Final Exam Study Guide

VOCABULARY

1. acquainted - made familiar with; ex: "The jury couldn't possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson's word against the Ewells' -- are you acquainted with the Ewells?"

2. Adversary (n) an opponent; enemy; “Far out, as far offshore as shouted words would carry, I sent a few back to the adversary:”

3. Advocate (v) – to speak in favor of; to support by argument; recommend publicly4. allegedly - supposedly; believed to be so but not yet proved; ex: This practice allegedly overcame a variety of

evils.5. antagonize - incur the dislike of someone; counteract; ex: "Scout, try not to antagonize Aunty, hear?"6. apprehension - fearful feeling; dread: ex: Ladies in bunches always filled me with vague apprehension and a firm

desire to be elsewhere7. assessment – evaluation; ex: "I don't like it, Atticus, I don't like it at all," was Aunt Alexandra's assessment of

these events.8. Assumption (n) – taking something for granted9. Avenge (v) to take revenge on behalf of; “We would entreat you, great Sir, have a care for the gods courtesy;

Zeus will avenge the unoffending guest”10. begrudge - to envy the possession or enjoyment of; ex: I don't think anybody in Maycomb'll begrudge me a client,

with times this hard.11. Bias (n) - a prejudice; a natural reason to think or act in a particular way12. Chaos (n.) great disorder or confusion; “That nightmare cannot die, being eternal evil itself—horror, and pain, and

chaos.”13. compromise - settlement of differences in which concessions are made; ex: “Do you know what a compromise

is?" he asked.14. consented - agreed to; ex: Not even Jem could make me go through that crowd, and he consented to wait

backstage with me until the audience left.15. Criteria (n) – a principle or standard by which something is judged or decided (The criteria for being in an honors

class is different from the criteria for being in an academic class.16. Crucial (adj) – very important or critical in the success or failure of something (This game is crucial to our survival

in the playoffs.) 17. Deduce (v) - to figure out as a conclusion from something known or assumed; infer (The detective deduced that

the mailman was involved with the crime.) 18. Differentiate (v) – 1. to mark differently from other similar objects, 2. to change, or 3. to understand/recognize a

difference in or between 19. Dire (adj.) dreadful; terrible; “Charybdis is the dire gorge of the salt sea tide.”20. Discretion (n) – 1. power or right to decide or act according to one’s judgment; 2. Freedom21. dispelled - done away with; ex: He gave the impression of dozing, an impression dispelled forever when a

lawyer once deliberately pushed a pile of books to the floor in a desperate effort to wake him up.22. Dwindle (v.) to become gradually less; diminish; “So all rowed on, until the Sirens dropped under the sea rim, and

their singing dwindled away.”23. Ethical (adj) - dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.

(Euthanasia is an ethical practice because if someone is suffering, it is the right thing to do.)24. evasion - act of avoiding; ex: Jem's evasion told me our game was a secret, so I kept quiet.25. Explicit (adj) - fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated (The explicit instructions for the model were clear

because they were written and pictured.)26. fraud - deliberate deception for unfair or unlawful gain; ex: I had never encountered a being who deliberately

perpetrated fraud against himself.27. Frenzy (n.) a wildly excited state of mind; “Telemachus’ frenzy struck someone as funny, and soon the whole

room roared with laughter at him, so that all tension passed.”28. hypocrites - people who say they believe one thing but actually believe in the opposite; ex: Hypocrites, Mrs.

Perkins, born hypocrites.29. inconspicuous - not readily noticeable; ex: With these attributes, however, he would not remain as

inconspicuous as we wished him to: that year, the school buzzed with talk about him defending Tom Robinson, none of which was complimentary.

30. inconveniences - things that cause trouble, lack of ease, or difficulty; ex: Jem knew as well as I that it was difficult to walk fast without stumping a toe, tripping on stones, and other inconveniences, and I was barefooted.

31. Indifferent (adj) having no interest in or concern for; “Cyclopes have no muster and no meeting, no consultation or old tribal ways, but each one dwells in his own mountain cave, dealing out rough justice to wife and child, indifferent to what the others do…”

32. infallible - unfailing; always correct; ex: He traveled with the show all over Mississippi until his infallible sense of direction told him he was in Abbott County, Alabama, just across the river from Maycomb.

33. intimidation – threats; ex: Nobody knew what form of intimidation Mr. Radley employed to keep Boo out of sight, but Jem figured that Mr. Radley kept him chained to the bed most of the time.

34. irked - annoyed; bothered; ex: Jem's free dispensation of my pledge irked me, but precious noontime minutes were ticking away.

35. Justification (n) a justification or an excuse for an action; “You found no justification for yourselves.”36. Omen (n.) an event thought to foretell good or evil; a sign; “Then Zeus thundered overhead, one loud crack for a

sign. And Odysseus laughed within him that the son of crooked-minded Cronus had flung that omen down.”

37. predicament - troublesome situation; ex: Until my father explained it to me later, I did not understand the subtlety of Tom's predicament: he would not have dared strike a white woman under any circumstances and expect to live long, so he took the first opportunity to run--a sure sign of guilt.

38. pronouncements - authoritative statements; ex: Having never questioned Jem's pronouncements, I saw no reason to begin now.

39. pursuits - activities; hobbies; ex: But when he noticed us dragging around the neighborhood, not eating, taking little interest in our normal pursuits, Atticus discovered how deeply frightened we were.

40. Questing (v.) to journey over; to explore; “… deathly pity ran me through at that sight—far worst I ever suffered, questing the passes of the strange sea.”

41. quibbling - making petty distinctions or irrelevant observations; ex: Jem decided there was no point in quibbling, and was silent.

42. Restitution (n.) a making good for loss or damage; repayment; “As for ourselves, we’ll make restitution of wine and meat consumed, and add, each one, a tithe of twenty oxen with gifts of bronze and gold to warm your heart.”

43. subsequent - coming after; ex: She persisted, and her subsequent reaction is something that all of us have known at one time or another.

44. sustain - to keep in existence; maintain; prolong; ex: The last note would linger as long as there was air to sustain it.

