Flash Cards for ELA Study Guide

Literary Timeline

Key Literary Periods and Concepts

Anglo-Saxon Period (c. 450-1066 AD)

• Significant Work: Beowulf - An epic poem showcasing themes of heroism, bravery, and the struggle against monstrous foes, reflecting the values of this era.

• Language: Dominated by Old English, which is characterized by its Germanic roots and unique vocabulary, making it quite different from modern English.

Middle English Period (c. 1066-1500 AD)

• Language Development: The invasion of the Normans brought Old French, leading to the fusion of Old French and Old English into Middle English, which was more accessible to the burgeoning middle class.

• Key Figure: Geoffrey Chaucer - Renowned for The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories written in verse that provide a vivid portrayal of English society and its myriad characters.

Neoclassical Period (1660-1798)

• Characteristics: Marked by a revival of classical ideals from Greece and Rome, emphasizing reason, order, and decorum, aiming for clarity and restraint.

• Historical Context: The reign of Charles II was pivotal, illustrating the complexities of monarchy where the public persona often contrasted sharply with private realities, influencing literary themes of social hypocrisy.

Romantic Period (1789-1837)

• Focus: A response against industrialization, promoting a return to nature and the importance of individual emotion and imagination, emphasizing personal experience over societal norms.

• Key Writers: Included prominent figures like William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge who revolutionized poetry, as well as Mary Shelley and John Keats, known for their exploration of human emotions and sublime beauty.

Victorian Period (1837-1901)

• Themes: This era grappled with the impacts of industrialization, along with calls for social reform and moral inquiry, often debating issues like class disparity and women's rights.

• Key Writers: Notable authors such as Charles Dickens, who exposed societal ills in his works, and Charlotte Bronte, whose Jane Eyre challenged gender roles and class structures, became literary icons.

Modern Period (1901-1945)

• Characteristics: A time marked by experimentation with narrative form and style, reflecting a sense of disillusionment following the devastation of World War I. Authors frequently questioned traditional values and societal norms.

• Key Authors: Include James Joyce and Virginia Woolf, who employed stream of consciousness and non-linear narrative structures, emphasizing the inner thoughts of characters and exploring complex themes of identity and isolation.

Postmodern Period (1945-Present)

• Characteristics: This period is characterized by an embrace of fragmentation, challenging the notion of absolute truths and coherent narratives. Writers often utilize unreliable narrators to encourage readers to question the reliability of the story.

• Features: Common literary devices include irony, pastiche, and metafiction, leading to diverse interpretations of texts, emphasizing subjective experience and constructed realities.

Rhetorical Analysis & Argumentation

Definitions

• Appeal: A persuasive technique aimed at engaging and motivating the audience effectively.

• Logos: A rhetorical appeal based on logical reasoning and factual evidence, such as statistics and data, aimed at prompting rational thought.

• Ethos: Establishes the credibility and ethical character of the speaker or writer, enhancing trust and reliability in their arguments.

• Pathos: Engages the audience's emotions, aiming to provoke feelings such as sympathy, anger, or nostalgia to persuade effectively.

• Repetition: A rhetorical device used to reinforce key arguments by strategically repeating phrases or words.

• Analogy: A form of comparison that clarifies a concept by demonstrating its similarities to a familiar idea or object, enhancing understanding.

• Claim: The central argument or position taken by the writer in a piece of writing, forming the foundation of their perspective.

• Counterargument: Represents opposing viewpoints challenging the main claim, demonstrating the complexity of issues discussed.

• Rebuttal: A critical response that negates or discredits the counterargument, strengthening the main claim.

• Concession: Acknowledging the validity of parts of the counterargument, which can enhance credibility and foster balanced discussion.

Tips for Success

• Thoroughly review the key authors and defining characteristics of each literary period to contextualize literary works.

• Understand the nuances between various rhetorical appeals and argument structures for effective analysis.

• Practice identifying rhetorical devices and their purposes in short passages to improve analytical skills.

• Utilize a process of elimination for true/false and multiple-choice questions to increase accuracy in responses.

• Engage with and analyze the assigned book club book in depth, as it will be pivotal for the final portion of the test!

Good luck on your test!