Nonfiction Literature - (15% of Exam) Flashcards
Key Figure
Details
Plato
Time Period: Ancient Greek Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote The Republic, exploring justice, the ideal state, and philosophy.
Aristotle
Time Period: Ancient Greek Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote Nicomachean Ethics, laying the foundation for Western ethics and logic.
Marcus Aurelius
Time Period: Ancient Roman Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote Meditations, a Stoic guide to self-discipline and virtue.
Saint Augustine
Time Period: Late Antiquity
Contribution: Wrote Confessions, an autobiographical work blending theology and philosophy.
Niccolò Machiavelli
Time Period: Renaissance Political Thought
Contribution: Wrote The Prince, a pragmatic guide to power and statecraft.
Michel de Montaigne
Time Period: Renaissance Essayist
Contribution: Wrote Essays, pioneering the modern personal essay form.
Francis Bacon
Time Period: 17th Century Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote Novum Organum, advocating for the scientific method.
René Descartes
Time Period: 17th Century Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote Discourse on Method, introducing Cartesian skepticism and rationalism.
John Locke
Time Period: Enlightenment Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote Two Treatises of Government, foundational to modern democracy and liberalism.
Voltaire
Time Period: Enlightenment Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote Candide, satirizing optimism and advocating for reason and tolerance.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Time Period: Enlightenment Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote The Social Contract, theorizing the origins of political legitimacy.
Adam Smith
Time Period: Enlightenment Economics
Contribution: Wrote The Wealth of Nations, pioneering modern economic thought.
Mary Wollstonecraft
Time Period: 18th Century Feminism
Contribution: Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, advocating for women’s education and equality.
Immanuel Kant
Time Period: 18th Century Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote Critique of Pure Reason, shaping modern epistemology and ethics.
G.W.F. Hegel
Time Period: 19th Century Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote Phenomenology of Spirit, developing dialectical idealism.
Karl Marx
Time Period: 19th Century Political Thought
Contribution: Wrote The Communist Manifesto, critiquing capitalism and advocating for socialism.
Henry David Thoreau
Time Period: 19th Century American Thought
Contribution: Wrote Walden, reflecting on simplicity and self-reliance.
Frederick Douglass
Time Period: 19th Century Abolitionism
Contribution: Wrote Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, exposing the horrors of slavery.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Time Period: 19th Century Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote Thus Spoke Zarathustra, developing existential and nihilistic ideas.
Sigmund Freud
Time Period: 20th Century Psychology
Contribution: Wrote The Interpretation of Dreams, pioneering psychoanalysis.
Virginia Woolf
Time Period: 20th Century Feminism
Contribution: Wrote A Room of One’s Own, exploring gender and creative independence.
Mahatma Gandhi
Time Period: 20th Century Political Thought
Contribution: Wrote The Story of My Experiments with Truth, advocating for nonviolent resistance.
W.E.B. Du Bois
Time Period: 20th Century Civil Rights
Contribution: Wrote The Souls of Black Folk, discussing race and identity in America.
Albert Einstein
Time Period: 20th Century Science
Contribution: Wrote Relativity: The Special and the General Theory, explaining physics for a broad audience.
George Orwell
Time Period: 20th Century Political Thought
Contribution: Wrote Homage to Catalonia, detailing his experiences in the Spanish Civil War.
Hannah Arendt
Time Period: 20th Century Political Thought
Contribution: Wrote The Origins of Totalitarianism, analyzing the rise of authoritarianism.
James Baldwin
Time Period: 20th Century Civil Rights
Contribution: Wrote The Fire Next Time, addressing race relations in America.
Rachel Carson
Time Period: 20th Century Environmentalism
Contribution: Wrote Silent Spring, exposing the dangers of pesticides and launching the modern environmental movement.
Marshall McLuhan
Time Period: 20th Century Media Theory
Contribution: Wrote Understanding Media, coining ‘the medium is the message’.
Michel Foucault
Time Period: 20th Century Philosophy
Contribution: Wrote Discipline and Punish, exploring power structures in society.
