Full Study Guide Flashcards
Who is Italo Calvino?
- An important Italian writerfrom the 20th century.
- Blended fantasy with reality.
- Made experimental narrative techniques and postmodern themes.
- Explored human nature.
- Influenced global literature through his unique style and philosophical depth
Magical realism & allegory → Invisible Cities (1972)
Postmodern & experimental fiction → If on a winter’s night a traveler (1979)
Folklore & fables → Italian Folktales (1956)
Science fiction & fantasy → Cosmicomics (1965)
What are portfolios in education?
Tools for teachers to monitor student progress over time, allowing students to select pieces for inclusion, share authentic evidence with parents, and support accountability.
What is a novel?
A realistic story that could really happen or could have happened.
Example: ‘Pride and Prejudice’.
Which writers are associated with Symbolism?
William Butler Yeats and T.S. Eliot.
What did Romantic literature emphasize?
- The beauty of nature
- Freedom and nobility of individuals
- freedom of emotion
- the glories of a pastoral life.*
What is Realism in literature?
A movement popular in the 19th centurythat focused on the realities of life, with writers like Gustave Flaubert (Madame Bovary) and Leo Tolstoy Anna Karenina
Madame Bovary Gustave Flaubert Charlie gets with Emma cuz he been sleeping around with her but she gets bored of him cuz she freaky then she has all these affairs then charlie buries her in her no matter how hard he hustle, reality craps on it
Anna Karenina Anna’s affair with Vronsky leads to jealousy, heartbreak, and a whole lot of emotional chaos. As things go downhill, Anna can’t escape her own guilt and the judgment of society. In the end, it all unravels tragically. But through Levin, you get a more hopeful take on life, as he learns to find peace through hard work and genuine love.
What characterizes the Modernist Movement?
Experimental forms, a loss of tradition, and the influence of technology, with writers influenced by Einstein and Freud.
What is Surrealism?
A 20th-century movement featuring elements of surprise and unexpected juxtapositions, beginning in Paris in the 1920s.
Surrealism is kinda like an acid trip—mind-bending, out-of-this-world stuff where things don’t make sense, but there’s a deeper meaning or feeling behind the chaos. It’s all about escaping the normal and diving into the weird and the dreamlike.
What is the focus of the revision operation of Adding Information?
Introducing students to revision by adding words or phrases to make writing more complete.
Who was Virgil?
A Roman writer.
What is the Classical Greek Period?
A period from 800-200 BCE known as the Golden Age of Greece, featuring writers like Plato and Aristotle.
What is the setting of ‘Heart of Darkness’ Joseph Conrad?
Darkness black ppl A guy named Marlow takes a job as a riverboat captain in the Congo, searching for a dude named Kurtz, who’s this mad, god-like figure running an ivory trading post. As Marlow travels deeper into the jungle, he learns Kurtz is a power-hungry, insane tyrant. The whole thing’s a commentary on colonialism, human nature, and the darkness inside everyone.
Modernist, Psychological, Colonial Literature
What is ‘The Scarlet Letter’ about?
A novel set in Colonial America about Hester Prynne, who bears a child out of wedlock and is forced to wear a scarlet letter ‘A’.
What is expository discourse?
A type of writing that attempts to explain or describe something.
Who was Zora Neale Hurston?
NEAL THE AFRICAN HIS CREEPY EYES
The first author to write about the experiences of African-Americans, known for ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’.
What is T.S. Eliot’s ‘The Waste Land’ associated with?
The Modern Literary Movement, characterized by open form and free verse. war time
** Waste Land is like a messed-up road trip through the mind of the 20th century,** where the world’s been shattered and nothing makes sense anymore. Eliot kicks off the poem with a whole bunch of random imagery, like weird memories and dark symbols. You got droughts, broken relationships, war, and all this spiritual despair hanging over everything. It’s like the world’s gone dry – no culture, no soul, just a bunch of scattered pieces, like a wasteland. There’s a ton of references, like to mythology, religion, and even Shakespeare
What are the types of pronouns? PP III D RRR
Theres 9 pidiprrri Pandas In Dimly-lit Infrastructures Play Really Really Relaxing Instruments.
- Personal Pronouns – Who’s involved? I, you, he, she, it, we, they, me
- Possessive Pronouns – Mine, yours, theirs.
- Intensive Pronouns – intensive and extra *I myself, you yourself, he himself. All about that extra flair – like saying, “I did this big time.”
- Interrogative Pronouns – Question time! Who, what, where, when, why, how
- Indefinite Pronouns – Indefinitely a secret. Anyone, someone, everyone, nobody, all
- Reciprocal Pronouns – We reciproate and help “Each other, one another”
- Relative Pronouns – realtives in the family that connect parts of a sentence.”The teacher “who” loves math is nice.” -its not a question Who, whom, whose, which, that
- Reflexive Pronouns – reflect back to the personal pronouns
I → myself
You → yourself
He/She/It → himself/herself/itself
We → ourselves
They → themselves
- Demonstrative Pronouns – Point it out. This, that, these, those
What defines a fairy tale?
A story with fantastic characters and creatures, often including witches, goblins, and fairies.
What do ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘The Iliad’ represent?
The Heroic period, dating from 1200-800 BCE, part of the oral tradition.
What is dramatic irony?
A discrepancy between what a character believes and what the reader understands to be true.
What is verbal irony?
A discrepancy between what is said and what is meant.
What is situational irony?
A discrepancy between what the reader expects to happen and what actually happens.
What is the Renaissance literary movement characterized by?
(14th–17th centuries)
*period of cultural rebirth in Europe,
*emphasizing a return to the classical art and lit
*Return to ideals of **ancient Greece and Rome. **
*It focused on humanism (human depth emotion and reason)
*rediscovery of classical antiquity.
What is miscue analysis?
Studying how a student’s oral reading differs from the printed text to understand their reading strategies.
What are the three main themes in literature?
Survival of the unfittest, the picaresque/journey, and the reversal of fortune.
What is a transitive verb?
Requires a direct object to complete its meaning. In other words, it transfers action to something or someone. Without a direct object, the sentence would feel incomplete.
Ask “What?” or “Whom?” after the verb.
She plays the piano. (Plays what? The piano.)
What is a sonnet?
A poem of fourteen lines that uses a specific rhyme scheme.
What is the Realism literary movement?
A movement that took place between 1855-1900, characterized by objective works using multiple voices.
Gustave Flaubert – Madame Bovary (1857)
A deep, detailed look at the mundane struggles and romantic disillusionment of Emma Bovary.
Leo Tolstoy – Anna Karenina (1877)
Explores love, family, and society with psychological depth and social realism.
Mark Twain – The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885)
A realistic portrayal of 19th-century American life, dialects, and racial tensions.
Charles Dickens – Great Expectations (1861)
Depicts social class struggles and personal growth in Victorian England.
