Story Power

In Albert Camus, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, Existentialism, Stranger

Throughout this year, the books we read challenged me to think about the way I am living my life. The two books that I enjoyed the most were Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk and The Stranger by Albert Camus. In addition to enjoying them, they had a lasting impact on how I view morality, justice, and the idea of meaning in life.

Janina, the main character of Drive Your Plow, was a character that I had almost no relation to. Her studies of astrology and passion for animal rights seemed strange and annoyed me. But as the story progressed, I began to see how deeply she cared about justice and her beliefs. Even when no one took her seriously, she stayed true. I am at a time in my life where people try to tell you what to believe. Her strong sense of right and wrong, especially when others judged her, was a characteristic that I admired. Even though I disagree with Janina on a lot of topics I would like to have the confidence that she has.

On the other hand, Meursault from The Stranger represented a very different characteristic. He doesn’t express emotions the way society expects him to, and from the outside perspective seems disconnected from the world. As the story went on I started to think that he might be more observant and connected to the world than everyone else. His story got me to think about what really matters in the world.

Janina and Meursault, to me, represent two ends of a spectrum. Janina cared about the world around her so much that she went to extreme lengths to protect her values. Meursault had pretty much no cares in the world. What I took away from these two characters is that somewhere on the spectrum of caring there is a happy medium. My final takeaway is this: “Stick to your principals, but don’t worry about what’s outside of your control.”

Self-Reflection w/ AP Lit (Beloved and DYPOTBOTD)

By Jasmine S.

In Beloved, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead

As we prepare to leave high school and move onto our next milestones, I think its important to take a second to reflect on the moments that have further facilitated our growth and changed us. Because of this, when I specifically look back at AP Lit and try to contemplate that moments that really “changed” me, I think I’d have to attribute the moments of most change to “Beloved” and “Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead”

As we all know, Beloved is a literary work of genius. Morrison’s ability to story-tell through complex syntax, powerful imagery, and the way she build’s up her characters is something that I fully enjoyed and reveled in. Beyond just storytelling, Beloved made me consider hard topics/ideas that I had never before. Watching how Sethe and Beloved’s relationship played out, Sethe’s attitude towards her children, and the animosity Beloved held towards Sethe made me consider the extent of autonomy that enslaved women had towards their children and what we consider motherhood should look like. Oftentimes when we look at the antebellum period and slavery, we tend to gloss over or oversimplify enslaved women’s experiences especially regarding their children. Morrison providing such a fully fleshed out character like Sethe and even Baby Suggs helped me to further kindle my curiosity and explore these difficult topics. Additionally, Morrison made me consider the way that trauma is passed on through generations and even made me reflect on the own similarities in my own life. I truly appreciate “Beloved” as it deepened my curiosity and helped me reconsider and further understand our history.

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead offered an opportunity to explore and live through a different perspective of my own. Tokarczuk wonderfully enraptures and blends us into the life of Janina, despite the moral and physical differences. Before this book, I was perfectly comfortable and confident in my way of life. While reading, Janina challenged my comfortability and made me question aspects of my life I hadn’t before. At some points I even felt myself rooting for Janina and hoping that she was successful in her endeavors. I understood that I underwent the most change by the end of the book, however, when it was revealed that Janina was the killer. I, along many, did not consider that Janina could be the one behind the murders and was honestly shocked when it came out that she did. My surprise and overall reaction towards this fact made me check my bias and stereotypes I had internalized. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead was a fun ride and I’m grateful for how it challenged me.

How the ‘Stranger’ and ‘Exit West’ changed my view of things

By Zaria B

In Albert Camus, Exit West

Over the course of my senior year, I’ve read a lot of great literature but there was only a couple that I truly enjoyed reading and took something from it. The books haven’t only showed me other people’s stories but it’s reshaped how I see my own story in a sense. The two books that stuck out to me this year are Exit West by Mohsin Hamid and The Stranger by Albert Camus. These books have left a lasting impression on my sense of self, my values, and how I think about the world.

In The Stranger Camus forced me to confront the discomfort of emotional detachment and existential indifference. Meursault’s character, with his flat emotional reactions, even to his mother’s death, was initially frustrating. But as I kept reading, I realized that Camus wasn’t trying to make me sympathize with Meursault as much as he was trying to make me reflect on meaning itself. Through Meursault’s refusal to lie about feelings he didn’t have, I began to question the societal pressure to perform certain emotions. It made me more honest with myself about how often I pretend to feel things just because it’s expected. It’s not that I aspire to be like Meursault, but reading his story helped me notice how much I live by default without questioning the “why” behind my choice.

With Exit West, it opened my understanding of human connection in times of crisis. Nadia and Saeed’s story of life in a collapsing world and of migration through magical doors was both poetic and deeply political. The way Hamid described borders not as hard lines, but as shifting spaces that people pass through with fear and hope, made me think differently about the real-world refugee crisis. More than that, the novel helped me see how relationships evolve with circumstances. As Saeed holds onto tradition and Nadia leans into independence, their relationship stretches and changes not perfectly, but truthfully. It made me realize that love isn’t always about holding on; sometimes it’s about letting go with grace.

What unites both novels, despite their differences, is how they challenged me to reflect more deeply on existence, choice, and empathy. They taught me that detachment can be a form of rebellion, and that migration whether that is physically or emotionally requires courage and flexibility. I’m aware of the gray areas in the world now, and try to approach others with more of an understanding, knowing that everyone carrying the weight of something that no one else can see.

King Lear & The Stranger Reflection: What Really Matters?

By Paul M.

In King Lear, Stranger

Out of all the books we read this year, the two that stood out to me the most were King Lear by Shakespeare and The Stranger by Albert Camus. Rather than offering me clarity or comfort, reading these books challenged how I think about deep meaning and emotion. These books didn’t just hand me answers; they used characters and stories to expose the fragile world we live in. Overall, the main idea that struck me was how both texts pushed me to think less about what is “supposed” to matter, and encouraged me to consider what actually does matter when everything else is stripped away.

In King Lear, the moment that affected me the most was when Lear stands up in the storm and shouts at the sky. Up until that point, Lear believed that love could be measured through words and a flattery, as shown when he demands his daughters to declare how much they love him in exchange for land. But, when Cordelia refuses to flatter Lear, he banishes her. As a result, his other daughter’s betrayal led Lear into a downward spiral, exposing how fragile a hollow understanding of love and loyalty really is. The storm scene stood out to me in particular because it’s where Lear begins to confront the reality of his own blindness and mistakes. Through the poetry and intense imagery, it made the scene memorable and really burned the theme in my head. It makes me think about how much of our identity can be tied to roles and expectations, and what’s left when those fall apart.

Similarly, in The Stranger, Meursault’s detachment from everything, such as from his mother’s death and his own trial, made me feel uncomfortable at first. I’ve never read a book before with such apathy, which was definitely surprising to read. However, the more I sat with the book and the characters, I realized that Meursault’s refusal to fake emotion forced me to examine how much of my own reactions are shaped by what’s expected, not what I really feel. His acceptance of life’s absurdity at the end of the novel, such as when he finds peace in the idea that the universe is indifferent, challenged my needs for life to always “make sense.” The book was quite abstract and unique, which stood out to me, ultimately making me remember the themes of absurdity and existentialism.