Carl Sagan
Time Period: 20th Century Science
Contribution: Wrote Cosmos, popularizing astronomy and scientific wonder.
Noam Chomsky
Time Period: 20th Century Linguistics & Politics
Contribution: Wrote Manufacturing Consent, critiquing mass media and propaganda.
Edward Said
Time Period: 20th Century Postcolonialism
Contribution: Wrote Orientalism, critiquing Western perceptions of the East.
Stephen Hawking
Time Period: 21st Century Science
Contribution: Wrote A Brief History of Time, explaining the universe in layman’s terms.
Malcolm X
Time Period: 20th Century Civil Rights
Contribution: Wrote The Autobiography of Malcolm X, detailing his transformation and activism.
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Time Period: 21st Century Civil Rights
Contribution: Wrote Between the World and Me, reflecting on race and identity in America.
Yuval Noah Harari
Time Period: 21st Century History
Contribution: Wrote Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, analyzing human civilization.
Angela Davis
Time Period: 21st Century Feminism & Race
Contribution: Wrote Women, Race & Class, examining the intersections of race and gender.
Jared Diamond
Time Period: 21st Century History
Contribution: Wrote Guns, Germs, and Steel, exploring factors shaping civilizations.
Rebecca Solnit
Time Period: 21st Century Feminism
Contribution: Wrote Men Explain Things to Me, addressing gender dynamics and social issues.
Brené Brown
Time Period: 21st Century Psychology
Contribution: Wrote Daring Greatly, exploring vulnerability and personal growth.
Michelle Obama
Time Period: 21st Century Memoir
Contribution: Wrote Becoming, reflecting on her life and role as First Lady.
Title
Details
The Republic
Author: Plato
Title: The Republic
Time Period: Ancient Greek Philosophy
Synopsis: A philosophical dialogue exploring justice, the ideal state, and the theory of forms.
Nicomachean Ethics
Author: Aristotle
Title: Nicomachean Ethics
Time Period: Ancient Greek Philosophy
Synopsis: A foundational work in ethics, discussing virtue, happiness, and the good life.
Meditations
Author: Marcus Aurelius
Title: Meditations
Time Period: Ancient Roman Philosophy
Synopsis: A personal journal of Stoic reflections on self-discipline, virtue, and resilience.
Confessions
Author: Saint Augustine
Title: Confessions
Time Period: Late Antiquity
Synopsis: An autobiographical work blending theology and philosophy, detailing Augustine’s conversion.
The Prince
Author: Niccolò Machiavelli
Title: The Prince
Time Period: Renaissance Political Thought
Synopsis: A pragmatic guide on power, governance, and statecraft.
Essays
Author: Michel de Montaigne
Title: Essays
Time Period: Renaissance Essayist
Synopsis: A collection of personal reflections, pioneering the modern essay form.
Novum Organum
Author: Francis Bacon
Title: Novum Organum
Time Period: 17th Century Philosophy
Synopsis: Advocates for the scientific method as the foundation of knowledge.
Discourse on Method
Author: René Descartes
Title: Discourse on Method
Time Period: 17th Century Philosophy
Synopsis: Introduces Cartesian skepticism and the famous statement ‘I think, therefore I am’.
Two Treatises of Government
Author: John Locke
Title: Two Treatises of Government
Time Period: Enlightenment Philosophy
Synopsis: A foundational text of liberal democracy, arguing for natural rights and social contract theory.
Candide
Author: Voltaire
Title: Candide
Time Period: Enlightenment Philosophy
Synopsis: A satirical novel critiquing optimism and religious hypocrisy.
The Social Contract
Author: Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Title: The Social Contract
Time Period: Enlightenment Philosophy
Synopsis: Explores the origins of political legitimacy and the idea of the ‘general will’.
The Wealth of Nations
Author: Adam Smith
Title: The Wealth of Nations
Time Period: Enlightenment Economics
Synopsis: A foundational work in economic theory, advocating for free markets.
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
Author: Mary Wollstonecraft
Title: A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
Time Period: 18th Century Feminism
Synopsis: One of the first major works advocating for women’s education and equality.