45. tormenting - pestering; harassing: ex: "Son," he said to Jem, "I'm going to tell you something and tell you one time: stop tormenting that man. That goes for the other two of you."

46. tyranny - extreme harshness or severity; rigor; ex: For some reason, my first year of school had wrought a great change in our relationship: Calpurnia's tyranny, unfairness, and meddling in my business had faded to gentle grumblings of general disapproval.

47. unanimous - in complete agreement; ex: Mrs. Dubose lived two doors up the street from us; neighborhood opinion was unanimous that Mrs. Dubose was the meanest old woman who ever lived.

48. Whim (n) a sudden impulse or notion; fancy; “I would not let you go for fear of Zeus— you or your friends—unless I had a whim to.”

Grammar

Conjunctions

A conjunction is a word used to connect words or groups of words.

We can use conjunctions to join phrases together. A phrase is a group of words that does not make a complete sentence.

It doesn’t have a subject or a predicate, and it does not make a complete thought.

Soupy the orange tabby and Stella the gray Manx are my cats.

Conjunctions can also join clauses together. What is a clause? There are two kinds :

1. Independent Clauses. These are similar to phrases with one exception. An independent clause does have a subject

and a predicate. It makes a complete thought and could stand alone as a sentence.

EXAMPLE: Soupy plays with his catnip mouse.

2. Dependent Clauses. These clauses do not make a complete thought. They cannot stand alone as a sentence. It is

dependent on the independent clause to make sense.

EXAMPLE: Whenever he’s bored.

This is a dependent clause. It could not stand alone as a sentence. The word whenever is a conjunction. Let’s join this

clause to an independent clause to make a sentence.

EXAMPLE: Soupy plays with his catnip mouse, whenever he’s bored.

There are three types of conjunctions: coordinating, correlative, and subordinating.

********A Coordinating Conjunction is a word that joins words, phrases or clauses in a sentence. Use the acronym FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So**************

EXAMPLE: Sonia and her friends watched the new music video.

EXAMPLE: The action started out on a beach, but the scene changed quickly.

Correlative Conjunctions work in pairs to join words and phrases of equal importance.both . . . andjust as . . . sonot only . . . but alsoeither . . . orneither . . . norwhether . . . or

EXAMPLE: You will not only hear your favorite song but also see the performer.

EXAMPLE: Either the music or the visual images will grab your attention.

Subordinating conjunctions introduce subordinate clauses (clauses that cannot stand alone) and join them to independent clauses. They are: after, although, as, as if, as though, because, before, even though, if, in order that, provided, since, so that, than, unless, until, when, where, whereas, while.

EXAMPLE: The band waited while the director checked the lighting.

EXAMPLE: Although the music videos are short, they are expensive to produce.

Conjunctive adverbs are adverbs that function somewhat like conjunctions. They are used to express relationships between independent clauses. They are: accordingly, also, besides, consequently, finally, furthermore, hence, however, instead, nevertheless, otherwise, similarly, still, therefore, thus.

EXAMPLE: The invention of the transistor radio contributed to the rise of rock and roll; similarly, the introduction of cable television helped launch music videos.

Direct Objects

Direct objects –

follow transitive action verbs Can be nouns, pronouns, phrases or clauses Tell you what or whom

Chris read the book over the past week

Subject/ noun /

Proper noun action verb direct object prepositional phrase

Mr. Cole likes him for the best quarterback

Subject/ pronoun

Proper noun action verb direct object prepositional phrase

Caitlin enjoys playing soccer

Subject/ tr action verb /

Proper noun action verb direct object

Surveyors measured the height of the mountain

Geographers gave (Mt. Everest) its name

Mr. Irvine lent (Mr. Mallory) a hand in the expedition

(An ice) storm overcame them

They slept huddling in a tent

(Two novice) climbers earned praise from professional

climbers

(The) men loved hiking in the cold

It won (them) medals

Indirect Object Notes

For an indirect object to appear in a sentence, it must first have a direct object. The someone or something that receives the direct object is called the indirect object The indirect object will be found between the verb and the direct object.

EX: Victor sent Victoria a card.

Subject verb indirect direct

Object object

I gave him the assignment

Subject verb indirect direct

Object object

The football team gave the family the money

Subject verb indirect direct

Object object

Their generousity earned them praise from the news

Subject verb indirect direct

Object object

The family brought the men cupcakes

Subject verb indirect direct

Object object

The cheerleaders showed the Smiths their new cheer

Subject verb indirect direct

Object object

Literature Vocabulary:

Allusion – brief reference to something outside the play that the audience is expected to know; ex. A reference from another work of literature like Greek or Roman mythology & the bible ex. “Speak to my gossip Venus on word…”Aside – character’s remarks to audience or another character that others on stage aren’t supposed to hear; ex. p. 994blank verse - Unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter – lines that have 5 unstressed syllables followed by 5 stressed syllables ex;Romeo: But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?Characterization – A. Direct characterization: the narrator or a character in the story tells us what we need to know about a character B. Indirect characterization: we find out about characters indirectly through thoughts, comments, or actions of the characters C. Flat: character with few personality traits (few details given)D. Round: character with many personality traits (many details given)E. Static: a character that does not change personality, beliefs, ideas, etc. throughout the work F. Dynamic: a character that experiences some type of change during the course of the story due to events (remember--dynamite changes!)Comic relief – humorous scenes that relieve overall emotional intensityFoil – characters whose personalities are a sharp contrast to another ex. Lennie & GeorgeIrony - something happens that is the opposite of what is expected. Three types of irony: verbal -- someone says one thing, but means another; situational -- the opposite of what we expected; dramatic -- reader knows information that the characters do notRhapsodies - historians / entertainers / mythmakers … spread the news of events and the stories of sods, goddesses and heroes … recited in banquet halls of kings & noble familiesSoliloquy – speech by a character when he’s alone to let audience know what he’s thinking; reveals secrets; villains explain behavior.symbolism - one thing standing for another Examples: flag/freedom Theme - (NOT the same as the plot!) the main idea or insight into life the writer wants the reader to get from the story ….. the point the writer is trying to make

Tragedy – drama than ends in catastrophe (death) for the main character & other important characters (supernatural element – contribute to actions of tragic hero) Tragic Hero – usually nobly born & may have great influence on his/her society; has fatal flaws (weakness or error in judgement)

Novels – you will need to know the main characters, setting, general plot, conflict, theme, and symbols.

