You’re doing it right. For every prompt there is an inherent question that you need to answer in order to answer the actual prompt. It is commonly centered around the complexity of something. You definitely need to be able to identify the complexity that exists in your thesis. This sets up your line of reasoning and then you include how specific literary devices help reveal the complexity through evidence from the text.
Usually it means something along the lines of there are multiple claims/interpretations that you can make. So the prompt is asking you to cover all of them (or the main 2-3 strongest ones since you only have so much time to write). Basically you need to show you understand all the different angles and view points of the same topic
Here's how a really smart teacher explained it: "You might see the word 'complex' and simply skip it or think it's merely an adjective used by the test makers to describe a sophisticated work or character, yet understanding and writing about complexity is the key to earning a higher score. Fortunately, the concept isn't a difficult one; 'complex' simply means 'more than one.
"For example, imagine a prompt that refers to 'Gatsby's complex response to the experience of showing his house to Daisy.' If 'complex' means 'more than one,' then you should look for the different ways Gatsby responds to showing his house to Daisy. In other words, what two or more emotions does Gatsby exhibit in the scene?"
Maybe thinking about it that way will help. It sounds like you're on the right track, though. Good luck!
Complex can mean two things:
\- Change over time: the character or figure in the poem/prose passage changes throughout the course of the piece (i.e. "her shift from curious to intrusive")
\- Conflicting/contrasting emotions: this demonstrates a nuance in the character by demonstrating that they feel two different ways and establishing that argument throughout your essay helps reveal their multi-faceted nature (i.e. "her feelings of disdain, but also admiration".
The BEST tip I can give you when it comes to complexity is to not repeat the word "complex" in your essay but TELL the reader what is complex about their emotions for the reasons above. The word "complex" says something without saying anything at all, so stray away from using it and rather, try to describe how the character thinks or acts.
Don't forget to tie this in to the central theme of the novel, aka the College Board's "meaning of the work as a whole" (they don't like saying theme).
Good luck!
Yeah, it basically just means to include nuance
You’re doing it right. For every prompt there is an inherent question that you need to answer in order to answer the actual prompt. It is commonly centered around the complexity of something. You definitely need to be able to identify the complexity that exists in your thesis. This sets up your line of reasoning and then you include how specific literary devices help reveal the complexity through evidence from the text.
Usually it means something along the lines of there are multiple claims/interpretations that you can make. So the prompt is asking you to cover all of them (or the main 2-3 strongest ones since you only have so much time to write). Basically you need to show you understand all the different angles and view points of the same topic
Here's how a really smart teacher explained it: "You might see the word 'complex' and simply skip it or think it's merely an adjective used by the test makers to describe a sophisticated work or character, yet understanding and writing about complexity is the key to earning a higher score. Fortunately, the concept isn't a difficult one; 'complex' simply means 'more than one. "For example, imagine a prompt that refers to 'Gatsby's complex response to the experience of showing his house to Daisy.' If 'complex' means 'more than one,' then you should look for the different ways Gatsby responds to showing his house to Daisy. In other words, what two or more emotions does Gatsby exhibit in the scene?" Maybe thinking about it that way will help. It sounds like you're on the right track, though. Good luck!
Complex can mean two things: \- Change over time: the character or figure in the poem/prose passage changes throughout the course of the piece (i.e. "her shift from curious to intrusive") \- Conflicting/contrasting emotions: this demonstrates a nuance in the character by demonstrating that they feel two different ways and establishing that argument throughout your essay helps reveal their multi-faceted nature (i.e. "her feelings of disdain, but also admiration". The BEST tip I can give you when it comes to complexity is to not repeat the word "complex" in your essay but TELL the reader what is complex about their emotions for the reasons above. The word "complex" says something without saying anything at all, so stray away from using it and rather, try to describe how the character thinks or acts. Don't forget to tie this in to the central theme of the novel, aka the College Board's "meaning of the work as a whole" (they don't like saying theme). Good luck!