Émile Zola – Germinal (1885)
A harsh, realistic look at working-class struggles and labor conditions in France.
What are kennings?
Figurative descriptions commonly used in Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse narrative poetry.
“Whale-road” → Ocean
“Sky-candle” → Sun
“Battle-sweat” → Blood
What is holistic scoring?
Judging the overall quality of a piece of writing, often used in standardized tests.
What does ‘in media res’ mean?
A term for a story that begins in the middle of the action.
MEDIAN- IN THE MIDDLE
Dante’s Inferno → Begins with Dante already lost in the dark woods.
Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick → Ishmael introduces himself but the story is already in motion.
Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games → Starts just before the reaping, skipping Katniss’ early life.
What is the Age of Johnson?
The colonial period of America from 1750-1790, featuring writers like Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
What is a narrative hook?
An element that draws the reader’s attention to keep them reading.
What type of character is Mr. Collins in ‘Pride and Prejudice’?
A static character who does not change throughout the plot.
What are the first eight lines of a Shakespearean sonnet called?
The octave, where an idea is often introduced.
What is a book pass?
A Book Pass is an engaging classroom activity where students quickly preview multiple books in a short amount of time to spark interest in reading. It works like literary “speed dating.”
Gather a variety of books (different genres, topics, or reading levels).
Set a timer (2–5 minutes per book).
Students read a few pages, the blurb, or flip through the book.
They jot down quick impressions (Do they like it? Why/why not?).
Pass the book to the next student and repeat.
What is iambic pentameter?
A consistent meter in poetry and prose with 10 syllables in each line, where unstressed syllables are followed by stressed ones.
What is a Book Pass?
An instructional method for introducing students to a variety of works in a short period to encourage interest.
What is Burlesque?
burrppp
Low burlesque mocks ordinary, everyday subjects with exaggerated, crude humor. It often includes slapstick and is more vulgar. “The Three Stooges” (comedy show) or Scary movie series
High burlesque mocks serious, elevated subjects (like epic poetry or classical art) with sophisticated, witty humor and satire. Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes
Low burlesque = Crude and comedic.
High burlesque = Refined and intellectual.
What is a Capitonym?
A word that is spelled the same but has a different meaning when capitalized (e.g., Turkey vs. turkey).
What is a Caricature?
A device used in writing and visual arts where particular aspects of a subject are exaggerated for comic effect.
An example of a caricature is a cartoon of a politician with an oversized nose, big ears, and tiny eyes to humorously exaggerate their most prominent features. This distorted depiction is meant to highlight and poke fun at their characteristics in an exaggerated way.
What are the types of characters?
Theres 9 PAR FDS FCS
1. Protagonist main guy
2. Antagonist Bad guy
3. Round Character
A complex, well-developed character with multiple traits and depth. Ralph Lord of the Flies
4. Flat Character
A simple, one-dimensional character with limited traits, often used to support the plot. Piggy
5. Dynamic Character A character who changes significantly throughout the story, often due to conflict or experiences. Ebenezer Scrooge
6. Static Character
A character who does not change throughout the story. Sherlock Holmes or God in PL
7. Foil
A character who contrasts with the protagonist to highlight particular qualities or traits.Jack in Lord of the Flies – A foil to Ralph, representing savagery and the breakdown of order.
8. Confidant
A character the protagonist confides in, often used to reveal inner thoughts and emotions. Sancho Panza
9. Stock Character
A stereotypical character that represents a familiar type, often used in certain genres.
Example: The “damsel in distress” or “mad scientist”.
What is a Caesura?
CHA -sura
Grammatical pause or break in a line of poetry, typically placed somewhere within the line (not at the end). It’s often used to create a rhythmic or dramatic effect. In traditional poetry, caesuras are marked by punctuation, such as a comma, period, or dash, but can also occur naturally in the rhythm of the poem.
For example, in the line: “To be or not to be, that is the question.” There is a natural pause after “to be” — this is a caesura.
What are the rules for Capitalization?
Capitalize the first word of a document, proper nouns, titles before names, and specific course titles, among others.
What is a Catastrophe in literature?
The final action that completes the unraveling of the plot in a play, especially in a tragedy.
What is Catharsis?
An emotional discharge that leads to moral or spiritual renewal, cleansing of emotions.
Crying over a sad part
What is Cause and Effect?
A writing organization pattern where actions and results are presented in time order.
What is a Cento?
A poem composed of lines from other poems, meaning ‘patchwork’ in Latin.
Cuz you only have a few cents
“To be, or not to be, that is the question,”
“Hope is the thing with feathers,”
“Good fences make good neighbors.”
Each line is taken from a different work, and when placed together, it creates a new interpretation or theme.
What are the characteristics of effective delivery in a speech?
Includes eye contact, visual aids, and tone.
What is Chronological Order?
A pattern where ideas are presented in the order they occurred in time.
What is a Cinquain?
A five-line poem with a specific syllable count: 2, 4, 6, 8, 2.
What are the components and rules for citation in MLA?
Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year of Publication.
Example: Salinger, J.D. ‘The Catcher in the Rye.’ New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 1945.
What is a Conceit?
Its like a metaphor but longer and more complex, it can be a whole poem
It’s conceded cuz it thinks its better than a metaohor, longer
What is a Cliché?
An overused expression that has lost its original meaning or novelty.
What are Clauses?
Groups of related words containing a subject and a verb, distinguished from phrases.
What is Clustering as an organizational tool?
A nonlinear method that starts with a single idea and builds upon it to reveal patterns.
Its basically a mind map, you stem off from the main thing
What is a Cognate?
Words that are related and share the same origin or root.
“The English word ‘universe’ is a cognate with the French word ‘univers,’ both derived from the Latin word ‘universum.’”
What is the difference between a Colon and a Semicolon?
A semicolon joins independent clauses without conjunctions, while a colon introduces lists or explanations.
What are common types within modes of writing?
Includes journal, letter, essay, speech, blog, etc.
What are commonly used research-based strategies for reading instruction?
Activating prior knowledge, modeling metacognitive practices, and active reading.
What is Concept Mapping?
A visual representation of relationships between concepts and ideas, often hierarchical.
What is Concrete Poetry?
Concrete poems, also known as shape or visual poetry, arrange words on the page to form a shape or image that relates to the poem’s subject, emphasizing visual presentation over linguistic meaning
What is Conferencing in writing?
A process of discussing a piece of writing to assess strengths and weaknesses and set goals.
What are types of Conflict in literature?
Includes physical, social, internal/psychological, and metaphysical conflicts.
What are Conjunctions?
Subordinating conjunctions ( because, although, if, when, while, since, unless, as)make one clause dependent on the other
Coordinating conjunctions connect equal clauses or ideas. FANBOYS
Correlative Conjunctions Always come in pairs, working together to link equal parts of a sentence. 2 words
What are Correlative Conjunctions?
Pairs of words that link balanced words, phrases, or clauses, such as ‘either/or’ and ‘not only/but also.’
