Literary Analysis Key Command Terms PDF

1. Identify: Find and point out specific elements, features, or details in the text. Example: Identify the key symbols used in the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Response: The road itself is a symbol of the journey of survival, while the boy represents hope for the future and human decen...

1. Identify: Find and point out specific elements, features, or details in the text. Example: Identify the key symbols used in the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Response: The road itself is a symbol of the journey of survival, while the boy represents hope for the future and human decency in a desolate, post-apocalyptic world. 2. Analyze: Break down a text into its component parts to understand how they contribute to the whole. Example: Analyze the role of fate in Romeo and Juliet. Response: Fate plays a crucial role in Romeo and Juliet, from the lovers’ first meeting to the series of misunderstandings that lead to their tragic deaths. The frequent references to stars and destiny highlight the inevitability of their doomed love. 3. Interpret: Explain the meaning of something within the text, often involving subjective understanding and insight. Example: Interpret the significance of Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be” soliloquy. Response: Hamlet’s soliloquy reflects his inner turmoil over life and death, expressing existential dread and his contemplation of suicide as a means to escape the suffering caused by his moral and emotional dilemmas. 4. Evaluate: Make a judgment about the value or effectiveness of something, often considering both strengths and weaknesses. Example: Evaluate the effectiveness of the narrative style in The Handmaid’s Tale. Response: The narrative style of The Handmaid’s Tale is highly effective, as the first-person account creates intimacy and allows the reader to experience Offred’s restricted life. However, the fragmented structure can be disorienting, mirroring Offred's psychological state but sometimes hindering narrative flow. 5. Review: Summarize the key aspects of a text or issue, offering a general overview while considering the significant points or themes. Example: Review the theme of freedom in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Response: In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou explores the theme of freedom through the metaphor of the caged bird. The restrictions imposed by racism and sexism are contrasted with the narrator’s internal longing for self-expression and liberation. 6. Compare: Examine the similarities between two or more texts, ideas, or elements. Example: Compare the father-son relationships in The Road and The Brothers Karamazov. Response: In both The Road and The Brothers Karamazov, father-son relationships are central. In The Road, the father’s unconditional love and protection of his son serve as a beacon of hope, while in The Brothers Karamazov, the relationships between Fyodor Pavlovich and his sons are fraught with tension, distrust, and moral conflict, representing the collapse of family bonds. 7. Contrast: Highlight the differences between two or more texts, ideas, or elements. Example: Contrast the depictions of duty in Hamlet and The Brothers Karamazov. Response: In Hamlet, the protagonist feels duty-bound to avenge his father's murder, but he is paralyzed by indecision and doubt. In The Brothers Karamazov, Alyosha is driven by a sense of duty to his family and faith, taking action to support his brothers while struggling to reconcile his spiritual beliefs with the turmoil around him. 8. Explain: Provide a detailed account of how or why something happens, often involving a step-by-step breakdown. Example: Explain the role of guilt in The Brothers Karamazov. Response: Guilt in The Brothers Karamazov is a pervasive theme, affecting all of the Karamazov brothers. Dmitri feels guilt over his reckless behavior, Ivan is tormented by his philosophical rejection of God and subsequent role in his father’s death, and Alyosha struggles with the guilt of not being able to heal the rifts within his family. 9. Discuss: Explore a subject or concept by considering different viewpoints or aspects in depth. Example: Discuss the portrayal of violence in The Road. Response: The Road portrays violence as both a necessity for survival and a moral challenge. While the father engages in violence to protect his son, the novel constantly questions whether survival at the cost of humanity is worth it, contrasting the brutality of the world with the father’s desire to retain some measure of goodness. 10. Justify: Provide reasons or evidence to support an argument or conclusion. Example: Justify the claim that The Handmaid’s Tale is a feminist critique. Response: The Handmaid’s Tale can be seen as a feminist critique because it explores themes of female oppression, reproductive rights, and patriarchal control. The dystopian society of Gilead strips women of autonomy, reducing them to their biological functions, which serves as a critique of gender inequality and the subjugation of women. 11. Illustrate: Provide examples or specific evidence to support a point or argument. Example: Illustrate the use of foreshadowing in Romeo and Juliet. Response: Shakespeare foreshadows the tragic ending in the prologue when the chorus refers to the lovers as “star-crossed,” and again when Romeo says, “my mind misgives / Some consequence yet hanging in the stars” just before he attends the Capulet party where he meets Juliet. 12. Summarize: Provide a brief overview of the main points or ideas. Example: Summarize the central conflict in Hamlet. Response: The central conflict in Hamlet revolves around Prince Hamlet’s struggle to avenge his father’s murder. Torn between his moral hesitation and his duty to act, Hamlet’s internal conflict drives the plot, culminating in a tragic series of events that lead to the demise of nearly all major characters. 13. Critique: Provide a detailed analysis of a text, considering its merits and weaknesses. Example: Critique the use of language in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Response: Maya Angelou’s use of language in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is lyrical and evocative, capturing both the beauty and pain of her experiences. However, some critics argue that the heavy use of poetic devices occasionally obscures the clarity of the narrative, though this stylistic choice ultimately enhances the emotional depth of the memoir. 14. Comment on: Express an opinion or explanation on a particular element of the text. Example: Comment on the theme of death in Hamlet. Response: Death is a dominant theme in Hamlet, manifesting through the murder of King Hamlet, Ophelia’s suicide, and Hamlet’s own existential musings on mortality. The play questions the finality of death and its moral implications, with Hamlet’s obsession with the afterlife reflecting his indecision and fear of the unknown.