Literary Elements of To Kill a Mockingbird:

Setting: The fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great DepressionClimax: The trial of Tom Robinson; or when Bob Ewell attacks Scout and JemProtagonist: ScoutAntagonist: Bob EwellPoint of View: First person; Scout is looking back at the events of the novel from some unspecified future time.Characters: Jean Louise Finch (Scout) – The narrator of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout is Atticus’s daughter, Jem’s sister, Alexandraand Jack’s niece, and friends with Dill. In the three years the novel covers, she grows from six-years-old to nine. Scout is intelligent and loves to read, but is also headstrong, outspoken, and a tomboy. As the novel opens, Scout is both innocent and intolerant of anything new or different. Scout’s innocence falls away in part because she is growing up and in part from the trial of Tom Robinson: she discovers how cruel and violent people can be. But she also learns, through Atticus’s careful teaching, that the necessary response to intolerance is to try to understand its origins, to relate to people in terms of their dignity rather than their anger, and to use that foundation as a way to try to slowly change their minds.Jeremy Atticus Finch (Jem) – Scout‘s older brother and Atticus’s son. Jem is four years older than Scout, and thereforeunderstands many of the events in Maycomb in a way that the younger Scout can’t. Intelligent and adventurous as a child, Jem never loses these qualities but also grows into a young man who is strong, serious, idealistic, and sensitive. While both Scout and Jem love Atticus, Jem also reveres the justice and moral character that Atticus stands for, and which he wants to one day stand for himself.Atticus Finch – Scout and Jem‘s widowed father, and Alexandra and Jack’s brother. He employs Calpurnia, but thinksof her as family. A distinguished lawyer in Maycomb, Atticus believes in moral integrity, and stands up against the racismof Maycomb to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, falsely accused of rape by a white man, Bob Ewell. Yet as muchas Atticus believes in acting morally, he does not believe in righteously condemning those who don’t always act morally.Instead, Atticus teaches his children to search out and respect the dignity of every human being, to try to see the world from their individual point of view. Atticus Finch has become one of the great father figures in American literature.Arthur Radley (Boo) – A recluse who never sets foot outside his house, Arthur is an object of fascination for manyMaycomb residents. Many rumors describe Arthur as a kind of monster who stabbed his father as a boy, eats cats, and haunts the neighborhood at night. He turns out to be innocent, gentle, kind, protective of children, intensely shy, and one of the mockingbirds to which the title of To Kill a Mockingbird refers.Calpurnia – The Finches’ black cook, she essentially raised Scout and Jem. Atticus considers her family. Calpurnia isstrict but loving. As a child, Scout resents Calpurnia’s rules and restrictions, but as she grows she comes to recognize andrespect Calpurnia for her strength, intelligence, and kindness.Charles Baker Harris (Dill)- Jem and Scout‘s friend, who visits Maycomb each summer from his home in Meridian,Alabama. Miss Rachel Haverford is his aunt. Dill is an intensely imaginative and sensitive boy who uses his imagination tohide loneliness and pain: though his mother is divorced, he constantly makes up stories about the greatness of the father he barely knows. Dill is obsessed with Boo Radley.Miss Maudie Atkinson – A widowed neighbor of the Finches’ and a childhood friend of Atticus, Alexandra, and Jack. Miss Maudie Atkinson is a friend and confidante to the Finch children. Her moral outlook is similar to Atticus’s. She lovesflowers and nature.Aunt Alexandra – Atticus and Jack’s sister, and Scout and Jem’s aunt. Alexandra is stern and often haughty, and she believes in the importance of social class and gender roles.Tom Robinson – A black man accused of rape by Bob Ewell, and defended by Atticus. Tom is a family man, father, andchurchgoer. He does not have the use of his left arm.Bob Ewell – Mayella’s father and the patriarch of the poor, vicious Ewell clan who live in an old cabin near the town dump. Ewell is thoroughly awful, a man who buys alcohol while letting his children go hungry.Mayella Ewell – Bob Ewell‘s daughter and oldest child. Lonely, friendless, and the only woman in her family, Mayellaaccuses Tom Robinson of raping her.Uncle Jack – Atticus and Alexandra’s younger brother. Scout and Jem’s uncle.Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose – An old woman and neighbor of the Finch’s. She is an old and bitter woman, anda racist through and through, though Jem and Scout discover she has her own dignity and courage deserving of respect.Nathan Radley – Boo Radley‘s older brother. A cold and very religious man, he runs the Radley household.Heck Tate – The sheriff of Maycomb.Link Deas – Tom Robinson‘s employer.Mr. Underwood – The writer, editor, and publisher of Maycomb’s newspaper.Mr. Dolphus Raymond – A wealthy white man who lives outside town with his black mistress and interracial children.Mr. Cunningham – One of the poor Cunningham farmers and the father of Walter Cunningham.Walter Cunningham – Mr. Cunningham’s son and Scout’s classmate.Miss Rachel Haverford – Dill’s aunt and one of the Finch’s neighbors.Mrs. Grace Merriweather – A member of Aunt Alexandra’s social circle in Maycomb.

Miss Stephanie Crawford – A neighbor of the Finch’s and a big gossip.Mr. Avery – Another of the Finch’s neighbors.Cecil Jacobs – One of Scout’s classmates.Judge Taylor – The judge at the trial of Tom Robinson.Mr. Gilmer – The prosecutor at the trial of Tom Robinson.Miss Caroline – Scout’s first grade teacher.Miss Gates – Scout’s third grade teacher.Reverend Sykes – The reverend at Calpurnia’s church.Lula – A member of the congregation at Calpurnia’s Church.Burris Ewell – A son of Bob Ewell.Simon Finch – The first member of the Finch family to come to America.