What is Connotation?
An implied meaning of a word apart from its explicit description, carrying cultural and emotional associations.
What is Consonance?
Like a rhyme but only using constantents. Doesn’t have to be at just the end
“The lumpy, bumpy road.”
In this example, the repetition of the “m” and “b” sounds creates consonance.
What is a Contranym?
on the contrary
A word that can mean its own opposite
Turn off the lights and the firealarm went off.
Sanction means approved they sanctioned the policy
or santion like they sanctioned the prisioners bby restricting privilages (punish)
“Off” can also mean something started or activated (e.g., “The fire alarm went off.”), meaning it began or triggered.
Contranyms are also known as auto-antonyms or Janus words.
What is Closet Drama?
A dialogue-based form of literature that reads as a play but is not intended for performance.
What is a Couplet?
A pair of successive lines of verse, especially those that rhyme and are of the same length.
What is a Creole?
A stable natural language developed from the mixing of parent languages.
Fushion of two languages Kurdish and arabic
What is a Dactyl?
A metrical foot consisting of one long and two short syllables or of one stressed and two unstressed syllables
A stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables. The words “poetry” and “Basketball” are both dactylic.
Define Denotation.
Literal or dictionary meanings of a word in contrast to its connotative or associated meanings
What is Denouement in literature?
Resolution of the issue of a complicated plot in fiction, often found in the Epilogue
Last part its the resoultion
What does Dialect refer to?
A variation of a language characteristic of a particular group of the language’s speakers
Define Diction.
A style of speaking or writing determined by the choice of words by a speaker or writer
What is Discipline based inquiry?
The practice of learning about a writing form by dissecting it and investigating its parts
What is Discourse according to Michel Foucault?
Discourse refers to a system of knowledge, language, and practices that shape and regulate how people understand and interpret the world. Foucault viewed discourse not just as communication or conversation, but as a set of rules, norms, and practices that determine what is considered true or acceptable in a society at any given time.
theboss’s speech contributes to a discourse that governs workplace behavior and reinforces the social structure of power between employees and employers. It’s not just about what is said, but how it shapes your perception of your role and place within the organization.
What is the general classification of Discourse?
- Exposition textbook, manuals
- narration
- description-natural science text
- argument -politican
List Donald Graves’s six writing principles.
- Writing time
- Modeling- senetnce frames of structure
- Ownership- let them pick the topic
- Conferencing- give feedback
- Revising- going in and fixing non linear
- Postwriting/publishing
What does Effect mean?
What happened as a result
Because it rained, we stayed inside.
It rained- cause (why did it happen)
we stayed inside- effect (what happend)
What does Affect mean?
To produce a change in something
What are Effective sentences characterized by?
Coordination and subordination
What is an Elegy?
A type of lyric poem which laments the loss of something or someone
Define Emendation.
fancy lit-nerd way of saying edit.
Edit = everyday fix
Emendation = elite literary fix
What is Enjambment in poetry?
Use of a line of poetry whose sense and rhythmic movement continues to the next line
What is an Epigram?
A short poem with a twist, often a quick, satirical twist at the end (if a tweet and a poem had a baby)
“Sorry I’m late, I didn’t want to come.” 😎
epigram = short, savage, and stylish. Perfect for sounding smart and sassy at the same time. 🖊️🔥
(by Oscar Wilde):
“I can resist everything except temptation.”
What is an Epiphany in a story?
Moment where a character achieves realization or awareness
What is an Epilogue?
Chapter at the end of a literary work which concludes the work
Define Etymology.
The study of the history and origin of words
What is an Epistolary Novel?
A novel that uses documents/letters to advance plots
What does Existentialism emphasize?
Individual existence, freedom, and choice
Define Exhortation.
An address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something
What is Exposition in literature?
Literary device used to introduce background information about events, settings, characters, etc.
What is the Fair Use Doctrine?
Allows teachers to make a limited number of copies of copyrighted works for classroom use
What is Faulty Parallelism?
When two or more parts of a sentence are equivalent in meaning but not parallel in form
What is Faulty predication?
Occurs when the subject and verb do not make sense together
Define Figure of speech.
Various rhetorical uses of language that depart from customary construction
What is the Flesch-Kincaid Formula used for?
To assign a level of difficulty to a text based on syllable and sentence length
List strategies for helping students comprehend new vocabulary in nonfiction texts.
- Activating prior knowledge
- Examining new vocabulary in context
- Providing opportunities for practice
What is a Fragment in writing?
An incomplete sentence that lacks a main clause
What is a Frame story?
One in which the main story organizes a series of shorter stories
Define Free Verse.
Poetry that is free from limitations of regular meter or rhythm and does not rhyme with fixed forms
What is Foreshadowing?
Literary device that gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story
What are Formative assessments?
Assessments aimed at monitoring student learning to provide ongoing feedback
What is a Gerund?
A verbal that ends in -ing and functions as a noun
What is the purpose of a Grammar Guide?
Helps with proper construction of sentences and proper use of words
What are the types of Grammar?
- Descriptive grammar
- Comparative grammar
- Functional grammar
What are Graphic organizers?
Visual tools that guide learners’ thinking and enhance understanding of subject matter content
Define Grotesque.
Concerned about the distortion and transgression of boundaries, often fitting between the real and the fantastic
What is Hamartia?
The flaw in character which leads to the downfall of the protagonist in a tragedy
What was the Harlem Renaissance?
A flowering of African American cultural and intellectual life during the years 1920 to 1940
What is Holistic scoring?
An impressionistic method that evaluates writing as a whole rather than focusing on individual aspects
Define Homophones.
Words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings and spellings
What are Homonyms?
Words that have the same pronunciation and spelling but different meanings
Define Homographs.
Words that have the same spelling but different meanings
How do text features contribute to an informational text?
They enhance understanding and support the central idea
What is Hyperbole?
Exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis
Identify techniques to ensure productive participation in discussions.
- Selecting age-appropriate topics
- Facilitating appropriate discussion behavior
- Ensuring accountability
What is Inconsistent Verb tense?
A grammatical error involving the use of different tenses within the same context
What is the Introduction-Body-Conclusion Strategy (IBC)?
An organizational method ensuring sufficient supporting details in essays and paragraphs
Define Inversion.
Literary technique in which the normal order of words is reversed for emphasis
What is a KWL Chart?
A tool used to document what students know, want to know, and what they learned
What are Levels of thinking?
Critical-creative thinking, which involves judging fact from opinion
What is a Limerick?
A five-line poem with a rhyme scheme of aabba
Define Linguistics.
The formal study of the structures and processes of a language
What are the key Literary elements?
- Characterization
- Setting
- Tone
- Plot structure
- Mood
List some Literary theories.
- Reader-response
- Feminist criticism
What is an Ad hominem logical fallacy?
Attacking an opponent’s character instead of their argument
What is Reader-response theory?
