Reading Guidelines Questions

Terms in this set (37)

Central Idea
It's the reader's understanding of a story's meaning, its message about some aspect of human experience, expressed in one sentence.
2 things a central idea should not do
1. offer advice
2. no questions
What 3 things should your papers central idea account for?
1. Identify the story's message
2. Express a statement about the human condition
3. Account for the protagonist and the antagonist and answer the question, "with what result?"
Reading guideline 1
Identify the main characters-the protagonist and antagonist-and get to know them well.
Reading guideline 2
Identify the conflicts between these characters and any forces in opposition to the main characters.
Reading guideline 3
Track the main conflict(s) to the point of greatest intensity-the climax.
Reading guideline 4
Near, usually after, the climax look for an epiphany-some revelation, sudden understanding, insight, or realization occurring usually to the protagonist, but sometimes to another character or even the reader.
Reading guideline 5
Find significant repetitions.
Reading guideline 6
Look for patterns and progressions in repeated items.
Reading guideline 7
Identify and "unpack" literary devices-imagery, similes, metaphors, symbols, allusions, and names.
Reading guideline 8
Check a story's setting for patterns and progressions, an antagonist, implied conflicts, and "subtext."
Reading guideline 9
Identify and evaluate the point of view.
Reading guideline 10
Assess the effect of tone on your interpretation-especially irony and humor.
Imagery
Mental pictures created from words that can evoke a feeling and convey meaning.
Similes
Comparisons using the words like or as.
Metaphors
A kind of renaming in which the author asks you to see the real thing as something else.
Symbols
A symbol stands for something more or something else; usually it is a visible sign of the invisible.
Allusions
an implied or indirect reference to a work of art, to some aspect of religion or something in history.
Names
The names of people, places, or things that may have other meanings behind them.
2 things that are likely in first-person narative
1. The first person narrative is notoriously unreliable.
2. By definition, the first person narrator is always the protagonist.
What does a character's change of clothing signify?
Clothing can sometimes reflect the feelings and attitudes of the characters. A change in clothing indicate a change in attitude or emotion.
What are the 4 Meyers Briggs personality types and what kind of mates do they desire?
1. Sensing Judgers (SJ) - they're looking for a workmate
2. Sensing Processors (SP) - they're looking for a playmate
3. Intuitive Feelers (IF) - looking for a soulmate
4. Intuitive Thinkers (IT) - looking for a mindmate
Sometimes a house represents
a mind.
Why is 3rd person dramatic POV more difficult to analyze than the other POVs?
We don't actually know what the characters are thinking.
What is authorial intrusion?
When there is disconnect between what the author wants to say and what the character can say so the author speaks out to the reader.
What is an authorial flag?
Indication of what the character is thinking without being in the character's head.
The greater the difference between an author and his/her protagonist, the more ___________ that character is likely to be
unrealiable
3 types of allusions
1. Religious
2. historical
3. artistic
What is the chief objection to 3rd person omniscient POV?
There is no ambiguity
Define "free indirect style"
A blend of the author and the character's voices and view points
Humor and irony are two kinds of ____
tone
Fairly often, the antagonist is not a character, but
society
What are the five components of plot structure?
1. Exposition
2. Rising action
3. Conflict
4. Climax
5. Resolution
What is a digression?
Footnotes.
What can 2 characters' relative positions tell you?
Their relationship status; example, if one character is above another the character above has more power.
Define "reflective setting"
A setting that reflects the feelings of the characters
What is a "self character?"
A character that resembles the author.
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