Themes - Good, Evil, and Human Dignity - Through Scout and Jem’s experiences in Maycomb and with its citizens, there is a complicated mixture of good and bad, full of people with strengths and weaknesses. There are two characters of almost complete good: Atticus and Boo Radley. Boo maintains his goodness by hiding from the world, while Atticus engages with it. Atticus acknowledges the evil in people and the world and fights against that evil, but he also appreciates what is good in the very same people who through fault or weakness might be supporting an evil cause. Atticus believes that everyone has a basic human dignity, and that he therefore owes each person not only respect, but the effort to try to understand their point of view. Atticus tries to instill this worldview in Scout when he tells her that instead of condemning people for doing things that she thinks are cruel, or unfair, or just plain weird, she should first try “standing in their skin.”

Prejudice - Atticus’s belief in treating and respecting everyone as an individual is with other worldviews. These other visions are all quite different from each other—they are religious, racist, classist—but theyall share one thing in common: they treat people as groups, demand conformity, and give no respect or credit to individuals. In other words, they are all forms of prejudice, which is a preconceived notion about a person based on the groups to which that person belongs. The most obvious form of prejudice in the novel is racism, which causes otherwise upstanding white citizens of Maycomb to accept the testimony of an obviously corrupt white man over the evidence supporting the testimony from a black man. Yet prejudice is also visible in the racially condescending Mrs. Grace Merriweather; in Aunt Alexandra’s and many other character’s belief in the importance of social class; in the gender stereotypes that people try to force on Scout; and even in the way the town views Boo Radley as a monster because he acts differently from everyone else. Hatred of Bob Ewell, lynch mob, trial, church, / religion, social classes

Growing Up - In three years, Scout and Jem grow up. At the start of the book they are innocents, with an uncomplicated sense of what’s good (Atticus, the people of Maycomb) and what’s evil (Boo Radley). By the end of the book, the children have lost their innocence and gained a more complex understanding of the world. As the children grow into the adult world, though, they don’t just accept what they see. They question what doesn’t make sense to them— prejudice, hatred, and violence. So while the story shows three children as they lose their innocence, it also uses their innocence to look freshly at the world of Maycomb and criticize its flaws. Through the process of growing up, Scout & Jem learn the value of self-control, tolerance, & respect.

Like every kid growing up, Scout attends school for the first time. But rather than contribute to her education, Scout’s school is depicted as rigid to the point of idiocy, with teachers who criticize students who got on early start on reading and hate the Nazis but can’t see the racism present in their own town. The story condemns standardized school education, showing how it emphasizes rote facts and policies designed to create conformist children rather than promote creative critical thinking, sympathy, and mutual understanding across racial and socioeconomic boundaries.

Parent & Child - Atticus loves & respects his children. He does his best to raise them to be rational, tolerant and sensitive. Bob Ewell is not a good parent. His children are filthy, unhealthy, uneducated, crude & foul-mouthed. Although the Cunnighams are poor and leave school to work on the farm, their family has pride & self-respect.

Courage - Atticus defines courage as “when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” Courage, in To Kill a Mockingbird, is not about winning or losing. It’s about thinking long and hard about what’s right instead of relying on personal prejudice or gut reaction, and then doing what’s right whether you win or lose. The story is filled with examples of courage, from Mrs. Dubose’s fight against her morphine addiction, to Atticus’s determination to face down the racism of the town, to Mr. Underwood’s willingness to face down his own racist feelings and support what he knows, in the end, is right. Physical – Atticus / rabid dog; Jem going back to get his

trousers; Moral – Atticus taking the case, Scout doesn’t fight back when Atticus is criticized; Mrs. Dubose fighting her addiciton

Small Town Southern Life - Maycomb is a small town: everyone knows everyone else’s business, which can lead to endless and mostly harmless gossip, but more importantly makes the community extremely intimate and close-knit. The first part of the story focuses on this close-knit community, because when they’re young Scout and Jem believe Maycomb is a small, safe, peaceful, intimate community. Yet as Scout and Jem grow up, they discover that the town has a fiercely maintained and largely illogical social hierarchy based on wealth, history, and race; ensures its safety through a communal insistence on conformity that subjects anyone who does not conform to dislike and mistrust; and gains its peace by resisting change and ignoring injustice.

Understanding other people / Walking in someone’s shoes / skin - Scout understanding the truth about Boo Radley and seeing the events from his point of view. Seeing why Dolphus Raymond pretends to be a drunk. Understanding why Scout speaking to Mr. Cunningham causes the lynch mob to to turn away. Understanding why Bob Ewell wants revenge. Understanding how Atticus, the children, Tom Robinson, Mayella or Boo Radlwy could be considered a Mockingbird they do no harm but are harmed by the ignorance, prejudice and evil of others.

Justice & the law - Atticus believes in the justice system and law, however, he is realistic enough to understand that law does not always result in justice being done as long as people are conditioned by predjudices they will come to unjust verdicts. Atticus, however, has faith that the legal system will change. Judge Taylor and Heck Tate are other main representatives of the law. Judge Taylor appoints Atticus and Heck Tate does not persue The murderer of Bob Ewell. These all show a belief that natural justice is more important than the letter of the law.

Symbols - Atticus tells Jem and Scout that it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird because mockingbirds cause no harm to anyone; they just sing. Because of these traits, mockingbirds in To Kill a Mockingbird symbolize innocence and beauty. And killing a mockingbird is therefore an act of senseless cruelty. There are a number of characters who can be seen as mockingbirds in the text, most particularly Tom Robinson and Boo Radley.

