AP English Lit Cards

The Tale of Two Cities

Summary- A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, deals with the major themes of duality, revolution, and resurrection. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times in London and Paris, as economic and political unrest lead to the American and French Revolutions. The main characters in Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities — Doctor Alexandre Manette, Charles Darnay, and Sydney Carton — are all recalled to life, or resurrected, in different ways as turmoil erupts. Characters- Charles Darnay - A French aristocrat by birth, Darnay chooses to live in England because he cannot bear to be associated with the cruel injustices of the French social system. Sydney Carton - An insolent, indifferent, and alcoholic attorney who works with Stryver. Doctor Manette - Lucie's father and a brilliant physician, Doctor Manette spent eighteen years as a prisoner in the Bastille. Lucie Manette - A young French woman who grew up in England, Lucie was raised as a ward of Tellson's Bank because her parents were assumed dead. Monsieur Defarge - A wine shop owner and revolutionary in the poor Saint Antoine section of Paris. Madame Defarge - A cruel revolutionary whose hatred of the aristocracy fuels her tireless crusade. Themes- The need for sacrifice, violence and oppression in revolutions, and possible Resurrection. Tone- Journalistic and Moralistic Motifs/Symbols- Imprisonment, doubles, shadows,the dark, and then symbols are the Marquis, the knitting, and the broken wine cask.

The Crucible

Summary- A historical play based on events of the Salem witchcraft trials, takes place in a small Puritan village in the colony of Massachusetts in 1692. The witchcraft trials, as Miller explains in a prose prologue to the play, grew out of the particular moral system of the Puritans, which promoted interference in others' affairs as well as a repressive code of conduct that frowned on any diversion from norms of behavior. Characters- John Proctor - A local farmer who lives just outside town; Elizabeth Proctor's husband. A stern, harsh-tongued man, John hates hypocrisy. Abigail Williams - Reverend Parris's niece, had affair with John Proctor, a good liar. Reverend John Hale - A young minister reputed to be an expert on witchcraft. Elizabeth Proctor - John Proctor's wife. Elizabeth fired Abigail when she discovered that her husband was having an affair with her. Reverend Parris - The minister of Salem's church-loves power and its paranoid. Rebecca Nurse - Francis Nurse's wife. Themes- Reputation, intolerance, and hysteria. Tone-Critical Motifs/Symbols- Accusations and confessions, empowerment, and a symbol is the Witch Trials.

Life of Pi

Summary- After deciding to sell their zoo in India and move to Canada, Santosh and Gita Patel board a freighter with their sons and a few remaining animals. Tragedy strikes when a terrible storm sinks the ship, leaving the Patels' teenage son, Pi, as the only human survivor. However, Pi is not alone; a fearsome Bengal tiger has also found refuge aboard the lifeboat. As days turn into weeks and weeks drag into months, Pi and the tiger must learn to trust each other if both are to survive. Characters - Pi- The protagonist of the story-narrates most of it. Richard Parker - The Royal Bengal tiger with whom Pi shares his lifeboat. The Author - The narrator of the (fictitious) Author's Note, who inserts himself into the narrative at several points throughout the text. Francis Adirubasamy - The elderly man who tells the author Pi's story during a chance meeting in a Pondicherry coffee shop. Ravi - Pi's older brother. Santosh and Gita Patel - Pi's father and mother. Father Martin - The Catholic priest who introduces Pi to Christianity after Pi wanders into his church. Themes- The need for storytelling, the willpower to live, and religious belief. Tone- Humorous, Playful, Philosophical, Unflinching Motifs/Symbols- Hunger and thirst, ritual, territory/dominance, while symbols are Pi and the color orange.

