1. Review of Literature
9th-12th grade

2. Works Reviewed: Of Mice and Men To Kill a Mockingbird
Lord of the Flies
Romeo and Juliet
The Great Gatsby
Fahrenheit 451
A Raisin in the Sun
The Glass Castle
A Prayer for Owen Meany
Brave New World
Hamlet

3. 9th grade literature Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Other:
The Pearl by John Steinbeck

4. Of Mice and Men Author: John Steinbeck
Setting: 1930s, South of Soledad, California
Narrator: 3rd person omniscient
Symbols:
George and Lennie’s Farm: American Dream; land and independence
Rabbits: Innocence
Candy’s Dog: Quality of life; acts of mercy and kindness

5. Important Characters in OMM
Lennie Smalls: huge man; migrant worker; mild mental disability; doesn’t understand his own strength; dependent on George; innocent; hopeful
George: small in size; defined features; migrant worker; intelligent; caregiver to Lennie; shares the dream with Lennie, but gets frustrated with him

6. Other characters in OMM
Candy: old swamper; dog is his companion
Curley: boss’s son; mean spirited, jealous, untrusting of his wife
Curley’s wife: attractive, red dress, flirtatious, source of trouble, dreams of being a movie star

7. Themes in OMM Broken Plans/dreams The American Dream Male Friendship
Weakness vs. Strength
The portrayal of women
Loneliness

8. Literary Element Review
To Kill a Mockingbird
Literary Element Review

9. Notes Author: Harper Lee Point of View: First-person; Scout Finch
Setting:
Time: 1930’s
Maycomb, Alabama
Mood: lighthearted, humorous, reflective
Atmosphere:
Great Depression
Small town
discrimination

10. Theme The Coexistence of Good and Evil Mrs. Dubose Aunt Alexandra
Boo Radley
Walter Cunningham Senior
Jury

11. Theme The Importance of Moral Education
Atticus – seeing from other’s perspectives; equality; nonviolence
Miss Maudie –respect for all people
Calpurnia

12. Theme The Existence of Social Inequality Tom Robinson’s trial
Finches – Cunninghams – Ewells – Black community

13. Theme The Destruction of Innocence Miss Maudie Mayella Tom Robinson
Jem
Scout

14. Theme
Courage is doing what is right even when the odds of succeeding are poor
Mrs. Dubose beating her addiction
Atticus with the trial

15. Theme Prejudice and superstition leading to injustice
Tom being found guilty when innocent
Boo Radley

16. Symbols in TKAM
Mockingbirds: innocence/loss of innocence

17. 10th grade literature Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Other:
After the First Death by Robert Cormier
Antigone by Sophocles
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

18. Romeo and Juliet Author: William Shakespeare Play/Drama/Tragedy
Setting: 1500s; Verona, Italy; Two children from feuding families fall in love

19. Important Characters
Romeo: Impulsive; Impetuous; quick to fall in love; emotional; fails to think things through meaningfully
Juliet: 13 years old; initially obedient and bending to her parents’ will; grows to be willful, independent; quick to fall in love

20. Other characters Montague Capulet Romeo Benvolio Lady M Juliet Parents
Tybalt
Nurse

21. Themes
Young Love
Fate
Haste/Impulsivity
Decisions

22. Conflicts Man vs. Man: Montagues vs. Capulets
Man vs. Man: Romeo vs. Tybalt

23. Lord of the Flies Author: William Golding
Point of View: 3rd person omniscient
Setting: 1940s during a fictional war; deserted island; a group of British school boys are evacuated during war and crash onto an island; left to fend for themselves
Allegory (metaphorical)

24. Important Characters Ralph: Leader, goodness, organization, order
Jack: Hunter, evil, chaos, disorder
Simon: Christ Figure; spirituality; philosophy
Piggy: Intelligence, logic, unaccepted

25. Conflict Man vs. Man: Ralph vs. Jack Man vs. Man: Jack vs. Piggy
Man vs. Man: Boys vs. Simon

26. Themes The inherent (naturally occurring) evil in mankind
Good vs. evil
Leadership
Survival
Community vs. Individuality

27. 11th grade literature The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

28. The Great Gatsby Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Point of View: First Person and third person (Nick Caraway)
Setting: 1920s; prohibition; Long Island/NYC
East Egg: Old money (Daisy and Tom)
West Egg: New money (Gatsby and Nick)

29. Characters Nick Caraway Jay Gatsby Tom Buchanan Daisy Buchanan
Myrtle Wilson
George Wilson
Jordan Baker

30. Themes The decline of the American Dream
The emptiness of the upper class

31. Symbols
The green light
Valley of ashes
The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg

32. The Glass Castle
By Jeannette Walls

33. Key Facts Published: 2005 Genre: Memoir Setting:
Autobiographical: true; written about oneself
Brief snapshot of a particular time period in a person’s life
Still has “literary” qualities (strong imagery, symbolism, plot, characters, conflicts, etc.)
Setting:
Time:
Places: Nevada, Arizona, California, West Virginia, and New York
Circumstances: a young girl tells her story of growing up in a dysfunctional family

34. Key Facts
Many of the characters are real people that are still alive today.
Jeanette Walls: Protagonist
Her Parents: Rex and Rose Mary Walls: Antagonists
Siblings: Lori, Brian, and Maureen Walls

35. Themes
Hardship
Family Dynamics
Loyalty
Fearlessness
Shame
Lost Dreams

36. Fahrenheit 451 Title: Fahrenheit 451
Date of Publication: 1953 (short story “The Fireman” 1951)
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian Fiction
Setting:
Futuristic society
24th Century
Two atomic wars since 1990
Unspecified City

37. Characters Guy Montag Clarisse McClellan Mildred Motag Captain Beatty
Professor Faber
Granger
Mrs. Phelps
Mrs. Bowles
Stoneman and Black

38. Symbols “The Hearth and the Salamander” “The Sieve and the Sand”
The Phoenix

39. Themes
Censorship
Technology
Knowledge vs. Ignorance

40. A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry
Setting: s; Southside of Chicago
The Youngers, a working-class black family, struggle against economic hardship and racial prejudice.

