MA English Literature 2

Question 1

What literary movement is characterized by an interest in the unconscious mind, dreams, and irrational elements?

Accepted Answer

Surrealism

Answer

Surrealism, emerging in the 1920s, sought to channel the irrational, unconscious, and dreamlike imagery to challenge rational thought.

Question 2

What is the primary concern of New Criticism as a school of literary theory?

Accepted Answer

Close reading of the text itself, without outside context

Answer

New Criticism focuses on close reading and the intrinsic qualities of a literary work, treating the text as a self-contained object independent of authorial intent or history.

Question 3

Which of the following best describes an 'unreliable narrator'?

Accepted Answer

A narrator whose credibility is compromised, leading readers to question the account

Answer

An unreliable narrator is one whose account of events cannot be fully trusted due to mental state, limited knowledge, or deliberate deception.

Question 4

The Harlem Renaissance was primarily a:

Accepted Answer

African American cultural and artistic movement centered in New York in the 1920s–30s

Answer

The Harlem Renaissance was a flourishing of African American intellectual, artistic, and literary culture centered in Harlem, New York, during the 1920s and 1930s.

Question 5

Which term describes a novel that follows a protagonist's moral and psychological growth from youth to adulthood?

Accepted Answer

Bildungsroman

Answer

A bildungsroman is a coming-of-age novel tracing the psychological and moral development of the protagonist from youth to adulthood.

MA - Master of Arts Practice Test

MA - Master of Arts Practice Test

MA English Literature 2