Plot
Identify the part of a plot that introduces characters, setting, and the main conflict.
What is Exposition?
What are the two main types of characterization, and give a one-sentence example of each.
Direct (author/narrator states traits) and indirect (revealed through actions, dialogue, thoughts, appearance, effect on others).
Define "metaphor"
Metaphor: direct comparison without "like" or "as"
Define "theme" and distinguish it from "topic" using a one-sentence example for each.
Topic: subject (e.g., "friendship"); Theme: author's statement about that topic (e.g., "True friendship withstands betrayal"). Topic is one word/phrase; theme is a sentence.
How many siblings Miss Lassey have?
What is one?
Name the term for the turning point in a story when the main character faces the conflict directly and the outcome begins to change.
What is the Climax?
Explain how a character's dialogue can reveal indirect characterization. Provide a short sample line and what it implies about the speaker.
Dialogue shows voice, values, education, or motives; e.g., "I won't wait any longer" implies impatience or resolve.
Explain the difference between simile and metaphor
Simile uses "like" or "as"; metaphor does not
Identify two common themes in literature
Coming of age, and Power/corruption
Who is Miss Lassey's favorite band?
Who is ABBA?
Describe what "rising action" does in a narrative and give one example of how it builds tension.
Rising action builds tension by introducing complications that increase stakes
Define "round" and "flat" characters and explain why an author might use a flat character intentionally.
Round: complex, multi-dimensional; Flat: one-dimensional. Authors use flat characters to highlight traits or advance plot without distraction.
Identify and explain the effect of personification in this sentence: "The city sighed as the rain began."
Personification attributes human qualities to nonhuman things; here it suggests the city is relieved or tired, creating mood.
Explain how motifs support the development of a theme
Motifs are recurring elements that reinforce theme
What college did Miss Lassey attend?
What is the University of Toledo?
Given a brief scenario: A character discovers a hidden letter that changes their goals, leading to a race against time. Which plot structure element does the discovery represent and why?
it changes goals and creates urgency
Analyze how a character's actions in a scene can create conflict with another character. Identify the type of conflict (person vs. person, self, society, nature, or fate).
Example: Character A hides a will from Character B, causing confrontation—person vs. person.
Give an example of situational irony and explain how it differs from dramatic irony.
Situational irony: outcome opposite of expectation (e.g., a firefighter's house burns). Dramatic irony: audience knows something characters do not.
Read this prompt and respond: A story follows a character who consistently chooses personal gain over relationships and later faces loneliness. Propose two possible themes that could be derived from this story and justify each with one supporting detail from the plot scenario.
Possible themes: "Greed leads to isolation" or "Pursuing self-interest sacrifices meaningful connections."
What is Miss Lassey's favorite book?
What is Catcher in the Rye?
Compare and contrast linear and non-linear plot structures. Provide one advantage of using a non-linear structure in a novel.
Linear: events in chronological order; Non-linear: events out of order (flashbacks, jumps). Advantage of non-linear: can create suspense, reveal character motivations gradually, or emphasize theme.
Discuss how dynamic characterization contributes to theme development. Use a hypothetical character arc to illustrate your point.
Dynamic characters change beliefs or goals; that change can illustrate the moral or lesson (theme). Example: a selfish protagonist learns empathy, supporting a theme of redemption.
Analyze how an extended metaphor can shape a reader's interpretation of a novel's central conflict
Extended metaphor sustained across a work guides interpretation by mapping abstract conflict onto concrete imagery
Craft a concise thesis statement for an essay arguing how a novel of your choice develops the theme of "identity" through both plot and characterization. (Name the novel you choose and give two specific elements you would analyze.)
Example thesis: For the novel [insert title], the author develops the theme of identity through the protagonist’s evolving self-perception (characterization) and the sequence of experiences that force difficult choices (plot).
What is the name of my Brother?
What is Graham?