Leaning Literary: Study Cards

In order to learn and keep our knowledge, we review study cards. You may use these on essays and select quizzes and tests.

First, make a copy on a sheet of paper or large note card. For one point of extra credit, transfer your work to quizlet (see examples below). If we use your quizlet list, I will add a point to your assignment (possible extra credit).

Below, you will see key information that should be included in your card:

The author (or list the work as anonymously written)
The dates associated with the work (written, published, etc.)
Any relevant historical context

Setting: temporal (time) and spacial (place)
Characters
Plot structure

Exposition, complication, rising action, climax, falling action, conclusion
Open or closed ending?

Point of view

Does it shift at all? That could be key.

Symbols
Imagery
Tone

The attitude of the narrator toward the subject and
The attitude of the narrator toward the reader
(Also, possibly, the attitude of the narrator toward himself or herself.)

Atmosphere

The overall feeling or mood a reader picks up from a work.

A given location may give a particular ambiance which is different than the total atmosphere.

Focus on terms that fit this work uniquely (such as alliteration in Beowulf or narrative perspective in Pride and Prejudice). The terms you need to focus on the most may not even be in this list (though most will usually be).

Syntax and writing style

Rhetorical devices

metaphors, anaphora, litotes, hyperbole, etc.

What makes this writing distinct?

Irony (esp. modern works)
Themes and motifs
50 Wondrous Words: Memorize key quotations (usually three are perfect) with page and/or line numbers included. For your quiz, you need fifty or more words memorized from any passage or combination of passages. Consider lines that