Literary Elements of The Odyssey:

Odyssey Meaning: a long journey with many adventures or a spiritual or intellectual quest; The word “odyssey” derives from the name Odysseus, the main character from the Odyssey (he is also referred to as Ulysses in classic literature)

Epic Poem- A long, narrative poem that celebrates the adventures and achievements of a hero; A complex tale revolving around several characters and spanning many years; Epics usually have twelve or twenty-four books; An epic poem has:

A hero who embodies national, cultural, or religious ideals A hero upon whose actions depends the fate of his people A course of action in which the hero performs great and difficult deeds A recognition of or intercession by divine or supernatural powers A concern with eternal human problems A dignified and elaborate poetic style --- > Why are they written in poetic form? Began as oral tradition; Poetic

form (rhyme/meter) is easier to memorize and retellCharacteristics of an Epic Poem:

Long, narrative poem Reflects values of a nation or race Addresses universal concerns Focuses on the adventures of a historical or legendary hero The supernatural plays an important role Story is set in many locations Hero against the odds – strong and courageous Story is simple and written in formal language

Conventions of an Epic Poem: Epitets: A brief descriptive phrase; Characterizes a person, place or thing; Gives story-teller a “breather”; Helps

with rhyming or meter Examples: rosy-fingered dawn ; gray-eyed Athena Homeric simile - Compares epic events to everyday events Ex: So wand in hand he paced into the air, shot …

down to sea level…A gull patrolling between the wave crests of the desolate sea will dip to catch a fish, and douse his wings

In Medias Res – (story begins) in the middle Epic heroes – larger than life; favored by or descended from deities but aligned more closely with mortals;

exemplifies morals values by society; participates in a cyclical journey; faces adversaries; performs deeds; gathers allies; returns home transformed by his journey

Epic cycle - The main character is a hero, who is often possessed of supernatural abilities or qualities. The hero is charged with a quest. The hero is tested, often to prove the worthiness of himself and his quest. The presence of numerous mythical beings, magical and helpful animals, and human helpers and companions The hero’s travels take him to a supernatural world, often one that normal human beings are barred from entering. The cycle must reach a low point where the hero nearly gives up his quest or appears defeated. A resurrection. Restitution. Often this takes the form of the hero regaining his rightful place on the throne.

Tragic flaw - some blindness that ironically results from one's own strengths and abilities. In Greek tragedy, the protagonist frequently possesses some sort of tragic flaw that causes catastrophic results after he fails to recognize some fact or truth that could have saved him if he recognized it earlier.

Homer - a poet, who wrote the Illiad & the Odyssey around 900 – 700 BCE …concerned with the relationship between humans & gods… used poetry with rhyme & meter so it would be easier to remember / memorize… may just be a legend …. May have been composed, in part, by rhapsodies*The Greeks used the Illiad & the Odyssey to teach Greek virtues; the greek myths play an important role*A god can be an alter ego (a reflection of a hero’s best or worst qualities)The gods control all things including Odysseus’ fate *Greek Hospitality - Received strangers warmly & generously

The Odyssey involves 3 sets of characters:

The Greek GODSHumansSupernatural monsters and creatures

The Odyssey is told in 3 parts: Part I - A story of what happens in Ithaca to Odysseus’ wife (Penelope) and son (Telemachus) as they await his returnPart II - A story of Odysseus’ wanderings after the Trojan War (the war lasted 10 years and his wanderings lasted another 10 years!)

Part III - A story of how Odysseus returns home to Ithaca and joins forces with his son to destroy his enemies

SETTING - ancient Greece, The Odyssey is about the hero Odysseus' long-awaited return from the Trojan War to hishomeland, Ithaca, after ten years of wandering. The current action of The Odyssey occupies the last six weeksof the ten years, and the narrative includes many places - Olympus, Ithaca, Pylos, Pherae, Sparta, Ogygia, andScheria. Major CharactersOdysseus - the protagonist and hero of the poem. Penelope - the "much-enduring" wife of Odysseus and the patient mother of Telemachus. Telemachus - Odysseus' son. A mere child when his father left for the Trojan War, Telemachus is, at thebeginning of The Odyssey, an inexperienced, unhappy, and helpless young manAthena - the goddess of wisdom and the daughter of Zeus. She is Odysseus' champion amongst the gods, andshe aids him and Telemachus throughout the poemMinor CharactersNestor - the King of Pylos - He had fought on the side of Agamemnon in the Trojan War. When Telemachussails off to find news of Odysseus, he first visits Nestor at Pylos. Menelaus - the King of Sparta - The Trojan War was fought to rescue his wife, Helen, who was abducted byParis. Helen - the wife of Menelaus and the cause of the Trojan War. Helen’s portrayal is more striking than that ofMenelaus. She is back with Menelaus at Sparta, happy and at peaceAntinous - the most vociferous and proud of the suitors. He plots Telemachus' death Calypso - a goddess. She abides on a distant isle, Ogygia, and, when Odysseus reaches there after a shipwreck,he stays with her for eight years. Polyphemus – One eyed Cyclops; son of PoseidonProtagonist - The protagonist of this epic poem is Odysseus, the pivot of most of the action. After his ten years of war at Troy, Odysseus is away from home another ten years. He is kept away for so long by the wrath of Poseidon, who is angered by the blinding of his son, Polyphemus. The Odyssey is about Odysseus' struggle and final return home. Antagonist - The antagonist of Odysseus is the series of trials, inflicted by many individual antagonists; in order to successfully return home and regain his rightful place, he must overcome each of them. The god of the sea, Poseidon, keeps Odysseus wandering for ten weary years, forcing him to arrive in Ithaca in a pitiable condition, with trouble waiting for him at home. He has punished Odysseus for blinding his one-eyed giant son, Polyphemus. Climax - The Odyssey reaches its climax in the combination of two events - the stringing of the great bow by Odysseus and the slaughter of the suitors. Outcome - The epic poem ends in comedy for Odysseus; he manages to reach his homeland despite all odds and slay the suitors of his wife, who far outnumber him. THEMESMajor Themes - As in The Iliad, the framework of myth is used here to discuss such themes as endurance, courage, pride, vengeance, and the role of destiny in human lives. The plot of The Odyssey recounts Odysseus' supernatural adventures on his way home from the Trojan War and his epic battle with the suitors who have plagued his wife during his absence. But, it is also the story of Odysseus' own development, especially his gaining of humility and patience. Each of his encounters changes him and teaches him more about himself, until he is ready at the end to prove himself to his enemies.Minor Themes – While Odysseus dominates the poem, his wife and son play important roles as well. The growth and development of Telemachus from an inexperienced, naive youth to a hero is a minor theme. His mother Penelope’s endurance and prudence, in contrast to Clytemnestra’s infidelity and cruelty in The Iliad, is another theme of someimportance. The suitors occupy quite a large part of the epic, and their unheroic, impudent behavior is in great contrast with the noble qualities of the heroic ideal. MOOD - The mood is exciting, which is typical of an ancient epic. The excitement is seen especially in the first half,when the canvas is very large and includes numerous fabulous events. There is adventure, mystery, suspense,and even terror, especially in the recounting of Odysseus' supernatural adventuresPLOT STRUCTURE - The Odyssey begins with the traditional invocation to the Muse, after which the story begins. The first four Books are the exposition. The first four Books emphasize the general plight of Ithaca and the particular plight of Penelope and Telemachus in the absence of Odysseus. They build up the need for Odysseus’ return and a growing assurance of it.The rising action begins in Book 5 and continues until the climax in Book 22, when Odysseus slays the suitors. The falling action occurs in the next chapter when Odysseus is reunited with Penelope. The final chapter, which was probably added at a date late than the rest of the poem, is the conclusion or denouement.

