literary terms 6-30

  Analogy: a comparison made between two things to show the similarities between them

                                           

  Analysis: a method in which a work or idea is separated into its parts, and those parts given rigorous and detailed scrutiny

                                                    
Anaphora: a device or repetition in which a word or words are repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, phrases, clauses, or sentences

                                               
Anecdote: a very short story used to illustrate a point

                                      

Antagonist: a person or force opposing the protagonist in a drama or narrative

                                     

Antithesis: a balancing of one term against another for emphasis or stylistic effectiveness

                                                      
 
Aphorism: a terse, pointed statement expressing some wise or clever observation about life

                                        

Apologia: a defense or justification for some doctrine, piece of writing, cause, or action; also apology

                                            

Apostrophe: a figure of speech in which an absent or dead person, an abstract quality, or something inanimate or nonhuman is addressed directly


                                       
Argument(ation): the process of convincing a reader by proving either the truth or the falsity of an idea or proposition; also, the thesis or proposition itself

                                   
 
Assumption: the act of supposing, or taking for granted that a thing is true

                                           
 
Audience: the intended listener or listeners

                                      

Characterization: the means by which a writer reveals a character’s personality
Direct                                                                                                                 Indirect
                                    

Chiasmus: a reversal in the order off words so that the second half of a statement balances the first half in inverted word order

                                        

Circumlocution: a roundabout or evasive speech or writing, in which many words are used but a few would have served

                                               

Classicism: art, literature, and music reflecting the principles of ancient Greece and Rome: tradition, reason, clarity, order, and balance

                                                    

Cliché: a phrase or situation overused within society

                                     

Climax: the decisive point in a narrative or drama; the pint of greatest intensity or interest at which plot question is answered or resolved

                                   
Colloquialism: folksy speech, slang words or phrases usually used in informal conversation

 
Comedy: originally a nondramatic literary piece of work that was marked by a happy ending; now a term to describe a ludicrous, farcical, or amusing event designed provide enjoyment or produce smiles and laughter

                                                  

Conflict: struggle or problem in a story causing tension

                                         

Connotation: implicit meaning, going beyond dictionary definition

                                                
 
Contrast: a rhetorical device by which one element (idea or object) is thrown into opposition to another for the sake of emphasis or clarity

                                               

Denotation: plain dictionary definition


                                       

Denouement (pronounced day-new-mahn): loose ends tied up in a story after the climax, closure, conclusion

                                   
  

LIT TERMS 1-5

AP LITERARY TERMS
 Allegory: a tale in prose or verse in which characters, actions, or settings represent abstract ideas or moral qualities; a story that uses symbols to make a point
Alliteration: the repetition of similar initial sounds, usually consonants, in a group of words
Allusion: a reference to a person, a place, an event, or a literary work that a writer expects a reader to recognize
Ambiguity: something uncertain as to interpretation
Anachronism: something that shows up in the wrong place or the wrong time

                                               
                  Allegory                                                                                        Alliteration


                     
         Allusion                                      Ambiguity                                               Anachronism

AP PREP POST 1: SIDDHARTHA

A) 1. If you were the river, would you be enlightenment or would you know enlightenment? In other words, what’s up with the river? What is it’s relation to enlightenment? http://www.shmoop.com/siddhartha/questions.html
2. What purpose does self-denial serve in Siddhartha? What about self-indulgence? http://www.shmoop.com/siddhartha/questions.html
3. What does Siddhartha mean when he refers to the "path of paths" that must be found? (p. 17) Why is he so certain that neither the Brahmans nor the samanas have found it? http://www.greatbooks.org/resources/guides/novels/siddhartha/
4.When Siddhartha can no longer distinguish the many voices he hears in the river, why does he feel that "he had now learned all there was to know about listening"?  http://www.greatbooks.org/resources/guides/novels/siddhartha/
5. What does enlightenment look like in Siddhartha? Is it a feeling? An attitude? http://www.shmoop.com/siddhartha/questions.html
B) 1. For this question, i would need to have a better understanding of the river and its affect on Siddartha.
2. Self-denial is Siddartha's means of improving his abilities of meditation and such. He is a devoted ascetic and that is how he reaches his goals. Self-indulgence is when Siddartha begins to follow and explore different parts of life along his undetermined path.
3. Siddartha believes there is a path that all should follow that no one has yet found. 
4. Another question about the river.
5. Enlightenment in Siddartha is satisfaction when he finally finds the path he believes is the best.
C) these questions show what a test will look for in the knowledge of a student on a cetrain work, and most of it is on a deeper level. To see the writers meaning in what he is writing.