Both Lear and Meursault are completely different characters in different stories, but they are both forced to confront what remains when social structures and expectations fall away. What the characters have left at the end of each book is unclear, as Lear goes mad and Meursault remains indifferent, but their characters have helped me understand the fact that facing uncertainty is part of being human, and in the end, material possessions are worthless compared to our humanity.

Takeaways from AP Lit

By Mia B

In Beloved, Exit West

This year in AP Lit we read a wide variety of stories. We spent a good amount of time appreciating every text we read and really trying to understand the meaning of each one. The two stories we read this year that really left an impact on me are Exit West by Mohsin Hamid and Beloved by Toni Morrison.

Exit West immediately stuck out to me from any book I have read for school because of its unique sentence structure. It was full of these long sentences and Hamid would take you on such a journey not only with the content of the chapter, but his sentences and narration added so much to the storytelling. Some major themes in the book are identity, belonging, and change. I feel that we read this book and such an important time in all of our lives. It’s senior year and we’re all experiencing so much change and this book could not have come at a more perfect time. Saeed and Nadia were finding their identity and they were building community in every place they went. I thought it was cool to read how those both changed for them, and it makes the change I’m about to go through less scary. For me the book showed that finding your identity and where you find or make a community takes time and is different for everyone. I think Saeed and Nadia serve as a good example for everyone who is about to experience this major change in their life of moving from home and finding your own identity and community.

The other book we read this year that really impacted me was Beloved. I don’t even know where to begin with this book. It was definitely one of the heaviest and most mature books I have ever read for school. I genuinely enjoyed reading it, and it never felt like a chore and that it was something I just had to get through for class. I can totally see myself re-reading it at some point in my life. Similarly to Exit West, I loved the narration and the way Toni Morrison writes. It was so beautiful and complex, and oftentimes I found myself having to go back and re-read the passage to fully understand what was being said. Like Exit West, the theme in this book of community really struck me. The novel explores the generational pain and trauma that slavery leaves. I think its so important that the novel puts an emphasis on the fact that this trauma is generational and impacts the children and generations to come. The novel also explores the importance of community when healing from trauma. I know that the novel focused on the importance of community when specifically healing from trauma, but I think community is always important and especially at this stage in life.

I’m so glad I read these books this year and that this stage in my life. When going to college I think it’s so important to find your community and these books both helped me understand that.

How King Lear and The Stranger can Change a Person

By Xander B

In Course Stuff

Both Albert Camus’ The Stranger and Shakespeare’s King Lear present characters who, through their stark existential journeys, challenge the reader to reconsider the meaning of life, mortality, and human connection. Through the two works emerge from vastly different contexts– Camus’ absurdist 20th-century Algeria and Shakespeare’s mythic, tragic Britain. Their characters profoundly changed me by destabilizing the assumptions I held about justice, reason, and emotional detachment.

Meursault, the emotionally detached protagonist of The Stranger, can change a person by confronting them with the rawness of existence. His refusal to feign emotion to his mother’s death and his indifference in the face of his own execution force the reader to confront the absurd– the idea that life has no inherent meaning and that the universe is indifferent to human suffering. For many, this challenges the comfortable illusion that there is an underlying order or moral logic to the world. Meursault’s calm acceptance of the absurd becomes a kind of spiritual rebellion, and it asks the reader not to despair, but to live authentically and truthfully, even in the face of meaninglessness. By doing so, Meursault can awaken in a person a new kind of clarity; one that demands integrity over pretense, and presence over illusion.

The character of King Lear, on the other hand, changed me by portraying the emotional and existential disintegration of a man who comes to realize, too late, the cost of his pride and blindness. Lear begins the play as a sovereign who expects flattery and loyalty, and who mistakes performance for sincerity. But through betrayal, madness, and loss, he is stripped of power, dignity, and ultimately, his sense of identity. Lear’s descent into madness is not just personal, it reflects the breakdown of order, both within the self and in society. Yet in his suffering, Lear also becomes more human. His moments of lucidity– especially his recognition of the poor, the marginalized, and the daughter he wronged, expose the potential for growth even in devastation. For a modern reader, Lear becomes a mirror: he shows us how destructive ego and power can be, but also how suffering can be redemptive if it leads to empathy.

Together, Meursault and Lear can fundamentally reshape a person’s worldview. Meursault teaches us to face the void with honesty, and Lear reminds me that even in collapse, there is room for self-understanding and compassion. Their journeys illuminate different aspects of what it means to be human: the solarity, inner reckoning with existence, and the relational, emotional cost of our actions on others. They suggest that change–whether it’s a hard-won redemption or an embrace of the absurd, it is not only possible, but necessary for genuine self-awareness.

This Year

By Jane S.

At the end of every school year, I come away with a distinct feeling about the novels we’ve read, whether I enjoyed them or not. I’ve come to understand that the goal of our English curriculum is not just to analyze texts, but to step into worlds that aren’t our own. We read to experience new perspectives, to imagine lives different from our own, and to gain a deeper understanding of people and situations we might not otherwise consider. Literature gives us that opportunity — to live through others, to feel what they feel, and to question what we think we know.

I’ve always struggled with reading during the school year. I tend to gravitate toward a specific writing style, and when something doesn’t fit that, I usually disengage. But this year, that was constantly challenged. Whether it was the emotionally complex and nonlinear structure of Beloved or the dense, old English language of King Lear, I found myself slowly coming around, and coming out the other side with more appreciation than I expected. These books pushed me to be a more reflective reader. To consider not just what was being said, but how and why it was being written.

Although Pride and Prejudice remains my favorite novel, this class gave me the chance to revisit it through a new, more analytical lens. It was the reason I took the class in the first place, and I’m grateful it ended up giving me so much more understanding about the dynamics in the text.

Going foward, I want to maybe challenge myself to pick up books that are going to truly challenge me in ways this class did, but also maybe alternate, because I think I would hate myself if that’s the only thing I read.

Final P2 (Explaining Video)

By Nate G

In Course Stuff, Exit West

I get butterflies thinking about Saeed and Nadia slipping through that first glowing door in Exit West, it reminds me of the jitters before my very first school play. Your stomach flips, your hands sweat, and you wonder if you’ll trip over your costume or forget your lines. Stepping through a new door felt like stepping into a classroom full of strangers, with fresh desks and a teacher’s voice I’d never heard. But just like Saeed squeezing Nadia’s hand, I had my best friend by my side, and somehow that made everything feel a little less scary.

As they move through camps and city streets, I picture myself in middle school, juggling gym lockers and trying to fit in with new crowds. Then comes the high school doors—parties in basements, late-night drives with friends, and dumping hours into college essays. Each door changes you, opens you up to new faces and new fears, but also new chances. By the time Saeed and Nadia imagine a future together in a place that feels like home again, it’s like standing on graduation day: you’re nervous about what’s next, but excited to find out. Growing up, I’ve learned that every door is a fresh start—and that holding someone’s hand makes the jump a lot less lonely.

How “The Stranger” and “King Lear” are more than just books.