A literary theory that emphasizes the reader’s role in interpreting texts.
This theory suggests that meaning is created through the interaction between the reader and the text.
What is Feminist criticism?
A literary criticism that seeks to understand literature through the lens of gender dynamics and women’s experiences.
It often highlights the ways in which literature reflects or challenges patriarchal structures.
Define Ad hominem.
A logical fallacy that attacks a person’s character instead of addressing their argument.
Latin for ‘to the man.’
What does Ad populum refer to?
An emotional appeal that targets positive or negative concepts rather than addressing the real issue.
It often plays on the audience’s emotions.
What is ambiguity in logical fallacies?
Using double meanings or ambiguities of language to mislead or misrepresent the truth.
Explain anecdotal evidence.
Using personal experience or isolated examples instead of valid arguments, especially to dismiss statistics.
What is an appeal to ignorance?
Arguing that a lack of evidence for something proves its existence or nonexistence.
Example: ‘We don’t have evidence that God doesn’t exist, therefore he must exist.’
Define argument from omniscience.
A fallacy where the arguer claims to know everyone’s beliefs or knowledge.
Example: ‘Everyone knows that.’
What does appeal to faith mean?
Relying on faith as the basis for an argument, which does not rest on logic or evidence.
What is an appeal to nature?
Arguing that something is valid or justified simply because it is ‘natural.’
Explain appeal to tradition.
Arguing that something is valid simply because it has been traditionally practiced.
What is an argument from authority?
Using the opinion of an authority figure instead of actual evidence to support an argument.
Define appeal to consequences.
Concluding a belief is true or false based on whether it leads to desirable or undesirable consequences.
What is the appeal to emotion fallacy?
Manipulating emotional responses instead of providing valid arguments.
Explain argument from adverse consequences.
Arguing that a belief must be true to avoid undesirable consequences.
Define argumentum ad baculum.
An argument based on an appeal to fear or a threat.
What is argumentum ad ignorantiam?
A misleading argument that relies on people’s ignorance.
What does argumentum ad populum refer to?
An argument aimed at swaying popular support by appealing to emotions rather than facts.
Define bandwagon fallacy.
Arguing that something is true simply because many people believe it.
What is begging the question?
A circular argument where the conclusion is included in the premise.
What does the black or white fallacy entail?
Presenting two alternatives as the only possibilities when more exist.
Define burden of proof.
Shifting the burden of proof to the person opposing a claim rather than on the one making the claim.
What is circular reasoning?
Restating the argument instead of proving it.
Explain the composition fallacy.
Assuming what is true for one part must be true for the whole.
What is confirmation bias?
Focusing on evidence that supports existing beliefs while ignoring evidence that contradicts them.
Define confusion of correlation and causation.
Invalidly assuming that correlation implies causation.
What is the fallacy fallacy?
Assuming that a claim is wrong simply because it was poorly argued.
Explain genetic fallacy.
Judging something based on its origin rather than its current meaning or context.
Define half-truths.
A statement that omits essential facts to deceive.
What are hasty generalizations?
Conclusions drawn from insufficient or biased evidence.
What are loaded questions?
Questions that contain an assumption that makes it difficult to answer without appearing guilty.
Define middle ground fallacy.
Arguing that a compromise between two extremes is the truth.
What is moral equivalence?
Comparing minor misdeeds with major atrocities.
What does non sequitur mean?
An inference that does not logically follow from the premises.
Define no true Scotsman fallacy.
Dismissing relevant criticisms by excluding specific cases without an objective rule.
What is personal incredulity?
Claiming something is false simply because it is difficult to understand.
Define post hoc, ergo propter hoc.
Assuming that because one event followed another, the first event caused the second.
What is proving non-existence?
Challenging opponents to prove a claim does not exist when one cannot provide evidence for their own claim.
What is a red herring?
A diversionary tactic that avoids addressing the key issues.
Define reification fallacy.
Treating an abstract belief as if it represents a concrete event.
What is a slippery slope argument?
Asserting that allowing one action will lead to a series of negative consequences.
Define special pleading.
Creating exceptions to a claim when it is shown to be false.
What is a straw man argument?
Misrepresenting an opponent’s argument to make it easier to attack.
What is the Texas sharpshooter fallacy?
Cherry-picking data to fit a presumption.
Define tu quoque.
Responding to criticism by turning it back on the accuser.
What is a use-mention error?
Confusing a word with the concept it represents.
What is a lyric poem?
A short poem that expresses personal feelings.
Commonly associated with Shakespearean sonnets.
What is magical realism?
A literary genre or style associated especially with Latin America that incorporates fantastic or mythical elements into otherwise realistic fiction
Describes events realistically but within a magical haze of local customs and beliefs.
What is a malapropism?
An act or habit of misusing words ridiculously, especially by the confusion of words that are similar in sound
Examples include: ‘Lead the way and we’ll precede’ and ‘I am not under the affluence of alcohol.’
What is a maxi-lesson?
A teaching method where a draft of writing is displayed, suggestions are solicited from the class, and individual help is offered with revising
Involves commenting on suggestions and applying one to the piece.
What is Menippean Satire?
A form of satire that is indirect and nonrealistic in approach, consisting of a loosely organized narrative incorporating dialogues between various points of view
It allows the reader to see the world through the eyes of another character.
What are modifiers?
Words, phrases, or clauses that provide description in sentences
Includes adjectives, adverb clauses, participial phrases, and more.
What are morphemes?
The smallest meaningful units of language, with inflectional morphemes used only as suffixes.
What is melodrama?
An exaggerated reality that lends itself to symbolism, allegory, and surrealism
Means implicit in objects, people, or events become more luminous than in everyday life.
What is a memoir?
A record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them, based on personal observation
An autobiographical account of one’s life and experiences.
What is metonymy?
A figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else closely associated with it.
What is a motif?
An object or idea that repeats itself throughout a literary work
A motif can be an image, sound, or action that contributes to the development of a theme.
What is a metaphor?
A figure of speech that makes an implicit comparison between two dissimilar things based on common characteristics.
What are the methods of appeal or persuasion?
Methods include:
* Expert opinion
* Generalization
* Testimonial
What is mind mapping?
A visual form of note-taking that offers an overview of a topic and its complex information, encouraging expansion from a central idea.
What is mock heroic?
A satirical imitation or burlesque of the heroic manner or style
It imitates the style of heroic poetry to satirize an unheroic subject.
What is a monologue?
A prolonged talk or discourse by a single speaker, often dominating a conversation
Can also refer to any composition in which a single person speaks alone.
What is morphology?
The study of the structure of words.
What is naturalism?
A literary movement based on the belief that human beings do not have a soul apart from their physical existence, emphasizing the darker side of life.
What are Noam Chomsky’s stages of language development?
Stages include:
* Prelinguistic
* Holophrastic
* Two-word
* Telegraphic
* Intermediate development
* Adult
What are the types of nouns?
