Honors English Study Guide

Catharsis

a release of emotional tension

Internecine

mutually destructive

inundate

to overwhelm; to fill beyond capacity

risible

relating to laughter; laughable

kudos

acclaim or praise

effacious

effective; producing the desired outcome

maxim

an established principle; a truth or rule of conduct

apocryphal

of questionable authenticity, but widely believed

putrid

rotten and foul smelling

crepuscular

pertaining to twilight, dim

revere

to regard with respect, awe, or adoration

sybaritic

marked by luxury or pleasure

estrange

to alienate

intrinsic

of or relating to a thing's basic nature; inherent

servile

submissive; slavish

expiate

to make amends for

anomaly

a deviation from the norm; an odd or peculiar occurence

compendium

a list or collection of items

foist

to pass off as genuine or valuable

incongruous

incompatible; unsuitable for the situation

consternation

alarming dismay or concern

coterie

a small group of people who share interests and meet frequently

innocuous

harmless

flippancy

disrespect

disconcert

to frustrate; confuse

preamble

a preliminary statement; an introduction

vitriolic

harsh in tone; bitterly critical

comprise

to include or consist of; contain

eidetic

pertaining to extraordinarily vivid and detailed recall

plethora

an overabundance; excess

accoutrement

an accessory item of dress or equipment

hubris

overbearing pride; arrogance

prognosticate

to predict

contrive

to plan cleverly; devise

sectarian

narrowly confined to a particular group

scullion

a servant for menial tasks

antediluvian

extremely old; antiquated

imbroglio

a difficult and embarrassing situation

quotidian

everyday; commonplace

platitude

an obvious remark; a cliche

peregrination

to travel by walking

venerate

to respect or revere

sanctimonious

showing false piety or righteousness

stringent

restrictive; imposing demanding standards

haughty

condescendingly proud; arrogant

convuluted

complicated; intricate

nexus

a link, tie, or bond

gibberish

nonsense; unintelligible speech

staid

showing dignity and often strait-laced propriety

incumbent

obligatory; necessary

cogent

convincing; reasonable

entreat

to earnestly request or petition

churlish

boorish or vulgar

coeval

of the same time period

inimical

unfriendly, hostile, injurious

dilatory

tending to delay or procrastinate

anecdote

a short account of an incident

promulgate

to announce; to make known

livid

extremely angry

lurid

shocking; explicit

Plot of "The Masque of the Red Death"

-The red death plague devastates the land, causing gruesome and rapid death

-Prince Prospero, a wealthy nobleman, tries to avoid the plague by secluding himself and a group of nobles in a lavish, fortified abbey.

-to distract themselves, they live in luxury, indifferent to the suffering outside

-Prospero throws a grand masquerade ball in a suite of seven color-themed rooms, each with a different hue; the final room is black with red windows and a huge, ominous clock

-Guests feel uneasy in the room due to its eerie atmosphere and the clock's chiming, which silences the party every hour

-At midnight, a mysterious figure appears, dressed like a corpse and resembling the Red Death

-Prospero is enraged and tries to confront the figure but falls dead

-One by one, the other guests die as well, trying to seize the figure

-The figure is revealed to be the embodiment of the red death

-The story ends with "darkeness and decay and the Red Death" holding dominion over all

What are the seven room colors in "The Masque of the Red Death"?

-blue, purple, green, orange, white, violet, and black

What do the colors of the rooms represent in "The Masque of the Red Death"?

-Blue: birth

-Purple: youth

-Green: growth

-Orange: adulthood

-White: Old Age

-Violet: end of life

-Black: death

What does the clock symbolize in "The Masque of the Red Death"?

-in the story, the clock symbolizes the passage of time and the approach of death. It is a constant, inescapable reminder that death is coming no matter how much people try to ignore it or distract themselves.

Describe Jay Gatsby

-obsessed with recreating the past, especially his love for Daisy, throws lavish parties hoping she'll attend; hides humble origins behind a glamorous facade.