The Odyssey has a cyclic structure. Books 1-4 are concerned with human drama, Books 5-12 are on a more fabulous, incredible, and exalted scale, and Books 13- 24 once again revert to human drama and tell the age-old tale of the hero's return and vengeance.

Literary Elements of Romeo & Juliet:

Setting: Verona, Italy, 14th century. (I was there and ate an entire pizza; it was the best pizza I’ve ever had.)Initiating Event: fight between 2 familiesProtagonists: Romeo - The sixteen-year-old son of Montague and Lady Montague. He is cousins with Benvolio, and friends with Mercutio and Friar Laurence. Romeo’s defining characteristic is the intensity of his emotions—whether in anger, love,or despair. Romeo is also intelligent, quick-witted, loved by his friends, and not a bad swordsmen. Over the course of theplay, Romeo grows from a an adolescent who claims to be in love with Rosaline, but in reality seems more in love with theidea of love and with being a miserable wretch in the mold of classical love poets, to a young man who shares a deep andpassionate love with Juliet and is willing to face the obstacles of friends, family, the law, fate, and, ultimately, death in order to be with her.Juliet — The beautiful thirteen-year-old daughter of Capulet and Lady Capulet, and cousins with Tybalt. The Nurse isher closest friend and advisor. Juliet is naïve and sheltered at the beginning of the play, and has given almost no thought to love. But as soon as she meets and falls in love with Romeo she quickly develops into a woman of remarkable strength and resolve in pursuing what she wants. Like Romeo, she is willing to face all obstacles of society, fate, and death to be with her love. Yet even while head over heels in love, Juliet remains more grounded than Romeo. She even calls him on his silliness when he gets overly poetic. It seems possible to attribute much of Romeo’s transformation from a callous youth to a passionate lover to Juliet’s influence.Antagonists: There are many antagonists to Romeo and Juliet’s love. The most important include the feud between the Capulets and Montagues; Tybalt; the Prince, citizens, and laws, of Verona; and fate.Characters:The Nurse — The Nurse is a servant who nursed Juliet as a baby (the Nurse’s own baby died just before Juliet was born), and raised her through childhood. She is Juliet’s best friend and confidante, and in many ways is more her mother than Lady Capulet is. The Nurse can be quite sentimental, but also tends to go on and on with bawdy and sometimes embarrassing stories. Though the Nurse will do anything for Juliet, and helps Juliet to marry Romeo, in the end she proves herself to be pragmatic when it comes to love.Mercutio — Romeo’s close friend, and a kinsmen of Prince Escalus. Mercutio is a wild, antic, and brooding youth. He isa whiz with wordplay and is constantly dropping sexual puns, but beneath this playful and sarcastic veneer lies a bitterworld-weariness. Mercutio hates romantic ideals of any sort, whether about honor or love, and mercilessly mocks thosewho hold them.Friar Laurence — A Franciscan monk and a friend to both Romeo and Juliet. He preaches moderation because he understands that intensity of any kind of emotion, good or bad, can lead to disaster. Yet he gets caught up in his own hope for ending the feud between Montagues and Capulets. In the process, he shows himself to be quite a schemer.Capulet — Juliet’s father, Lady Capulet’s husband, and Tybalt’s uncle. He is the leader of the Capulet family, andan enemy of Montague. Capulet tries to appear like an even-minded and loving man, and he certainly does love hisdaughter, but he believes he knows what’s best for her, never consults her about her feelings, and is quick to anger whencrossed or disobeyed.Lady Capulet — Juliet’s mother, and Capulet’s wife. A woman who married Capulet when she was Juliet’s age (thirteen),she loves her daughter but is a flighty woman and an ineffectual mother who left most of the raising of her daughterto the Nurse. When it comes to marriage, Lady Capulet believes more in the material happiness a “good match” canbring than in love.Benvolio — Montague’s nephew, Romeo’s cousin., and Mercutio’s friend. Of the three boys, he is the most calm andthe least quick-witted. On a few occasions he tries to keep the peace rather than fight. Yet Benvolio is seldom successful in his peacekeeping efforts, and will fight if pushed.Tybalt — The nephew of Capulet, and Juliet’s cousin. A hothead consumed by issues of honor and well known for hisskill with a sword, Tybalt hates the Montagues with a profound passion. He seems to look for excuses to fight.Paris — A kinsman of Prince Escalus who wants to marry Juliet. Paris is a good-looking and wealthy man, but is ratherpompous, a tad boring, and lacks Romeo’s passion. His love for Juliet seems genuine, but, like Capulet, he seems to think he can make Juliet’s decisions for her.Prince Escalus — The Prince and leader of Verona. Escalus is concerned primarily with keeping order in the city. He will do anything in his power to stop the feud between the Montagues and Capulets from affecting the other citizens of the city.Montague — Romeo’s father, Lady Montague’s husband, and Benvolio’s uncle. The leader of the Montague household,and quick to anger at his bitter rival, Capulet.Lady Montague — Montague’s wife and Romeo’s mother.Main Conflict: Romeo & Juliet love each other, but their families hate each other. Romeo=Montague Juliet = CapuletClimax: Romeo and Juliet’s double suicide in the Capulet tomb.Themes: Love, fate, individual vs Society, language/word play

Evaluate character’s speech and actions to figure out his attitudes, personality, and motives (look for foils!) Evaluate tragic hero’s strengths and weakness, esp. tragic flawLook for cause & effect relationships

MONSTER by Walter Dean Myers

Setting - The novel takes place in Manhattan and Harlem, New York City, mostly in a city jail or lockup, but sometimes the scenes take us to the neighborhood where Steve Harmon lives.