Types include:
* Common
* Proper
* Concrete
* Abstract
* Collective
* Compound
* Non-countable
* Gender-specific
* Verbal nouns
* Gerunds
What is a novella?
A short narrative, generally between 50 and 100 pages long.
What is onomatopoeia?
A word that imitates the natural sounds of a thing, creating sound effects that mimic the description.
What is the order of importance?
Information is presented from the least important to the most important, or vice versa
Also known as hierarchical or chain of command.
What is orthography?
The relationship between spelling and pronunciation.
What is an oxymoron?
A figure of speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an effect, such as ‘jumbo shrimp.’
What is overstatement?
Also called hyperbole; a type of verbal irony where the speaker exaggerates beyond what they mean.
What is a paradox?
A statement that appears self-contradictory but may contain a latent truth.
What are the parts of speech?
Includes:
* Verbs
* Nouns
* Pronouns
* Adverbs
* Adjectives
* Prepositions
* Conjunctions
* Interjections
* Articles
* Determiners
What is parallelism?
The use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same or similar, adding balance and rhythm.
What is pastiche?
Using the form or style of another author, generally in tribute.
What is a peroration?
The concluding part of a speech, intended to inspire enthusiasm in the audience.
What is persona?
A voice or assumed role of a character that represents the thoughts of a writer or a specific person.
What is personification?
A figure of speech where a thing, idea, or animal is given human attributes.
What is phonetics?
The study of sounds of language and their physical properties.
What is phonology?
The analysis of how sounds function in a language or dialect.
What is a picaresque?
A type of fiction dealing with the episodic adventures of a usually roguish protagonist.
What is a pidgin language?
A simplified language that develops as a means of communication between groups without a common language.
What is plot?
Events that make up a story, typically structured as exposition, conflict, climax, falling action, and resolution.
What are poetic devices?
Includes:
* Rhyme scheme
* Rhythm
* Figurative language
What are potential strategies for increasing reading comprehension?
Strategies include:
* Studying high-frequency words
* Analyzing patterns of organization and syntax.
What is pragmatics?
The role of context in the interpretation of meaning and mastering the rules for social language.
What is the Pre-Raphaelite Movement?
A movement that sought to bring sensuality back into poetry through lush vowel sounds and sensuous descriptions.
What are prepositions?
Words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence.
What is process writing?
An approach encouraging students to communicate their written messages while developing their literary skills.
What is pronoun antecedent agreement?
The grammatical rule that a pronoun must agree in number and gender with its antecedent.
What is prosody?
The study of the elements of poetry, including rhyme, rhythm, meter, and stanza form.
What are punctuation marks?
Includes:
* Comma
* Period
* Question mark
* Semi-colon
* Exclamation point
* Apostrophe
* Colon
* Quotation marks
* Dash
* Parenthesis
* Brackets
* Hyphen
What is a quatrain?
A type of stanza or complete poem consisting of four lines.
What are reading strategies?
Strategies include:
* Making predictions
* Making connections
* Summarizing
What is Reader Response Theory?
A literary theory focusing on the reader’s interpretation of written works.
What is a recension?
The selection of the most trustworthy evidence on which to base a text after researching all possible material.
What is reciprocal teaching?
A method where dialogue occurs between students and the teacher, with participants taking turns assuming the role of the teacher.
What is a refrain?
The repetition of a line or phrase at the end of several stanzas of a poem.
What is regionalism?
A word or phrase used by a population in a particular region.
What does RENNS stand for?
A memory device for checking specific details:
* Reason
* Examples
* Names
* Numbers
* Senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch)
What is rhyme scheme?
The pattern of rhymes in a poem, including types such as internal rhyme and slant rhyme.
What is the definition of masculine rhyme?
Uses one syllable words to give the feeling of strength or to add impact
What is feminine rhyme?
More likely to use two or more syllables, giving a feeling of softness and lightness
Define anapestic meter.
Meter composed of unaccented-unaccented-accented feet, often used in light or whimsical poetry
What is Rhyme Royal?
A stanza of seven 10-syllable lines (iambic pentameter), rhyming ABABBCC, popularized by Chaucer
What is a Roman a’ clef?
Novels using characters based on real people and events, often for satire or social commentary
What is a rondeau?
A 15 line poem made up of three stanzas, each line having 8-10 syllables
Define sarcasm.
To speak bitterly; literal meaning differs from the speaker’s intent, often mocking
What is scansion?
Describing rhythms of poetry by dividing lines into feet and marking stressed and unstressed syllables
What is satire?
Technique to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption using humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule
What are scoring rubrics?
Descriptive scoring schemes developed by evaluators to guide analysis of student efforts
What characterizes second language learners?
They monitor language skills by applying grammar understanding to edit and structure sentences
What is Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD)?
An instructional method that includes building background knowledge and supporting independent use of strategies
Define semantics.
The study of linguistic meaning and the relationship between words and what they stand for
List the types of sentence structures.
- Simple: one independent clause
- Compound: two or more independent clauses
- Complex: one independent clause and at least one dependent clause
- Compound-Complex: two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause
What is spatial order?
Describes organization relating to space, using words like ‘next to’ and ‘adjacent’
What is a soliloquy?
A device in drama revealing a character’s innermost thoughts, often used for character revelation
What is a sestet?
A stanza or poem of six lines
What is a split infinitive?
Occurs when an adverb is placed between ‘to’ and the verb
What is sprung rhythm?
A form of accentual meter with a fixed number of stressed syllables in a line
What is a Spenserian stanza?
A fixed verse form with nine lines: eight in iambic pentameter, one in iambic hexameter, rhyme scheme ABABBCBCC
List the stages of the writing process.
- Pre-writing stage
- Writing stage/Drafting stage
- Revising Stage
- Editing Stage
- Publishing Stage
- Evaluating stage
What is Steven Krashen’s theory of second language acquisition?
Includes cognitive, expressive and receptive parts; acquisition-learning hypothesis involves two systems
Define a stock character.
A character quickly recognized by readers, requiring no development by the writer
What is a strophe?
A rhythmic system of two or more lines repeated as a unit; synonymous with ‘stanza’
Define stream of consciousness.
A narrative method portraying the flow of thoughts in characters’ minds
What is subject-verb agreement?
What are summative assessments?
Evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit against standards, often high stakes
Define a symbol in literature.
A device with multiple layers of meaning, representing concepts beyond its literal sense
What is syntax?
The arrangement of words within a sentence
What is syllepsis?
Use of a single word in two different senses simultaneously
Define synecdoche.
A device where a part represents the whole or vice versa
What techniques facilitate effective whole class discussions?
- Sit in a circle
- Break into smaller groups
- Allow pauses for participation
List the types of tenses.
- Present tense
- Past tense
- Future tense
- Present perfect
- Past perfect
- Future perfect
What is terza rima?