41. Themes The value and purpose of dreams
The need to fight racial discrimination
The importance of family

42. Characters Mama Walter Lee Younger Ruth Beneatha Travis Jospeh Asagai
George Murchison
Karl Lindner
Willy Harris
Bobo
Mrs. Johnson

43. Symbols
Mama’s Plant
Beneatha’s hair

44. Speak Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Point of View: first person (Melinda tells the story; diary-like; reveals her inner thoughts)
Structure: 4 marking periods of Melinda’s freshman year; change of seasons
Setting: Modern (Late 90s)
Syracuse, NY at Merryweather High School

45. Characters Melinda Her parents Rachel Andy Evans/”It”/Andy Beast
Mr. Freeman
Heather
Mr. Neck
Ivy

46. Themes Communication Personal Growth Overcoming Painful Experiences
Artistic or Personal Expression
Violence against women/Agression
Fear
Depression

47. Conflicts Man vs. Man: Melinda vs. Andy Evans
Man vs. Self: Melinda vs. Self

48. Symbolism Seasons: Personal changes
Fall: Dying/turning inward/Losing oneself
Winter: Death/frozen/isolation/desolation
Spring: healing/rebirth
Tree: Growth; life; overcoming pain
Art
Tree in her yard=pruning=healing

49. A Prayer for Owen Meany
By John Irving

50. Key Facts Date of Publication: 1989 Genre: Bildungsroman
Circular Narrative: Starts by telling you the resolution; story is about HOW things happen rather than WHAT happens.
Setting: Gravesend, NH in ; Toronto, Canada in 1987

51. Author’s Style Influenced by Dickens; Lengthy, vivid description
Well-developed, memorable characters
Sentimental, heartbreaking, comical

52. Characters Owen Meany: Christ figure, anti-hero Strong impact on John
mature, witty, smart, faithful, rebellious, outspoken, believes in God’s plan, accepts his fate

53. Characters Johnny Wheelwright: Narrator Missing finger
Quest for self-understanding
Defines himself through his friendship with Owen
Quiet, curious, doubtful

54. Characters
Tabby Wheelwright: Johnny’s Mom; killed by Owen with baseball; talented, beautiful, mysterious
Dan Needham: Johnny’s father figure; legally adopts him after Tabby’s death
Reverend Lewis Merrill: Johnny’s biological father; cowardly, doubtful, disappointing

55. Characters
Hester Eastman: Johnny’s cousin; Owen’s love interest; superstar; unloved; abrasive, overtly sexual, selfish, rude, stubborn
Harriet Wheelwright: Johnny’s grandma; “WASPY”; rigid, but becomes more open-minded after Tabby’s death; dignified

56. Symbols/Motifs Armless Figures (Motif) Dressmaker’s Dummy
Mary Magdalene Armadillo
SIGNIFICANCE: fate; life is out of your hands and in God’s hands

57. Themes
Fate
Friendship
Faith vs. Doubt

58. Brave New World By Aldous Huxley Genre: Dystopian Fiction
Published: 1932
Setting: future (2540); England; Savage Reservation in NM

59. Characters Bernard Marx Hemholtz Watson John (Savage) Lenina Crowne
Linda (John’s mother)
Director of Hatchery and Conditioning
World Controller, Mustapha Mond

60. Symbols The bottle: conditioning; social predestination
Soma: control; promotion of happiness

61. Themes: The incompatibility of truth and happiness
Use of technology to control society
Government Control

62. The Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison
Genre: Bildungsroman; African American Literature
Published: 1965
Setting: 1930s; Lorraine, OH

63. Characters Pecola Breedlove Claudia MacTeer Frieda MacTeer
Mrs. Breedlove (Pauline or Polly)
Cholly Breedlove
Mr. Henry
Soaphead Church

64. Symbols/Motifs Seasons Blue Eyes Dick and Jane Narrative Houses
Marigolds/Seeds

65. Themes White Standards of Beauty Sexual Initiation and Abuse
Loss of Innocence

66. The Catcher in the Rye By J.D. Salinger
Published: 1951 ( as a short story)
Genre: Bildungsroman
Setting: December, late 1940s; Pency Prep and NYC

67. Characters Holden Caulfield Ackley Stradlater Jane Gallagher Phobe
Allie DB
Sally Hayes
Mr. Spencer
Mr. Antolini

68. Symbols
Red Hat
Catcher in the Rye
Museum
Ducks in Central Park

69. Themes Alienation as Self-Protection Painfulness of Growing Up
Phoniness of the Adult World

70. Hamlet Written between 1599-1602 Genre: tragedy
Elements of tragedy (classical and Shakespearean):
noble characters
tragic hero: a basically good or noble person with a tragic flaw (HAMARTIA) who makes a bad decision which leads to his/her downfall.
goal: JUSTICE; to evoke terror and pity in the audience

71. Setting Time: Late medieval period (imprecise date…1300’s)
Place: Denmark; Elsinore Castle
Circumstances: Prince Hamlet returns home from school after his father King Hamlet’s death (Lion King-esque)

72. Characters Hamlet Claudius Gertrude Polonius Laertes Ophelia Horatio
Fortinbras
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

73. Themes Revenge The health of the state/moral legitimacy of the ruler
Action vs. Inaction
Death****************************************************