LIT 260 Midterm Study Guide PDF

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This is a LIT 260 midterm study guide with terms, explanations and so forth....

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Literary Definitions: 1 Sentence Each. Simile - A comparison between two things using the words "like" or "as." Metaphor - A comparison without using the words “like” or “as.” Imagery - Poets and writers construct images out of words, which are word pictures. Paradox - A seeming contradiction that seems like it contradicts one another. Irony - The words said are the opposite of what is meant. Alliteration - The repetition of initial sounds of words. Symbolism - The use of objects to present an idea in a story or text. Protagonist - The main character of a story or text. Antagonist - The “opposing character” or bad guy in a story or text. Plot - The action(s) in a story or text. Theme - The main idea in a story or text. Personification - Human traits given to inanimate or non-human objects. Tone - The attitude, mood, or atmosphere in a story or text. Setting - The “where” and/or “when” a story takes place. 4 Pre Writing Strategies : 1. Focused Freewrite 2. Double Entry Journal 3. Glossing and Annotating 4. Clustering and Mapping Basic Elements of an Essay : - 1st Paragraph - Thesis Paragraph

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2nd, 3rd, 4th Paragraphs - Body Paragraphs 5th Paragraph - Conclusion Paragraph

Organization for paragraphs should be in CWE, CLAIM, WARRANT, EVIDENCE format. Perspective/Point of View 1st Person - I, US, WE 2nd Person - YOU 3rd Person - HE, SHE, THEY, IT Types of Narrators : Omniscient Narrator - Someone who is all knowing or sees everything. (Typically in 3rd person). Unreliable Narrator - Someone who is not to be trusted. A truth can still be revealed. Sonnets : Two Types (English/Shakespearian or Italian/Petrarchan) Sonnets are written in iambic pentameter. English or Shakespearian : Follows 3 quatrains, 4 lines per quatrain. (Tone shifts from one quatrain to the next and then ultimately in the couplet) Couplet comes next or at the end it is 2 lines. 14 lines in a sonnet, 4,4,4,2 lines. It’s in iambic pentameter. Rhyme Scheme : ABAB,CDCD,EFEF and GG. Petrarchan or Italian : Divided into two stanzas. First 8 lines referred to as the Octave. Following after is the Setet 6 lines. Between 8th to 9th line tone shift occurs. Rhyme Scheme : ABBA, ABBA, CDECDE OR CDCD. Iambic Pentameter - Way of meter of English sonnets. A metric line used for describing the rhythm based on the words in each line. Rhythm gets measured in groups of syllables. (5 beats to the line, 5 Iambs, short long short long short long, so forth)

EXTRA : Critical analysis and literary argument hold some slight distinctions. The critical analysis element involves looking at a genre seeking to explain a work associated with that genre through interpretations. By breaking down a text to a deeper level, a person may advance their overall understanding. The more understanding a person has, the clearer the text will become line by line. This can then provide more context for what a reader might be trying to get at. On the other hand, the literary argument aspect involves going through the text and finding a part where you may have a certain perspective and interpretation of the text. This realization can then lead to making an argument to support why your perspective and interpretation are valid. Setting - Time and Place Mood / Atmosphere - Relates usually to setting, how the story plays out Plot - The action in the story FLAT characters - Characters stay the same throughout the story ROUND characters - Characters face some change throughout the narrative arc Sonnets : Two Types (English/Shakespearian or Italian/Petrarchan) English or Shakespearian : Follows 3 quatrains, 4 lines per quatrain. (Tone shifts from one quatrain to the next and then ultimately in the couplet) Couplet comes next or at the end it is 2 lines. 14 lines in a sonnet, 4,4,4,2 lines. It’s in iambic pentameter. Rhyme Scheme : ABAB,CDCD,EFEF and GG. Petrarchan or Italian : Divided into two stanzas. First 8 lines referred to as the Octave. Following after is the Setet 6 lines. Between 8th to 9th line tone shift occurs. Rhyme Scheme : ABBA, ABBA, CDECDE OR CDCD. Iambic Pentameter - Way of meter of English sonnets. A metric line used for describing the rhythm based on the words in each line. Rhythm gets measured in groups of syllables. Sound, Rhythm, Musicality Matters Paradox : A contradictory statement. Scansion : Overall look at the pattern or rhythm of a line.

