Analyzing Literary Texts Flashcards
7 cards from real NJSLA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Analyzing Literary Texts flashcards as text
A foil character in a novel is one who:
Answer: Contrasts with another character to highlight that character's traits
A foil's contrasting qualities are designed to throw the traits of another character — usually the protagonist — into sharper relief.
In the sentence 'The classroom was a zoo,' what type of figurative language is used, and what does it suggest?
Answer: Metaphor; the classroom was chaotic and unruly
This is a metaphor that equates the classroom to a zoo, implying wild, disorderly behavior.
An author describes a bleak, crumbling mansion with dead trees and dark skies to reflect the protagonist's inner despair. This technique — using setting to mirror a character's emotional state — is called:
Answer: Pathetic fallacy
Pathetic fallacy is the technique of projecting human emotions onto nature or environment to reinforce a character's feelings.
Which of the following is the BEST example of situational irony?
Answer: A fire station burns down
Situational irony occurs when what actually happens is the opposite of what is expected — a fire station catching fire is a prime example.
When analyzing a poem, a student identifies that every other line ends with a rhyming word (ABAB pattern). This is an example of:
Answer: Alternating rhyme scheme
An ABAB pattern, where lines 1 and 3 rhyme and lines 2 and 4 rhyme, is called an alternating or cross rhyme scheme.
A novel written entirely in a character's unfiltered, continuous inner thoughts — including fragmented sentences and emotional digressions — most likely uses which narrative technique?
Answer: Stream of consciousness
Stream of consciousness attempts to replicate the continuous, often fragmented flow of a character's thoughts and feelings.
Which statement BEST describes how an author develops a central theme across a narrative?
Answer: Through the accumulation of character choices, conflicts, symbols, and resolutions that all point toward the same idea
Theme emerges gradually through the interplay of multiple literary elements — characters, plot, symbols, and conflict — rather than being stated outright.