Death of a Salesman

Summary- Death of a Salesman takes place in New York and Boston. The action begins in the home of Willy Loman, an aging salesman who has just returned from a road trip. Willy is having difficulty remembering events, as well as distinguishing the present from his memories of the past. His wife, Linda, suggests that he request a job in New York rather than travel each week. Linda and Willy argue about their oldest son Biff. Biff and his brother, Happy, overhear Willy talking to himself. Biff learns that Willy is usually talking to him (Biff) during these private reveries. Biff and Happy discuss women and the future. Both are dissatisfied with their jobs: Biff is discontent working for someone else, and Happy cannot be promoted until the merchandise manager dies. They contemplate buying a ranch and working together. Characters- Willy Loman - An insecure, self-deluded traveling salesman. Biff Loman - Willy's thirty-four-year-old elder son. Biff led a charmed life in high school as a football star with scholarship. Linda Loman - Willy's loyal, loving wife. Linda suffers through Willy's grandiose dreams and self-delusions. Happy Loman - Willy's thirty-two-year-old younger son. Happy has lived in Biff's shadow all of his life, but he compensates by nurturing his relentless sex drive and professional ambition. Charley - Willy's next-door neighbor. Bernard - Bernard is Charley's son and an important, successful lawyer. Themes- Abandonment, betrayal, the American Dream Tone- Sympathetic, Candid, Mocking Motifs/Symbols- mythic figures and then Seeds, diamonds, Linda's Stockings, the rubber hose.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Summary- Dorian Gray is the subject of a full-length portrait in oil by Basil Hallward, an artist who is impressed and infatuated by Dorian's beauty; he believes that Dorian's beauty is responsible for the new mode in his art as a painter. Through Basil, Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, and he soon is enthralled by the aristocrat's hedonistic worldview: that beauty and sensual fulfilment are the only things worth pursuing in life. Understanding that his beauty will fade, Dorian expresses the desire to sell his soul, to ensure that the picture, rather than he, will age and fade. The wish is granted, and Dorian pursues a libertine life of varied and amoral experiences; all the while his portrait ages and records every soul-corrupting sin. Characters- Dorian Gray is so many opposites at once that we can't really try to understand them all. He's good, he's bad; he's beautiful, he's hideous; he's perfect, he's terribly flawed. Most importantly, he's literally two things at once - he's himself, a living, breathing human being, and he's also the portrait, a visible reflection of the state of his soul. Lord Henry- who needs enemies? This hedonistic, selfish aristocrat has the whole world at his fingertips, and, rather than doing something good for humanity. Basil Hallward- If Lord Henry is the Devil's advocate, then Basil Hallward is God's. He's an eternal idealist who truly believes in the innate goodness of mankind. What he doesn't realize is that he's a good man. Sibyl Vane- she is too good for her own...good. She's sublimely beautiful, amazingly talented, and totally innocent - which makes her a magnet for Dorian. James Vane is a simple character - he's totally motivated by love, jealousy, and revenge. His sister is Sibyl. Themes- Youth, Good vs Evil, Innocence, friendship, sexuality, morality, culture. Tone-Alternately Admiring and Judgmental Motifs/Symbols- The Painting of Dorian, the yellow book, and the Opera.

The adventurers of Huckleberry Fin

Summary- Huckleberry Finn is the main character, and through his eyes, the reader sees and judges the South, its faults, and its redeeming qualities. Huck's companion Jim, a runaway slave, provides friendship and protection while the two journey along the Mississippi on their raft. Characters- Huckleberry Finn - The protagonist and narrator of the novel. Huck is the thirteen-year-old son of the local drunk Tom Sawyer - Huck's friend, the foil to Huck. Widow Douglas and Miss Watson - Two wealthy sisters who live together in a large house in St. Petersburg and who adopt Huck. Jim - One of Miss Watson's household slaves. Jim is superstitious and occasionally sentimental, but he is also intelligent. Pap - Huck's father, the town drunk The duke and the dauphin - A pair of con men whom Huck and Jim rescue as they are being run out of a river town Judge Thatcher - The local judge who shares responsibility for Huck with the Widow Douglas The Grangerfords - A family that takes Huck in after a steamboat hits his raft, Themes- Moral education, slavery, racism, criticizing a "civilized" society. Tone- Moralistic and Introspective Motifs/symbols- Lies/cons, childhood, folk beliefs, and then a symbol is the Mississippi River.