By Jack S

In Albert Camus, Existentialism, Story Power, Stranger

Honestly, these were the only two books that gripped me. I’m not sure what it was exactly that invited me into their worlds, but it was definitely something. The stranger impacted me on a deeper level than just a story. It had more depth than most things I’ve seen on a screen or page. Meursault’s character arc and development are innovative and new for their time. It impacted me on a level that forced me to look into myself and my own life to find any similarities and differences. Because, like all of us, there are many admirable and poor things about Meursault. This paradox is that these attributes are exactly the same. His admirable quality is that he does not care; he is a free man(until about halfway through) and lives his life guilt-free. While this exists, the poor thing about him is that he does not care. He is numb to things to the point where it makes him seem inhuman. In this way, he is one of the most unrelatable we’ve read about. The good parts of Meursault have inspired me to live my life how I want, without the looming expectations or opinions of others, and have given me a newfound confidence in myself.

Secondly, King Lear is one of the most influential pieces of writing that I believe inspires many movies and other books today. But for me, I feel that the stories and lessons throughout are ones everyone can learn from. Such as truthfulness, loyalty, and even bonds between family and friends. Many of the consequences in the book are started by lies and betrayal. Which can be translated to real life. Many conflicts in real life could be avoided if these things were avoided as well. Personally, I can translate these lessons into my own life and learn from my own actions. The book itself was influential with its characters and plot points, and these are the reasons why it was influential to me personally, and can impact me for years to come.

Finding Meaning: The Stranger & JR

By Ben S

In Course Stuff, Stranger

When deciding which two books from this year to write about, it seemed fitting to pick two ‘paradoxical ones’. While I enjoyed reading The Stranger, I will stand by the claim that it is a bad book; I have a deep seated dislike for Camus and Absurdism. Conversely, JR was possibly the biggest struggle to get through out of any book I’ve ever read. Despite that I adore it.

Since JR wasn’t a class book, I’ll give a quick synopsis: JR, a 6th grader from Long Island, is obsessed with money. He buys penny stocks and garbage bonds in hopes of getting rich and through sheer luck succeeds. He sets his music teacher, Bast, as the puppet CEO of his company so that the world doesn’t find out that the newest multimillionaire is a 12 year old. The central conflict of the book is Bast’s struggle to compose a piece of music amidst the chaos of his new life as the CEO of a business he has no control over.

The Stranger and JR take similar paths to arrive at very different conclusions. Both explore the struggle to find meaning within a society that molds us into preset norms. The Stranger‘s solution is essentially to just ignore it; live life how you want to and find happiness in simply existing. That never really sat right with me though. It seems unrealistic; for every social norm you choose to ignore, there a countless others that you are unconsciously influenced by. Enjoying life for what it is isn’t ridiculous, but claiming that the things we do and the societies we create are devoid of meaning overlooks a crucial part of human life.

Conversely, JR recognizes this difficulty and simply acknowledges it. The society we live in affects our lives greatly in both positive and negative ways, but it is inseparable from the human experience. Instead of disregarding society, JR suggests that we live within it and attempt to create something of meaning through the things we do and make. Even just the struggle to make something meaningful is enough to validate our lives. We can’t escape the pressures and absurdities of society, but we also can’t be crushed by them.

It is this connection between literary works that amazes me the most about literature. Through books, we can find how other people answer the big questions of life and find guidance from that. Everyone is searching for a way to find meaning in their lives. Whether you follow The Stranger, JR, or something completely different, the fact that these books both attempt the same thing despite being completely unrelated proves the interconnectivity of the human experience.

Doors and Lessons

By Andrew G.

In Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, Exit West

I’ve always been weary of doors. Not literal ones, but imaginary ones between the person I am and who I could become in the future. Just like Saeed and Nadia, each book this year pushed me through another doorway, making me leave behind easy, comfortable ideas and enter into the unfamiliar and complex truths about what it means to be growing up as a human.

Mohsin Hamid doesn’t just show us borders on maps but the walls people can build around themselves in new, overwhelming situations. In Exit West, Saeed and Nadia’s relationship becomes shaped through an interesting combination of closeness and separation.

“…he prayed fundamentally as a gesture of love for what had gone and would go and could be loved in no other way…”

On the surface, the fate of their relationship felt like a sad ending, like distance was always inevitable. But what struck me most was not the separation itself, but the graceful, calm manner in how they accepted it. Having been part of this book made me reflect on my own experiences and the way we go through change. Sometimes it does lead to distance, yes, but not always to failure. Saeed and Nadia’s story taught me that growth doesn’t erase what came before, but it reframes it. It helps you bring moments, people, and past versions of yourself with you, even if you might change. Change doesn’t have to be a barrier. It can be a doorway, not just into new experiences, but into a deeper understanding of who you are becoming.
Tokarczuk took me through a new door that forced me to think about the idea of right and wrong and how to even define those things in the first place.

“You know what, sometimes it seems to me we’re living in a world that we fabricate for ourselves. We decide what’s good and what isn’t, we draw maps of meanings for ourselves… And then we spend our whole lives struggling with what we have invented for ourselves. The problem is that each of us has our own version of it, so people find it hard to understand each other.”

Jenina’s perspective on the world around her made me realize how much of what I believe in is shaped by the environment I’m in, what the people around me value, what I’ve learned to label as normal or “right”. I used to think that most of the time misunderstanding came from people being closed-minded or just not listening. But Drive Your Plow made me realize it’s deeper than that. We’re not all working in the same version of reality. Maybe this means I’ve been too quick to assume people should see things the way I do. Many would label Janina as strange, and maybe she is, but that’s because she sees the world through a totally different framework. That doesn’t make her wrong. It just means she’s living by a map that shows something different than yours or mine. I feel that I’ve become more open minded by the perspectives of others since. Before arguing or counting an opinion out, I’ve found myself thinking more about where they might be coming from.

After having been through these doors this year, I’ve come to realize that I still don’t have all the answers. But, in saying that, I’ve learned to try to find comfort within the discomfort of humanity’s complex nature. Each doorway didn’t just show me characters and drama and storylines, but mirrors for which I could see my own conflicts, perspectives, and even strengths.

Doors stand open and closed around me,
thresholds I’ve crossed, thresholds still not seen.
I’ve learned that stepping through is messy,
but standing still isn’t growing at all.

A Year of Literary Inspiration

By Asher F

In King Lear, Pride and Prejudice

Throughout my senior year, I’ve been exposed to numerous insightful and perspective-shifting novels by Bernie H, the one and only English extraordinaire. The two literary works that inspired me the most were Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of King Lear.

In past English classes, I’ve read other Shakespeare works, namely Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, but The Tragedy of King Lear struck a personal chord with me. In the play, Lear is the aging patriarch of the royal family who is taken advantage of by his two eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan. They often mock his age, which only heightens their cruelty. Regan tells her father, “O, sir, you are old […] You should be ruled and led/ By some discretion that discerns your state/ Better than you yourself” [2.4.165-9]. The Bastard, Edmund, also sells his father out, resulting in his torture, exclaiming, “That which my father loses—no less than all. The younger rises when the old doth fall” [3.3.21-22]. These characters perceive age as a weakness and are rightfully seen as villains due to it. My own grandfather recently turned eighty years old and has unfortunately begun to have trouble with his memory. After reading about Lear, I recognized the importance of valuing the time you have with that person and in the moment, being understanding of any shortcomings due to age. Everyone will be old and die at some point. We should value our elders for their life experience and the wisdom they can pass down to us.

