AST Literary Analysis and Fiction 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A story told from the perspective of a character who only knows their own thoughts and feelings uses which point of view?
- Third-person omniscient
- Third-person limited
- Second-person
- First-person (Correct answer)
Correct answer: First-person
First-person narration uses 'I' and reflects only the narrator's internal world.
In first-person point of view, the narrator is a character in the story and uses 'I.' The reader only has access to this narrator's thoughts, feelings, and observations. This creates intimacy but limits the reader's knowledge to one perspective.
Question 2: In fiction, the central struggle between opposing forces is called:
- Theme
- Conflict (Correct answer)
- Climax
- Resolution
Correct answer: Conflict
Conflict is the core tension or problem that drives the plot of a story.
Conflict is the central struggle in a story and can be internal (character vs. self) or external (character vs. character, nature, society, or fate). Without conflict, there is no plot. Conflict drives rising action toward the climax.
Question 3: Which literary device gives human characteristics to non-human things?
- Simile
- Metaphor
- Personification (Correct answer)
- Alliteration
Correct answer: Personification
Personification assigns human traits or emotions to animals, objects, or ideas.
Personification is a figure of speech where non-human things are given human qualities. Example: 'The wind whispered through the trees.' Whisper is a human action assigned to wind. This creates vivid imagery and emotional resonance.
Question 4: The turning point in a narrative where tension reaches its highest level is the:
- Exposition
- Rising action
- Climax (Correct answer)
- Denouement
Correct answer: Climax
The climax is the moment of highest dramatic tension before the plot begins to resolve.
The climax is the peak of the story's tension in the narrative arc. It follows the rising action and precedes the falling action. After the climax, the conflict begins to resolve. It is often the most emotionally intense scene in the story.
Question 5: When an author gives hints about what will happen later in the story, this technique is called:
- Flashback
- Foreshadowing (Correct answer)
- Irony
- Symbolism
Correct answer: Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing uses clues or hints to build anticipation for future events.
Foreshadowing is a narrative technique where the author hints at events that will occur later in the story. It creates suspense, prepares readers, and makes the story feel cohesive. For example, a character coughing early on may foreshadow illness later.
Question 6: A recurring symbol, image, or idea that reinforces the central theme of a work is called a:
- Motif (Correct answer)
- Subplot
- Allegory
- Parody
Correct answer: Motif
A motif is a recurring element that helps develop or reinforce the theme of a literary work.
A motif is a repeated element — an image, phrase, symbol, or idea — that appears throughout a text and contributes to its theme or meaning. For example, light and darkness in Romeo and Juliet is a motif that reinforces themes of love and fate.
AST Literary Analysis and Fiction 1
A story told from the perspective of a character who only knows their own thoughts and feelings uses which point of view?