Lord of the flies

Summary- In the midst of a raging war, a plane evacuating a group of schoolboys from Britain is shot down over a deserted tropical island. Two of the boys, Ralph and Piggy, discover a conch shell on the beach, and Piggy realizes it could be used as a horn to summon the other boys. Once assembled, the boys set about electing a leader and devising a way to be rescued. They choose Ralph as their leader, and Ralph appoints another boy, Jack, to be in charge of the boys who will hunt food for the entire group. Characters- Ralph - The novel's protagonist, the twelve-year-old English boy who is elected leader of the group of boys marooned on the island. Ralph attempts to coordinate the boys' efforts to build a miniature civilization on the island until they can be rescued. Jack - The novel's antagonist, one of the older boys stranded on the island. Jack becomes the leader of the hunters but longs for total power and becomes increasingly wild, barbaric, and cruel. Simon - A shy, sensitive boy in the group. Simon, in some ways the only naturally "good" character on the island, behaves kindly toward the younger boys and is willing to work for the good of their community. Piggy - Ralph's "lieutenant." A whiny, intellectual boy, Piggy's inventiveness frequently leads to innovation, such as the makeshift sundial that the boys use to tell time. Piggy represents the scientific, rational side of civilization. Themes- Savage vs Civilized, and the loss of innocence. Tone- Unflinching, beautiful Motifs/symbols-Biblical Parallels and then piggy's glasses, the conch, the beast, the fire.

Macbeth

Summary- In the play, Macbeth kills Duncan, the King of Scotland, with the help of his wife. Witches play a part in the play by foretelling that Macbeth will become king, but that Macbeth's friend Banquo will have sons who become kings. After he kills Banquo, Macbeth becomes king and tries to kill everyone who might want to take the throne away from him. The ghost of Banquo, whom he kills, haunts him at an important banquet. Because killing the king was wrong, Macbeth's wife dies and Macbeth is overthrown. Duncan's son Malcolm then becomes King of Scotland. Characters- Macbeth - Macbeth is a Scottish general and the thane of Glamis who is led to wicked thoughts by the prophecies of the three witches, especially after their prophecy that he will be made thane of Cawdor comes true. Macbeth is a brave soldier and a powerful man, but he is not a virtuous one. Lady Macbeth - Macbeth's wife, a deeply ambitious woman who lusts for power and position. The Three Witches - Three "black and midnight hags" who plot mischief against Macbeth using charms, spells, and prophecies. Their predictions prompt him to murder Duncan, to order the deaths of Banquo and his son, and to blindly believe in his own immortality. Banquo - The brave, noble general whose children, according to the witches' prophecy, will inherit the Scottish throne. Themes-The Relationship Between Cruelty and Masculinity and The Difference Between Kingship and Tyranny. Tones- Murky, Somber, Sinister, and Foreboding Motifs/Symbols- Violence, hallucinations, prophecy, and then both blood and weather.