The novel that surprised me the most was Pride and Prejudice. I had heard of the book before, but only in the context of it being the original romance novel. Due to my own prejudice, I assumed that I would find it boring and unrelatable, but found the exact opposite to be true. Whether vainly or not, I couldn’t help growing to admire and feel more and more like Fitzwilliam Darcy, even if his first name is goofy. Mr. Darcy was largely misunderstood by just about everyone in Hertfordshire. Elizabeth and the other villagers perceived him as an arrogant elitist who only cared about riches and vanity. In reality, Mr. Darcy was just an introverted man, skeptical of opening up to people because he had been hurt before. A central theme of Pride and Prejudice that I try and live by is to not jump to conclusions and judge people merely on their surface level. This novel made me more aware of the intricacies in relationships and opened my mind to a new genre of novels and films to enjoy.

Thanks for all the recommendations Mr. Heidkamp, they weren’t half bad!

Once a Stranger

By Reese B

In Albert Camus, Existentialism, George Saunders, King Lear

I died today.

Well I guess that’s not really true. At the very least, it’s quite misleading. See life, death, it’s all just a matter of perspective. It just depends where you’re looking from, and what the view is. From here, the view looks pretty damn amazing. I can see the flash of lightning, hear the crack of thunder, feel the air rushing past me, the rain against my face. Now this, this is the sensation that makes you forget where you are, what is happening, and crucially: who you were four hours ago. And that’s a good thing, because I really need to forget four hours ago. For the sake of the here and now, I wouldn’t be able to tell you what happened then. You know, because of the whole forgot who you were thing that I just said. But for the sake of the story, there’s so much you have to learn.

See, the night before had ended in a way that I’m not quite proud of. I’m not entirely sure if I’ve had a night I’m proud of in the last couple of years. But this one was especially poor. After what felt like the longest of days and the most unfortunate of nights. I found myself with little to protect me from the rain but an overpass. And not a particularly well built one either. But it was the one I had chosen to find a bit of comfort from the cold and damp world and it was where I chose to pretend to sleep. I say that I was pretending to sleep because that allows me to believe that where I was was in my control and what I was doing was in my control. In actuality, I was trying to sleep, but I couldn’t. I’m gonna make a wild guess and say that it was probably the bridge, it can’t be my fault. I was up and walking at 4. Pretending gets harder when the thunder starts to mumble.

But the rain hadn’t begun to hit just yet and I didn’t care that it was obvious it was about to. That and the fact that bridges aren’t as waterproof as once thought. Anyways, I walked along the road. I think at this point it was LeSalle Boulevard, or was it Wayne? I was looking for a place to eat some breakfast. I had this craving for some eggs. Like the eggs that I had had when I was 10, back on the farm. I’ve still never had eggs that taste like that. It was about 5 by the time that I was able to find some semblance of civilization. Then it took me another 15 minutes to find the church. I figure a church has to have some food for the weak and weary even though I had never stepped foot into a church before.

There was only one man in there. It seemed to me like he was whispering the sermon he would give later that night, which would make him the preacher. So I started a conversation with him. I asked him his name, “Lear,” he said. He looked to be on the older side, “91” was the answer when I asked him his age. And we began to talk. After about 15 minutes of talking, he offered me the breakfast that I had been looking for since I had woken up. But I didn’t want it anymore. In our conversation, I learned that he had cancer. The doctors had said that he had only a few months left to live. Now I had to learn how this man had come to terms with his life ending. I mean how can someone learn that they’re just going to stop living, allow everything to fade to black, and just stop being? Well that happens to everyone, but how could someone be okay with it?

I talked to the preacher for 2 more hours about his life. He told me about his daughters, his career, and his hobbies. I felt like this man’s life was flashing right in front of me. I learned about his love for fishing. He told me about all his great fishing stories- the bass, the marlin, the time that he spent a month straight on the boat. He had done everything he wanted and he disregarded the thoughts of society-something that I had not done yet, something I needed to do. I realized at that moment that I had somewhere to be. I thanked the preacher for the conversation and I told him that I had my own “fishing” stories to make, and I left.

I walked for 40 minutes to find the plane. It was now pouring rain, the storm had become volatile. I had never flown it before, but I knew it was there and I knew there was something I had to do. I walked into the cockpit to find the plane running, which was quite convenient. It occurred to me that I had never flown a plane, but it was time for me to make a choice that I would remember. Somehow, I was able to start the plane, but the rain in front of me was blinding while I was on the ground, so I began to move forward. I just drove to speed up as much as I could, I just continued to speed up. And suddenly, I found myself in the air. The sound of the engine was deafening, the only thing that broke it up was the thunder above-the thunder that I was heading towards the source of.

The plane continued to climb and the rain was no longer blocking my view. I looked down to see the beauty below. This was the life that I was looking for, the life that would allow me to die peacefully. See now, for those of you keeping track at home, it was 4 hours after the start of my day. This was the sensation and the feeling that allowed everything to fade away. But in a flash of light and one last mumble of thunder, the plane was split in two. It was a crash louder than I had ever heard and it was the brightest light that I had ever experienced in my life. I found it quite ironic that the brightest light was followed by such great darkness. This darkness was one that I could not see past. I found myself in the moment that I had dreaded and avoided my entire life. I spent my life incredibly scared of this, but here I was now, with no worries or doubts about my future. I was finally fulfilled.

In my mind I could see myself falling to my demise, but the darkness that filled my eyes remained. But this was my chance to finally open my eyes. And for one last second I was able to open my eyes and feel the ground approaching faster than I could possibly fathom.

How Literature Opened My Eyes To Others: Pride and Prejudice & The Stranger

By Dee E

In Albert Camus, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Stranger

Before reading Pride and Prejudice and The Stranger, my perception of others was really one-dimensional; I operated under the assumption that what you saw was what you got. If someone was quiet, they were just… quiet, and that was the end of it. This mindset meant I rarely went out of my way to connect with people (lol), especially if they didn’t immediately align with my expectations. As college approaches, I knew I needed to change this approach, but I wasn’t sure how. These two books, despite their huge differences, fundamentally altered my perspective, showing me that human interaction is far more complex than I ever realized.

Pride and Prejudice was the first to dismantle my simplistic views. I remember feeling intense frustration with Mr. Darcy’s initial arrogance, particularly his condescending behavior at the Meryton ball where he insulted Elizabeth. In real life, I would have immediately written him off as an insufferable, annoying jerk. However, as the book unfolded, I witnessed his transformation, spurred by his revealing letter and Elizabeth’s own evolving understanding. That moment when Elizebeth re-reads the letter and reevaluates her own judgements of both Darcy and Whickham was a stark revelation for me. It wasn’t just about the story; it was about my own tendency to make snap judgments and miss the deeper, complex motivations behind people’s actions.

When I reflected The Stranger, it was even more challenging, yet equally profound shift in my thinking. Meursault’s emotional detachments initially baffled me; I kept expecting him to display some human emotion or undergo a dramatic change of heart. He doesn’t. Yet, his indifference, rather than alienating me, forced me to question what “normal” emotions even are. I started to wonder how many times I might have dismissed someone as… odd when perhaps they were simply experiencing the world in a way I couldn’t grasp, or their struggles were internal and not outwardly expressed. The scene where Marie asks if he loves her, and he responds that it “doesn’t mean anything” was particularly impactful. It wasn’t necessarily that he felt nothing, but that his feelings didn’t conform to societal expectations. This realization will push me to approach new interactions in college with much greater openness. I understand now that being genuinely social isn’t about finding people who mirror me, but about engaging with the messy, multifaceted, and sometimes inexplicable inner lives of everyone I encounter.