Liteary Anaylsis Of Mice and Men

General:

1. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a novel about George and Lennie, inseparable from the day they meet. George is smaller and savvy while Lennie is a gentle, simple giant. They share a dream of having a small farm that is just their won. But to do that, they need to find work. They find some as ranch hands at a small ranch. When they decide to expand their dreams to include their dreams with another ranch hand named Candy their dreams seem within reach. Yet, Lennie is constantly picked on by the bosses son Curley who has a case of small people aggression. Lennie, who is normally gentle, strongly crushes Curley's hand at the insistence from George. It hinders their plans, but they manage to keep it quiet. But Curley's wife poses an even stronger threat to Lennie. She is constantly flirting with him and Lennie can't resist. He loves stroking soft things and she lets him stoke her hair, but when she starts to get scared, Lennie is afraid she is going to make a noise and alert the other people. In the scuffle, Lennie accidentally kills her. An angry mob is after, but only George knows where he is.George finds him and tells Lennie of their plans. Right when Lennie appears most happy, George shots him in the head to give a quick, painless death to save him from the mob.

2. Theme of this novel is the power of friendship. Lennie and Goerge are quite an unusual pair, and they face many difficulties together. They are willing to do anything for one another to stay strong as friends. George feels like he is Lennie's caretaker, and it shows when he decides to be the one to kill Lennie. Harsh it may seem, but Lennie felt it was best for his friend.

3. Steinbeck's tone is diminishing  somber. George and Lennie have done everything they can to try to set up their desired future but no matter what it goes astray. The tone really shows this.

4. 

1. Setting- Being during the Great Depression, it shows how important George and Lennie's bond is.

2. Imagery- Steinbeck includes a part where Lennie sees his Mom in his own head. The imagery he uses shows how Lennie thinks at times.

3. Direct Characterization- Steinbeck wants us to know George and Lennies well, so he comes out and describes them exactly how he wants the reader to see them right away.

4. Foreshadow- Steinbeck foreshadow's Lennie's fate often through the novel.

5. Parallel Characters- Curly's Wife is shown by a puppy that Lennie likes to pet but accidentally killed because he liked it so much.
6. Parallel Events  George sees how Candy had to be the one to put his own dog out of misery. So when it came time, George made sure he did it for Lennie.
7. Character symbols- Many characters symbolized different things, Curly's wife temptation, George reason, Curley aggression, and Lennie simplicity.

Characterization:
1. Both George is described as "large and dark of face" and Lennie described as "gentle giant" right in the beginning directly. Indirectly, we learn more about them as they fulfill their character outlines by their actions, such as Lennie loving the soft puppy, or George telling Lennie to protect himself from Curley and to avoid Curley's wife, we learn more about them indirectly.
2. Steinbeck changes his diction and syntax between characters often. For Lennie it must be simple and kind. For George, it must be sharp and direct. For Curley, it must be aggressive. The list goes on.
3. The protagonists are both flat. Lennie never stops being simple and loving the simple hings, and Geoge never stops trying to help Lennie, regardless of the circumstances.
4. I met people. The story is so tragic and every character has flaws i see everyday, i really felt like i meet two men who shared a strong companionship.

Literary Analysis A Christmas Carol

General:

1. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is a short story about Ebenezer Scrooge, a grumpy man who seems bent on being ill-tempered. With a strong dislike for Christmas  Scrooge is even grumpier on the Holidays, refusing a invitation to his nephews dinner. He did regretfully let his attorney, Bob Cratchit have Christmas day off, his only possible Christmas gift. On Christmas eve, he goes home and is visited by his old, and seven years dead business partner Jacob Marley who apparently has been suffering in the afterlife. He warns Scrooge to change his ways. Scrooge is then visited by three ghosts. The ghost of Christmas past shows a part of Scrooge's childhood and earlier Christmas. The ghost of Christmas present introduces us to Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit's son. Because Scrooge so underpays Bob, he can't afford medicine for his terribly ill son. The ghost of Christmas to come shows Scrooge his funeral, where only a few have showed up and only those who were given incentive to. Scrooge awakes from his dream of possible night of ghosts on Christmas day. He vows to change his ways, starting by sending a turkey to the Cratchit's and going to his nephew's.

