2015 AP English Language and Composition Free-Response Questions

2015 AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS
Question 2
(Suggested time—40 minutes. This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.)
On the tenth anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., labor union organizer and civil rights
leader Cesar Chavez published an article in the magazine of a religious organization devoted to helping those in
need. Read the following excerpt from the article carefully. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the rhetorical
choices Chavez makes to develop his argument about nonviolent resistance.
Dr. King’s entire life was an example of power that which seethe inside every farm worker. The burdens
nonviolence brings to bear in the real world. It is an of generations of poverty and powerlessness lie heavy
example that inspired much of the philosophy and 50 in the fields of America. If we fail, there are those
Line strategy of the farm workers’ movement. This who will see violence as the shortcut to change.
5 observance of Dr. King’s death gives us the best It is precisely to overcome these frustrations that
possible opportunity to recall the principles with we have involved masses of people in their own
which our struggle has grown and matured. struggle throughout the movement. Freedom is
Our conviction is that human life is a very special 55 best experienced through participation and self-
possession given by God to man and that no one has determination, and free men and women instinctively
10 the right to take it for any reason or for any cause, prefer democratic change to any other means.
however just it may be. Thus, demonstrations and marches, strikes and
We are also convinced that nonviolence is more boycotts are not only weapons against the growers,
powerful than violence. Nonviolence supports you if 60 but our way of avoiding the senseless violence that
you have a just and moral cause. Nonviolence brings no honor to any class or community. The
15 provides the opportunity to stay on the offensive, and boycott, as Gandhi taught, is the most nearly perfect
that is of crucial importance to win any contest. instrument of nonviolent change, allowing masses of
If we resort to violence then one of two things will people to participate actively in a cause.
happen: either the violence will be escalated and there 65 When victory comes through violence, it is a
will be many injuries and perhaps deaths on both victory with strings attached. If we beat the growers at
20 sides, or there will be total demoralization of the the expense of violence, victory would come at the
workers. expense of injury and perhaps death. Such a thing
Nonviolence has exactly the opposite effect. If, for would have a tremendous impact on us. We would
every violent act committed against us, we respond 70 lose regard for human beings. Then the struggle
with nonviolence, we attract people’s support. We can would become a mechanical thing. When you lose
25 gather the support of millions who have a conscience your sense of life and justice, you lose your strength.
and would rather see a nonviolent resolution to The greater the oppression, the more leverage
problems. We are convinced that when people are nonviolence holds. Violence does not work in the
faced with a direct appeal from the poor struggling 75 long run and if it is temporarily successful, it replaces
nonviolently against great odds, they will react one violent form of power with another just as
30 positively. The American people and people violent. People suffer from violence.
everywhere still yearn for justice. It is to that Examine history. Who gets killed in the case of
yearning that we appeal. violent revolution? The poor, the workers. The people
But if we are committed to nonviolence only as a 80 of the land are the ones who give their bodies and
strategy or tactic, then if it fails our only alternative is don’t really gain that much for it. We believe it is too
35 to turn to violence. So we must balance the strategy big a price to pay for not getting anything. Those who
with a clear understanding of what we are doing. espouse violence exploit people. To call men to arms
However important the struggle is and however much with many promises, to ask them to give up their lives
misery, poverty and exploitation exist, we know that 85 for a cause and then not produce for them afterwards,
it cannot be more important than one human life. We is the most vicious type of oppression.
40 work on the theory that men and women who are truly We know that most likely we are not going to do
concerned about people are nonviolent by nature. anything else the rest of our lives except build our
These people become violent when the deep concern union. For us there is nowhere else to go. Although
they have for people is frustrated and when they are 90 we would like to see victory come soon, we are
faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. willing to wait. In this sense, time is our ally. We
45 We advocate militant nonviolence as our means of learned many years ago that the rich may have
achieving justice for our people, but we are not blind money, but the poor have time.
to the feelings of frustration, impatience and anger
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