Thank you so much for the wonderful year!

Lessons from the Literature of AP Lit

By Alana G

In Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, Empathy, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Uncategorized

Before I started high school, I was always reading. I would read whenever I could get the chance and as soon as I finished a book, I would start a new one. Once I started high school, I was busier, and I read less and less. The books we have read this year have reignited my love for reading and I am so grateful for the class. The books that impacted me the most during the year were Pride and Prejudice and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. These books have all taught me important lessons about myself and life.

I had already read Pride and Prejudice before reading it in class and I loved it when I initially read it. Reading it again and being able to analyze it on a deeper level was an impactful experience. Not only did it transport me to a different world, it also reminded me to follow your heart. When Lady Catherine was questioning Elizabeth and insinuating that she and her family were not good enough, Elizabeth held her ground and stayed calm. When Lady Catherine questioned why her family did not have a governess, Elizabeth stated that her mother was perfectly capable of taking care of all of them. Additionally, Elizabeth defied societal standards twice when she refused to marry Mr. Collins and again when she refused to marry Mr. Darcy. Both marriages would have given her and her family financial stability but they were not going to make her happy. She put her happiness and her values before other’s expectations of her. This is something that I think is important for me to remember because it can be hard to say no to others but Pride and Prejudice has served as a reminder that it is always important to value my happiness and uphold my values.

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead was another impactful book that we read during the year. Janina stood strongly for her beliefs and did what she could to make a difference. She was perceived by others as weird and crazy but she kept fighting for humane treatment of animals and an end to poaching. Even when she was dismissed by men in power because they thought she was just a crazy old woman, she continued to fight for her beliefs. She showed that having any type of impact is important and that it does not matter what others think of you. At times, it is hard for me to believe that my actions will have any real impact but her determination to make a change, even if it only affected her small village, showed me that even small change is good change.

Overall, the books we have read for AP Lit have been entertaining and kept me reading throughout the school year. If I hadn’t taken the class, I most likely would have made excuses that I was too busy to read, and I would have read a lot less. Therefore, I am truly grateful for the class and the lessons I have learned because of it.

The Czech Republic

By Calum

Hopelessness is a quintessential human emotion. At some point in almost every person’s life everything will seem to fall apart around them and they will be left stranded, seemingly without hope. In their respective books, Janina and Meursault confront this reality, forced to live in and watch the progress of what they believe to be a cold and unfeeling human society. The ways in which they respond to this similar experience could not be more different. While Meursault chooses to embrace the absurd and revel in meaninglessness, Janina continues to carve out meaning, pursuing what she cares about with an almost religious zeal.

The most powerful expression of Meursault’s response to his situations comes at the end of the book, when he is confined in a cell awaiting his inevitable execution. Camus writes, “At that time, I often thought that if I had had to live in the trunk of a dead tree, with nothing to do but look up at the sky flowing overhead, little by little I would have gotten used to it.” His realization comes from the knowledge that when everything is stripped down, all situations and settings are equivalent. No matter whether we live in a small town in Poland or an estate in regency England, we will still feel the same human emotions and experience all of the same happiness and suffering. With this, he can feel a kind of ultimate contentment, realizing that because nothing he or anyone else does matters, he can be happy with a complete detachment from all physical objects, and await the final companionship of the crowd on his execution day.

Janina, though feeling a similar helplessness, decides to combat it more actively than Meursault. She knows that her actions will bring no change in the long run, but she decides to keep going because it is all that she knows how to do. Her end goal seems to be some sort of poorly-defined idyll, a perfect promised land that, for her, takes the form of the Czech Republic. I do not believe she thinks it will or can ever come to pass, but still she keeps killing hunters and burning down buildings. Her life will always have a clearly-defined meaning, even if she produces no clear progress or value. She may be miserable, but she is never lost. If Meursault is allowing himself to drift away from the world, she buries herself in it, allowing herself to become entangled in its poisoned roots.

When I encounter a world that seems hopeless, I hope that I can approach it similarly to Janina. Even if I understand that nothing I do matters, I can’t bear to detach myself from everything around me. I want to be able to do and act, and move toward some ever-further goal. Both Meursault and Janina watched a god die, but Janina decided to continue to worship, and this allows her to go on, as I hope I would too.

My AP English Lit Experience

By Sheriff K

In Poetry, Stranger

Throughout the year, I have read some books that have disturbed me a little bit in the way the characters are written. One of these characters was Mersault from The Stranger by Albert Camus. At the start of the book, I thought he was a tiny bit boring, and I didn’t really see myself in his emotions and actions. But towards the end of the book, when he met the chaplain, I started to sense my own opinions on the world changing. I see myself looking at my actions like they don’t matter as much, not to the extent of the actions that Mersault did, but I still feel like I don’t have to worry about things. This can tie back to Mr. EVIL Heidkamp’s speech, where you can do whatever you want, and you are controlled by society’s actions. He went on about how you can go to school naked and do things that society wouldn’t respect because you can realistically do whatever you want. When I heard the speech, I thought he was crazy and spoke to friends about it, but when I finished The Stranger, I saw why he had that speech. Mersault really impacted me when he started to snap really impacted me. He didn’t give a care about what he said to the chaplain because he knew that at some point he was going to die.

The idea of fate has stuck with me throughout the class, and when we got to the romantic poetry unit, I saw a poem that felt like The Stranger. The poem was in Emily Dickinson’s poem Because I Could Not Stop for Death where it had a presence of death and fate. At the start of the poem, it talks about how death is a friendly person and waits for the author to get in the carriage. When I read it, it made me feel a little less scared of the idea of death, and it showed me that we all die at some point. It doesn’t matter if we wait till the day we turn old and die, or we don’t have a choice if we die or not, it always happens. This poem also made me think about my life so far and how I have to appreciate the things that I have done. I have so many experiences where they are revolved around me and are special to me and nobody else.

The sum of this all is that I think that reading has a special thing that can impact any of us. I am personally not a big reader, but sometimes these books hit me personally and can really change my perspective on the world and our actions.

How Trauma, Identity, and Mental Health From Beloved Connects to Today

By Alex A

Reading Beloved by Toni Morrison reshaped my understanding of myself and my attitude towards others by giving me an alternative perspective on trauma and how it affects not only an individual but a community. Initially, I read the novel without a deep understanding of trauma and only knew about what I have personally experienced. As we dug deeper into the story, I recognized the physical and psychological scars left by slavery which prompted me to reflect on my own experiences and my previous perspective on how trauma can shape an individual’s personality and self.

One of the most striking aspects of Beloved is its exploration of identity and how it can be broken up and fragmented by family and personal trauma. Characters like Sethe and Paul D struggled with their past lives from Sweet Home, leading to complicated psychological problems and struggle with self-fulfillment. Although this does not directly correlate with my personal life, the theme can be generalized to understanding the importance of resolving trauma and recognizing issues that can hinder personal development. This made me more aware of the importance of confronting and understanding feelings of trauma in order to maintain a complete identity.

