Ordinary People and Hamlet Final Exam Study Guide

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers key character descriptions, plot points, and themes for the literature final exam on 'Ordinary People' and 'Hamlet'.

Lake Forest, Illinois

The setting of Ordinary People during the $1970\text{s}$.

Psychiatric Hospital

The place where Conrad was staying before the start of the novel, having returned $1$ month prior to the story's beginning.

Calvin Jarrett

Conrad's father, a tax attorney and orphan who is an emotional, patient listener; he often over-analyzes Conrad because he is scared of losing him.

Beth Jarrett

Calvin's wife and Conrad's mother; she is distant, focused on appearances, and avoids discussing emotions, leading her to eventually leave the family.

Buck

Conrad's older brother who died in a boating accident; he was popular, athletic, and admired by everyone.

Stillman

A member of Lazenby's carpool who is cruel to Conrad and gets into a fight with him after a swim meet.

Lazenby

Conrad's friend on the swim team who drives him to school; though they have a falling out, they eventually mend their relationship.

Salat

The swim coach who is generous and wants Conrad to do well, but feels disappointed when Conrad quits the team.

Jeannine

A new student at Lake Forest in the choir with Conrad; she and Conrad eventually begin a dating relationship.

Conrad Jarrett

The protagonist who attempted suicide after a boating accident; he recovers by facing his grief and guilt with help from Dr. Berger.

Dr. Berger

Conrad's psychiatrist whom he starts seeing to gain more "control" over his life and emotions.

Karen

An old friend of Conrad's from the hospital; she is hesitant to revive their friendship and later commits suicide.

Bacon's Warning

A warning given to Calvin before marrying Beth that she is not a sharer and that he would end up doing all the emotional sharing alone.

November 5

The date at the end of chapter six that Calvin realizes is Buck’s $19\text{th}$ birthday.

Emotional Suppression

A major theme in Ordinary People suggesting that hiding emotions is unhealthy, while facing them—as Calvin and Conrad do—is necessary for healing.

Hamlet

The Prince of Denmark and protagonist; he dies by a poisoned rapier after killing King Claudius.

King Claudius

The manipulative King of Denmark who murdered his brother King Hamlet and is eventually killed by Hamlet with a poisoned blade and cup.

Queen Gertrude

Hamlet's mother and the Queen of Denmark; she accidentally dies after drinking from a poisoned cup meant for Hamlet.

King Hamlet/Ghost

The spirit of the former King who was poisoned in his ear by Claudius and demands that Hamlet avenge his "foul and most unnatural murder."

Horatio

Hamlet’s loyal best friend and the only main character to survive the tragedy, tasked with telling the truth of what happened.

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern

Hamlet's childhood friends hired to spy on him; they are executed in England after Hamlet alters the execution letters they were carrying.

Laertes

The brother of Ophelia and son of Polonius; he is fatally wounded by his own poisoned blade during a duel with Hamlet.

Ophelia

Polonius's daughter and Hamlet's love interest who drowns in a lagoon after being driven to madness by her father's murder.

Polonius

The Lord Chamberlain who is accidentally stabbed and killed by Hamlet while spying behind a curtain in Gertrude's room.

"To be, or not to be"

A soliloquy where Hamlet debates whether it is better to live and endure suffering or end one's life to escape pain, concluding that fear of the unknown after death prevents such action.