English 10 Term 1 Comprehensive Reviewer Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering core literary terms, analytical formulas, and key literary works from the English 10 Term 1 Comprehensive Reviewer.

The Golden Rule of Literary Analysis

A three-part framework asking: WHAT does the text show?, HOW does the text show it?, and WHY does that matter?

Characterization

The way a writer reveals what a character is like through actions, thoughts, sacrifices, decisions, reactions, dialogue, and relationships.

Symbol

Something that represents a deeper idea beyond its literal meaning.

Irony

Occurs when there is a meaningful contrast between what is expected and what actually happens.

Imagery

Descriptive language that creates a mental or sensory picture.

Resilience

The ability to continue, recover, or remain determined despite adversity or hardship.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that directly compares one thing to another without using "like" or "as".

Nonverbal Communication

Communication that happens without spoken words, including facial expression, posture, eye contact, pauses, gesture, movement, and silence.

Poetry

Language arranged to create meaning and effect, primarily communicating through carefully constructed language such as lines, rhythm, imagery, figurative language, repetition, metaphor, symbolism, speaker's voice, and sound patterns.

Drama

A literary genre designed for performance, where meaning is created through characters and performance elements such as dialogue, action, movement, facial expression, gesture, silence, vocal delivery, interaction, and timing.

Synthesis

Combining ideas from different parts of a text or from different works to form a broader understanding.

Plot vs. Theme

Plot is the surface action of what happens (e.g., Jim and Della exchange gifts), whereas theme is the deeper idea or message (e.g., love can motivate selfless sacrifice).

The "Because" Test

An analytical technique where you take an answer choice and add "because…" to explain the direct relationship between a literary element and the theme.

The Gift of the Magi

A short story centered on love and sacrifice, in which Della sells her hair to buy a watch chain for Jim, and Jim sells his watch to buy combs for Della's hair.

If by Rudyard Kipling

A poem centered on self-discipline, using contrast, repetition, and direct address to communicate that character should remain steady despite circumstances.

Invictus

A poem about suffering, adversity, courage, determination, resilience, and personal agency, using imagery of darkness and a captain metaphor.

The Silent Princess

A dramatic work centered on communication and relationships, showing that meaning can be communicated through nonverbal performance rather than words alone.