Point of View - In the journal entry sections, the novel is written in the first person narrative point of view. In the film script sections, the novel is written in third person objective.

Conflict External conflict: Steve Harmon is on trial for felony murder and must help his attorney convince the jury that he is not guilty. Internal conflict: Steve Harmon must deal with his own questions and conscience about his involvement in the crime and about his questions about who he is really as a person.

Protagonist - In Monster, the protagonist is Steve Harmon, a sixteen year-old African American youth who is on trial for his life.

Antagonists - The antagonists include the justice system, the neighborhood which impacts young men like Steve, the people Steve associates with in the neighborhood, and Steve himself.

Character List (Major characters) Steve Harmon - He is a sixteen year old young African American man who has been arrested for acting as the lookout in a robbery that goes bad and ends in a murder. He is the narrator of the story, writing it in the form of a screenplay interspersed with his journal entries.

Kathy O’Brien - She is Steve’s defense attorney who uses his character traits before the crime and makes sure she distances him from the other defendants as a way of getting a not guilty verdict.

Sandra Petrocelli - She is the Assistant District Attorney who prosecutes the case against Steve and James King. She labels them “monsters.”

James King - An African American man who is also young, but older than Steve. He encourages Steve to be part of his crew which will rob the drugstore. He is accused of being in the drugstore, wrestling Mr. Nesbitt for the gun, and ultimately shooting the older man to death.

Asa Briggs - He is the defense attorney who is representing James King and trying to get the jury to find him not guilty.

Richard “Bobo” Evans - He is the other young man accused of being in the store at the time of the murder. He admits to stealing the money and grabbing the cartons of cigarettes while King is wrestling Nesbitt for the gun. He makes a deal with the prosecution to testify against King and Steve to get a lighter sentence.

Osvaldo Cruz - He is another participant in the crime. It was his job to stand outside and trip up anyone who tries to catch them after they rob the store. He claims he did it because he was afraid of Bobo, but he is a member of a street gang and slashed someone’s face to be accepted into the gang.

Minor Characters

Lorelle Henry - She is a grandmother who was in the drugstore at the time of the murder. She testifies that she saw two men in the drugstore, and she picks James King from a handful of photos and then from a lineup.

Jose Delgado - He worked in the drugstore and found Mr. Nesbitt’s body. He also determined that several cartons of cigarettes had been stolen along with money from the cash register.

Steve’s parents - They are depicted as hard-working people who have tried to raise their sons right. Steve’s mother continues to believe in him no matter what, but his father looks at him like he doesn’t really know him.

Dorothy Moore - James King’s cousin, she testifies that James had brought her a new lamp for Christmas at the time of the murder.

Sal Zinzi - An inmate in prison who testified he heard another prisoner talking about buying cigarettes from a guy who held up a drugstore where the owner was killed.

Wendell Bolden - A prisoner who testified that he bought cigarettes from Bobo Evans. He also testified that Bobo told him a man was killed during the drugstore robbery.

George Nipping - He testifies that James King is left-handed which creates reasonable doubt that King committed the crime since it was more likely that Mr. Nesbitt was shot by a right-handed perpetrator. His testimony is weak, however, because the perpetrator was wrestling with Mr. Nesbitt over the gun.

Alguinaldo Nesbitt - The victim of the crime, he is depicted as a decent, hard-working citizen who lost his life in defense of his property. However, his character isn’t well presented because the focus of the story is Steve and the other young men on trial.

THEMES - Peer Pressure - the challenges of managing peer pressure and dealing with the consequences of peer pressure. This is especially seen in how Steve associates with young men he knows are individuals with questionable character. There is a sense that he needs to prove his manhood in some way be being with this “tough guy crowd” in spite of the fact that they bring disaster down upon him. Young African Men in Harlem - The author presents the situation that exists for these young men who are growing up in the middle of poverty, crime, and hopelessness. They often make the wrong choices because they have few positive role models, and they often see themselves as “destined” for prison.

Introspection and Personal Responsibility - Steve must come to terms with who is really is. His screenplay and journal entries are ways for him to try to make sense of what he has done or hasn’t done in his life and what has brought him to the point of being on trial for his life. By the end of the novel, his doubts and fears about who he really is and how responsible he is for the death of Mr. Nesbitt have not yet been completely resolved in his mind.

Race and the Justice System - There is a sense that because Steve is young and black, he is “more likely” to have committed the crime in the eyes of the jurors. There is also the sense that if he has been arrested, he must have done it because the police and the prosecution witnesses wouldn’t lie.

MOOD - very dark and filled with despair as we see Steve learn to cope with what may be the outcome of the trial. The mood brightens somewhat at the end after he is acquitted, but ultimately the mood remains dark even as the novel concludes. Steve must now face the realization that his life is changed forever and that he doesn’t really know who he is anymore.

Synopsis (Plot summary) - A sixteen year-old boy named Steve Harmon finds himself on trial for felony murder after he is accused of acting as a lookout for the young men who actually commit a robbery at a Harlem drugstore and kill the store owner. The story is presented primarily from Steve’s viewpoint in the form of a screenplay and journal entries he writes as he faces the trial and possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison.