Critique of Pure Reason
Author: Immanuel Kant
Title: Critique of Pure Reason
Time Period: 18th Century Philosophy
Synopsis: Examines human perception, knowledge, and the limits of reason.
The Communist Manifesto
Author: Karl Marx
Title: The Communist Manifesto
Time Period: 19th Century Political Thought
Synopsis: A call to revolution against capitalism, advocating for proletarian control of society.
Walden
Author: Henry David Thoreau
Title: Walden
Time Period: 19th Century American Thought
Synopsis: A reflection on simple living and self-sufficiency in nature.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Author: Frederick Douglass
Title: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Time Period: 19th Century Abolitionism
Synopsis: An autobiography exposing the horrors of slavery and advocating for abolition.
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Author: Friedrich Nietzsche
Title: Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Time Period: 19th Century Philosophy
Synopsis: A philosophical novel presenting the concept of the ‘Übermensch’ and rejecting traditional morality.
The Interpretation of Dreams
Author: Sigmund Freud
Title: The Interpretation of Dreams
Time Period: 20th Century Psychology
Synopsis: Introduces the theory of the unconscious and the significance of dreams.
A Room of One’s Own
Author: Virginia Woolf
Title: A Room of One’s Own
Time Period: 20th Century Feminism
Synopsis: Argues for the importance of financial independence and personal space for women writers.
The Story of My Experiments with Truth
Author: Mahatma Gandhi
Title: The Story of My Experiments with Truth
Time Period: 20th Century Political Thought
Synopsis: An autobiography detailing his philosophy of nonviolent resistance.
The Souls of Black Folk
Author: W.E.B. Du Bois
Title: The Souls of Black Folk
Time Period: 20th Century Civil Rights
Synopsis: Examines race, identity, and double consciousness in America.
Relativity: The Special and the General Theory
Author: Albert Einstein
Title: Relativity: The Special and the General Theory
Time Period: 20th Century Science
Synopsis: A non-technical explanation of Einstein’s revolutionary physics theories.
The Origins of Totalitarianism
Author: Hannah Arendt
Title: The Origins of Totalitarianism
Time Period: 20th Century Political Thought
Synopsis: Analyzes the rise of fascism and authoritarian regimes in the 20th century.
The Fire Next Time
Author: James Baldwin
Title: The Fire Next Time
Time Period: 20th Century Civil Rights
Synopsis: A powerful critique of race relations in America.
Silent Spring
Author: Rachel Carson
Title: Silent Spring
Time Period: 20th Century Environmentalism
Synopsis: Exposes the dangers of pesticide use, sparking the modern environmental movement.
Discipline and Punish
Author: Michel Foucault
Title: Discipline and Punish
Time Period: 20th Century Philosophy
Synopsis: Analyzes the history of prison systems and power structures in society.
Cosmos
Author: Carl Sagan
Title: Cosmos
Time Period: 20th Century Science
Synopsis: Explores the universe and humanity’s place in it, making science accessible to the public.
Manufacturing Consent
Author: Noam Chomsky
Title: Manufacturing Consent
Time Period: 20th Century Media Theory
Synopsis: Critiques mass media’s role in shaping public perception and reinforcing power.
Orientalism
Author: Edward Said
Title: Orientalism
Time Period: 20th Century Postcolonialism
Synopsis: Examines how the West has historically misrepresented the East.
A Brief History of Time
Author: Stephen Hawking
Title: A Brief History of Time
Time Period: 21st Century Science
Synopsis: Explains the mysteries of space, time, and black holes in an accessible way.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Author: Malcolm X
Title: The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Time Period: 20th Century Civil Rights
Synopsis: Chronicles his transformation from street hustler to influential activist.
Women, Race & Class
Author: Angela Davis
Title: Women, Race & Class
Time Period: 21st Century Feminism & Race
Synopsis: Examines the intersections of feminism, race, and economic oppression.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Author: Yuval Noah Harari
Title: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Time Period: 21st Century History
Synopsis: Traces the evolution of human civilization and its impact on the world.
