Literary Terms
Typically the good guy in the story, can also be called the main character
Protagonist
Typically the bad guy in the story. The person or thing that gets in the way of the protagonist
Antagonist
What happened to Adams parents? What process did they go through?
Divorced.
How old is the main character in this story?
She is 13 years old
Whose screams did the parents' hear in the nursery for a month straight?
The parents' own screams.
A problem in the story
Conflict
The series of events
Plot
Why did Adam not like being around his dad every other weekend?
His dad wouldn't listen to any of the issues Adam was going through. He only wanted them to be happy and have fun.
What is the relationship between Mr. Winters and the main character?
They are strangers
What is the first item that George finds on the ground in the nursery?
His old wallet
The first foundational sentence while writing. It typically contains the author's last name, story title, and answer.
Thesis statement
When two or more people are talking in a text
Dialogue
What did the boy Adam do for his mom?
He cooked them meals and cleaned the apartment. He also listened to her issues.
What is the ending piece of dialogue between the protagonist and Mr. Winters that makes the story make sense?
Mr. Winters says "You understand, don't you?"
What advice does the psychologist give the parents about the nursery?
Shut everything down, go on a break, and make psychologist appointments for the children for a whole year.
A comparison without using like or as. Example: This homework is rocket-science!
Metaphor
The opposite of what you expect to happen, happens
Irony
What does the term role-reversal mean?
When a child takes over the role of a parent, and does parent-like duties.
What happened to the baby she was babysitting?
The baby had died awhile ago and the parents are still grieving the loss. They can't come to terms with reality.
Describe the nursery in as much detail as possible.
It is a large room in the home that has projections on all walls. When you walk in, you can imagine where you want to be and it will appear on the walls. Everything feels very real.
What the author intends for you to feel
Tone
Detailed writing that invokes the 5 senses such as: touch, smell, taste, sight, hearing
Imagery
What was the main idea of this passage?
Role-reversal is healthy and normal to do for short-term periods, but has negative consequences if done long-term
This story was mostly about... Guilt, death, or growing up? Explain your answer
Growing up. The young protagonist learns about the adult world and that tragic things can happen, but adults need to push through and make it through their days.
What were the two children's names? Describe how they felt about the nursery
Wendy and Peter. The children loved the nursery, the nursery acted as their parents.