Lit Term Mania
Which term refers to the physical representation of something in a text?
Which literary term refers to an author using an idea to represent something in a text?
Symbol
Example: A heart symbolizes love; this is a universal symbol in every culture.
Symbolism
Example: A storm can represent hurt, anger, conflict, depression, sadness, etc.
A storm can also be used to foreshadow an ominous event coming up in a text.
Bonus 200 points: Give an example of each term from any text we have read in class this semester.
What is the difference between a simile and a metaphor?
A simile is a comparison USING like or as and a metaphor is a comparison NOT using like or as.
Poets often use these terms to help deepen the meaning of their poem. For instance, in the poem "Memories," the speaker uses a metaphor to compare herself to a "frightened bird" to help the reader know she is dealing with the internal conflict of anxiety.
What is the definition of a stanza?
The name for a group of lines that appear together in a poem.
What is the definition of theme and how does one identify the theme of a work of literature?
The overall message in a story. One identifies the theme in a work of literature by identifying ideas the author is trying to portray to his/her audience throughout the entire text.
For instance, if you're reading a novel about war and the speaker is sharing painful memories about trying to survive the war and damages this experience had on his/her life, the reader can infer that a theme in the novel could be Damages of War or Survival. Themes can be one word or a short phrase.
Bonus 100 points: How do you identify the development of a theme in a text?
What is the definition of figurative language?
Figurative language refers to language an author uses to convey a message to the reader in a non-literal way.
Examples of figurative language terms would be:
simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, connotation, alliteration, etc.
Which question set will you see the term "central idea"? (fiction or nonfiction)
Which question set will you see the term "theme"? (fiction or nonfiction)
Central idea = nonfiction
Theme = fiction
Bonus (100 points): Explain how to identify each term in their respective text.
What is the definition of personification?
What is the definition of an oxymoron?
Personification: Giving NONHUMAN things HUMAN characteristics.
Oxymoron: Two words that contrast.
Examples: foolish wisdom or deafening silence
What is text structure and what's it's purpose?
How the author structures his/her text.
In a nonfiction piece about volcanoes, the author could give you general information about volcanoes, followed by the geographical location of the largest volcanoes on Earth and end with the cause and effect of a volcanic eruption. Author's structure their text for specific reasons.
For instance, an author writing fiction could write his/her short story in short, choppy paragraphs to symbolize the internal conflict of a character.
What does CER stand for AND what do you include in each part?
CER = Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning
The claim restates the prompt AND answers the question.
The evidence is a quote from the text that supports your claim (answer). You need to make sure you include quotation marks around your quotes.
The reasoning supports why you chose the quote you chose. You should restate the key words from the claim in your reasoning.
Bonus (100 Points) - What are the sentence starters for the evidence and reasoning?
What is the definition of diction?
The author's choice of words.
A question you could get asked on the EOC is, "How does the author's use of diction contribute to the overall mood/tone of the poem?" If the author is using words that create regretful tone, you would respond to that question by saying that the author's use of diction conveys a regretful tone in his/her poem.
Diction simply refers to the words an author uses to make readers feel a certain way. For instance, in "A Long Way Gone," Beah uses specific diction to express how desperate he feels about not having food. He says, "That night we were so hungry that we stole people's food while they slept. It was the only way to get through the night" (Beah). He uses the words/phrases, "so hungry," "stole," "while they slept," and "get through the night" to convey desperation to the reader. By him using these words, we can infer that they boys had no choice by to steal food, or they would have died.
What is the definition of mood?
The way the READER feels about a text.
Your mood, as a reader, can be impacted by an author's word choice (diction). Sometimes a reader's mood can be different than the author intended it to be; everyone reacts to a text in different way. Be sure to look at your answer choices carefully!
REMEMBER: mood = me to help you remember the difference.
What is the definition of a hyperbole?
An over-exaggeration.
Example: I am so hungry I could eat an elephant.
Bonus 100 points: Give your own example of a hyperbole.
An author might use a hyperbole to call your attention to something important. If you see a hyperbole while you're reading, chances are there will be a question about it.
What's the difference between a narrator and a speaker? What is the definition of point of view?
The narrator is someone who tells a story, the speaker is the one speaking in a story, and point of view is the perspective from which a story is told.
What is rhetoric?
The art of persuasion.
Bonus (100 points): What are the 3 types and explain what they do.
Logos - logical appeal
Ethos - ethical appeal
Pathos - emotional appeal
What is the definition of rhyme?
What is the correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words, especially when these are used at the ends of lines of poetry.
Example: cat and hat
Bonus 200 points: Why would an author use rhyme in his/her poem?
What is the definition of tone?
How the author feels about the subject he/she is writing about.
The author uses specific words to dictate the tone of his/her work. If you can identify positive and negative words in an unfamiliar text, such as a poem, you can get an idea about the author's tone. Be sure to look at the ENTIRE work before making a decision about it being primarily positive or negative.
What is the definition of imagery?
When the author gives descriptive details to the reader using the 5 senses (things you can see, hear, taste, smell and touch).
Bonus 200 points: Use our novel from this semester to find an example of imagery. Authors use imagery to shape the mood and tone of a text.
What is the difference between a synonym and an antonym?
What is connotation?
A synonym is a word that means the same as another word and an antonym is a word that means the opposite.
Example: cold Synonym: chilly Antonym: hot
Connotation is one's emotional response to a word.
Bonus 100 points: Give an example of a synonym and an antonym of the word angry.
1. How many hours do you get to take your exam?
2. How many questions count toward your score?
3. How many of the 4 constructed responses count toward your score?
4. What should you do if you start to get sleepy?
1. 4 hours
2. 51 questions
3. 3 of the 4 count toward my score
4. Drink water and/or get up and move around
What do you do if you get to a constructed response and you are not sure how to answer it?
How many sentences should you have in your constructed response?
What is the max number of characters you are allowed to use?
You should try it anyway. Restate the prompt in the claim and use the sentence starters.
Between 3-5
1,000 characters
What is the difference between direct and indirect characterization?
Indirect characterization is when the reader must make inferences about the characters and setting in a text.
Direct characterization refers to the author using specific details to describe the characters and the setting.
Bonus 200 points: Give an example of each type of characterization from a text we read this semester.
Why does an author use figurative language in a text?
Give examples of 3 figurative language terms.
Authors use figurative language in a text to give details, help readers make connections, and provide depth to a text.
Possible answers to the second question: simile, metaphor, alliteration, personification, hyperbole, pun, oxymoron, etc.
Define the following words/phrases:
convey
imply
perception
reveal
additional depth
dialogue
infer/inferred
indicate
significance
unfold
demonstrates
assumption
convey: to show
imply: suggest
perception: one's opinion of a situation based on observations
reveal: to show
additional depth: to add detail or go deeper
dialogue: talking in a text
infer/inferred: make a conclusion based on the text
indicate: to show
significance: importance
unfold: lay out
demonstrates: show
assumption(s): opinion NOT based on careful observation
What is an objective summary?
An objective summary discusses facts and does not include ANY opinions. A subjective summary is one's opinion of a piece of literature or nonfiction.
Example of an Objective Summary: "A Long Way Gone" is a memoir about Ishmael Beah's life in Sierra Leone. He discusses his experiences as a child soldier.
** I did not use any opinions here; I just stated the facts.
2. What should you do at the END of the test when you're finished?
Identify the key words in the questions. For theme and central idea questions, preview the answers.
2. Check to make sure you have answered all of the questions and review your answers to the constructed responses.