Secondly, Beloved emphasized the significance of breaking the stigma of strength through independence. Sethe and Denver’s journey brought the idea of personal healing through community support to the forefront, showing that it takes a village to heal generational wounds and can rarely be done alone. While it may have been possible for them to survive without help from others, it definitely would have been a lot harder without Amy to help deliver the baby, Stamp Paid helping them get across the river, or everyone else in the community that pitched in to help get them to Baby Suggs’ home. This character development illustrated that breaking the stigma of strength through independence and rather valuing connections with others, sharing experiences, and mutual support are all vital for personal and communal development. This depiction helped me personally recognize my aversion to seeking help through others. Our modern society still struggles with the stigma around asking for help and while we have come a long way since 1987 when the novel was written, we still see examples of the stigma around mental health treatment.

Beloved was more than just a novel but rather a spark to the fire of personal reflection and growth. It challenged me to confront uncomfortable truths about identity, trauma, and the importance of community. These lessons from Sethe’s story can be used on a daily basis and continue to influence my perspectives and actions, reminding me that understanding and embracing the past is essential for shaping a meaningful future.

A Land of Promise and Pressure

By Ethan N

In Albert Camus, Beloved, Stranger

A land of promise is a land of pressure. A land of emptiness is a land of despair. Ours is a land of both.

Pa used to say granddaddy’s genes had no defects. Above the fireplace’s mantle, newspaper clippings that mentioned him as an agricultural authority, of political importance, and that recorded the high school football game box score from a memorable sectionals final are prominently displayed. More importantly, family lore dedicated a number of flattering anecdotes to him. Retold on the rare occasions when all the kin in the county gathered together under one roof for one meal, these, the lifeblood of ancestral relevance when no possession survives dust storms forever, preserved him as a man of significance, and as a man of respect, when so few of us could aspire to such things. Yet, the acres we till today had already begun to weather in Pawpaw’s time, the ‘78 Cruiser that rusts beneath the stunted willow tree broke down before its odometer ticked fifty miles and was never fixed, and those clippings above the hearth mention my lauded forefather only in passing – though that has been left unsaid for my lifetime. So, with Pawpaw, I knew better than Pa.

But with my brother, reality needed no embellishment. Ask any neighbor, townsfolk, or grammar school affiliate, and my brother was a phenom. A budding star, he could have breezed right through graduate school, had Pa the means for it, or landed himself an athletic scholarship, had Ma the temperament to chauffeur him around to the various practices and workouts he’d have needed to attend.

What he did have however, something that no external weaknesses could strip, was his vision. A sense of purpose that transcended all other feeling for him. It was that inner motor that everyone around him intuitively recognized, a near tangible drive that made him the most beloved man around.

My brother moved out and onwards in life far before I had the opportunity to latch onto his rocket. Born ten years and three months and five days after he first breathed in petroleum fumes from the tractor’s exhaust – as he was born in harvesting time, so Mama had no choice but to enter childbirth on the bed of a neighbor’s pickup truck while out on the field, having forgotten, in her haste, to shudder off the engine of the tractor she’d abandoned, and thereby condemning the wailing infant’s nostrils to be ever tinged by the dirtied exhales of machinery – I inherited a family who’d already been burnt once by a bundle of promise, and who were seasoned enough to make no mistake twice.

After he’d hightailed it away to a coast someplace, I’d gone and rummaged through the things left behind in his room. Lacking an abundance of earthly possessions to carry along with him, little remained. A ceramic plate lay atop his bureau, crumbs from one of Ma’s pastries dancing across it as the rattling air conditioner unit shook the room, a singular tee sat forgotten in a drawer left ajar, and myriad trinkets and baubles cluttered the windowsill beside the bed frame.

What drew my eye though, were two things. One, a copy of Camus’ The Stranger, cover wrinkled, binding plastered, pages torn, discarded face down beneath his bed. Despite all the evidence suggesting frantic repeated readings, only one thought had been inked by the reader in the book: “Wrong! Individuality, agency, and resolve must evoke change.” Rejection and defiance. Quite how strongly such a book, such an ideology as the one proposed therewithin, challenged my brother’s own values I cannot tell, I only know it must have.

And two, a copy of Beloved, left open, intentionally I’d reckon, at the foot of his bed. Page after page filled with marginalia, post-it notes jotting out often and irregularly, and water marks all testified to the obviously immense time my brother spent with this book and the indelible impression this book had on my brother’s development. There, atop his childhood covers, a page of transcendent literature faced upwards, directed towards the heavens only to be interrupted by a peeling popcorn ceiling. A passage, meant for my eyes, that, though beautifully woven even to my dulled literary senses, must have evoked sentiment untold in my brother’s mind: resentment, guilt, and ultimately, acceptance of actions mandated by his higher purpose. In it, within, a story of captivity to the past. A legacy inescapable, a history undealt with, a family that erodes. A warning to me, from him. A brotherly plea to be better than that. To be stronger than that. To follow his lead.

Since his departure, I’ve gravitated towards our porch. The noblest part of our abode, my brother spent time here too, it was just about the only thing on our property he liked. The dry wind carrying soil particulate into the stubble beneath my chin and the cavities in my ears, it is impossible to imagine myself anywhere else, it is unimaginable to imagine the effort it would take to escape, and is unbearable to consider the pain I’d inflict upon my loved ones would I copy my brother. And so I begin to wither.

How the Stories We Read This Year Changed Me

By Dominic T

In Beloved, Exit West, King Lear, Pride and Prejudice

This year’s books didn’t just entertain me or fill up class time, they genuinely shifted how I think about myself, the people around me, and the world as a whole. I didn’t expect that. But somewhere between King Lear, Pride and Prejudice, Exit West, and Beloved, I started seeing things differently.

King Lear hit me hardest when Lear loses everything: his power, his family, his sanity, and only then begins to understand the people around him. I saw pieces of myself in that. Sometimes I get so caught up in being right or being in control that I miss the quiet truths right in front of me. Watching Lear fall apart and slowly open his eyes made me think about how I treat people, especially when I’m under stress. It reminded me how important it is to stay humble and to listen more, especially to those I might overlook.

With Pride and Prejudice, I expected something light and maybe even boring, but I was wrong. Elizabeth’s realization that she misjudged Darcy made me reflect on how often I do the same thing. I’ve definitely made quick judgments about people, only to find out later I was completely off. That book made me want to be more open-minded, to let people show me who they are before I assume anything.

Exit West made the refugee experience feel heartbreakingly personal. The magical doors were surreal, but the fear, confusion, and sense of loss Saeed and Nadia went through felt very real. It made me think about what it would feel like to lose everything familiar and be forced to start over somewhere new. That story gave me a deeper sense of empathy and reminded me how easy it is to take stability for granted.

And then there’s Beloved, the one that stuck with me the most. Morrison doesn’t let you look away from pain, especially the kind that gets passed down through generations. Sethe’s story made me think about the unspoken pain in my own family, the things that shaped us without being talked about. It made me realize that healing isn’t about pretending everything’s okay, it’s about being honest about what happened.

All of these books changed me in quiet but lasting ways. I think I’m a little more thoughtful now, a little more compassionate, and a lot more aware of how messy and complicated people are. These stories didn’t give me simple answers, but they made me ask better questions. And I think that’s the real power of literature: getting us to slow down and really see each other.

