Keystone Test Literature: Analyzing Fictional Texts 3

Question 1

Which element of fiction most directly conveys the author's central message or insight about human experience?

Accepted Answer

Theme

Answer

Theme is the underlying meaning or central idea the author communicates through the story.

Question 2

A character who serves mainly to highlight the protagonist's traits by contrasting with them is called a:

Accepted Answer

Foil

Answer

A foil character is designed to contrast with another character, emphasizing the other's qualities through differences.

Question 3

When an author uses the phrase 'the clock devoured the hours,' the figure of speech employed is:

Accepted Answer

Personification

Answer

Giving the clock a human-like action ('devoured') attributes human qualities to a non-human object, which is personification.

Question 4

A story set during the Great Depression in rural Oklahoma uses that setting primarily to:

Accepted Answer

Establish the economic and social hardships characters face

Answer

Historical and geographical settings shape the characters' circumstances and motivations within the narrative.

Question 5

In analyzing conflict, an external conflict would best be described as:

Accepted Answer

A character competing against a rival for a scholarship

Answer

External conflict involves a struggle between a character and an outside force, such as another person.

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