Movement
Details (Definition, Key Works, Figures)
Ancient Greek Philosophy
Definition: Explored ethics, metaphysics, and political theory through dialogue and logical reasoning.
Key Works: The Republic (Plato), Nicomachean Ethics (Aristotle)
Key Figures: Plato, Aristotle
Ancient Roman Stoicism
Definition: A philosophy emphasizing virtue, rationality, and self-discipline in facing adversity.
Key Works: Meditations (Marcus Aurelius)
Key Figures: Marcus Aurelius, Seneca
Christian Theology
Definition: A body of religious writings exploring faith, morality, and the divine.
Key Works: Confessions (Saint Augustine)
Key Figures: Saint Augustine, Thomas Aquinas
Renaissance Humanism
Definition: A revival of classical learning and individual potential, influencing political and literary thought.
Key Works: The Prince (Machiavelli), Essays (Montaigne)
Key Figures: Niccolò Machiavelli, Michel de Montaigne
The Scientific Revolution
Definition: Advocated empirical observation and experimentation as the basis of knowledge.
Key Works: Novum Organum (Bacon), Discourse on Method (Descartes)
Key Figures: Francis Bacon, René Descartes
The Enlightenment
Definition: A movement advocating reason, individual rights, and skepticism toward authority.
Key Works: Two Treatises of Government (Locke), The Social Contract (Rousseau)
Key Figures: John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire
Economic Liberalism
Definition: Advocated free markets and limited government intervention in economic affairs.
Key Works: The Wealth of Nations (Adam Smith)
Key Figures: Adam Smith
Feminist Thought
Definition: Literature advocating for women’s rights, education, and social equality.
Key Works: A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (Wollstonecraft), A Room of One’s Own (Woolf)
Key Figures: Mary Wollstonecraft, Virginia Woolf, Angela Davis
Marxism
Definition: A critique of capitalism and class struggle, advocating for proletarian revolution.
Key Works: The Communist Manifesto (Marx & Engels)
Key Figures: Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels
American Transcendentalism
Definition: Emphasized nature, self-reliance, and spiritual individualism.
Key Works: Walden (Thoreau)
Key Figures: Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson
Abolitionist Literature
Definition: Writings exposing the cruelty of slavery and advocating for its end.
Key Works: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (Douglass)
Key Figures: Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe
Existentialism
Definition: A philosophical movement emphasizing individual freedom, choice, and meaning in an indifferent world.
Key Works: Thus Spoke Zarathustra (Nietzsche)
Key Figures: Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre
Psychoanalysis
Definition: The study of the unconscious mind and its influence on human behavior.
Key Works: The Interpretation of Dreams (Freud)
Key Figures: Sigmund Freud
Civil Rights Literature
Definition: Non-fiction works advocating for racial justice and social equality.
Key Works: The Souls of Black Folk (Du Bois), The Fire Next Time (Baldwin)
Key Figures: W.E.B. Du Bois, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jr.
Environmentalism
Definition: Writings advocating for ecological awareness and sustainability.
Key Works: Silent Spring (Carson)
Key Figures: Rachel Carson, Aldo Leopold
Postcolonial Theory
Definition: Literature examining the impact of colonialism and the struggle for national identity.
Key Works: Orientalism (Said)
Key Figures: Edward Said, Frantz Fanon
Media Theory
Definition: Analyzes the role of mass media in shaping public perception and politics.
Key Works: Understanding Media (McLuhan), Manufacturing Consent (Chomsky)
Key Figures: Marshall McLuhan, Noam Chomsky
Modern Science Writing
Definition: Books making complex scientific concepts accessible to the general public.
Key Works: A Brief History of Time (Hawking), Cosmos (Sagan)
Key Figures: Stephen Hawking, Carl Sagan
Contemporary Memoir & Social Critique
Definition: First-person narratives reflecting on personal experience, identity, and societal issues.
Key Works: The Autobiography of Malcolm X (Malcolm X), Sapiens (Harari)
Key Figures: Malcolm X, Yuval Noah Harari, Michelle Obama
Term
Definition
Autobiography
Definition: A self-written account of a person’s life.