A verse form of iambic tercets with an interlocking rhyme scheme, often ending in a couplet
What is a text-to-self connection?
Define the top-down approach in linguistics.
Starts with larger structures and analyzes smaller components of language
What is traditional phonics instruction?
Students are taught individual letter sounds first, then combinations and rules
What is trochaic pentameter?
A line with 5 trochaic feet, or stresses
Define tropes.
What are the types of verbs?
- Transitive
- Intransitive
- Linking
- Auxiliary
What is webbing?
A brainstorming tool providing structure for ideas and facts in writing
What should a teacher do to improve student writing?
- Enhance clarity
- Address grammar weaknesses
- Develop supports
- Provide supplemental lessons
What is whole language instruction?
Students are immersed in written language and encouraged to decode entire words using context clues
List the types of writing activities.
- Personal Writing
- Workplace Writing
- Subject Writing
- Creative Writing
- Persuasive/Argumentative Writing
- Scholarly Writing
What is a writer’s workshop?
An opportunity for students to try various genres, focusing on the writing process with teacher support
What are written retellings?
Writing down all one can remember from a text to assess understanding
Define zeugma.
A figure of speech where a word applies to multiple nouns, blending different ideas
What is a literary genre?
A category meant to describe the writing style, technique, tone, length, and content of certain literary forms.
What are the typical characteristics of a genre?
Defining characteristics of major forms within each primary literature genre.
What is Drama?
A story written to be performed by actors in front of an audience, including stage directions.
What are the divisions of plays in Drama?
Acts and scenes.
Define Aristotelian Tragedy.
Depicts the downfall of a basically good person through a fatal error, producing suffering and insight.
Define Hegelian Tragedy.
A dynamic contest between two opposing forces, highlighting a collision of rights.
What is a Miracle Play?
A form of medieval drama.
What is a Morality Play?
A medieval drama where characters portray moral qualities or abstractions.
What defines Comedy in literature?
A deliberate presentation of events that usually have a happy ending.
What is Tragedy?
Used to describe personal misfortunes that end in death and sadness.
What is Tragic-Comedy?
A genre that blends elements of tragedy and comedy.
Who is a Playwright?
A person who writes plays.
What is a Gothic Novel?
Typically features ghosts, castles, and curses, with elements of forbidden romance.
What is Prose?
Written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.
What is a Short Story?
A brief fictional narrative.
Define Allegory.
A narrative that uses symbolic figures and actions to convey a deeper meaning.
What is an Epic?
A lengthy narrative poem, often detailing heroic deeds.
What is a Ballad?
A narrative poem that tells a story, often featuring themes of love and murder.
What is a Literary Ballad?
Composed by later poets to tell stories.
Define Lyric Ballads.
Poems that evoke emotion, often accompanied by music.
What is a Traditional Ballad?
A story in song that reaches back to oral tradition.
What is a Broadside Ballad?
A ballad printed on cheap paper with lurid illustrations.
What is Pastoral?
A literary work that idealizes rural life and landscapes.
What is an Epistle?
A letter or literary composition in the form of a letter.
What is an Essay?
A short piece of writing on a particular subject.
Define Myth.
Symbolic tales that explain natural phenomena and cultural beliefs.
What is a Romance in literature?
A narrative focusing on love, adventure, and relationships.
What is a Fable?
A succinct fictional story featuring personified animals that illustrates a moral lesson.
What is Poetry?
Imaginative awareness of experience expressed through rhythmic language choices.
What is a Sonnet?
A 14 line poem.
What is a Legend?
A narrative of human actions perceived to take place within human history.
What is an Elegy?
A mournful poem, often lamenting the loss of a person.
What is Lyric poetry?
A type of emotional song-like poetry.
What characterizes Metaphysical poetry?
Poetry that explores complex ideas and emotions through elaborate metaphors.
What is Historical fiction?
Stories based around a partially historical situation or set in a historical period.
What is Science fiction?
Stories about science and technology, often set in the future or in space.
What is Fantasy in literature?
Contains elements that are not realistic, such as magical powers.
What is Realistic fiction?
Stories that take place in modern times with believable events.
What is Non-fiction?
Informational writing that is factual.
What is Folklore?
Includes beliefs, myths, and tales of a people, marked by oral tradition.
What is a Fairy tale?
A magic story with undefined time and place, featuring character transformation.
What is a Tall Tale?
A hero story with exaggerated characters and events, often humorous.
What is Beowulf?
An archetypical Anglo-Saxon literary work composed around 700 AD.
What is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?
A medieval romance focusing on the quest of a single knight.
What is Things Fall Apart about?
The clash between Nigeria’s colonial government and traditional Igbo culture.
What themes are explored in Things Fall Apart?
- The struggle between change and tradition
- Varying interpretations of masculinity
- Language as a sign of cultural difference
What is Waiting for Godot about?
A play that follows two men waiting for someone named Godot.
What is Fahrenheit 451?
A dystopian novel about a future society where books are outlawed.
What does Jane Eyre explore?
The struggles of a young woman for autonomy against oppression.
What is the significance of the title ‘The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger’?
It satirizes Western ethnography and imperialism.
What is the title of Emily Bronte’s highly regarded novel?
Wuthering Heights
First published in 1847, it depicts passionate love and cruelty.
What literary tradition does Wuthering Heights partly draw from?
Gothic tradition
Features supernatural encounters, crumbling ruins, and grotesque imagery.
Who are the two main characters whose love story is central to Wuthering Heights?
Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff
What does the weather represent in Wuthering Heights?
Passion
Nature and crazy weather symbolize the tumultuous emotions of the characters.
Who is one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era?
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
What is Robert Burns known for?
Regarded as the national poet of Scotland
Wrote in Scots, English, and ‘light Scots’.
What is the central theme of Albert Camus’ The Stranger?
Life is meaningless, nothing matters
What does Marlow confront in Heart of Darkness?
Conflict between images of themselves as ‘civilized’ Europeans and the temptation to abandon morality
What major event does The Last of the Mohicans revolve around?
The 1757 surrender of Fort William Henry to the French
What is the main character’s struggle in Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage?
Overcoming cowardice in battle
What literary technique is E.E. Cummings known for?
Fractured syntax
Creates visual interest and emphasizes meaning.
What does Dante’s Inferno represent?
Allegory of temptation and salvation
What type of novel is Cervantes’ Don Quixote?
Parody; comedy, romance, morality novel
Who is considered the father of the English novel?
Daniel Defoe
What are the key themes in Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield?
- Plight of the weak
- Importance of equality in marriage
- Death of wealth and class
What poetic device did Emily Dickinson frequently use?
Slant rhyme
What is the central theme of Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment?
The psychological drama of guilt and morality
What significant role did Frederick Douglass play in American history?
Self-educated slave and abolitionist
What is Theodore Dreiser’s approach to representing life in his fiction?
Honest representation through accurate detail and social commentary
What is the focus of George Eliot’s The Mill on the Floss?
