Essay Writing
How long do you get for the essay section? How long should you spend on each essay?
120 mins. You should spend ~40 mins on each essay
How many questions are on the multiple choice section? How long do you get?
55 questions. 60 mins.
Equivalent to a narrator in prose; NOT usually the author/poet
Speaker
Placing two or more concepts, places, characters, or their actions close together for the purpose of comparison or contrast
Juxtaposition
A novel's _______ is its central idea or message.
Theme
1. Poetry Prompt
2. Prose Prompt
3.Free Response / Literary Argument
What should you do FIRST when approaching a passage?
Read the passage carefully.
The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza
Enjambment
The author's choice of words based on their exact or connotative meaning for effect.
Diction
Name one character who could serve as a narrative foil to Hamlet.
Horatio, Fortinbras, Laertes
What is the Magic Thesis Statement?
By looking at [lit/poetic device or technique], we can see [your claim/insight], which is important because [significance to prompt/text].
Why can a “technically true” answer still be wrong?
It doesn’t directly answer the specific question being asked. One word could make that response entirely correct.
The repetition of vowel sounds: “which din dims the light.”
Assonance
A visionary moment when a character has a sudden insight or realization that changes their understanding of themselves or their comprehension of the world
Epiphany
What is an example of a fatal flaw in Things Fall Apart?
Okonkwo's fear of being perceived as weak.
What steps would you take to respond to this prompt?
The following excerpt is from Mavis Gallant’s short story “One Morning in June,” published in 1952. In this passage, Mike Cahill is in France for one year to explore his talent for art. Read the passage carefully. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze how Gallant uses literary elements and techniques to convey Mike’s complex experience of studying painting.
1. Carefully read prompt
2. Annotate for literary elements and techniques
3. Determine what is complex about Mike's experience with studying painting.
4. Determine what literary elements best communicate these complex experiences.
Satan's action is best described as
(a) trespass
(b) usurpation
(c) betrayal
(d) consecration
(A) trespass
The speaker addresses something or someone that cannot answer, something nonliving or inanimate.
Apostrophe
A figure of speech that refers to a person, place, or thing in pop culture, mythology, or other areas of common knowledge
Allusion
What are two elements of Frankenstein that make it a Gothic novel?
Spooky atmosphere, forbidden knowledge, supernatural events, mysterious characters
Create a thesis statement for the following prompt:
Many works of literature feature a rebel character who changes or disrupts the existing state of societal, familiar, or political affairs in the text. They may break social norms, challenge long-held values, subvert expectations, or participate in other forms of resistance. The character's motivations for this rebellious behavior is often complex.
Choose a work of fiction in which a character changes or disrupts the existing state of societal, familiar, or political affairs. Then, analyze how the complex motivation of the rebel contributes to an interpretation of the work as a whole.
Work that would fit:
-The Crucible, Catch-22, The Handmaid's Tale, Fahrenheit 451, Pride and Prejudice, etc
According to the passage, why does Satan not enter the garden by the gate?
(A) The gate is protected by God.
(B) The gate is hidden by overgrown shrubbery.
(C) He is too large to fit through the gate.
(D) He is contemptuous of proper procedures.
(D) He is contemptuous of proper procedures.
An elaborate, intellectually ingenious metaphor that shows the poet's realm of knowledge; it may be brief or extended.
Conceit
Type of language when a character uses words like "ain't," "y'all," or "reckon."
Colloquialism
In The Crucible, what is one of Abigail Williams' character motivations?
Responses could include: she was caught doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing; she saw an opportunity for power; etc.