Let’s be real for a second. If you’ve spent any time scouring through past AP English Language and Composition exams, specifically the 2021 digital administration, you’ve probably hit a wall named "Look at Me."
It’s a piece by Alexandra Schwartz, originally published in The New Yorker. It’s not just a "text." It’s an indictment of how we live now. Or at least, how we lived a few years ago when everyone became obsessed with documenting their lunch before actually eating it. AP students hate it. Teachers love it. It’s one of those rare exam prompts that actually feels like it’s talking about your real life, which is probably why it sticks in the craw of so many teenagers sitting in a humid gymnasium trying to figure out what a "rhetorical shift" is.
What is the Look at Me AP Lang article actually saying?
Schwartz isn't just complaining about selfies. That would be too easy. Too boomer-ish. Instead, she’s diving into the psychological tax of living a "curated" life.
The article, titled "Look at Me" in its original New Yorker context, explores the transition from private experience to public performance. She uses this sharp, almost surgical prose to describe how the camera has changed from a tool that records memories into a tool that validates existence.
Think about it.
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You’re at a concert. The lights are perfect. Instead of feeling the bass in your chest, you’re checking your frame. You’re making sure the exposure doesn't wash out the lead singer. Schwartz argues that this isn't just annoying for the person behind you; it’s fundamentally altering how your brain processes the event. We are becoming the architects of our own digital monuments.
Why the College Board picked this specific prompt
The College Board is sneaky. They don't pick texts because they are "good" in a literary sense—though this one is. They pick them because they are dense with rhetorical strategies.
If you're looking at the Look at Me AP Lang article through the lens of a rhetorical analysis essay, you're looking for the "how." Schwartz uses a lot of cultural references. She name-drops ideas that make the reader feel like they’re part of an "in-crowd" of intellectuals, which is a classic ethos move.
But then she hits you with the imagery.
She describes the physical act of holding up a phone. It’s a barrier. A literal glass wall between the person and the world. For an AP student, the goldmine here is her tone. It’s not just "critical." It’s observational, slightly melancholic, and deeply cynical. She’s not angry; she’s disappointed. That nuance is what separates a 5-score essay from a 3-score essay.
The trap of the "Technology is Bad" argument
A lot of students fall into a trap here. They read the article and think, "Okay, she hates Instagram. I’ll write about how social media is ruinous."
Wrong move.
Schwartz is more interested in the identity aspect. She’s looking at how we view ourselves as products. When you analyze the Look at Me AP Lang article, you have to look at the vocabulary she uses. Words like "curation," "spectacle," and "performance." She’s pulling from the playbook of Guy Debord without necessarily quoting him.
It’s about the shift from being to appearing.
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The Rhetorical Heavy Lifting
Let’s talk about the structure of the piece. Schwartz doesn’t just give you a thesis and three body paragraphs. This is professional journalism. It meanders. It builds.
- She starts with the personal or the specific—a scene that feels familiar.
- She moves into the theoretical. Why do we do this?
- She connects the modern smartphone era to historical precedents of portraiture.
That last part is huge. She reminds us that humans have always been vain. We’ve always wanted to be looked at. The difference now is the frequency and the frictionless nature of it. In the 1700s, you had to sit for a painting for weeks. Now, it takes a millisecond.
That speed changes the value of the image.
Is she being a hypocrite?
This is a great angle for an essay. Schwartz is writing for The New Yorker. That in itself is a form of "Look at Me" behavior. She’s a professional writer putting her thoughts into a prestigious magazine for people to read and admire.
Does she acknowledge this? Sort of. There’s a self-awareness in her prose that suggests she knows she’s part of the system she’s critiquing. This "meta" layer is exactly what AP graders are hunting for. They want to see if you can see the writer's own position within the argument.
Why this article went viral in the "StudyWeb" community
If you go on TikTok or Reddit (r/APLang specifically), you'll see a lot of memes about this text. It’s become a bit of a touchstone for the "COVID-era" students who had to take the digital exams.
The irony wasn't lost on anyone: students were staring at a screen, taking a high-stakes digital exam, reading an article about how staring at screens and performing for an audience is eroding our souls.
Talk about a vibe shift.
The Look at Me AP Lang article became a symbol of the disconnect between the education system and the reality of being a digital native. Students felt called out. And when students feel called out, they engage. Even if that engagement is just complaining about how "wordy" the passage is.
Breaking down the key evidence
When you’re writing about this, or studying it, you need to pin down the specific moments where Schwartz’s argument pivots.
- The "Double Consciousness" Idea: She implies that we are constantly seeing ourselves through the eyes of others. We aren't just living; we are watching ourselves live.
- The Loss of the "Private Self": If everything is recorded, does the private self even exist anymore? Schwartz seems to think it’s a dying breed.
- The Aestheticization of Everything: Even the "ugly" parts of life are now being turned into an "aesthetic." Think "trashcore" or "chaos magic" photo dumps. Schwartz saw this coming.
Actionable Steps for Mastering the Analysis
If you are a student staring at this prompt, or a teacher trying to explain why it matters, here is how you actually tackle it without losing your mind.
Forget the "What," Focus on the "Why"
Don't just summarize what Schwartz said. Everyone knows she's talking about phones. Instead, ask why she chose to use such high-level, academic language to describe a common habit. The contrast between her sophisticated vocabulary and the "low-brow" act of taking a selfie is an intentional choice. It elevates the conversation from a "get off my lawn" rant to a philosophical inquiry.
Trace the Metaphors
Look for where she uses language related to theater or museums. She talks about "galleries" and "stages." If you can link those metaphors back to her central claim—that life has become a performance—you’ve basically written your essay.
Check the Tone Shifts
Schwartz moves from being an observer to being a bit of a judge. Find the exact sentence where that happens. Usually, it’s toward the middle of the piece where the sentences get shorter and more punchy.
Consider the Audience
The New Yorker readers are generally older, educated, and wealthy. How does that change how she writes? She’s speaking to people who might be skeptical of social media, but who also use it to promote their own professional brands. She has to be careful not to alienate them while still making her point.
Practice the "So What?" Factor
In your conclusion (or your understanding of the piece), you have to answer the "so what?" Why does it matter if we take too many pictures? Schwartz’s answer is that we are losing the ability to be present. If you can articulate that loss—the loss of the unrecorded moment—you’ve captured the heart of the piece.
Dealing with the Look at Me AP Lang article is basically a rite of passage at this point. It’s a dense, slightly annoying, but ultimately brilliant piece of cultural criticism that forces you to look at your own habits. Just maybe don't post a photo of the exam booklet on your story. The irony might be a bit too much to handle.