Maggie Tulliver’s choices between suitors and family duty
What is the form of T.S. Eliot’s The Wasteland?
Modern poem, elegiac in form
What does Ralph Waldo Emerson emphasize in his essay ‘Self-Reliance’?
The need to avoid conformity and follow one’s own instincts
What narrative style is used in Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying?
Stream-of-consciousness
What is the primary focus of Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury?
The downfall of the Compson family
Who is the author of ‘Tom Jones’?
Henry Fielding
Published in 1749, the novel tells the story of an orphan traveling across England.
What is the significance of ‘This Side of Paradise’ in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s works?
‘This Side of Paradise’ was Fitzgerald’s first novel, published in 1920
It takes place during the Roaring Twenties and explores themes of love and ambition.
What themes are explored in ‘The Great Gatsby’?
- The decline of the American Dream in the 1920s
- The hollowness of the Upper Class
- Geography and Weather
The novel reflects the complexities of wealth and social status.
What does Daisy Buchanan’s quote about being a ‘beautiful fool’ reveal?
It reveals Daisy’s character and the social environment that undervalues women’s intelligence
Spoken in Chapter 1, it highlights the expectations of women in her society.
What is ‘Madame Bovary’ about?
It focuses on Emma Bovary, a woman trapped in a dull marriage who seeks fulfillment through affairs
The novel is a critique of bourgeois society and ends with Emma’s tragic suicide.
What narrative style is used in ‘The Good Soldier’?
The novel is told using a series of flashbacks in non-chronological order
It chronicles the tragedy of seemingly perfect marriages just before WW1.
What is the premise of ‘A Passage to India’?
It explores the complexities of British colonial rule in India and cultural misunderstandings
The novel addresses themes of race, culture, and friendship.
What is the central theme of ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’?
It is an autobiographical account of Anne Frank’s life during the Holocaust
The diary chronicles her experiences from 1942 to 1944.
What is the primary focus of ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’?
It chronicles a woman’s descent into madness due to oppressive treatment for her mental health
The story critiques the treatment of women and mental illness in the 19th century.
What is the main conflict in Goethe’s ‘Faust’?
Faust makes a wager with the devil Mephistopheles to gain higher knowledge and experiences
The narrative explores themes of ambition, despair, and morality.
What does ‘Lord of the Flies’ illustrate about human nature?
It depicts the struggle between the civilizing instinct and the savage instinct in humanity
The story follows boys stranded on an island who descend into savagery.
What is the meaning of ‘Catch-22’?
It refers to any absurd arrangement that puts a person in a double bind
The term originates from an army regulation regarding mental fitness for combat.
What is the setting of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’?
Set in the Depression-era South
The novel deals with serious issues of rape and racial inequality.
What is the theme of ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’?
It explores Janie Crawford’s journey to self-discovery and empowerment
The novel critiques traditional gender roles and relationships.
What does ‘Brave New World’ depict?
A dystopian society where happiness is achieved through the absence of personal freedoms
The novel critiques technological advancement and societal control.
What does ‘The Metamorphosis’ explore?
A man’s transformation into a bug and the resulting alienation from his family
The novella raises questions about identity and social isolation.
What does ‘The Magic Mountain’ reflect about Thomas Mann’s views?
It presents competing views on politics and culture before and after WW1
Mann’s political views evolved after experiencing the war.
What is the significance of the character Bartleby in ‘Bartleby the Scrivener’?
Bartleby represents passive resistance and the struggle against societal expectations
His famous line, ‘I would prefer not to,’ encapsulates his rejection of conventional work.
Fill in the blank: ‘The Scarlet Letter’ is set in _______.
17th century Puritan Boston
The novel follows Hester Prynne’s struggles with sin and societal judgment.
What is Bartleby’s initial contribution to the practice?
He produces a large volume of high quality work.
What is Bartleby’s stock response when asked to help?
I would prefer not to.
What ultimately happens to Bartleby’s work behavior?
He eventually ceases all work and does nothing.
What does the narrator’s inability to evict Bartleby symbolize?
It mirrors Bartleby’s own strange inaction.
What happens to Bartleby after the narrator decides to stay away from work?
Bartleby is forcibly removed and imprisoned at The Tombs.
What does the narrator do to ensure Bartleby receives food in prison?
He bribes a turnkey.
How does Bartleby die?
He dies of starvation, having chosen not to eat.
What is suggested about Bartleby’s past employment?
He worked in a dead letter office and lost his job.
What do dead letters symbolize in the context of Bartleby?
They are emblems of a man’s morality and the failures of his best intentions.
What mental condition could Bartleby be experiencing?
He could be having a mental illness or depression.
What is ‘Moby Dick’ about?
The adventures of Ishmael and his voyage on the whale ship Pequod, commanded by Captain Ahab.
What drives Captain Ahab in ‘Moby Dick’?
His desire for revenge against the white sperm whale that destroyed his boat and bit off his leg.
What literary techniques does Melville use in ‘Moby Dick’?
Stylized language, symbolism, and metaphor.
What is ‘The Crucible’ an allegory for?
The McCarthy anti-Communist ‘witch hunts’ of the early 1950s.
Who fires Abigail Williams in ‘The Crucible’?
Elizabeth Proctor.
What happens to John Proctor in ‘The Crucible’?
He is accused of witchcraft and is killed.
What is the central theme of ‘Beloved’ by Toni Morrison?
The powers of memory and history for former slaves.
What traumatic event haunts Sethe in ‘Beloved’?
She murdered her daughter to save her from a life of slavery.
What does Morrison aim to recover in ‘Beloved’?
A history lost to forced silences and willed forgetfulness.
What does ‘Doctor Zhivago’ challenge?
Communism.
What is the main conflict in ‘Hatchet’ by Gary Paulsen?
Person vs. nature conflict.
What does Samuel Pepys’ diary provide insight into?
The Restoration Period of English Literature.
What is ‘The Bell Jar’ by Sylvia Plath about?
A young woman’s struggle with mental illness.
Who is considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre?
Edgar Allan Poe.
What literary period is Marcel Proust associated with?
French modernist.
What does ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ explore?
Themes of love and insecurity.
What does ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ address?
Themes of teenage confusion, angst, alienation, and rebellion.
What is the main plot of ‘Hamlet’?
Hamlet seeks revenge against his uncle Claudius for murdering his father.
What themes are explored in ‘Macbeth’?
Unchecked ambition, cruelty and masculinity, kingship vs. tyranny.
What character trait leads to Lady Macbeth’s demise?
Her ambition and subsequent madness.
What is ‘Pygmalion’ a commentary on?
The British class system and women’s independence.
What does ‘Ceremony’ by Leslie Marmon Silko explore?
The struggles of a veteran returning to a poverty-stricken reservation.
What condition does Tayo suffer from after returning to the Laguna reservation?
Battle fatigue (shell shock)
Tayo is haunted by memories of his cousin Rocky who died during the Bataan Death March.
