English 10 Midterms

Hero’s Journey

A common story structure where a hero goes on an adventure, faces trials, and is changed by the experience.

Ordinary World

The hero's normal life before the change.

Call to Adventure

Something that disrupts the hero's normal life.

Refusal of the Call

The hero hesitates or resists the call to adventure.

Meeting the Mentor

The stage where guidance or wisdom is given to the hero.

Crossing the Threshold

The hero commits to the journey.

Tests, Allies, Enemies

The hero faces challenges and forms relationships.

The Approach

Preparing for a major test

Ordeal

The central crisis or life-changing moment in the hero's journey.

Resurrection

The final test in which the hero is transformed.

Return with the Elixir

The hero returns changed, often bringing something valuable back.

Omen

A sign of what is to come.

Seminary

A place of learning or growth.

Conspire

To secretly plan something, usually something bad.

Teem

To overflow or swarm.

Capricious

Unpredictable or impulsive.

Abash

To deeply embarrass someone.

Incessant

Nonstop; continuing without interruption.

Sentinel

A guard or watchman.

Scabbard

A sheath for a sword.

Exultant

Extremely joyful.

Golgotha

A place of suffering or death.

Broil

To cook or to be in trouble.

Valor

Courage or bravery.

Compunctious

Feeling guilt or remorse.

Consort

To associate or keep company with.

Lament

To express grief or sorrow.

Eminence

Greatness or distinction.

Jocund

Cheerful or happy.

Theme

The central message or insight about life.

Archetype

A recurring character or symbol in literature.

Foreshadowing

Hints or clues about future events.

Personification

Giving human traits to nonhuman things.

Foil

A character who contrasts with another character.

Diction

Word choice in writing.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.

Alliteration

The repetition of starting sounds in a series of words.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole.

Allusion

A reference to another text, history, or myth.

Verbal Irony

When someone says one thing but means another.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows more than the characters.

Paradox

A seeming contradiction that reveals a deeper truth.

Satire

The use of humor to criticize or mock.

Euphemism

A mild word used to replace a harsher one.

Antihero

A flawed protagonist lacking heroic traits.

Ambition and power

A major theme in Macbeth.

Fate vs. free will

A theme exploring the conflict between destiny and personal choice.

Appearance vs. reality

A theme examining the difference between how things seem and how they are.

Guilt and conscience

A theme that deals with moral responsibility and remorse.

Violence and tyranny

A theme reflecting on the use of power and its consequences.

Banquo's ghost

A significant symbol of guilt and loss of control in Act 3 of Macbeth.

Antihero definition

A character who is flawed and lacks traditional heroic qualities.