READINGS/VIDEOS : Toni Morrison Interview : Morrison talks about how “America is incoherent without Black Writers.” Morrison writes to let the reader feel the voice of the text. Morrison speaks upon how the literature of America is incoherent without the culture and so forth. Morrison speaks upon how the relationship to the past should be more affectionate, the past is infinite and lessons can be learned so that history doesn’t repeat itself against. Denial or avoidance or lying from the past can cause the problem of growing up occupying the body and the mind equally. White authors constructed a different sense of home with “Americanness” which helped unified the diverse group of European immigrants but wrote black people out of the experience. Factors in this are: Racial, Racial Hierarchy, Power and Superiority. Morrisons readings force the reader to feel the persistence and so forth of racism and injustices that prevent people from surviving whole. School system educates children about people they don’t care about (Rural whites, whites low class, etc.). Those who acted innocent may have likely loved violence against colored people. Octavia Butler's Short Story : - Setting : Pasadena, Chaos evolves on the Washington Boulevard Bus - Rye is the main protagonist - Early foreshadowing early on as Morrison implies towards Rye she will find or expect trouble sooner or later along her journey - Loneliness and hopelessness motivated Rye to go onto her journey and see her other family members that are still alive - Dystopic or chaotic state occurs throughout this story - Two young men got involved into a disagreement very early on starting a conflict where the bus driver tried to put them off balance - Gestures, mock punches and so forth are shown as their language since they can’t speak - Children are on the bus as well - Rye tries to be aware cautious and isolate from the violence and conflict that outbreaks - People squawked in fear or screams - Second dispute breaks out as one touched or hit the other, driver hits the brake as people scream and confusion continues - Rye exits the bus to isolate herself from the chaos - Risk or being robbed or murdered is present - A man who was LAPD or former at least had the uniform on with a baton and a service revolver - He causes a bit of chaos causing everybody to storm out the bus - Rye takes a ride after standing up for herself with the LAPD man, they go on a journey as they flirt a bit and yet run near the end of the story - The LAPD man dies alongside two other corpses - Rye uses her voice to comfort the two children without a mother by the end of the story The Lottery Notes by Shirley Jackson ● ● ● ●

Timeline starts with June 27th, describes the welcoming environment The lottery had to be started on June 2th In the village talked about currently, there were only a population of three hundred people and the whole lottery took less than two hours “Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones; Bobby and Harry Jones and Dickie Delacroix— the villagers pronounced this name “Dellacroy” —eventually made a great place of stones in one corner of the

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square and guarded it against the raids of other boys,” (Jackson, p. 1). This is foreshadowing because these stones are later on used to be thrown at the person picked from the lottery. “The people had done it so many times that they only half listened to the directions: most of them were quiet. Wetting their lips. Not looking around,” (Jackson, p. 3). This is foreshadowing because the people from the start of the lottery show anxiety and fear in a sense, they don’t want the tradition but they still put up with it and this is also seen later in the story where the lottery pick is called to be “unfair.” “That over in the north village they’re talking of giving up the lottery. . . Pack of crazy fools. . . Listening to the young folks, nothing’s good enough for them. . . There’s always been a lottery,” (Jackson p. 4). The element of foreshadowing is shown because of later on “All of us took the same chance,” (Jackson, p. 5). They put their lives on the line at some “lottery,” getting stoned like a person by the end of the story rather than giving it up.

The Demon Lover by Elizabeth Bowen ● ● ● ● ● ●

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Setting is in London Time is near late August Mrs. Drover is the first character introduced As she makes her return and enters the house, dead air came out, no light came down the hall, the window on the staircase was boarded up Signs of a dark but airy mood “The room looked over the garden and sharpened and lowered the trees and rank lawns seemed already to smoke with dark,” (Bowen, p. 1) . . Possible foreshadowing of something very dark to appear later down the line “You may expect me, therefore, at the hour arranged. Until then . . ., “ (Bowen, p. 2). Later on foreshadows Mrs. Drover looking for a clock counting each of the strokes, potentially something dark or mystic to happen later on Kathleen went into a depression after her fiancé was reported missing or dead, she failed to attract men again and she started to isolate herself in a sense . . . “As things were—dead or living the letter writer sent her only a threat… The hollowness of the house this evening cancelled years on years of voices, habits, and steps,” (Bowen, p. 3). The voices, habits, steps, supernatural etc, this idea foreshadows the drafty air later on and the presentation of the drivers head meeting eye to eye with her in the taxi . .

Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Stetson

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First Person Opening with unique or old language John is a character John is the characters husband John is a physician, possibly dead Character think she is not sick and the physicians aka John and her brother are wrong Character dislikes the room they stay in The color of the wall is described to be unclean and strangely faded by the sunlight John is away all day The character suffers in a way John doesn’t see Mary is the caretaker of the baby

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John laughs at the character about the wall paper The wallpaper is torn, floor is scratched and splintered Johns sister is a perfect and great housekeeper Character likes to write but no one seeing her write Character listens to John about not loosing strength and she believes he loves her dearly and hates seeing her sick John said to her no one but herself can help her out of it The paper stained everything that it touched Odor comes around the house The front pattern moves Windows shoot daylight Idea here is that the women is generally trapped under the presence of men, her husband and her brother thinks she is not mentally and tends to loose it She follows directly under what John says

