STAR-CROSSED
What literary device is created when the audience knows something that a character does not?
Dramatic irony.
What is a foil character?
A character whose contrasting qualities highlight important traits in another character.
Who wrote "We Real Cool?"
Gwendolyn Brooks.
Who is Hilly Holbrook?
A wealthy white woman who uses her social influence and status to support and enforce racist attitudes and segregation.
Rewrite in the passive voice:
The Capitol controls the districts.
The districts are controlled by the Capitol.
Which character frequently acts as a voice of reason in contrast to Romeo and the other impulsive characters?
Benvolio.
Why can Peeta be described as Katniss's foil?
Peeta is emotionally open, compassionate and willing to trust others, while Katniss is guarded, suspicious and focused on survival.
What traditional idea does Shakespeare challenge in Sonnet 130?
He challenges unrealistic and exaggerated descriptions of women's beauty in traditional love poetry.
What does Hilly's calm, controlled appearance often contrast with?
Her cruel, prejudiced and manipulative behaviour.
Eliminate the wordiness:
Due to the fact that Romeo is impulsive, he makes rapid decisions.
Because Romeo is impulsive, he makes rapid decisions.
Romeo falls deeply in love with Rosaline and then rapidly shifts his attention to Juliet.
What does Shakespeare reveal about Romeo through this change?
Shakespeare presents Romeo as emotionally driven and impulsive. His feelings are intense, but they can change rapidly.
Katniss volunteers for Prim.
What theme is immediately developed through this decision?
Sacrifice.
Why is the repeated word "We" important in We Real Cool?
The repetition creates a collective identity for the pool players. It emphasises their group mentality while the short, isolated placement of the word can also suggest uncertainty or fragility beneath their confidence.
Why is social power important when analysing Hilly?
Hilly's power does not come from an official government position. Her wealth, race and social status allow her to influence other women and control how Black maids are treated.
Correct the parallel structure:
Katniss is skilled at hunting, surviving and she protects her family.
Katniss is skilled at hunting, surviving and protecting her family.
Juliet asks:
"What's in a name?"
Why is the idea of a name important to the conflict of the play?
A name represents family and social identity. Romeo's identity as a Montague creates a barrier between him and Juliet, showing how society and inherited conflict interfere with individual desire.
How does the Capitol turn suffering into spectacle?
The Capitol transforms the tributes' deaths and fear into televised entertainment. The Games are presented with costumes, interviews, sponsors and dramatic coverage, encouraging viewers to consume violence as entertainment.
Compare the tone of We Real Cool and Sonnet 130.
"We Real Cool" has a rebellious and confident tone that gradually becomes ominous, while "Sonnet 130" uses a humorous, mocking and ultimately sincere tone.
How does Hilly represent a larger conflict in The Help?
Hilly represents the racist social system of 1960s Mississippi. Her actions show the conflict between people who protect segregation and those who begin challenging injustice.
Rewrite in a formal academic tone:
Romeo is super emotional and basically doesn't think before doing stuff.
Romeo is emotionally impulsive and frequently acts without considering the consequences of his decisions.
Friar Lawrence warns:
"Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast."
Explain how this warning develops one of Shakespeare's central messages.
Shakespeare suggests that impulsive choices can lead to serious consequences. Friar Lawrence recognises Romeo's tendency to act emotionally and warns him to think carefully, foreshadowing the destructive effects of rushed decisions.
Choose ONE symbol from The Hunger Games and explain how Collins uses it to develop a central message.
Mockingjay: rebellion, hope and resistance.
Bread: survival, kindness and human connection.
Fire: Katniss's strength, transformation and rebellion.
Three-finger salute: respect, unity and resistance.
Both Brooks and Shakespeare challenge expectations.
Compare HOW they do this.
Brooks challenges the idea that rebellion and a carefree lifestyle are glamorous by ending the poem with the sudden consequence, "We die soon."
Shakespeare challenges exaggerated romantic poetry by using realistic and unflattering comparisons before affirming the genuine value of his love.
A director shows a prejudiced character sitting calmly in a beautiful, comfortable home.
Why might this visual contrast be significant?
The director may use the contrast to show that injustice is not always presented as openly violent or chaotic. Hilly's comfortable, respectable appearance hides harmful prejudice, showing how discrimination can exist within ordinary social structures.
Rewrite this paragraph in a formal literary register:
Katniss is like really brave and she does a lot of crazy stuff because she wants to help people. This shows she is a good person and the Capitol is really bad.
Katniss demonstrates considerable courage through her willingness to risk her safety to protect others. Her acts of sacrifice emphasise her compassion while simultaneously exposing the Capitol's oppressive and inhumane system.