Romeo and Juliet

Summary- In the streets of Verona another brawl breaks out between the servants of the feuding noble families of Capulet and Montague. Benvolio, a Montague, tries to stop the fighting, but is himself embroiled when the rash Capulet, Tybalt, arrives on the scene. After citizens outraged by the constant violence beat back the warring factions, Prince Escalus, the ruler of Verona, attempts to prevent any further conflicts between the families by decreeing death for any individual who disturbs the peace in the future. Characters- Romeo - The son and heir of Montague and Lady Montague. A young man of about sixteen, Romeo is handsome, intelligent, and sensitive. Though impulsive and immature, his idealism and passion make him an extremely likable character. He lives in the middle of a violent feud between his family and the Capulets, but he is not at all interested in violence. Juliet - The daughter of Capulet and Lady Capulet. A beautiful thirteen-year-old girl, Juliet begins the play as a naïve child who has thought little about love and marriage, but she grows up quickly upon falling in love with Romeo, the son of her family's great enemy. Friar Lawrence - A Franciscan friar, friend to both Romeo and Juliet. Kind, civic-minded, a proponent of moderation, and always ready with a plan. Mercutio - A kinsman to the Prince, and Romeo's close friend. One of the most extraordinary characters in all of Shakespeare's plays, Mercutio overflows with imagination, wit, and, at times, a strange, biting satire and brooding fervor. Mercutio loves wordplay, especially sexual double entendres. The Nurse - Juliet's nurse, the woman who breast-fed Juliet when she was a baby and has cared for Juliet her entire life. Themes- The Forcefulness of Love, Love as a Cause of Violence, The Inevitability of Fate. Tone- Romantic, Passionate, Violent Motifs/Symbols-Light/Dark Imagery,Opposite Points of View, then poison and thumb-biting.

Catcher in the Rye

Summary- J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield recounts the days following his expulsion from Pencey Prep, a private school. After a fight with his roommate, Stradlater, Holden leaves school two days early to explore New York before returning home, interacting with teachers, prostitutes, nuns, an old girlfriend, and his sister along the way. J.D. Salinger's classic The Catcher in the Rye illustrates a teenager's dramatic struggle against death and growing up. Characters: Holden Caulfield - The protagonist and narrator of the novel, Holden is a sixteen-year-old junior who has just been expelled for academic failure from a school called Pencey Prep. Although he is intelligent and sensitive, Holden narrates in a cynical and jaded voice. Ackley - Holden's next-door neighbor in his dorm at Pencey Prep. Ackley is a pimply, insecure boy with terrible dental hygiene. Stradlater - Holden's roommate at Pencey Prep. Stradlater is handsome, self-satisfied, and popular, but Holden calls him a "secret slob," because he appears well groomed, but his toiletries, such as his razor, are disgustingly unclean. Jane Gallagher - A girl with whom Holden spent a lot of time one summer, when their families stayed in neighboring summer houses in Maine. Tone- Cynical, Judgmental, Humorous, Compassionate, Sad, Digressive Themes- Alienation as a Form of Self-Protection, The Painfulness of Growing Up, The adult world being all fake. Motifs/symbols- Loneliness, Sexuality/relationships, deception, and then the red hat, the ducks, and the history museum.

Of mice and men

Summary- John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is a parable about what it means to be human. Steinbeck's story of George and Lennie's ambition of owning their own ranch, and the obstacles that stand in the way of that ambition, reveal the nature of dreams, dignity, loneliness, and sacrifice. Ultimately, Lennie, the mentally handicapped giant who makes George's dream of owning his own ranch worthwhile, ironically becomes the greatest obstacle to achieving that dream. Main Characters- Lennie - A large, lumbering, childlike migrant worker. Due to his mild mental disability, Lennie completely depends upon George, his friend and traveling companion, for guidance and protection George - A small, wiry, quick-witted man who travels with, and cares for, Lennie. Although he frequently speaks of how much better his life would be without his caretaking responsibilities, George is obviously devoted to Lennie. George's behavior is motivated by the desire to protect Lennie and, eventually, deliver them both to the farm of their dreams. Candy - An aging ranch handyman, Candy lost his hand in an accident and worries about his future on the ranch. Curley - The boss's son, Curley wears high-heeled boots to distinguish himself from the field hands. Rumored to be a champion prizefighter, he is a confrontational, mean-spirited, and aggressive young man. Curley's wife - The only female character in the story, Curley's wife is never given a name and is only mentioned in reference to her husband. The men on the farm refer to her as a "tramp," a "tart," and a "looloo. Themes- Male friendship, Human Existence, The American Dream and its impossibility. Tone- Sympathetic, Realistic, Honest Motifs/Symbols- Woman and their power to corrupt, Weakness and strength, Loneliness and companionship. Symbols like lenses puppy, or Candy's dog, or George and Lennie's farm are brought up.

