AP Lit Study Guide

Direct vs Indirect Characterization

Direct: occurs when author or character tells readers about a character Indirect: occurs when author shows reader's what kind of person a character is through words, thoughts, and actions

Dynamic vs Static Characters

Dynamic: changed by actions he or she is involved in Static: remains the same

Foils

a pair of characters, events, settings, or other literary elements which are set up in artistic contrast to one another in order to highlight their significant differences

Round vs Flat Characters

Flat: two-dimensional in that they are relatively uncomplicated and do not change Round: complex and undergo development, sometimes sufficiently to surprise the reader.

Sickness

Often used to develop characters, appeals to the reader's emotions

Heart Disease and Tuberculosis

Represents disloyalty, ISOLATION, lack of determination, cowardice, heartbreak, unfulfilled, wasting away, etc.

Questions with Sickness

How did the character get the disease? What would make them better? What does the disease say about the character on the inside?

Flying

Often connected to freedom, literal or figurative. Falling can also have significance.

Questions about Flying

How does flying give them freedom? What are they leaving? Where are they going? Significance? What is the character freeing themselves from?

3 Types of Irony

Situational: when an event takes place that is the opposite of what is expected Verbal: a person says on thing but means the opposite Dramatic: when the reader or audience knows something that the characters do not

How does irony trump everything?

Adds richness to the story and keeps audience on their toes, changes the meaning of the story, makes readers think more about the author's purpose

Questions about Irony

Why is the author using irony? What details is the author trying to reveal? How is irony affecting the plot? What does the symbol typically represent?

Death of Secondary Character

Signals the plot needs something to happen in order to move forward

Questions about Death

What does the protagonist do? How does the death advance the plot? How does it affect the protagonist?

Common Functions of Rain

Force people together or apart, set mysterious atmosphere, show misery, restoration or cleansing, staining (mud)

Other Weather Patterns

Rainbow: a divine promise Fog: confusion or misdirection Snow: "chilly feelings", ISOLATION, purity

Literary Geography

Can help define or develop character, can be a character, plays a plot role, or can set the mood or tone of a story. (Think mountains, valleys, etc and associations that come with it)

Basic Types of Narrative Structure

Nonlinear: out of order (flashback, flashforward, etc) Linear: chronological

Structural Choices

Flashback: interruptions, provides background In media res: begins in critical situation Flashforward: scene from the future Frame narrative: the way a story is framed

Types of Conflict

Internal: individual vs self External: individual vs others, nature, society, fate, etc.

Function of Conflict

Drives the plot of a story. Characters must make a decision on how to respond or not respond. It provides content for analysis

Narrator vs Speaker

Narrator: not the author, it is the narrative voice in prose Speaker: narrative voice in poetry

Point of View vs Narrative Perspective

Point of View: who is telling the story Narrative Perspective: how the narrator feels/thinks/believes

Points of View

First Person: narrator is involved in the plot. Readers can understand character better BUT the narrator can be unreliable and you only get one perspective Second Person: narrator directly addresses the reader. Reader can be a part of the story. Showcases emotions BUT rarely used. Third Person: narrator tells a story and is not a part of it. Uses he, she, it, etc

Third Person Point of View Types

Limited: gives glimpse into ONE character. Objective but does not have access to full knowledge Omniscient: gives glimpse into ALL characters BUT impersonal Objective: only events he or she can see or hear BUT impersonal and does not tell us thoughts and feelings

3 Components that Reveal Tone

Diction: word choice Syntax: arrangement of words Details: specific information the narrator gives the reader

Character Motivation

Intrinsic motivation: personal pleasure, enjoyment, or interest Extrinsic: comes from some physical reward such as money, power, or lust

Epiphany

When a character is struck by a life altering realization. It can be a catalyst for a character's change of thoughts or actions

Figurative Language

Cliche, conceit, extended metaphor, idiom, litote, metonymy, synecdoche

Communion in Literature

Religion, conflict, symbolism, and friendship. Can bring people together or apart

Blindness in Literature

Figurative: unaware or prejudiced Literal: character is physically unable to see, indicates figurative blindness of a character

Questions about Communion

Are the characters religious? Do the characters have previous conflict? How does the characters interact during their communion? Are the characters actually eating? Does the food have a different meaning?

Questions about Blindness

Who is blind? What are they like? What is at stake? Why would the author introduce this? Is the blindness obvious? What is a character blind to?