Students in AP English Literature are diving into the innermost thoughts of various characters through their soliloquy projects.

“So, they are choosing a soliloquy from their play that they have, which is basically just somebody giving a speech to nobody, and they’re analyzing what the effect of soliloquy has on the play as a whole and what it has on the specific character,” AP English Literature teacher Randi Hamilton said. “It’s important because it allows the students to really analyze why these specific characters say what they say and why that’s important and it allows them to see the impact soliloquies have.” 

The project brings about a creative change from their usual coursework, something that senior Neha Ramachandran appreciates.

“I think the project was pretty fun because it was a change from the usual more heavy-loaded work we do in Lit,” Ramachandran said. “It gave us a chance to connect with the text in a more creative way which made it interesting. Near the end of the semester, we have a project where we’ll be making a scene about our play. This project will help us in preparation for that scene as we go through and interpret a speech and understand the motivations behind it, which will be helpful when we’re trying to apply it.”

For students like senior Marcus Sherman, the project served as an opportunity to strengthen his reading and interpretation skills.

“I think it was really efficient for breaking down pieces of literature at a higher level,” Sherman said. “I’ll know how to properly read my way through a piece of literature and then find a way to answer questions I’m being asked.”