Fahrenheit 451 - Science Fiction Terms

Question 1

SCIENCE FICTION

Answer 1

A genre of literature and film. Science Fiction usually includes some combination of the following: Time/Space travel, Advanced Technology, Aliens, Futuristic Setting or Alternate History, Dystopian Society, Formal and Logical System of Rules.

Question 2

DYSTOPIAN SOCIETY

Answer 2

A futuristic or imagined universe in which a seemingly-perfect society is controlled by a government, religion, or technology that oppresses or limits individual freedoms.

Question 3

CENSORSHIP

Answer 3

The act of limiting or restricting information.

Question 4

BAN

Answer 4

Removing material so that no one can access it.

Question 5

CHALLENGED BOOK

Answer 5

A book that has been targeted for removal due to perceived inappropriate subject matter. Top reasons are 1. Sexually Explicit 2. Contains Offensive Language 3. Unsuited to any age group

Question 6

DYNAMIC CHARACTER

Answer 6

A character that is directly affected by the central conflict in a story and changes significantly as a result of this conflict

Question 7

CONFLICT

Answer 7

In literature, conflict describes the main obstacle that the characters have to face or overcome. Three main types of conflict are: Person vs. Person; Person vs. Him/Herself; Person vs. Nature

Question 8

DEMOCRACY

Answer 8

A system of government in which all citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives.

Question 9

IRONY

Answer 9

A literary device that describes words or actions that are the opposite of what was expected, usually with a humorous or tragic effect.

Question 10

SYMBOL

Answer 10

A literary term for an object or person that represents a larger object, person, or idea. Example: The American Flag is a symbol of patriotism. A red light is a symbol meaning “stop.”

Question 11

PARABLE

Answer 11

A short, simple story that demonstrates a moral or lesson.

Question 12

FLASHBACK

Answer 12

A literary device where the action stops and the narrative moves suddenly back in time to events that happened previously.

Question 13

FOIL

Answer 13

A character with the opposite personality of the protagonist. Foils are used to highlight the other character’s personality.

Question 14

CATALYST

Answer 14

An event or person that causes change.

Question 15

STATUS QUO

Answer 15

The normal or regular way things are.

Question 16

UTOPIA

Answer 16

A place, state, or condition of being that is ideally perfect in terms of laws, politics, customs, and social conditions. From the Greek ou (no) + topos (place). In science fiction literature, utopian societies are usually just an illusion, masking a dystopian society underneath.

Question 17

LOADED WORDS

Answer 17

Words with strong positive or negative connotations used to appeal to an audience’s emotions.

Question 18

LOGOS

Answer 18

The art of logical reasoning. A Logos argument relies on evidence–facts, statistics, data–to prove or persuade. Logos arguments make a speaker appear prepared and informed about their subject, which in turn enhances their Ethos.

Question 19

ETHOS

Answer 19

The underlying sentiment that informs the shared beliefs, customs, or practices of a group or society. An Ethos argument relies on appealing to the common values of a group to persuade OR using the reputation of the speaker as a selling point.

Question 20

PATHOS

Answer 20

The quality or power of life experiences, literature, music, or other artistic forms of expression to arouse pity or compassion in an audience. A Pathos argument relies on appealing to one’s emotions or needs.

Question 21

PERSUASION

Answer 21

The art of making others believe or act as you want them to through appeals to reason (logos), emotion (pathos), or authority (ethos).

Question 22

CONNOTATION

Answer 22

The implied meaning of a word or phrase. Some words have stronger connotations than others. For example, the word “nerd” has a stronger connotation than the word “ smart.”

Question 23

PROPAGANDA

Answer 23

False or misleading information that is spread to promote an opinion or idea.

Question 24

PURPOSE

Answer 24

The author’s reason for writing. The most common purposes are to Persuade, to Inform, or to Entertain.