing to give Hector a proper burial. Whether it was the action, the emotional drama or purely my nostalgia for all the Greek mythology I’d read as a child that drew me into the plot and the characters, I found Homer’s work to be thrilling. While not as life-changing and perspective-shifting as some other literary works I’ve read in various English classes, it was interesting to see the parallels and the shifts in gender and societal norms from hundreds of years ago to now. Advanced Literature and Composition
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