Literary elements/terms
The way characters are introduced, developed, and made meaningful within a short space. Characters may be fully developed (round) or one-dimensional (flat).
What is characterization?
This is what happens to Juan’s letter at the end of “The Censors”
What is he censors it automatically, without thinking twice and without regret.
The character who stays next to the young girl stuck in the mud and tries to keep her alive.
Who is Rolf Carlé
“Oho, you’re at it again! Take your hands away, and let me see your eyes. You always do that when I read a letter from her. I will write and tell her.”
What is “A Californian’s Tale”?
An era in the U.S. that played a key role in shaping the state’s early history. Attracted hundreds of thousands of people to California.
What is the California Gold Rush?
The underlying message or central idea of the story. In short stories, these are often universal or deeply focused on one subject.
What is theme?
Jonathan Iwegbu’s “five inestimable blessings."
His head, his wife Maria’s head, and the heads of three out of their four children.
The character who ends up censoring his own letter at the end of the story.
Who is Juan?
“Lookia my frien, no be play we come play for your house. If we make mistake and step for inside you no go like am-o. So derefore…”
What is "Civil Peace"?
This author is known as the father of modern African literature. He belonged to the Igbo ethnic group and grew up during British colonial rule in his country.
Who is Chinua Achebe?
Time and place where the story occurs. In short stories, this is often tightly woven into the plot and theme, providing atmosphere and context.
What is setting?
This region in a “Civil peace” affects the way Jonathan and his family live after the war. (Be specific)
What is the the Ibo region, the region that was forced to surrender (lost the civil war). The southeastern region of Nigeria
The character who lost a child during the war but continues to move forward and reminds himself to be grateful for what he does have.
Who is Jonathan Iwegbu
“From time to time she dozed, but he kept talking in the darkness, to assure her that he was still there and to overcome the menace of uncertainty.”
What is "And of Clay Are We Created"?
The town and country that the Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted in 1985 and was a tragedy to the nation.
What is Armero, Colombia?
A form of a language spoken in a particular region or by a specific group, and it can include: Vocabulary, Grammar, Pronunciation, Spelling
What is dialect?
The friends of Henry do this to him at the end of the story.
What is the men slip something into Henry’s drink (likely a sleeping potion or something to calm him), so he will fall asleep peacefully before he realizes again that his wife is not coming.
The character who is living nineteen years behind and still thinks his wife is alive at the same time every year.
Who is Henry?
“When he dug it up again a year later after the surrender all it needed was a little palm-oil greasing. ‘Nothing Puzzles God,’ he said in wonder.”
What is "Civil Peace"?
Another name for the Nigerian Civil War that happened in Nigeria from 1967-1970.
What is the Biafran War?
An authority (like a government or corporation) suppressing or controlling the free expression of ideas, information, or art.
What is censorship?
This is who the narrator is and how the narrator of “And of Clay Are We Created” experiences the events of the story.
What is Rolf’s partner/wife. She watches the event unfold via television. She feels helpless but emotionally connected.
The character who is the reason why Juan joins the censorship office in the first place. She lives in Paris.
Who is Mariana?
“After work, one of them tried to organize a strike to demand higher wages for unhealthy work…after thinking it over, he reported the man to his superiors and thus got promoted”
What is "The Censors"?
The well known name for the war that happened in Argentina due to a military dictatorship from 1976-1983.
What is Argentina’s “Dirty War”?