9th Grade Second Semester Exam Study Guide Notes

Richard Wright

  • Richard Wright: A young narrator who is forced to confront street bullies.
  • His Mother: She is portrayed as strong and tough, and she demands that Richard stands up for himself in order to survive.
  • Indirect Characterization: The story uses indirect characterization to highlight the family's poverty, resilience, and strength through their actions instead of direct descriptions.
  • Conclusion: Richard gains confidence in himself after standing up for himself against the bullies.
  • Conflict Type: The story contains both Man vs. Man conflict (Richard vs. bullies) and Man vs. Self conflict (Richard struggling with fear and insecurity).

"The Most Dangerous Game" – Richard Connell

  • Zaroff: A hunter who hunts humans on his private island.
  • Whitney: Rainsford’s friend, who introduces ideas about fear and the concept of prey.
  • Rainsford: The protagonist of the story; a hunter who becomes the hunted.
  • Ivan: Zaroff’s mute and physically strong servant.
  • The dogs: Vicious animals that Zaroff uses to hunt his prey.
  • Theme: The story explores themes such as civilization vs. savagery and the dynamic between the hunter and the hunted.
  • Climax: The climax occurs when Rainsford confronts and defeats Zaroff.
  • Antagonist: General Zaroff is the antagonist in the story.
  • Three traps: The traps Rainsford uses against Zaroff are the Malay man-catcher, the Burmese tiger pit, and a knife trap.
  • Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing is used through the name of Ship-Trap Island and the sailor's fear, hinting at the danger to come.

"The Necklace" – Guy de Maupassant

  • Mathilde Loisel: A woman who is unhappy with her modest life and desires luxury.
  • Monsieur Loisel: Mathilde’s supportive and generous husband.
  • Madame Forestier: The woman who loans Mathilde the necklace.
  • Symbolism: The necklace symbolizes false appearances and vanity.
  • Theme: The story explores the dangers of pride and materialism.
  • Irony/Twist: The irony of the story is that the necklace was fake, which leads to Mathilde ruining her life for nothing.

"The Gift of the Magi" – O. Henry

  • Della: A woman who sells her hair to buy a gift for her husband.
  • Jim (Mr. James Dillingham Young): Della's husband, who sells his watch to buy combs for Della.
  • Setting: The story is set in a poor household during Christmas time.
  • Omniscient POV: The story is told from an omniscient point of view, where the narrator knows the thoughts of both characters.
  • Hair and Watch: These items symbolize personal sacrifice.
  • Biblical Allusion: The story alludes to the Magi, who were wise gift givers, reflecting the themes of love and sacrifice.

"The Cask of Amontillado" – Edgar Allan Poe

  • Montresor: The narrator of the story, who seeks revenge on Fortunato.
  • Fortunato: The victim, who is lured into catacombs and walled in alive.
  • Mood: The mood of the story is dark, suspenseful, and sinister.
  • POV: The story is told from a first-person point of view, from Montresor’s perspective.
  • Exposition: The exposition introduces Montresor's motive for revenge and the setting.

"The Scarlet Ibis" – James Hurst

  • The Brother: The narrator of the story, who pushes Doodle too hard out of pride.
  • Doodle (William Armstrong): The disabled younger brother who is fragile but determined.
  • Aunt Nicey: Believes that Doodle is special.
  • "Like a doodlebug": Doodle crawls backward, which shows his vulnerability.
  • Rising Action: The brother trains Doodle to walk and run.
  • Theme – Pride: The story conveys that pride can motivate, but it can also destroy.
  • Symbol – Scarlet Ibis: The Scarlet Ibis represents Doodle—beautiful, rare, fragile, and out of place.

Murder on the Orient Express – Agatha Christie

  • Suspect: Nearly everyone aboard the train is a suspect.
  • Detective: Hercule Poirot is the detective in the story.
  • Witness: Passengers and train staff serve as witnesses.
  • Setting: The story is set on a luxury train that is stranded in snowy Yugoslavia.
  • Clues: Clues include a watch, pipe cleaner, handkerchief, red kimono, uniform, burnt letter, and an open window.
  • Red Herring: The story uses red herrings, which are clues meant to mislead (e.g., red kimono, uniform).
  • Alibi: Everyone has an alibi, which turns out to be false.
  • Crime: The crime is the murder of Samuel Ratchett (aka Cassetti).
  • Evidence: Evidence includes physical items and testimony.
  • Innocent: No one is truly innocent, raising a moral question of justice.
  • Interrogate & Investigate: Poirot questions all the suspects and uses logic and empathy in his investigation.
  • Key Characters:
    • Hercule Poirot: A famous Belgian detective.
    • Samuel Ratchett/Casetti: The murder victim, who kidnapped and killed Daisy Armstrong.
    • Mary Debenham, Colonel Arbuthnot, Caroline Hubbard, Princess Dragomiroff, etc.: All are connected to the Armstrong case.
    • Pierre Michel: The conductor.
    • Hector MacQueen, Masterman: Ratchett’s assistants.
    • Greta Ohlsson, Count/Countess Andreyni, Hildegrade Schmidt, Hardman, Foscarelli: All are part of the conspiracy.
    • Daisy Armstrong: The child victim of Casetti.
    • The Murderer: All passengers took part in a collective act of justice.