Exit West and Pride and Prejudice Reflective Essay

By Sasha S

In Exit West, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Uncategorized

Reading Pride and Prejudice and Exit West challenged the way I view both myself and others. These novels revealed that growth often comes not through dramatic events but through subtle shifts in understanding.

In Pride and Prejudice, I admired Elizabeth Bennet not only for her wit and independence but also for her courage to admit when she was wrong. Her turning point is introduced after reading Darcy’s letter, when she reflects, “Till this moment I never knew myself.” That moment of self-awareness struck me deeply. Elizabeth’s willingness to revise her opinion of Darcy and herself showcased how humility is a strength. I have a hard time admitting when I am wrong and I pass judgment quickly. If Elizabeth did not take the time to reflect and reexamine her emotions she would have missed out on her husband. I realized I often resist change because I fear admitting I’ve misjudged someone or something. Elizabeth’s journey reminded me that real growth starts with vulnerability.

Exit West offered a different lens on transformation. As Nadia and Saeed travel through magical doors to new cities (from Mykonos to London to San Francisco) they also begin to separate emotionally. What moved me was that their drift wasn’t caused by betrayal or anger. As the narrator puts it, “We are all migrants through time.” Their love, once integral to their motivation to escape together, became a part of their past rather than their future. This made me think about how some relationships aren’t meant to last forever, and that letting go doesn’t mean failure. I’ve always seen endings as losses, but Exit West helped me see them as transitions.

Though Pride and Prejudice and Exit West are vastly different in setting and style, they both taught me how change is constant and how true resilience means adapting without losing your core self. For my final project, I chose to write reflectively because these stories reshaped the questions I ask about myself. Pride and Prejudice helped me embrace the discomfort of being wrong; Exit West helped me accept the beauty of uncertainty. Together, they showed me that personal growth isn’t about having the right answer, it’s about being brave enough to ask better ones.

How AP Literature, particularly Meursault & Sethe, re-sparked my love for reading

By Kenneth L

Right before I had made the choice for what English course I had planned to take in senior year, I was at a road block. AP Lang had challenged me, yet I hadn’t really read all year. The only difference between sophomore year and end of junior year me was I could tell you the logos, pathos, and ethos behind an essay written by an John or Jane Doe in the year 1800. Entering the course recommendation, I had been told that AP Lit would be a heavier course load, filled with much more non-fiction books, and that’s what caught my attention. That there would be much more reading, more applying, more imagination, in my opinion. Now, I could do one of two things: I could take a much lighter 1 semester course, (i.e. Sci-fi Lit, Sports & Lit, War & Lit, etc), get my A and graduate. Or, I could take a chance on one of the harder classes in the school, and see where my decision falls. To say I made the correct choice would be an understatement, as not only did I discover books that I loved, and even disliked, I gained my spark for reading back. Two books in particular stuck out to me out of the 8 or so we have read throughout the 9 months in this class, those being The Stranger and Beloved.

Similar to many others in my class, and especially on this blog, when I began reading the stranger, and even when I finished it, I had a strong distaste for Meursault, and who wouldn’t? The guy hadn’t cried at his mothers funeral, hadn’t reciprocated an ounce of love that his girlfriend had given him, and didn’t see the error in his commitment of a literal murder. What had irritated me even more so is that he only finally realized the meaning of life at the very end of his, that it took death for him to finally realize. Although it took me quite a few days to get over this anger towards Meursault, I realized something. That Meursault’s nihilism isn’t one of despair, but one of rebellion against forced meaning. Once the cloud of anger subsided, I realized that even Meursault realizes the greatness of his life, that at the end he is incredibly grateful for those who had interacted with him, and although cut short, he lived his life how we wanted, to his fullest, and no one else’s. Although his world is absurd, it inspired me to make and find my own fulfillment, not where others had looked/told me to look.

Beloved had such a similar effect on me too. Although there were points that had be at a lost for words, not in a way of amazement but one of bafflement, the book stuck with me. The way the book constantly shifted from the present to past, making the rushing emotions and thoughts of Sethe feel real, and eventually help piece together the story as a whole. The language was amazing, Morrison’s sentences are lyrical, meaningful, and powerful. Finally, Beloved was a centerpiece in showing me that stories aren’t just entertainment, but history. They matter. They carry history, they contain laughter, they contain pain, they contain who people are. This didn’t just spark my love for reading back, but ignited it.

What I’ve Learned so far

By Zoie S

On May 19, 2025

Throughout the year, we have read many things. Two that stuck out to me the most were Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and The Tragedy of King Lear by William Shakespeare. AP Lit is a class full of analyzing, and searching for deeper meanings in every text. I feel like I appreciated the lessons these two stories had to share. There were different perspectives on relationships, identity, and personal growth. These literary classics, though written centuries apart, explore universal themes that resonate deeply with me.

Pride and Prejudice opened my eyes to the subtle complexities of social class, gender roles, and personal transformation. There are many things that can impact a person’s character. Valuing money like the Bingley’s versus valuing character like Elizabeth establishes a contrast in the story. Though there is no good a bad, there are ideals and undesirables.. Elizabeth Bennett’s wit, independence, and willingness to challenge societal norms inspired me to think critically about my own values and assumptions. Her evolving relationship with Mr. Darcy, impacted by initial misunderstandings and eventual mutual respect, emphasized the importance of open-mindedness and self-reflection. Jane Austen’s exploration of character development and growth made me more aware of the judgments I make and the importance of empathy in human interactions.

In contrast, King Lear offered a darker, more tragic view of human nature. Shakespeare’s portrayal of madness, betrayal, and redemption through Lear’s descent into suffering deeply moved me. It led me to reflect on the sacrifice of having an ego. Lear’s downfall began when he took Cordelia’s inheritance. By the end, he started to see everyone for what they really were. Lear’s story highlights pride, aging, and the fragility of trust. Lear’s tragic flaw and his eventual realization of his mistakes taught me that wisdom often comes through hardship. It is also hard to see what’s best for oneself when led by other factors such as greed or power. The play challenged me to consider power’s consequences and humility’s necessity.

Together, these texts have elevated my emotional intelligence and critical thinking. They stimulate thoughts about societal norms and relationship dynamics.

Final Reflection

By Vivienne L

On May 19, 2025

Though all the books we read throughout the year were meaningful, two in particular stood out to me: Beloved by Toni Morrison and The Stranger by Albert Camus.

Beloved was easily the most difficult book to read because of its darker content. I have read many historical books about WW2 and the Holocaust and the atrocities committed within them, but the more personal feel of Sethe’s story made it more impactful than emotionless history books. Beloved is not just a story of slavery, it is a story of life after slavery. The trauma of slavery is well known, but less often thought about is how that trauma impacted those who were lucky enough to get out, after they were free. The stories of Sethe, Paul D., Denver, Baby Suggs, and Beloved all explore the difficulties of post-slavery life, through the lens of each of their individual experiences — because the experience of slavery was not monolithic; although many had similar experiences, they were not exactly the same. Beloved taught me to be more considerate of how I perceive peoples’ lives and pasts.

