Literary Terms
What is the term for a comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as"?
Simile.
Who is the protagonist in The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman?
The narrator (who is unnamed but is often interpreted as a woman suffering from mental illness and a sense of confinement due to her gender and societal expectations).
What theme is central to The Sacrificial Egg by Chinua Achebe?
Postcolonialism.
In which work does the narrator say, "I would prefer not to," and what does this reveal about his character?
Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville. This statement reveals Bartleby’s passive resistance to societal expectations and his unwillingness to conform to the demands of the workplace.
Who wrote The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock?
T. S. Eliot.
What is the term for giving human qualities to non-human objects or abstract concepts?
Personification.
In My Last Duchess by Robert Browning, who is the Duke speaking to, and what is his attitude toward his late wife?
The Duke is speaking to a servant, and he reveals his controlling and possessive attitude towards his late wife, implying that he had her killed because she was too independent and didn't show him the reverence he desired.
What is a major theme in The Garden-Party by Katherine Mansfield?
Class disparity.
In which poem does the line "Good fences make good neighbours" appear?
Mending Wall by Robert Frost.
Who wrote The Lady of Shalott?
Alfred Lord Tennyson.
What is the term for a situation where the expected outcome is different from what actually occurs?
Irony (Situational).
In Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville, who is the central figure, and how does he impact the narrator’s life?
The central figure is Bartleby, a scrivener who refuses to conform to the expectations of the workplace. His passive resistance deeply confuses and frustrates the narrator, raising questions about authority, freedom, and human agency.
In The Prussian Officer by D.H. Lawrence, what theme is explored through the relationship between the officer and the soldier?
Sexuality and power dynamics.
"She was a daughter of the gods, and her beauty was enough to shame the world,"—which work is this line from, and what does it symbolize?
The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Lord Tennyson. This line symbolizes the idealized image of the Lady and her passive, isolated existence, reflecting the theme of unattainable beauty and artifice in Victorian society.
Who wrote "In the Station of the Metro"?
Ezra Pound.
What is the term for a 14-line poem written in iambic pentameter, typically dealing with love or beauty?
Sonnet.
Who is the protagonist in The Garden-Party by Katherine Mansfield, and what is her realization about class difference?
Laura is the protagonist, and she undergoes a realization about class difference when she learns of a poor man’s death, which forces her to confront the shallowness of her privileged life.
In The Yellow Wallpaper, what theme is explored through the narrator's descent into madness?
Gender roles and mental illness.
"I know not what it is, but it is a fine thing; the atmosphere so close, the light so sharp,"—which work does this passage come from, and what does it signify?
Araby by James Joyce. This passage signifies the protagonist's sense of confusion and longing, representing his youthful idealism and disillusionment when he realizes the superficiality of his quest.
Who wrote "My Last Duchess"?
Robert Browning
What is the term for a rhyme that occurs within a line of poetry?
Internal Rhyme.
In King Lear by William Shakespeare, who are the two daughters who betray Lear, and what motivates their actions?
Goneril and Regan betray Lear. Their actions are motivated by their greed for power, as they feign love for Lear to inherit his wealth and land, only to later abandon him as he becomes more vulnerable.
What theme does Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats address?
The permanence of art and beauty.
In which poem does the line "The brain is wider than the sky," appear, and what does it symbolize?
“The Brain—is wider than the Sky—” by Emily Dickinson. This line symbolizes the limitless potential of the mind, emphasizing the vast, boundless nature of human consciousness.
Who wrote "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry"?
Walt Whitman.