Ian Gibson
AP Lit
Mongold
8-27-07

Introduction Letter

	I walked into AP Literature and Composition not knowing what to expect. I’d 
heard from other students before of how difficult the class could be, but that description 
didn’t match with the explosion of color and excitement the room before me expressed. I 
was still a little apprehensive once I started receiving page after page of course 
information and future homework. Then I realized that I’d never had trouble with English 
before – it’s actually one of my favorite subjects. Why should I be intimidated now? 
      I’m happy to say that I’m truly, madly, deeply excited about the upcoming 
semester in AP Lit. Even just from the first day of class I can tell that this won’t be a 
typical English class. Discussion and comprehension will dominate as we devour one 
classic work after another. The teacher (that’s you!) seems eager to lead a literary romp 
through the pages, and I’m willing to follow to the gates of Hades itself. Well, not really 
– I’ll follow to Dante’s Inferno but that’s as far as I’ll go. 
      I think you’ll find me an incredibly willing student as I enjoy reading nearly 
anything. Right now I’m on a stint of non-fiction as I can’t get enough of politically 
charged editorials or in-depth historical examinations. Fiction suits me as well, be it the 
latest Michael Crichton or an H.G. Wells classic. Yes – I am indeed a proud Sci-Fi geek. 
Lately though, the few fiction I do read are deeply philosophical or experimental in 
nature. After finishing Sock (Penn Jillette) and Brave New World (Aldeous Huxley), I 
rushed to the library to pick up Ishmael (Daniel Quinn) simply because of its celebrated 
creativity.
      Writing is another of many pleasures. As an avid enthusiast of politics, opinion-
editorial pieces are my favorite to write. Sure, I’ll write an imaginatively creative short 
essay every now and then, but if the masses need prodding I’ll be found at my keyboard. 
I write outside of classes a lot, both for the debate team as well as for my blog or personal 
enjoyment. I like to think of my writing as better than average but I know I still have 
things to work on. The biggest thing I have is a morbid obsession with hyphens and 
commas – see, I just used both in the same sentence. I also want to work on creating more 
style and extending my vocabulary. All of this I really want to work hard on in AP Lit.
      When it comes to extracurricular activities I can be pretty busy. Student Senate 
and the Debate Team take up a lot of my time, and as the year progresses the YMCA’s 
Youth and Government program becomes an important part of my schedule as well. But 
don’t worry – I still have plenty of time to complete class assignments. If I don’t do 
homework it’s probably because of apathy, not scheduling. 
      Hopefully all of my expectations and aspirations can be fulfilled in the upcoming 
semester of AP Lit. There’s another thing I need to work on a little – conclusions.
      
      Ian M. Gibson