American Sonnets by Wanda Coleman

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1st : Waited till 40 to get hooked on white flour and powdered sugar aka drugs, white geed + socio-eco dominance = black anger + socio-eco disparity Racial tensions/polarizations increase along with criminal activity, sporadic eruptions resulting in mass killings, collapses of social institutions, discrimination amongst middle class ; Some feel like they need to go away to Chicago possibly 2nd : Heavens greedy archangels, heaven is described as a her, isolated place with lit hallways, her spirit is connected to earths blood, magic is there yet consequences of devilish exploits can happen, thrown into a mix of choices? 3rd : Myths happen and thoughts become things to happen which can be used for words or weapons, wrongfulness follows these ghosts and individuals with no brains, protests color of sky not the color of skin 4th : Rejection kills, consequences can happen, lust and love can affect one another, poets are dead 5th : death, largest number of homicides, cancer, possession, so forth occur in this DARK RUM of some sort, plans of escape can occur yet trapped and ate like a crocodile 6th : wage slave labor is intensive, 40 of age to get a first credit card, fame cannot run without money vice-versa 7th : outer skin needs to be REhumanized, scorn approaches as exploits of ambition last, survival is key as others are abandoned in a sense 8th : Cash can grow from a low investment, coins stack to secure a future, maintain cool under pressure 9th : Splendid moments illuminate new behavioral norms, people love more materialism and other values which divides 10th : Mothers from Africa experienced a hell in chains, slaves refused to experience the dark of blood steps 11th : The moon is white as ships float with blood, women and children go as others get refused, blacks called as belonging to the jungle told to stay there 12th : dreams occur as the world loved has a sad youth, wounded people disturbing quiet and the weight of the past carries 13th : Hate surrounds as it tries to transform into peace, hopelessness flows yet history occurs or reminds as death walks 14th : Looted and burned, emotions come out as the flesh drowns insides 15th : Trust and loyalty are key as advantages are not available to all

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16th : Homicide/suicide prevention is a struggle as resistance is also there alongside violence, war is a resolution 17th : world lengthens then contracts, people forgotten, hungers gone as numbness occurs 18th : black things on the ground, flesh rages, shadows unravel 19th : flesh intertwined with destiny as pleasures and nightmares exist 20th : secrets occur as the treasures lay somewhere, tears are in eyes as crimes can become an art 21st : fingers claw the portfolio, earth rumbles and has trembles with quakes, language a new one arises ad the lover of the poet eats the poet 22nd : infested politics with no resolution as those are blind 23rd : loves isolation, carrying of the blood like a cross 24th : no resting place, constant strive, men break and enter, myths diving by, darkness exists as flames of living last

AMERICAN SONNET by Terrance Hayes

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American sonnets a part of prison, little rooms or words to set fire, restricted form, harmful acts creating a song, dreams locked away, can’t do nothing from the sidelines, made something not self created, trapped in a night, shadows follow, life falling not the stars, ideals fallen, darkness approaches in the heart, instincts cannot help, love is not enough to want one destroyed Speaker is doing the harming as auditor is being harmed Dynamic at play in speaker/auditor relationship is reconsidered forcefully Speaker could not be Hayes but America or the sonnet itself, the trap for the auditor Hayes wants to break free of the American sonnet influence but also be bound on some type of fundamental level American sonnet represents structure and tradition and ideals Sonnet has 14 lines lacks a rhyme theme End rejects iambic pentameter Hayes references desire for freedom and the history of black African Americans Angelou’s iconic work identified as a black poet with a shared language, culture, and history Meat grinder desire to kill that of a connection, kind of self hatred or internalized racism that is ingrained within Black Americans via structures of American society Hayes paints the picture of the convoluted, difficult and contradictory relationships that Black americans have with themselves in the context of American culture American sonnet for hayes existence if self love and self destruction Idea of separating the song of the bird from the bone

SONNET 116 : Let me not to the marriage of true minds by William Shakespeare -

English Sonnet Main idea revolves around how love finds itself as time goes on and it can potentially even bring doom to a person. Attempts to define love by telling both what it is and what it is not. “The marriage of true minds” is perfect and unchanging ; it does not “admit impediments,” and it doesn't change when it finds changes in the loved one.

SONNET 130 by William Shakespeare

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English Sonnet Revolves around the idea of female beauty on its head and the alternative view is shown of what it is like to love a woman, and all despite shortcomings.

The World is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth -

PETRARCHAN or Italian sonnet Speaker accuses the modern age of having lost its connection to nature and everything meaningful. Humanity is still out of tune and looks uncaringly at the spectacle of the storm. Speaker wishes he were a pagan raised according to a different vision of the world, He’d like to see images of ancient gods rising from the waves that would cheer him greatly.

What My Lips Have Kissed - Edna St. Vincent Millay -

Speaker looks back on her previous loves and lovers whom she has forgotten Speaker is tormented by the loss of her memories of love and regrets having loved at all Uses form of Italian sonnet

EXTRA CREDIT Questions : Different theories : Psychoanalytic Theory Marxist Theory Feminsit Theory Queer Theory New Historicism Post Colonial Theory Critical Race Theory Sonnet 19 “When I consider how my light is spent” by John Milton - Milton loses his eyesight - Reflects on the physical and spiritual challenges he faces as a blind person - Feels unable to complete tasks that God has set for him - He wonders that his capacity is limited to serve God - Reassures himself in the second half of the poem by saying God doesn’t need human help and there's different ways to serve him...