Grade Twelve: AP English

April 29, 2008

Dear AP English student,

First of all, nice call on taking AP English. I’m looking forward to getting to know you, although you might have a hard time telling that from the impersonal heading on this letter. “Dear AP English student” is so cold, so distant. For the rest of this note, I’m going to call you Fred. It’s warmer.

Fred, here’s what you need to know about me: I like reading, and since I have the grade book, I hope you like reading as well. Studies show that reading is the cure for all of society’s academic and emotional ills. Need to improve your vocabulary? Read. Wish to hone your grammar skills? Read. Want to lure over that sexy surfer sitting across the beach, find true love, and raise a family of wonderful, literate youngsters who’ll support you in your old age so that you can read? Read.

OK, I made that last one up, but reading is still a pretty good thing to do. We’ll be reading a great deal in AP English. The problem is that there are fewer minutes out there than pages to fill them. We need to start a little early. I’ve chosen for your summer reading Ernest Gaines’ A Gathering of Old Men. It’s more exciting than it sounds. Yes, it’s about a gathering of old men, old black men, but they have shotguns. And they’re sitting on a lanai. And there’s a dead Cajun in the front yard. Interested now?

And here’s the good news, Fred. You can put your wallet away; your money’s no good here. Slagel’s giving you the book. This makes up for most of the diseases my people brought. We’re even now. I’m meeting with each of you before your junior year is over to prepare you for reading the book. If you’re reading this letter over the summer, we’ve already met. How did you like me?

We should be prepared to discuss this work during the first couple of days of class. I’m serious, Fred. Happy reading.

Peace,

Slagel
Advanced Placement English