Who helps Tayo recover from his alcoholism?
Old Grandma and mixed-blood Navajo shaman Betonie
They conduct ceremonies that help Tayo understand his place as a Laguna man.
What is the setting of Solzhenitsyn’s ‘One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich’?
A Soviet labor camp in the 1950s
What moral conflict is explored in Sophocles’ ‘Antigone’?
When an individual’s moral duty conflicts with the laws of the state
What is the central theme of Steinbeck’s ‘The Grapes of Wrath’?
The struggles of a poor family of sharecroppers during the Great Depression
The novel addresses drought, economic hardship, and changes in the agriculture industry.
Who is the author of ‘Dracula’?
Bram Stoker
What does ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ depict?
The life of a slave sold from Kentucky and his experiences
The novel contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War and was written in response to the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850.
What literary technique is used in Virginia Woolf’s ‘To the Lighthouse’?
Stream of consciousness format
What does the jade pendant signify in ‘The Joy Luck Club’?
Cultural differences between mother and daughter and a symbol of a mother’s love
The pendant’s meaning changes as Jing-mei’s relationship with her mother evolves.
What is the primary theme of Voltaire’s ‘Candide’?
The folly of optimism
Voltaire critiques the belief that suffering is for the best and calls for tolerance and hard work.
What is the main character’s name in ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’?
Billy Pilgrim
What societal issues does ‘Native Son’ explore?
Racism, poverty, and black oppression
The book expresses society’s guilt regarding the main character’s life circumstances.
What period does the literary movement of Romanticism cover?
1820-1860s
What does the character Bigger Thomas do in ‘Native Son’?
Murders a white woman and confesses to his crime
Which literary movement is characterized by a reaction against rationalism and materialism?
Romantic Period
What is the significance of the character Aeneas in ‘The Aeneid’?
A Trojan destined to found Rome, undergoing trials during his journey
He ultimately defeats Turnus and avenges Pallas.
What themes are prevalent in Tolstoy’s ‘Anna Karenina’?
Hypocrisy, jealousy, faith, fidelity, and society
The novel explores the consequences of an affair and its impact on family.
What is a major theme in ‘The Glass Menagerie’ by Tennessee Williams?
Struggles with the past, future, and family dynamics
What literary period follows the Enlightenment?
Romantic Period
What genre is ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ classified as?
Gothic novel
What is the primary focus of the Beat Generation?
Rejection of conventional society and exploration of spirituality and personal freedom
Who is considered the father of free verse?
Walt Whitman
What is the main conflict in ‘Ethan Frome’?
Ethan’s struggles with his unfulfilling marriage and his love for Mattie Silver
The story ends tragically with both characters left crippled.
What is the major theme of ‘The Grapes of Wrath’?
The impact of economic hardship on families
What characterizes the Modernism literary movement?
A break from traditional forms and a focus on new perspectives
It is often associated with themes of disillusionment and fragmentation.
What major event marks the beginning of the Revolutionary Period in American literature?
The passing of the Stamp Act in England
What is the time span of the Medieval literary period?
500-1500
What is a key characteristic of Naturalism in literature?
Focus on the influence of environment and heredity on human behavior
Who wrote ‘Treasure Island’?
Robert Louis Stevenson
What themes does Alice Walker explore in ‘The Color Purple’?
Rape, sisterhood, and personal growth
What does the term ‘Existentialism’ refer to?
A philosophical movement emphasizing individual existence and freedom
It has been prominent since 1850 to the present day.
What is the primary setting of ‘War and Peace’?
Russia during the Napoleonic Wars
What literary movement is associated with the Bloomsbury Group?
Modernism
What does the character Pangloss represent in ‘Candide’?
The absurdity of optimism
What is the main theme of ‘The Joy Luck Club’?
The struggle for communication and understanding between Chinese mothers and their American-born daughters
What is the significance of the character Rocky in Tayo’s story?
He represents Tayo’s traumatic memories from the war
What does ‘Walden’ emphasize according to Thoreau?
The importance of self-reliance and simplicity
What years does the Revolutionary period encompass?
Begins with the passing of the Stamp Act in England and ends in 1790
What does the Revolutionary period typically refer to?
Writings that are politically motivated, either in support of British rule, American patriotism, independence, or relating to the constitution
What are the years of the Romantic Period?
1820-1860s
What characterizes the Romantic Period?
A multifaceted movement in music, painting, and literature that originated in Germany and Britain, reacting against rationalism and materialism
What belief is central to the Romantic movement?
The primacy of the imagination over rational understanding and its transformative power
What are the years of the American Renaissance period?
1830-1860
Which poem is associated with Walt Whitman during the American Renaissance?
Oh Captain, My Captain!
What does the Modern Era signify in literature?
The arrival of the modernist movement in the early 20th century, characterized by experimental forms and questioning absolute knowledge
What are key influences on Modernist writers?
- Einstein * Max Planck (quantum theory) * Freud * Marx
What years define the Realism movement?
1855-1900
What is the main focus of Realism in literature?
Presentation of surface appearance in an unembellished way, representing usual or typical experiences
Which authors are notable figures in the Realism movement?
- Gustave Flaubert * George Eliot * Fyodor Dostoevsky * Leo Tolstoy
What years encompass the Beat Generation?
1944-1962
What is a defining feature of the Beat Generation?
Devotion to anti-traditional literature and anti-establishment politics
What is a significant aspect of American Drama?
What is a significant aspect of American Fiction?
What is a significant aspect of American Poetry?
What defines Native American literature?
What defines African American Literature?
What defines Latino Literature?
What years did Surrealism flourish?
20th century
What are key characteristics of Surrealism?
- Element of surprise * Unexpected juxtapositions * Non sequitur
Where and when did the Surrealist movement begin?
Paris in the 1920s
What is the time frame of the Old English Period?
What is the time frame of the Medieval Period?
What is the time frame of the Renaissance and Elizabethan Period?
What is the time frame of the Seventeenth Century?
What is the time frame of the Eighteenth Century?
What is the time frame of the Victorian Period?
What is the time frame of the Twentieth Century in English Literature?
What does the Patristic Period include?
Writers such as St Augustine, Tertullian, Saint Cyprian, Saint Ambrose, and Saint Jerome
What is the time frame of the classical Roman Period?
200 BCE-500 CE
Who are notable writers from the classical Roman Period?
- Ovid * Horace * Virgil * Marcus Aurelius * Lucretius * Cicero * Quintilian
What defines Caribbean Literature?
Written in Spanish, French, or English with no indigenous tradition, but includes African expressions
What is the time frame of the classical Greek Period?
800-200 BCE
Who are notable writers from the classical Greek Period?
- Aesop * Plato * Socrates * Aristotle * Euripides * Sophocles
What is the Heroic or Homeric Period?
Dates from 1200-800 BCE, part of the oral tradition, including Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey
