Key Terms
The central idea, topic, or point of a story, essay, or narrative.
Theme
Is a language used by writers, in order to create images in the mind of the reader.
Imagery
Protagonist of “The Color Purple”
Celie
Protagonist of “The Awakening”, not a mother woman.
Edna
(Mrs. Pontellier)
"Dear God"
Celie
word choice and phrasing in any written or spoken text.
Diction
figure of speech in which an author or speaker purposely and obviously exaggerates to an extreme. It is used for emphasis
Hyperbole
Educated and “beautiful” black woman who goes to Africa as a missionary.
Nettie
son of Madame Lebrun
Robert
“I would give my money, I would give my life for my children but I wouldn't give myself”
Edna
figure of speech that makes a comparison by directly relating one thing to another unrelated thing.
Methaphor
words that begin with the same sound are placed close together
Alliteration
Celie’s abusive husband, in love with shug.
Mr.____ (albert)
An old, single, woman who followed her dreams as a pianist and serves as an inspiration to Edna throughout her artistic awakening.
Mademoiselle Reisz
"You ugly. You skinny. You shape funny. You too scared to open your mouth to people. All you fit to do in Memphis is be Shug’s maid. Take out her slop-jar and maybe cook her food.”
Mr._______
when a writer mentions some other work, or refers to an earlier part of the current work.
Allusion
the pattern of sounds that repeats at the end of a line or stanza
Rhyme scheme
Celie’s first and true love, independent, empowered woman
Shug
A fashionable young man notorious for his relationships with married women. Edna’s lover.
Alcee Arobin
"All My life I had to fight"
Sofia
specific type of Japanese poem which has 17 syllables divided into three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables.
Haiku
Boom! Pow! Whoosh! Wham!
Onomatopoeia
Enjoys domestic activities like cooking and taking care of the house.
Harpo
Enda and Robert’s children
Etienne
“See Daddy, sinners have souls, too.”
Shug