Memoir
Definition: A type of autobiography that focuses on specific experiences or periods in an author’s life.
Biography
Definition: A detailed account of a person’s life written by someone else.
Essay
Definition: A short piece of writing that presents an argument, analysis, or reflection on a topic.
Narrative Nonfiction
Definition: A genre that uses storytelling techniques to present factual content.
Expository Writing
Definition: A form of writing that explains, describes, or informs.
Persuasive Writing
Definition: A type of nonfiction that aims to convince the audience of a particular point of view.
Argumentative Writing
Definition: Writing that presents a claim supported by evidence and reasoning.
Rhetoric
Definition: The art of persuasive speaking or writing, often employing ethos, pathos, and logos.
Ethos
Definition: A rhetorical appeal based on the credibility or ethical character of the speaker or writer.
Pathos
Definition: A rhetorical appeal that evokes emotions in the audience.
Logos
Definition: A rhetorical appeal based on logic, reason, and factual evidence.
Thesis Statement
Definition: The main argument or central claim of a piece of nonfiction writing.
Diction
Definition: The choice and use of words in writing or speech.
Syntax
Definition: The arrangement of words and phrases in a sentence to create meaning and effect.
Tone
Definition: The author’s attitude toward the subject, conveyed through style and word choice.
Bias
Definition: A preference or inclination that prevents objective judgment.
Objective Writing
Definition: A writing style based on facts, without personal opinions or emotions.
Subjective Writing
Definition: A writing style that includes personal opinions, emotions, and interpretations.
Primary Source
Definition: A direct, firsthand account of an event, such as diaries, interviews, and historical documents.
Secondary Source
Definition: A work that analyzes, interprets, or summarizes primary sources.
Plagiarism
Definition: The act of using someone else’s work or ideas without proper attribution.
Citation
Definition: A reference to the source of information used in a nonfiction work.
Footnote
Definition: A note placed at the bottom of a page that provides additional information or citations.
Endnote
Definition: A note at the end of a document providing citations or explanations.
Bibliography
Definition: A list of sources cited or referenced in a nonfiction work.
Abstract
Definition: A summary of a longer work, often found at the beginning of research papers.
Preface
Definition: An introductory section in a book, often written by the author, explaining the work’s purpose or background.
Foreword
Definition: An introductory section written by someone other than the author, providing context or endorsement.
Appendix
Definition: Supplementary material at the end of a book, such as charts, documents, or notes.
Anecdote
Definition: A short, personal story used to illustrate a point in nonfiction writing.
Jargon
Definition: Specialized language used within a particular field or profession.
Colloquialism
Definition: Informal, conversational language used in everyday speech.
Euphemism
Definition: A mild or indirect word used in place of a harsher or more direct term.
Paradox
Definition: A seemingly contradictory statement that may reveal a deeper truth.
Allegory
Definition: A symbolic story that conveys a deeper meaning, often moral or political.
Metaphor
Definition: A figure of speech that compares two unrelated things without using ‘like’ or ‘as’.
Simile
Definition: A figure of speech comparing two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’.
Hyperbole
Definition: Deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.
Understatement
Definition: A rhetorical device that minimizes the significance of something for effect.
Red Herring
Definition: A distraction or misleading detail meant to divert attention from the main issue.
Straw Man Argument
Definition: A logical fallacy that misrepresents an opponent’s position to make it easier to attack.
Slippery Slope
Definition: A logical fallacy suggesting that one action will inevitably lead to extreme consequences.
Circular Reasoning
Definition: A logical fallacy where the conclusion is assumed in the premise.
Hasty Generalization
Definition: A logical fallacy that draws broad conclusions based on insufficient evidence.
Analogy
Definition: A comparison used to explain or clarify a concept by showing similarities to something more familiar.
Deductive Reasoning
Definition: A logical process in which a general statement leads to a specific conclusion.
Inductive Reasoning
Definition: A logical process in which specific observations lead to a general conclusion.