Introduction: A young prisoner, Steve Harmon, describes the terror of beatings of inmates by other prisoners. He is scared and cries at night. Monday, July 6: Steve Harmon describes his life in Cell Block D of the Manhattan Detention Center as though it were a movie. His attorney, Kathy O’Brien, questions him about the felony murder, for which prosecutor Sandra Petrocelli, an assistant district attorney for the state of New York, presses for the death penalty. While dressing for a court appearance, Steve rejects breakfast. O’Brien does not indicate her hope of acquittal. Handcuffed to a bench, Steve observes the bored judge. Steve flashes back to a film workshop at Stuyvesant High School and the club mentor, George Sawicki. Petrocelli informs the jury that teen killers are monsters and describe the

robbery and murder of Alguinaldo Nesbitt at his drugstore on 145th Street in Harlem on December 22 the previous year at 4:00 P.M. She charges Steve with being the lookout for the thief, James King. O’Brien introduces her defense with a reminder of reasonable doubt of Steve’s complicity in the crime. Jose Delgado, a drugstore employee, testifies that on the day of the crime he left around 4:35 P.M. for dinner and returned to find Nesbitt dead and five cartons of cigarettes stolen. A second witness, Salvatore Zinzi, reports that he was incarcerated at Riker’s Island when he heard Wendell Bolden claim to know who committed the crime. Zinzi called Detective Gluck and confides that Bolden got two cartons of the stolen cigarettes. O’Brien discredits the information as a means for Zinzi to get out of jail early. In a flashback, Steve recalls walking with Tony in the park four years earlier. After throwing a rock and hitting a young woman, Steve implicates Tony. The woman’s companion hits Tony, who wants an Uzi to avenge himself for the false accusation. Tuesday, July 7: Bolden admits being arrested for intending to deal dope and explains that he got cigarettes on December 24 from Bobo Evans, who helped rob the drugstore on Malcolm X Boulevard. In a flashback, Steve and James

King sit on a porch on 141st Street with Peaches and Johnny, who consider a “getover” against an illegal alien. After Briggs discredits Bolden’s testimony, the judge adjourns. That night, Steve hears a sexual attack on his inmate. A flashback shows Steve and his eleven year-old brother Jerry discussing superheroes. Wednesday, July 8: Steve lets Sunset read his screenplay and receives a visit from preacher in the afternoon. Steve wants to feel like a good person. In court, Detective Karyl presents photos of the crime scene. He admits that he found no fingerprints, but received a tip from Sal Zinzi that Bolden knew Evans and King committed the crime. A flashback shows Karyl questioning Steve and implying that he was the trigger man. Officer Williams predicts a sentence of life without parole. Steve fantasizes about being prepared for execution on death row. Steve recalls a conversation with fourteen year-old Osvaldo Cruz and Freddy Alou. Osvaldo accuses Steve of needing to make a name for himself by acting tough. Osvaldo testifies that Bobo cut a man in the projects. He also claims to have taken part in the crime because he was afraid of King, Evans, and Steve. Thursday, July 9: Steve worries that his lawyer is losing hope of winning. He knows that she is from Queens and went to New York University Law School. Kings asks Steve if he is making a deal with prosecutors. O’Brien upbraids Steve for putting his head down in a gesture of despair. Osvaldo testifies that Steve was the lookout. O’Brien questions him about his membership in the Diablos. At the detention center, Mr. Harmon visits his son. He comforts him but leaves sobbing. Steve recalls hearing women discuss the victim, who immigrated to the United States from St. Kitts. A neighbor reports that a little girl was murdered

two months before Nesbitt’s death. While Steve watches the news, Karyl and Williams arrive to take him to the 28th

precinct headquarters for questioning. Steve’s mother tries to follow. Friday, July 10: Steve ponders how Petrocelli kept showing the photos to leave a bad image in the jurors’ minds. He mops the corridors with disinfectant and gags from the smell. He blames himself for wanting to be tough like King and Evans. City Clerk Allen Forbes testifies that Nesbitt got a gun permit in August 1989. Williams reports viewing the crime scene at 5:15 and receiving Evan’s admission of guilt. Dr. James Moody, the medical examiner, testifies that Nesbitt drowned in his own blood. Saturday, July 11: Steve acknowledges that O’Brien ordered him not to write anything in his notebook that he didn’t want Petrocelli to see. He thinks about spending twenty years in prison and about his mother’s visit. She brings him a Bible with a passage marked and assures him she knows he is innocent. Steve recalls how King planned the robbery and asked him to be lookout. Sunday, July 12: At 1:15 P.M., Steve sees Jerry and his parents in the street below. Steve anticipates testimony by the state’s star witnesses on Monday. Monday, July 13: Petrocelli calls Lorelle Henry, a retired school librarian who witnessed the crime. She picked out King’s picture from over twenty police photos and identifies him in a lineup. Briggs complains to the judge that Evans arrives in court in a prison uniform from Greenhaven, where he is serving time for drug dealing. Evans claims that Steve was the lookout, but that Evans and King split the cash without sharing with Steve. Evans admits selling stolen cigarettes to Bolden. Tuesday, July 14: O’Brien visits Steve to tell him that Evan’s testimony hurt their case. In court, Dorothy Moore, King’s cousin, reports that James King came to her house to give her a lamp at 3:30 P.M. the day of the robbery. George Nipping testifies that King is left-handed, a weak retort to the fact that Nesbitt was shot on the left side, ostensibly by a right-handed shooter. O’Brien sets up a signal with a cup to indicate how well Steve is testifying. Steve testifies that he wasn’t a lookout and that he didn’t enter the drugstore. He explains that he spent the day taking mental notes for a school film project. George Sawicki states that he has known Steve for three years and that the boy is honest. Briggs concludes that no witnesses saw the murder. O’Brien adds that there is no proof that Steve served as lookout. The judge outlines to jurors the process of returning a verdict of guilty to felony murder. A guard confides that there is a wager pool on the outcome of the trial. Friday, July 17: The court awaits the arrival of the Nesbitt family. King is found guilty; Steve is exonerated. O’Brien recoils from his embrace.

Climax - The climax of this story occurs when Steve is found not guilty of felony murder.

Outcome - Steve is allowed to go home with his parents, but his “imprisonment” continues as he tries to make sense of who he is and the decisions he has made. His final thought concerns what his defense attorney saw in him when he tried to embrace her with gratitude after the verdict. He questions whether he really is a good person. December: James King begins serving 25 years to life. Osvaldo goes to a reformatory; Evans is in jail. Steve continues making films but worries that his father distances himself because he disapproves