Describe Daisy Buchanan

-Gatsby's lost love, married to Tom, represents beauty and wealth but is emotionally indecisive and self-centrered. Symbolizes the unattainable American Dream

Describe Tom Buchanan

-Daisy's wealthy husband, entitled, arrogant, and aggressive. Physically imposing and racist; represents old money and social dominance; cheats on Daisy without remorse

Describe Nick Carraway

-Gatsby's neighbor and cousin to Daisy; comes from the midwest; tries to remain neutral but becomes entangled in the drama. Observant, honest (but morally ambiguous), narrates the story.

Describe Jordan Baker

-Daisy's friend and pro golfer, cynical, independent, dishonest; has a romantic connection with Nick; represents modern careless glamour and moral ambiguity

Describe George Wilson

-Desperate, beaten-down, powerless; Myrtle's husband-owns a run-down garage in the valley of ashes; symbolizes the working class and the crushing weight of the American Dream's failure

Describe Myrtle Wilson

-Tom's mistress; unhappy, ambitious, sensual; longs for a wealthier life; bold and flirtatious but ultimately tragic

Describe Meyer Wolfsheim

-Gatsby's business associate; criminal, shady, connected; rumored to have fixed the 1919 World Series; symbolizes the corruption behind Gatsby's wealth

What happens in Chp. 1 of The Great Gatsby?

-Nick Carraway moves to West Egg in a modest house next to Gatsby's mansion

-he visits his cousin Daisy Buchanan and her husband Tom in East Egg

-he meets Jordan Baker, a golfer and Daisy's friend

-Jordan mentions that Tom is having an affair

-At night, Nick sees Gatsby reaching toward a green light across the bay

What happens in Chp. 2 of The Great Gatsby?

-Tom takes Nick to the valley of ashes, a bleak industrial area

-They visit George and Myrtle Wilson, Tom's mistress and her husband

-Tom takes Nick and Myrtle to an apartment in the city for a party

-the party becomes rowdy; Tom hits Myrtle when she mentions Daisy

-Nick leaves, unsettled by the experience

What happens in Chp. 3 of The Great Gatsby?

-Nick receives an invitation to one of Gatsby's lavish parties

-He attends and is surprised by the mystery and extravagance around Gatsby

-He finally meets Gatsby, who is charming but vague about his past

-Nick begins to see Jordan baker socially, though he notices her dishonesty

What happens in Chp. 4 of The Great Gatsby?

-Gatsby takes Nick to lunch and tells him a suspicious version of his life story

-They meet Meyer Wolfsheim, Gatsby's shady business associate

-Jordan tells Nick that Gatsby and Daisy were in love before the war

-Gatsby wants Nick to arrange a reunion between him and Daisy

What happens in Chp. 5 of The Great Gatsby?

-Nick invites Daisy to tea at his house, secretly arranging for Gatsby to come too

-Gatsby and Daisy reunite; their feelings for each other reignite

-Gatsby gives them a tour of his mansion, showing off his wealth to impress Daisy

-Nick leaves them alone, realizing Gatsby's dream may be coming true

What happens in Chp. 6 of The Great Gatsby?

-Nick shares Gatsby's true background: born poor as James Gatz, he reinvented himself

-Gatsby's parties loose their excitement for Daisy

-Tom becomes suspicious of their relationship

-Gatsby wants Daisy to say she never loved Tom- to erase the past

What happens in Chp. 7 of The Great Gatsby?

-Gatsby stops throwing parties; he's focused only on Daisy

-on a hot day, the group goes to New York. Tension boils over

-At the Plaza Hotel, Tom confronts Gatsby and reveals his shady business dealings

-Daisy chooses Tom over Gatsby, though she's emotionally torn

-on the way back, Daisy (driving Gatsby's car), hits and kills Myrtle Wilson

-Gatsby is willing to take the blame for Daisy

What happens in Chp. 8 of The Great Gatsby?

