Literature Final Exam Preparation

Exam Mantra

• Pray for forgiveness, harbour no anger
• Feel the beauty of the world
• Praise the merit of passing down knowledge, but acknowledge the risk of spreading it easily
• Be a member of the Zenin clan, understanding eternity
• Combine opposite ideas to create something new

Affirmations

• I'm determined; hard work equals success
• I believe in myself; I can overcome obstacles
• I can handle difficult tasks
• I'm proud of my accomplishments
• I'll do great on the exam
• I'm prepared for the exam
• I'm capable, smart, and intelligent regardless of the outcome
• Just do my best and leave the rest
• Believe and achieve
• Believe and manifest

Repeat 10 times

Reminder

• Read "The Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway

Key Concepts for Lit Final Exam

Hybridity by Homi Bhabha

• Homi K. Bhabha was a literary theorist who used "hybridity" to describe new identities created through cultural exchange
• Hybridity originated in biology, referring to offspring of different organisms
• Bhabha's theory shows the interdependence of colonizers and colonized, with new identities co-constructed in the "Third Space of enunciation"

Subaltern by Spivak

• Spivak's "subaltern" refers to marginalized groups in postcolonial studies
• Originally used to describe lower military ranks, it now represents socially, politically, and economically disadvantaged groups
• They lack a voice and are situated in power structures

Identity

• Identity in literature explores individual and shared qualities, traits, and roles
• Identity themes include race, gender, class, and personal/cultural experiences, influencing how characters are developed, narratives are structured, and how readers relate to the text

Key Aspects of Identity in Literature

• Personal Identity: Unique character traits, personality, psychological development through actions and thoughts
• Social Identity: Roles, relationships, and positions within social structures
• Cultural Identity: Cultural heritage's influence, including ethnicity, language, religion, and cultural practices
• Intersectionality: The interplay of aspects like race, gender, and class
• Dynamic Identity: How identity changes due to events or experiences
• Identity Construction: Creating, questioning, or transforming identities through a text

Decolonization

• Decolonization is the process of colonized nations regaining autonomy, sovereignty, and cultural identity from former colonial powers
• Involves political, economic, cultural, and psychological dismantling of colonial rule for indigenous governance

Anthropomorphism

• Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities (animals, objects)
• A literary and artistic device, used to make abstract concepts more relatable

Ecocentrism

• Ethical perspective that values all living organisms and the environment, regardless of their usefulness to humans
• Prioritizes the well-being of ecosystems

Sense of Place

• Emotional, cultural, and personal connections a person or community feels toward a specific location
• Shaped by history, geography, culture, and personal experiences. Influences a person's identity, behaviour

Biocentrism

• Ethical perspective that values all life, not just humans
• All forms of life have moral worth, worthy of consideration and respect

Ideology

• A system of beliefs, values, and ideas that influence a person's or group's worldview
• Influences behaviour, decisions, interpretations of social, political, cultural, or economic realities

Social Structure

• The organized framework of relationships, roles, institutions, and regulations within a society
• Shapes behaviour, distributes resources, and forms identities

Contextualization

• Placing an event, idea, or concept within its broader historical, cultural, social, and environmental context for a deeper understanding

Intertextuality

• Connections between texts, with one text referencing, responding to, or reinterpreting another text, explicitly or implicitly
• Enriches interpretations

Capitalism

• Economic system where private entities control production, distribution, and exchange
• Emphasizes profit maximization through free market competition

Alienation

• Feeling of estrangement or disconnection from something familiar or integral to one's identity, labour, or life
• Often used to describe people detached from their work, themselves, or society

Class Struggle/Consciousness

Class Consciousness

• Awareness of one's position in the social and economic structure
• Recognition of shared economic interests and understanding of class exploitation and disadvantages

Class Struggle

• Ongoing conflict between different social classes with opposing interests

Interpellation

• Process of being "called" or addressed into specific social roles or ideologies
• Shaping identity and behaviour in society

Repression

• Defense mechanism where anxiety-inducing thoughts, memories, desires, or impulses are pushed out of conscious awareness

Symbolic Meaning

• Deeper or abstract meaning attached to objects, actions, or events
• Can represent cultural significance, emotion or ideologies

Conscious Vs Unconscious Mind

Conscious Mind:

• Thoughts, perceptions, and experiences we are presently aware of and capable of controlling

Unconscious Mind:

• Thoughts, memories, desires, and experiences outside our current awareness. Can still influence behaviour, thoughts and emotions.

Key Differences Between Consciousness and Unconscious Mind

• Awareness: Conscious mind has direct awareness of thoughts/feelings, the unconscious has hidden or repressed thoughts/feelings
• Control: Conscious mind directly controls thoughts/actions, the unconscious mind influences behaviour unconsciously
• Function: Conscious mind is responsible for reasoning and decision making; unconscious mind stores repressed conflicts/memories
• Accessibility: Conscious thoughts can be easily accessed and articulated; accessing the unconscious is much more complex
• Impact on Behaviour: Conscious mind directly influences thoughts/actions, unconscious mind has an indirect impact

Historical Materialism and Dialectical Materialism

Historical Materialism:

• Material conditions are the primary drivers of societal development.
• The way humans produce and reproduce necessities (food, shelter etc) forms the foundation for social structures.

Dialectical Materialism:

• Philosophical framework combining dialect and materialism
• Combines the idea that contradictions are at the heart of everything with materialism to understand historical and social change

Commodity

• Goods/services produced for exchange
• Possesses both use value (utility) and exchange value (value in exchange)

Fragmentation

• Breakdown of a whole into smaller unconnected parts.
• Can occur in society, literature, narrative, or ecology.

Prepare for your literature final exam with key concepts and affirmations. This quiz focuses on themes from 'The Hills Like White Elephants' and the theory of hybridity by Homi Bhabha, along with motivational affirmations to boost your confidence. Embrace constructive ideas to enhance your exam readiness.