Midterm Flashcards
Irony
When something happens that is unexpected
Verbal Irony
When words mean the opposite of what they usually mean
Situational Irony
When an expectation is fulfilled in an unexpected way
Dramatic Irony
When the reader knows something that the character doesn’t or there is a gap between what the reader knows and what the character knows
Symbol
Can be a person, place, thing, or idea,
purpose of symbols or how to find them
- Recognizable
- easier to use
- meaningful
kinds of symbols
- Universal - recognized worldwide
- cultural - recognized only by members of a certain culture
- contextual - only meaningful in the context of the literature
clues to identify a symbol
- look at the title (keywords in the title)
- pay attention to names (characters or places)
- look for overuse of a word
- nouns with lengthy descriptions
- underuse of a noun
- work is strange or could never happen in real life
- archetypes - traits repeated in generations (wise old man, irresponsible teenager)
point of view
helps make story believable
1st person POV
the person speaking (personal thoughts, insight, feelings and emotions, I, we, my)
2nd person POV
the person who is spoken to
3rd person POV
the person who is spoken about (fly on the wall view, they, them)
parts of a plot summary
- exposition
- rising action
- climax
- falling action
- denotement
exposition
contains the setting and introduces the characters and has an explosive event
rising action
things leading to the climax
the climax
the action that changes the story
falling action
actions after the climax
denotement
resolution - how the story ended
characterization
the way a character is developed and presented in a piece of literature
it can be stated directly or indirectly
analyzing literature and characters
- personality
- seek to find their problems that are implied
- change or a lack of change
- their function in the story (purpose)
the protagonist
main character, his will moves the action of the plot, tries to achieve a goal
the antagonist
the opposition of protagonist, he struggles to achieve his goal, often helps the reader understand the protagonist
flat character
the character is seen from 1 dimension of perspective
round character
seen from 2 or more perspectives
stock character
stereotypical character, associated with a character type (hero, villian)
non-stock character
original to a given piece of literature
static character
undergoes no change
dynamic character
undergoes change
hero
admired for good traits
anti-hero (villian)
graceless, inept, dishonest
tragic hero
his demise is caused by his flaws within himself
modern hero
an average guy who is put in extraordinary
hemingway hero
been at war, drinks too much, gets girlfriend pregnant, she dies
major character
plays an important role
minor character
plays a subservient role
foil character
main character that contrasts a major character
classic dilemma
two outcomes that are equal
ethical dilemma
conflict with policies, two morally sound options with boundaries
moral dilemma
deals with the conscious, torn between right or wrong conflict between principles and beliefs
lyrical story
narrative form, reaccuring symbol with minimal focus on the plot, open ended, open to interpretation
