Name two literary works that relate to each other.

Obviously the poetry quad set should be still fresh in your memory, and these are a great place to start.

The answers to this question are as variable as the works themselves. With this course the two novels, The Heart of Darkness and The Poisonwood Bible both have the Congo as a setting. To these two you can add both have a central self-obsessed character. Perhaps to this you could add your choice novel, a play from a previous course, poems, movies, television shows, etc.

The truth is that the human mind has spent the last thousands of years creating works of literature, art, song, etc. There is something fundamental about our need to create representations of reality. The purpose of this microlesson is to show how the AP English Literature Exam, and all of literature, are just one extension of humanity’s need for self-expression. We will call this phenomenon, “The Great Conversation.”

The Great Conversation

In this video, we will conclude our study in AP English Literature (before reviewing one last time for the AP English Exam in the next Module) by examining this concept of The Great Conversation. Watch the video now and contact your instructor with any questions.

Let's Review

Final Thoughts

This lesson has shown you how the pairing of poems is part of a larger “Great Conversation” that has been occurring since the dawn of literature and even human thought. Authors cannot completely escape the influence of those who have gone before, and can still arrive at their own greatness. The practical application for the AP Exam is to focus upon what you know and ask how a particular poem or prose passage is more alike than different. Remember that you have now read several literary works, and that you should have a working knowledge of the patterns that define literature.

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