-Gatsby tells Nick the full story of his love for Daisy

-Gatsby waits outside Daisy's house, hoping she will call or signal him

-George Wilson, misled by Tom, believes Gatsby killed Myrtle

-George shoots Gatsby then himself

-Nick is devastated and disgusted by the Buchanan's carelessness

What happens in Chp. 9 of The Great Gatsby?

- Few people come to Gatsby's funeral; even Daisy disappears without a word

-Nick breaks it off with Jordan

-He reflects on the emptiness of wealth and the illusion of the American Dream

-Nick returns to the Midwest, disillusioned

-Ends with a line about Gatsby's struggle, "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past"

Where does the American Dream show up in The Great Gatsby?

-Gatsby's rise from poverty shows the classic American Dream- self made success through hard work and ambition

-his clothes, mansion, and parties symbolize the material success he believes will win back Daisy and validate his dream

-The green light at the end of the dock symbolizes the dream Gatsby has and the broader American Dream- always just out of reach

-Daisy herself symbolizes the dream's promise of happiness, but also its emptiness and corruption when based on wealth and status

-The contrast between West Egg (new money) and East Egg ( old money) shows how class barriers undermine the American Dream- despite his wealth, Gatsby will never truly be accepted

-The valley of ashes represents the death of the American Dream- hardworking people like George Wilson struggle and work but ultimately fail

-The novel's ending shows the failure of the American Dream, as Gatsby's dream ends in tragedy and the careless elites leave untouched

What did F. Scott Fitzgerald write?

The Great Gatsby

What did William C. Bryant write?

Thanatopsis

What did Nathaniel Hawthorne write?

The Minister's Black Veil

Brief summary of the Minister's Black Veil

-Reverend Mr. Hooper, a well-liked minister in a small Puritan town, suddenly begins wearing a black veil that covers his face. He never explains why, and it disturbs his congregation and isolates him from others, including his fiancée, Elizabeth, who leaves him when he refuses to remove it.

The veil becomes a symbol of hidden sin and causes gossip and fear. Even on his deathbed, Hooper refuses to take it off, saying that everyone wears a veil of secret sin. He dies still wearing it, leaving a lasting message about guilt, isolation, and the nature of human sin.

What did Oliver Wendell Holmes write?

Old Ironsides

Brief summary of Old Ironsides

-The poem defends the USS Constitution, a historic American warship nicknamed Old Ironsides, which was going to be scrapped. Holmes passionately argues that the ship should be honored for its heroic past, not destroyed. He recalls its glory in battle and says it would be better to let it sink at sea than to dismantle it.

What did Edgar Allan Poe write?

The Masque of the Red Death

What does Thanatopsis say about Nature?

-Nature teaches us not to fear death- its a natural part of life

-when we die, we become one with the Earth, joining all who came before us

-Nature is a soothing, powerful presence that helps us accept our mortality

-Nature helps us peacefully accept the cycle of life and death

What does Thanatopsis say about Life?

-Life is temporary but meaningful, and we should live in awareness of death- not in fear, but in peace

-death is inevitable, so we should live fully with dignity and purpose

-live so that when death comes, you can face it calmly, like going to sleep

What does Thanatopsis say about death?

-it is natural and inevitable- it happens to everyone from kings to commoners

-not something to fear- death is like a peaceful rest

-when we die we return to the earth and become one with nature

-death connects all of humanity, as we all share the same final home

-accept death calmly, live life fully

is striving for the Green Light

Gatsby

wants to buy Tom's car

George Wilson

is a professional golfer

Jordan Baker

has lunch with Gatsby and Meyer Wolfsheim

Nick Carraway

Thinks himself to be one of the few honest people he has ever known

Nick Carraway

Thinks her husband isn't a gentleman because he had to borrow a suit for his wedding

Myrtle Wilson

Wants to reverse time; repeat history

Gatsby

is rumored to have cheated at sports

Jordan Baker