When we started reading The Stranger, I hated Meursault. His apathy and indifference to everything in his life infuriated me. I didn’t understand how he could completely not care when his girlfriend asked about marriage, or his mother died, or he killed someone. My irritation towards him controlled my opinion of the whole book. However, Meursault’s life is an interesting philosophical argument. On one hand, his disregard for what society thinks of him allows him to live more freely. However, I wonder if Meursault can really be happy, since even though he does whatever he wants, his lack of feeling means he never truly enjoys it, and he doesn’t actively pursue things that will make him happy. Thus, even though I disliked the book, it prompted me to change some of my opinions about life as I contemplated it. I think Meursault’s story is something anyone can learn from — if you worry too much about what others think of you, take some of Meursault’s apathy and worry less about it. If you don’t worry enough what others think, remember that what may not be important to you might be important to them, and if they are someone important to you, don’t just ignore that.

Lessons I Learned from “The Stranger” and “Pride and Prejudice”

By Henry K

On May 18, 2025

In Albert Camus, Existentialism, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Stranger

When I first read The Stranger by Albert Camus, I hated Mersault. His indifference to major moments like his mom’s death, his lack of work ethic, and his choice to help people like Raymond made him a dislikeable character who was hard to relate to. However, as much as I critiqued Mersault for his actions, his philosophy stuck with me. Mersault lived how he chose to live and in the end he ends up happy. By making Mersault do universally hated things like murder and still end up happy at the end of the book, Camus argues that things people believe to be true like meaning to life and morality are only illusions. And the fact that me and most other people don’t like Mersault’s actions only supports this point. Because life has no objective purpose, the protests of characters in the book and our protests to Mersault are meaningless. Mersault still lived a life that fulfilled him and made him happy.

Reading The Stranger helped me live a more carefree and enjoyable life. Instead of focusing on the things that people say lead to a good life, I started thinking about what I want to do in my life. By thinking about life without focusing on what other people believe, I was able to learn things about myself and live a more free life. I realized that I would rather live a life that makes me happy instead of living in a way that people traditionally consider successful.

Similarly, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen helped to reinforce and build on ideas I learned in The Stranger. In Pride and Prejudice, most characters care about status and use marriage as a way to gain power. However, just like in The Stranger, Elizabeth goes against societal norms and marries based on who she actually likes. And just like Camus, Austen chooses to make Elizabeth happy at the end of the book to show that her way of living is a positive way to live.

Pride and Prejudice solidified the thoughts I had after reading The Stranger by showing me the harm that following norms can cause through characters like Lydia. I learned that in order to be happy I need to make decisions based on my own opinions and not the opinions of others. By following my own intuition, I might make decisions that I regret but it will lead to a life that I want to live based on my own ideas.

The Impact of a Good Book

By Alex G

On May 16, 2025

In Albert Camus, Power of Stories/Storytelling, Pride and Prejudice, Story Power, Stranger

Throughout this year, we have had the pleasure of reading some classics as well as some more modern pieces of literature. I am extremely grateful for this class re-opening the pleasure for me. But even among all of the amazing stories we absorbed this year, two stand out: The Stranger by Albert Camus and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. These two books helped me understand how enthralling a simple story can be. Neither of these books contain complicated plots, but these stories have complex implications; they forced me to look at myself and gave me some valuable insight into what I value. These books helped me understand that I am pessimistic (to a fault at times), that self-awareness is key, and that problems naturally solve themselves when you do the right think.

The Stranger by Albert Camus helped me realize how unlikeable a pessimistic personality can be at times. The main character of this novel, Meursault, is extremely apathetic about almost everything. For example, when his lover Marie asks to marry him, he tells her that it doesn’t make a difference to him if they are married or not and that it’s her choice. By reading this, I was able to understand how annoying being “nonchalant” can be. I have carried the lesson about Meursault’s indifference regarding marriage to other situations in my life. Some things that I may deem as unimportant can be important to others and I need to recognize that and respect that, because if I don’t I may come off like a Meursault. Additionally, Meursault’s reaction to his imprisonment helped me realize the possible consequences of indifference. Because Meursault was indifferent about his mom’s funeral, he didn’t stand a chance at the trial and got the death penalty for killing one of the Arabs. While he is in prison, some of this indifference starts to fade and he starts to feel like a prisoner, finally acting like a normal person and showing some vulnerability. Meursault’s action eventually led to his execution and the miserable experience of being imprisoned. By reading and analyzing The Stranger, I was able to learn that indifference makes you look bad and can lead to unfortunate situations.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen taught me the value of self-awareness and how problems will fix themselves if you put yourself in a good position. Throughout the novel, Elizabeth was extremely self-aware and Darcy eventually becomes self-aware too. Elizabeth knows who she would be happy with and what works for her in a relationship. For example, she rejects Mr. Collins because she lacks respect for him and finds him annoying. She later rejects Darcy because she finds him insufferable. While this seems like common sense to do, Elizabeth’s decisions are remarkable because if she did not marry, she would be in danger of having no one to care for her financially. But because true love is more important to her, she is willing to take that risk and eventually marries someone she truly loves, a reformed Darcy. At the beginning of the novel, Mr. Darcy was an extremely unlikeable man; he acted like he was better than everyone and was aloof in almost every engagement. This continued until Elizabeth made him aware of his unlikeable disposition. Darcy then changed himself and apologized to Elizabeth for his past actions. By becoming self-aware, Darcy was able to become a likeable man and even found a perfect wife for him in Elizabeth.

What I learned this year was that literature has the ability to teach powerful life lessons. Before this year, I just looked at literature as a form of entertainment; a way to live a life that wasn’t your own. But now that I have read a myriad of wonderful stories, I can dissect literature, take the lessons that the author wants us to learn, and apply them to my own life.

How Literature Changed Me

By Will W

On May 16, 2025

In Empathy, King Lear, Memory/Past/History

In my English class this year, we read many books. Some revolved around identity and romanticism while others focused on change and the past. However, the most important, yet interesting book to me was Shakespeare’s King Lear. King Lear focuses on the downfall of a central character, then after a character transformation, a complete change in values to a more purposeful life. King Lear was the central character who focused on his riches, domination, but, most importantly, power over others. Before his character growth, Lear spent little time with those around him and struggled to formulate real connections with those around him, including his own daughters. While I am certainly very different from King Lear, I do notice a few similarities between our values and actions.

While I did not banish a loved one because they did not display their love for me, I frequently sacrificed spending time with my friends and family as throughout high school the majority of my time was spent maintaining my academic rigor and grades. It could be said that I valued my studies over my connections with others which is similar to Lear’s value of power to his connection with others. While reading King Lear and working in class discussions, I was amazed by the different ways in which Lear changed. Admitting he is mad, weeping and apologizing to his third daughter, to dying of a broken heart, King Lear completely shifted his values from his power to his family which similarly inspired me and my values.

Although I can not take back what I used to value and the choices I made, I have realized that I should prioritize the connections in my life more than anything else. As shown by King Lear, despite him losing both his powers and his daughter, it was his daughter’s death that caused him the most pain. Having to go to college next fall, I unfortunately will fall out of contact with a lot of my current friends. However in a new space, I look forward to putting myself out there and making connections with people in any way possible whether it be at a library, student club, or sports event. At college, I look forward to meeting new people everyday and studying on the side. Although I may not have changed as much as King Lear, literature has forced me to open my eyes to subtle changes I can make to my daily lifestyle. While many of the novels we read this year did have deep meanings and depicted important aspects of life, King Lear was the strongest example of how I have been impacted by this class.

My Experience In AP English Literature

By Ryan W

On May 15, 2025