2. The theme of this short story is very clear and simple. Don't live as Scrooge did in the beginning of the story, always ill-tempered and mean. Try to have a brighter view, and live with a little joy in your life. It will improve your life and the one's of those around you.

3. The author's tone varies through the story, but for the majority, besides characters talking, it denounces Scrooge's ways, showing his his being angry all the time is clearly wrong.

4. 

1. Diction- Dickens use words to give the feelings his characters have more meaning, such as Scrooge's "humbug."

2. Foreshadow- Dickens slowly makes it more clear that Scrooge's ways are leading him to a shallow and lonely grave.

3. Staves- Dicken's splits his short story into five chapters he calls Staves, and each one has a distinct main message about Scrooge  We learn how he is in two, how he was in one, how he will be in another, and we have his respite in the last one.

4. Direct Characterization  Dickens wants no doubt about how mean Scrooge is, so he doesn't beat the bush when describing him.

5. Contrasting Characters  To bring out more of Scrooge's ill-temper, Dickens has Bob Cratchit, who enjoys the Holidays and is very optimistic, to contrast to Scrooge.

6. Dynamic Character- Scrooge goes under a huge  attitude adjustment, helping to show Dicken's theme.

7. Mood- Dicken's makes the reader really dislike Scrooge at the beginning making his transformation even more memorable. 

8. Tone- Dicken's denounces Scrooge's ways often, to show his wrongs.

9. Parallel Character- Jacob Marley was similar to Scrooge, his business partner, and serves as a comparison as to what could happen to Scrooge.

10. Imagery- Dickens has ghosts a reality, and they show Scrooge what he was doing and how he was wrong.

Characterization:

1. Scrooge is directly described be several people, including people on the street and his nephew. We also learn about Scrooge from how much he hates the happiest time of the year and how he treats his employee, Bob Cratchit. It paints a clear image of Scrooge in the reader's head.

2. When Dicken's changes between character's his diction and syntax do change. Mainly from Scrooge's grumpy words and humbugs to a more cheerful words of a another. Another great shift is when Jacob Marley is warning Scrooge of his fate, using omniscient words.

3. Scrooge is possibly one of the most famous Dynamic characters to ever be written in literature. His great transformation from interminably ill-tempered to  joyous about life in a single night is quite famous, and really demonstrates Dicken's theme.

4. I felt like I might a person. Reading about Scrooge, I saw how he was slowly feeling guilty about his actions more and more with each ghost. When he changed his ways, I felt glad for him. He was very realistic.  

Thinking Outside the Box

                Plato, in his work "Allegory of the Cave", and Sartre, in his play "No Exit" both took a deep look at how are minds work and what it is that really controls or limits the power of our minds and will.I feel that Plato and Sartre differed in what they thought limited the mind, at least what they wrote in their respective pieces  In Plato' "Allegory of the Cave" the thing limiting people was the cave and their chains. These symbolized two things, the cave was their unusual environment that limited their minds by diminishing what they saw, as did their chains, which represented things that would also prevent them from thinking about things other than what was right in front of them because it hurts to move against the chain and see something else. This is how Plato saw the mind limited. Sartre, in his work, "No Exit", saw it differently. The major factor that was limiting the characters thinking was their deeper desires. They could not pursue any course of thought without satisfy their inner needs first. There are many examples. Estelle cannot remain quiet when she needs to because she is so concerned with her appearance and must find a way to see herself. Inez can't remain quiet either because she has some odd desire to bask in Estelle's beauty, and feels moved to stare at her. Garcin cannot proceed to make love to Estelle because he is to concerned with the people who think he is a coward and feels the need to find a way to change that thought in their heads, so that he is not a coward. These are a few examples of desire limiting peoples thoughts in the play.
               Plato's solution to his limits was that it required someone of strong will to fight against and break the chains, and only then could they see the reality of things and free their minds. Sartre solution was a bit more subtle, but it also required strong will.If either of the characters could have accepted that their desires would not be meet or fulfilled, they could have been able to stop tormenting themselves with their impulsive need for gratification. The pusillanimity between the two solutions here is a strong will. A will to break away, or the will to  endure, both are solutions of high merit from excellent thinkers themselves.

