English Vocabulary Flashcards
(51 cards)
Define antagonist and put it in a sentence
A person who opposes or is hostile to someone or something (often the villain of a story).
Curley is the antagonist in OMAM
Define protagonist and put it in a sentence
The leading character or one of the major characters in a play, film, novel, etc.
George and Lennie are the protagonists in OMAM
Define dialogue and put it in a sentence
A conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or film.
Throughout the novella ‘Of Mice and Men’, there is a lot of dialogue.
Define Ominous and put it in a sentence
Creating the worrying impression that something bad is going to happen.
The Ranch is an ominous setting in OMAM
Define Patriarchal society and put it in a sentence
A system of society or government controlled by men.
OMAM takes place in a patriarchal society.
Define novella and put it in a sentence
A story shorter than a novel or a long short story.
Of Mice and Men is Steinbeck’s famous novella.
Define analepsis and put it in a sentence
A flashback – when a past event breaks the chronological order of story.
Writers make strategic use of both analepsis and prolepsis in telling a story.
Define prolepsis and put it in a sentence
A flash forward - when a future event breaks the chronological order of a story.
Writers make strategic use of both analepsis and prolepsis in telling a story.
Define motif and put it in a sentence
A dominant or recurring image throughout a text (often symbolising something)
The motif of light is very commonly used throughout OMAM.
Define context and put it in a sentence
The circumstances that form the setting of an event, text, or idea in order for it to be fully understood
To understand OMAM, a reader should consider its historical context.
Define simile and put it in a sentence
A comparison between two things using the words like or as.
Slim was as brave as a lion when he threatened Curley.
Define metaphor and put it in a sentence
A comparison between two things by stating that one thing IS the other.
The field was a sea of green.
Define personification and put it in a sentence
When inanimate objects are given human characteristics of features.
The trees groaned and shed salty tears.
Define foreshadowing and put it in a sentence
A warning or indication of a future event in the text.
Steinbeck foreshadows the novella’s conclusion during the incident with Candy’s dog.
Define repetition and put it in a sentence
Repeated phrase / word / idea for effect.
Steinbeck uses repetition when Lennie asks George about their dream.
Define pathetic fallacy and put it in a sentence
When nature reflects the mood – typically the weather.
Thunder raged across the sky.
Define juxtaposition and put it in a sentence
When two opposite / contrasting ideas are seen close to each other.
I used my torch as a source of light as I walked through the dark forest.
Define semantic field and put it in a sentence
When a writer uses a series of linked words/ideas.
In a poem about war, there may be a semantic field of violence through words such as: suffering, cut, blast.
Define zoomorphism and put it in a sentence
When a writer gives animalistic qualities or features to a human.
Curley barked orders at them.
Define marginalised and put it in a sentence
Treated as insignificant / on the outside of society.
OMAM explores the lives of marginalised characters, like Crooks.
Define segregation and put it in a sentence
The action of setting someone or something apart from others.
Throughout history, black people have suffered from segregation.
Define periphery and put it in a sentence
The outer limits or edge of an area or object.
Crooks exists on the periphery of society.
Define ostracised and put it in a sentence
To exclude from a society or group
Curley’s wife is ostracised by all of the workers at the ranch.
Define microcosm and put it in a sentence
When something smaller / miniature represents something much larger
Steinbeck used the ranch as a microcosm for American society.
