Honors English 9 Midterm Review

A set of vocabulary and key terms to review for the Honors English 9 Midterm Exam.

The Way to Rainy Mountain

A memoir by N. Scott Momaday that explores themes of Native American culture and identity.

Sun Dance ritual

A ceremonial practice significant in Native American spirituality, featured in 'The Way to Rainy Mountain'.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject, as conveyed through word choice.

Word choice

The specific vocabulary used in a piece of writing, impacting its tone and meaning.

Demon Lover

A short story by Elizabeth Bowen that employs foreshadowing and flashback.

Foreshadowing

A literary device used to give an indication or hint of what is to come later in the story.

Flashback

A narrative technique that allows for a shift back in time to provide background information.

The Story of an Hour

A short story by Kate Chopin that explores themes of freedom and identity through irony.

Irony

A literary device where the intended meaning is opposite to the literal meaning.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms, as seen in 'joy that kills'.

Mother Tongue

An essay by Amy Tan discussing the themes of language and identity in the immigrant experience.

Author's perspective

The point of view from which an author tells their story, influencing narration and theme.

First-person narration

A narrative style where the storyteller refers to themselves using 'I' or 'we'.

Conflict

A struggle between opposing forces, central to the plot of many stories.

How It Feels to Be Colored Me

An essay by Zora Neale Hurston that uses analogy to express themes of race and identity.

Analogy

A comparison between two things for the purpose of explanation.

The Yellow Wallpaper

A short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman that addresses themes of mental distress and gender roles.

Social context of the 1800s

The cultural and societal norms affecting women, highlighted in 'The Yellow Wallpaper'.

Mood

The emotional atmosphere created by a piece of writing.

Narration

The act of telling a story, which can vary in perspective.

Themes

Central ideas or messages conveyed throughout a literary work.

Powerlessness

A theme in 'The Yellow Wallpaper', reflecting women's lack of agency in the 1800s.

Fear

An emotional response reflected in the narrative of 'The Yellow Wallpaper'.

Mental distress

A psychological struggle depicting the narrator's condition in 'The Yellow Wallpaper'.

Isolation

A feeling of being separated from others, prominent in 'The Yellow Wallpaper'.

Men's vs. women's roles

The contrasting societal expectations for genders, especially in the 1800s.

The Odyssey

An epic poem attributed to Homer, detailing Odysseus's adventures.

Basic plot

The main events and storyline of 'The Odyssey'.

Telemachus

The son of Odysseus, who embarks on a journey to find his father.

Penelope

The faithful wife of Odysseus, representing loyalty and perseverance.

Circe

A witch in 'The Odyssey' who transforms Odysseus's men into animals.

Odysseus

The epic hero of 'The Odyssey', known for his cunning and bravery.

Athena

The goddess of wisdom who aids Odysseus in his journey.

Menelaus

A character in 'The Odyssey' who is the husband of Helen of Troy.

Zeus

The king of the gods in Greek mythology, playing a pivotal role in 'The Odyssey'.

12 stages of hero's journey

A framework outlining the typical path of an epic hero.

Epic hero

A principal character in a long narrative poem, often of noble birth with great significance.

Epic poem

A lengthy narrative work that celebrates heroic deeds and events.

Epithet

A descriptive phrase expressing a quality or characteristic of a person or thing.

Elizabethan England

The period of English history marked by the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, influencing literature.

The Renaissance

A cultural movement marking the transition to modernity, influencing arts and literature.

Great Chain of Being

A hierarchical structure of all matter and life, common in Elizabethan philosophy.

Verse Drama

A type of play written in verse, heavily used in Shakespeare's works.

Dramatic Monologue

A poem in which an imagined speaker addresses a silent listener.

Iambic Pentameter

A metrical foot in poetry consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

Blank Verse

Unrhymed iambic pentameter commonly used in English dramatic poetry.

Tragedy

A dramatic work that presents the downfall of a dignified character.

Soliloquy

A speech in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud, often while alone on stage.

Dialogue

The conversation between characters in a literary work.

Stage Directions

Instructions in a script indicating movement or position of actors.

Aside

A remark by a character intended to be heard by the audience but not by other characters.

Foil

A character that contrasts with another character, usually the protagonist.

Comic Relief

Humor incorporated into a serious work to relieve tension and provide contrast.