LITERATURE REVIEWFOR

POST-BASELINE EXAM JUNE 8TH, 2015

ANDENGLISH REGENTS EXAM

JUNE 18TH, 2015NYS Regents Exam / 10th Grade Post-Baseline

Focus

● T(itle), A(uthor), G(enre)

● Literary Elements/Techniqueso setting, characterization, conflicts, symbols,

themes and/or motifs

● Most usable for each literary work

1.Macbeth: TAG

T: See above. Again - please underline. A: William Shakespeare (spelling!)G: Tragedy

2.Macbeth: Setting

● Scotland – and England, to a lesser extent● 11th century

o Fife - Macduff’s castleo Dunsinane - castle where Macbeth readies for

waro Birnam Wood - forest near Dunsinane

3.Macbeth: Characters

● Macbeth: Tragic hero, protagonist, envisions daggers

● Lady Macbeth: confidant, catalyst, envisions evil● Porter: comic relief - alcoholic, minds the gate● Duncan: murdered king, foil to Macbeth● Banquo: friend, foil to Macbeth, told his sons

projected kings

3.Macbeth: Characters

● Macduff: antagonist, “not of woman born”● Lady Macduff: “left” by Macduff, murdered w/ son● Malcolm: heir to throne, tested MacDuff’s loyalty● Donalbain: Duncan’s second son● Fleance: Son of Banquo; king?; escapes● Witches: instigators (“foul is fair”)● Hecate: Queen of Witches

4.Macbeth: Conflicts

● Note: Use these types to think about and frame conflict, not to write about it.

● Man vs. Man: o Macbeth vs. Macduff (and virtually everyone in the

play)

● Man vs. Self (internal conflict)o Macbeth vs. self (dagger, Banquo’s Ghost)o Lady Macbeth (blood on hands)

● Man vs. Society

5.Macbeth: Symbols

LITERAL (CONCRETE)

FIGURATIVE (ABSTRACT IDEA)

1. blood (also a motif)

guilt (consciences of Macbeth and esp. Lady Macbeth)

2. weather (typical in Shakespeare)

disorder (natural = human, political). Strange weather accompanies Duncan’s murder.

6.Macbeth: What to use...

● Characterization

● Conflict (especially internal)

● Symbols

1.Lord of the Flies: TAG

T: See above. (Underline!) A: William GoldingG: Allegory

2.Lord of the Flies: Setting

● Unknown island in South Pacific● WWII? Atomic War thereafter?● Time/place unimportant

o (microcosm for society as a whole)

3.Lord of the Flies: (British) Characters

Character Literal (flesh & blood) Figurative (abstract)

1. Ralph Elected leader; physical appeal; loses power; focus - rescue (protagonist)

Everyman; democracy;ego (realistic; seeks to

balance id/superego)

2. Jack Choir head → signal fire → hunter→ savage →leader → little boy(antagonist)

Savagery; id (impulsive, child-like, pleasure principle)

3.Lord of the Flies: (British) Characters

Character Literal (flesh & blood) Figurative (abstract)

3. Piggy Overweight, intellectual, physically inferior, death via Roger

intelligence, superego (conscience, seeks perfection)

4. Simon shy, sensitive, natural goodness, connected to nature, speaks to Pig’s head, sacrificed on beach

Christ Figure, speaks to Pig’s Head (evil), inherent goodness

5. Roger sadistic, kills Piggy evil

4.Lord of the Flies: Conflicts

● Note: Use these types to think about and frame conflict, not to write about it.

● Man vs. Man● Man vs. Self (internal conflict)● Man vs. Society

5.Lord of the Flies: Major Symbols

The Lord of the Flies (the Beast)

The Conch Shell

Piggy's Glasses

6.Lord of the Flies: What to use...

● Symbolism! (Note changes in symbols)● Characterization

o id, ego, superego as symbolic representationso Simon as Christ figure

● Conflict: Civilization (Ralph) vs. Savagery (Jack). Allegory of power struggle/exchange

1.Beowulf: TAG

T: Underline! A: Unknown ● orally passed by scops & minstrels● Pagan → Christianity

G: Epic poemNote: Old English (Anglo-Saxon) 700 - 1000

AD

2.Beowulf: Setting

● Denmark and Geatland (a region in what is now southern Sweden)

● 700 AD (but evolved as spoken)

3.Beowulf: Characters

1.Beowulf: Protagonist, Geat Anglo-Saxon hero, follows warrior code, death as King (to dragon)

2.Grendel: Demon, descended of Cain (cursed, excluded), feasts on Herot (mead hall), killed by Beowulf. (Other monsters:Grendel’s mother, dragon)

3.King Hrothgar: King of the Danes4.Wiglaf: Fights dragon with Beowulf; heroic5.Herot: Banquet hall of the Danes

4.Beowulf: Conflicts

● Note: Use these types to think about and frame conflict, not to write about it.

● Man vs. Man: ● Man vs. Self (internal conflict)● Man vs. Society

5.Beowulf: Symbols

LITERAL (CONCRETE)

FIGURATIVE (ABSTRACT IDEA)

1. The great banquet at Herot

After Grendel’s death - restoration of peace and order

6.Beowulf: Themes & Motifs

● The Difference Between a Good Warrior

and a Good King (Beowulf himself)

● The Hero’s Journey

● The Heroic Code and Other Value Systems

1.Night: TAG

T: See above. Again - please underline. A: Elie WeiselG: Literary memoir

2.Night: Setting

● Europe -WWII

● Modern day Poland and Germany

3.Night: Characters

● Elie● Elie’s father● Idek - prisoner

follows Nazi rule

● Moshe the Beadle

- Jewish mystic

Stein of Antwerp - distant relative

French girl - had to hide her ethnicity

4.Night: Conflicts

● Note: Use these types to think about and frame conflict, not to write about it.

● Man vs. Man ● Man vs. Self (internal conflict)● Man vs. Society