literary and critical terms def and examples

Question 1

Plot

Answer 1

The sequence of events in a story. Example: Balram’s rise from driver to murderer in “The White Tiger.”

Question 2

Foreshadowing

Answer 2

Hints or clues about what will happen later. Example: Early mentions of violence in “Farming of Bones.”

Question 3

Flashback

Answer 3

A scene that interrupts the chronological order to depict something from the past. Example: Ramatoulaye recounting her marriage in “So Long a Letter.”

Question 4

Conflict

Answer 4

A struggle between opposing forces. Example: Balram vs. the class system in India.

Question 5

Setting

Answer 5

The time and place where a story occurs. Example: Haiti during the 1937 massacre in “Farming of Bones.”

Question 6

Theme

Answer 6

The underlying message or main idea. Example: Cultural identity in “So Long a Letter.”

Question 7

Narrator

Answer 7

The voice that tells the story. Example: Trevor Noah in “Born a Crime.”

Question 8

Unreliable Narrator

Answer 8

A narrator whose credibility is compromised. Example: Balram in “The White Tiger.”

Question 9

Characterization

Answer 9

The method an author uses to develop characters. Example: Ramatoulaye’s character developed through letters.

Question 10

Symbolism

Answer 10

: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. Example: The tomato plant in “So Long a Letter.”

Question 11

Imagery

Answer 11

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses. Example: Graphic description of the massacre in “Farming of Bones.”

Question 12

Verbal Irony

Answer 12

Saying the opposite of what is meant.

Question 13

Dramatic Irony

Answer 13

The audience knows more than the character.

Question 14

Situational Irony

Answer 14

An outcome that is opposite of what is expected. Example: Balram pretending loyalty while planning murder.

Question 15

Tone

Answer 15

The author’s attitude toward the subject. Example: Reflective and critical in “So Long a Letter.”

Question 16

Style

Answer 16

The way an author uses language. Example: Poetic and letter-form in “So Long a Letter.”

Question 17

Simile

Answer 17

A comparison using “like” or “as.” “Time oozed through the dark like a lead weight.”

Question 18

Metaphor

Answer 18

A direct comparison. “The city is a jungle.”

Question 19

Personification

Answer 19

Giving human qualities to non-humans. “The wind whispered.”

Question 20

Hyperbole

Answer 20

Exaggeration for effect. “I’ve told you a million times.”

Question 21

Allusion

Answer 21

An indirect reference to another text or event. Reference to colonial schooling systems.

Question 22

Anti-hero

Answer 22

A central character who lacks traditional heroic qualities. Example: Balram in “The White Tiger.”

Question 23

Social Criticism

Answer 23

A critique of societal structures and norms. Example: Polygamy and patriarchy in “So Long a Letter.”

Question 24

Magical Realism

Answer 24

A genre combining realistic narrative with surreal elements. Example: “Two Words.”

Question 25

Afrofuturism

Answer 25

A cultural genre blending science fiction and African culture. Example: “Rainmaker.”

Question 26

Graphic Narratives

Answer 26

Storytelling through comics or visual media. Example: “Taste of Illness.”

Question 27

Epistolary Novel

Answer 27

A novel written as a series of letters. Example: "So Long a Letter."

Question 28

Coming-of-age (Bildungsroman)

Answer 28

A story of a character's growth from youth to adulthood. Example: "Born a Crime."

Question 29

Historical Fiction

Answer 29

Fiction set in the past, incorporating historical events. Example: "The Farming of Bones."

Question 30

Literature of Witness

Answer 30

Writing that documents traumatic or historical events. Example: "The Farming of Bones."

Question 31

Memoir

Answer 31

A factual account from the author's life. Example: "Born a Crime."

Question 32

Genre Theory

Answer 32

Analyzes how a work fits into a literary genre and how it uses genre conventions.

Question 33

Gender & Sexuality Analysis / Feminist Theory

Answer 33

Examines gender roles, patriarchy, and sexuality in texts.

Question 34

New Historicism

Answer 34

Considers the historical and cultural context of literature.

Question 35

Postcolonialism

Answer 35

Analyzes literature from formerly colonized nations and explores issues like identity and cultural conflict.

Question 36

Ex: What kind of figurative language is used in the line “Time oozed through the dark like a lead weight in a fish's gut”? Allusion Metaphor Personification Simile

Answer 36

Simile

Question 37

Ex: Which event from So Long a Letter would we focus on if we were analyzing the novel through the critical lens of Postcolonialism? Ramatoulaye and Aissatou’s education at a French school. The cultural perceptions of class that led Mawdo to take Young Nabou as his second wife. Modou’s treatment of Binetou first as her sugar daddy, and then as her husband .

Answer 37

Ramatoulaye and Aissatou education at a French School.

Question 38

Ex: Match these literary genres with their definitions: Afrofuturism Epistolary novel Historical Fiction Magical realism A genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to past events, but which focuses on conveying a narrative rather than accurately describing those events. A literary work composed of a series of letters. A genre that paints a realistic view of the world while adding fantastic elements, particularly for social commentary. A genre that centers Black history and culture and incorporates science-fiction, technology, and futuristic elements into literature, music, and the visual arts.

