Short Stories
Who wrote the short story "Thank You, M'am"?
Langston Hughes
Who wrote A Raisin in the Sun? (spelling must be correct)
Lorraine Hansberry
Who wrote The House on Mango Street? (spelling must be correct)
Sandra Cisneros
"One day you wake up and they are there. Ready and waiting like a new Buick with the keys in the ignition" (49).
Simile
What is tone in a play and how do we identify it?
The speaker's attitude
--> Determined by word choice, stage directions
Who are the two main characters in "The Cask of Amontillado"? Describe what each one is motivated by in the story.
Fortunato - motivated by pride
Identify the stage directions in the following quote:
RUTH: ...What kind of eggs you want?
WALTER: Not scrambled. (Ruth starts to scramble eggs) Paper come?
(Ruth starts to scramble eggs)
What is Esperanza's overarching dream throughout the novel?
To find a place and identity of her own (a house)
"[We walk] down to the corner where the men can't take their eyes off us. We must be Christmas" (40).
Direct metaphor
What is the resolution of a story? Provide an example from a story we have read.
The outcome of the conflicts that have occurred throughout the plot; the conclusion of the story's plot
Example: Tessie Hutchinson is stoned to death.
What is the central conflict in "The Lottery" and how does Mrs. Hutchinson react to it?
Central conflict: someone must be chosen to die in the annual lottery
Tessie's reaction: Calls out unfairness after being chosen herself
Who is the most materialistic character in A Raisin in the Sun? How do you know?
Walter --> initially driven by monetary success (his definition of manhood & providing)
What larger theme best connects with characters in the vignettes "No Speak English" and "Geraldo No Last Name"?
The loneliness of immigration / The pressure to assimilate
"Not a flat. Not an apartment in back. Not a man's house. Not a daddy's. A house all my own" (108).
Anaphora
What is symbolism? Provide an example from a text we have read this semester.
A concrete object representing an abstract idea
Example: The plant in ARITS = dreams, resilience
How does the setting of "The Gentle Rain" influence the main character?
*Answers may vary*
The pilot's trauma of losing his friends drives him to take revenge on an enemy village
How do the Youngers feel about their neighbor Mrs. Johnson? How do you know?
They think she is annoying busybody (sticking her nose where it doesn't belong). The Youngers act very short with her, not fully engaging her in dialogue, and the stage directions directly demonstrate their disdain for her (they speak "drily" and roll their eyes).
In the vignette "Four Skinny Trees," what larger idea do the trees symbolize?
HINT: This is different than them being an indirect metaphor for Esperanza and her friends.
Persevering through harsh conditions (like Esperanza's experience growing up on Mango Street)
TWO EXAMPLES: "Keep, keep, keep, trees say when I sleep. They teach" (75).
Personification, assonance
What is a foil? Provide an example from a text we have read this semester.
A character/aspect of a story that highlights another character/aspect through its opposing nature.
Example: Fortunato (foolish, naive) & Montresor (cunning, manipulative)
*Answers may vary*
Theme: Human conflicts are insignificant
When trapped by the fallen tree, Ulrich begins to realize the futility of his feud with Georg Znaeym and extends his wine flask in a symbolic gesture of friendship.
What is the definition of assimilation? Give an example from A Raisin in the Sun.
Definition: Leaving your own cultural/racial identity behind in favor of the dominant culture
Example: Beneatha originally straightening her hair *answers may vary*
How does the setting of The House on Mango Street create conflict for Esperanza or another character in the story?
*Answers will vary*
THREE EXAMPLES: "Everything is holding its breath inside me. Everything is waiting to explode like Christmas" (73).
Personification, hyperbole, simile
Define IRONY. List the three types. Provide an example from a text we have read this semester.
-A contradiction between appearance and reality
-Verbal, dramatic, situational
Examples will vary
(verbal: Montresor drinking to Fortunato's long life; dramatic: knowing Fortunato will die from the very beginning of the story; situational: the pilot bombing a wheat field full of children in an attempt to be merciful)