AP Language S1 – Beloved Study Guide Flashcards

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms, characters, and themes from 'Beloved' for exam preparation.

Beloved

The ghost/reincarnation of Sethe’s dead daughter, who appears at 124 and interacts with Sethe and Denver.

Sethe

The protagonist who escaped from Sweet Home; haunted by her past, particularly the violent act of killing her daughter.

Paul D

A former slave from Sweet Home who struggles with masculinity and intimacy; he arrives at 124 after 18 years.

Denver

Sethe’s youngest daughter, who is isolated and grows into independence after Beloved’s arrival.

Baby Suggs

Sethe’s mother-in-law and a spiritual leader who emphasizes the importance of self-love.

Schoolteacher

The cruel and calculating slave owner at Sweet Home, representing dehumanizing practices.

Chokecherry tree

Symbolizes Sethe’s trauma depicted as scars on her back.

Tobacco tin

Represents Paul D’s emotional containment, where he hides painful memories.

Jungle

An extended metaphor used to describe the inner turmoil of Black individuals, contrasting expectations and reality.

Magical realism

Literary technique used in 'Beloved' that includes supernatural elements like the ghost of Beloved in a realistic setting.

Bodily imagery

A motif in 'Beloved' that explores trauma and the ownership of one’s body within the context of slavery.

"124 was spiteful. Full of baby’s venom."

A metaphor describing the haunted house's hostility, indicative of the trauma held within its walls.

"Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another."

A theme emphasizing the struggle for autonomy after liberation from slavery.

"Unless carefree, motherlove was a killer."

A paradox that highlights the potential destructiveness of obsessive love.

Polysyndeton

A rhetorical device that involves using multiple conjunctions to create a sense of accumulation (e.g., "…hearts, brains, $900…").

Juxtaposition

A rhetorical choice that contrasts themes of freedom vs. slavery or life vs. death to highlight disparities.

Symbols in 'Beloved'

Include roosters (masculinity), shadows holding hands (interconnectedness), and Beloved (the past and trauma).

"Tell me this one thing. How much is a n----- supposed to take?"

A powerful question highlighting the endurance of oppression faced by Black individuals in the narrative.

Anaphora

A rhetorical device involving repetition at the beginning of clauses, used in quotes like "Why? Why? Why?" to create emotional emphasis.

Sibilance

Alliteration of the 's' sound used to create a specific auditory effect in language.

"The heart that pumped out love, the mouth that spoke the Word, didn’t count."

Reflects the dehumanizing effects of slavery, emphasizing disjunction between body and identity.

"Definitions belonged to the definers—not the defined."

A critique of power dynamics related to identity and the interpretation of existence.