Answer 38

Afrofuturism-A genre that centers Black history and culture and incorporates science-fiction, technology, and futuristic elements. Epistolary novel- A literary work composed of a series of letters. Historical Fiction-A genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to past events, but focuses on conveying a narrative. Magical Realism-A genre that paints a realistic view of the world while adding fantastic elements, particularly for social commentary.

Question 39

Trevor Noah

Answer 39

His mixed-race heritage under apartheid makes him “born a crime”

Question 40

Amabelle Desír

Answer 40

Returns to her homeland of Haiti after suffering through a genocide

Question 41

Balram Halwai

Answer 41

Murders his master to steal money and become an entrepreneur

Question 42

Anyango

Answer 42

Is shunned by her community in Uganda for her lesbian relationship

Question 43

Ramatoulaye

Answer 43

A schoolteacher whose husband abandons her for his second wife

Question 44

Identify two texts that have themes of preserving or restoring one’s cultural heritage:

Answer 44

"So Long a Letter" – Through Ramatoulaye's reflections on Senegalese traditions, religion, and French colonial influence, the novel explores how cultural identity is navigated and preserved by women in a changing society. "The Farming of Bones" – The novel highlights the importance of Haitian identity, memory, and language (like the use of Kreyòl) in the face of systemic violence and erasure during the 1937 Parsley Massacre.

Question 45

Essay prompts: Option 1: Motor vehicle accidents play a role in the three novels we’ve read this semester: In chapter 24 of So Long a Letter, a motorcyclist knocks down two of Ramatoulaye’s sons while they are playing soccer in the street; all parties are merely injured. In chapter 8 of The Farming of Bones, Señor Pico hits and kills Joël with his car when driving home to see his newborn children; we’ve discussed how this action has ripple effects among many people. In The White Tiger, we have two accidents: the hit-and-run where Pinky killed the child in The Fourth Night, and the emergency where Balram’s driver kills a boy on a bicycle in The Seventh Night. Write an essay comparing and contrasting the way the authors use motor vehicle accidents in these three texts as a device to move along the plot, create conflict, and develop characterization and/or theme. Why might this event be so commonplace among these drastically different countries and time periods? What do the responses to these events show us about the universality of human nature?

Answer 45

Sample Introduction Paragraph Motor vehicle accidents, though seemingly random, are employed with deliberate narrative purpose in So Long a Letter, The Farming of Bones, and The White Tiger. In these three novels, the authors use car accidents as pivotal moments that expose systemic injustice, ignite personal transformation, and reflect on human accountability. While the contexts—Senegal, the Dominican Republic, and India—are geographically and culturally distinct, these scenes share a symbolic function: they reveal how violence and power intersect with the everyday, exposing deeper truths about class, privilege, and moral compromise. The characters’ reactions to these events not only propel the plot forward, but also serve as windows into universal aspects of human nature, such as guilt, denial, grief, and the pursuit of justice. Thesis Statement Although the motor vehicle accidents in these novels occur under different circumstances, they serve as literary devices that unveil hidden power structures, test moral boundaries, and highlight the shared vulnerability of human life, making them powerful catalysts for character development and thematic exploration across cultures. Body Paragraphs Plan Body Paragraph 1: Character and Power – Señor Pico & Pinky Madam Text 1: The Farming of Bones Señor Pico, a Dominican colonel, kills Joël, a Haitian child, in a hit-and-run and shows no remorse. Reflects themes of dehumanization, racial hierarchy, and state-sanctioned violence. “He never looked back once at Joël’s crumpled body” (Danticat 74). Text 2: The White Tiger Pinky Madam kills a child in a drunken state; Balram is coerced into signing a confession. Reflects India’s deep class divisions and systemic corruption. “They made me sign that confession because I was the servant” (Adiga 168). Both characters avoid accountability due to privilege. Body Paragraph 2: Trauma and Emotional Aftermath – Ramatoulaye’s Children & Balram’s Transformation Text 1: So Long a Letter The accident with Ramatoulaye’s sons doesn’t cause death but creates a moment of maternal anxiety. Shows how easily tragedy can strike, emphasizing the fragility of life. “The idea of losing them paralyzed me with fear” (Bâ 85). Text 2: The White Tiger Balram’s own involvement in a second accident becomes a tipping point in his moral descent. Loss of compassion, desensitization. “There was blood on the bumper, and I didn’t care anymore” (Adiga 234). Compare: In So Long a Letter, the event brings emotional clarity; in The White Tiger, it pushes Balram toward amorality. Body Paragraph 3: Universal Symbolism – Movement, Disruption, and Modernity Accidents act as symbols of disruption in all three novels—interrupting social orders and personal paths. The motor vehicle is a metaphor for power, modernity, and control—those who drive are in control; those who are hit are powerless. In all three stories, vehicles divide the elite from the marginalized. Accidents become moments that unveil the limits of societal protection. Conclusion Paragraph Despite their different cultural and political settings, So Long a Letter, The Farming of Bones, and The White Tiger each use motor vehicle accidents to confront the reader with the unpredictability and moral complexity of life. These incidents are never just accidents; they are acts of narrative intervention that reveal character truths, expose social fault lines, and invite reflection on how we respond to harm—both caused and endured. Whether through grief, silence, or transformation, each response suggests that in every society, power dictates who suffers and who escapes, reinforcing the tragic but universal truth of human inequality.