Literary Analysis Lord of the Flies

General:

1. Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a novel about a group of boys stranded on an island at the dawn of a war sometime in the near future (future of when the book was written). The novel tells the story of the kids struggle to survive and how easily one can break down in certain situations and loss their civilized sense. The kids attempt to establish an order to survive. They elect Ralph to be there leader and have a conch be the crown, or symbol of power. Piggy, another boy, supports Ralph and his endeavors to help keep order. But soon kids decide they don't want to do things required to survive, and many just don/t. Some join Jack, another boy obsessed with the hunting aspect of survival. Fueling their violence driven crazed is the fear of beasts on the island, various strange figures causing the kids to tremble in fear at false beats.Simon, another boy, has an encounter with a supposed beast, who in Simon's hallucination calls himself lord of the flies, a devil like figure that tells Simon terrible things. As Jack and the hunters going even deeper into savagery and Ralph attempts to keep order, the beast drive the kids to act rash, and they kill several kids, including Simon and Piggy. It is not until an adult solider comes do the kids realize how far they had gone into craziness. 

2. One possible theme of Lord of the Flies is how in certain conditions how easily a civilized mind can be lost. All it took is the threat if death, no restrictions  and the fear of an unknown beast to cause several kids to become savages.

3. The author's tone is not consistent throughout the novel. It changes as the kids slip closer and closer to savagery, and becomes less civilized.  

4. 

1. Setting-Being isolated on an island is key to how the boys lose control.

2. Plot- events in the story, such as a fallen solider falling on the island and looking like a beast, really help show how the kids can think certain things, such as the existence of a beast.

3. Character actions- As the boys start to perform savage actions, it shows the reader how uncivilized they have become.

4. Mood- The author creates a feeling in the reader often, such as disgust or disappointment when the kids accidentally kill Simon. Golding is very good at getting a reaction from the reader.

5. Climax- To show how civilized thought can be completely lost, the author has a climax where several kids have truly lost, showing how savage they have become.

6. Imagery- Golding has a scene where he has Simon encounter the lord of the Flies. n order to make the lord of the Flies seem like a true devil, he writes with a lot of imagery to make him truly evil.

7. Character Representation- The characters represented other types of people in a civil world  Ralph the leader, Piggy the intellectual, Simon the good natured, and Jack the savage, power hungry.

8. Symbols- There are many symbols in the novel, including the signal fire as salvation, lord of the flies as the devil, and the conch as power.

9. Onomatopoeia- Golding uses a sung chant sand by the hunters about viciously killing their prey to show their savagery.

10. Diction- Golding has the characters use different diction's to show their aspects and qualities, the civil from the savage.

Characterization:

1. Golding uses direct characterization initially  such as when Ralph is describe as an appealing person to show he was chosen as the leader or when Piggy was describes as socially awkward to show why the kids often ostracized him. He uses indirect characterization to show characters inner self, such as how Roger abuses many kids because he has an obsession with violence or how Jack tries to dethrone Ralph because of his power hunger. Both are key.

2. Yes. When Golding is talking through a character how has embraced savagery, his syntax and diction are different then for Ralph or Piggy, civilized characters. His words become violent, and the meanings are very appalling. 

3. Ralph, my chosen protagonist, is flat. He sticks by his morals, even though he faces many situations were he could easily abandon them. He tries to help lead the survival of the kids throughout the novel. 
4. I felt like I met many different types of people. Ralph, a charismatic person. Piggy, a smart awkward friend. Jack, a power hungry savage, by the end of the novel. Golding gives each character a different role, and most enact out that role in the entire story, giving them a real feeling.