Oedipus Rex

Summary- Oedipus the King unfolds as a murder mystery, a political thriller, and a psychological whodunit. Throughout this mythic story of patricide and incest, Sophocles emphasizes the irony of a man determined to track down, expose, and punish an assassin, who turns out to be himself. Characters- Oedipus - The protagonist of Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus. Oedipus becomes king of Thebes before the action of Oedipus the King begins. He is renowned for his intelligence and his ability to solve riddles—he saved the city of Thebes and was made its king by solving the riddle of the Sphinx Jocasta - Oedipus's wife and mother, and Creon's sister. Jocasta appears only in the final scenes of Oedipus the King. Antigone - Child of Oedipus and Jocasta, and therefore both Oedipus's daughter and his sister. Creon - Oedipus's brother-in-law, Creon appears more than any other character in the three plays combined. Ismene - Oedipus's daughter Ismene appears at the end of Oedipus the King and to a limited extent in Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone. Theseus - The king of Athens in Oedipus at Colonus. A renowned and powerful warrior, Theseus takes pity on Oedipus and defends him against Creon. Themes- Being willing to ignore all the truth, The power of law that isn't written, and the limits on free will. Tone- Tragic, Sympathetic, Foreboding, Ironic Motifs/Symbols- graves, suicide, sight/blindness, and then symbols are Oedipus' swollen foot and the three-way crossroad.

The Grapes of Wrath

Summary- The Dust bowl occurs and pushes a poor tenet farmer family off the land and they migrate to California to pick fruit. It's hard they learn and people are vicious and mean. They have nothing and must survive off little. Characters- Tom Joad - The novel's protagonist, and Ma and Pa Joad's favorite son. Tom is good-natured and thoughtful and makes do with what life hands him. Ma Joad - The mother of the Joad family. Ma is introduced as a woman who knowingly and gladly fulfills her role as "the citadel of the family." Pa Joad - Ma Joad's husband and Tom's father. Pa Joad is an Oklahoma tenant farmer who has been evicted from his farm. Jim Casy - A former preacher who gave up his ministry out of a belief that all human experience is holy. Rose of Sharon - The oldest of Ma and Pa Joad's daughters, and Connie's wife. An impractical, petulant, and romantic young woman, Rose of Sharon begins the journey to California pregnant with her first child. Connie - Rose of Sharon's husband, Connie is an unrealistic dreamer who abandons the Joads after they reach California. Themes-The Saving Power of Family and Fellowship,Man's Inhumanity to Man,The Dignity of Wrath, and The Multiplying Effects of Selfishness and Altruism. Tone- Passionate and Stubborn with a Hint of Anger Motifs/symbols-Improvised Leadership Structures, and then the Death of the Joads' Dog and Rose of Sharon's Pregnancy

The odyssey

Summary- The Odyssey is Homer's epic of Odysseus' 10-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. While Odysseus battles mystical creatures and faces the wrath of the gods, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus stave off suitors vying for Penelope's hand and Ithaca's throne long enough for Odysseus to return. The Odyssey ends as Odysseus wins a contest to prove his identity, slaughters the suitors, and retakes the throne of Ithaca. Characters- Odysseus - The protagonist of the Odyssey. Odysseus fought among the other Greek heroes at Troy and now struggles to return to his kingdom in Ithaca. Telemachus - Odysseus's son. An infant when Odysseus left for Troy, Telemachus is about twenty at the beginning of the story. Penelope - Wife of Odysseus and mother of Telemachus. Athena - Daughter of Zeus and goddess of wisdom, purposeful battle, and the womanly arts. Poseidon - God of the sea. Zeus - King of gods and men, who mediates the disputes of the gods on Mount Olympus. Antinous - The most arrogant of Penelope's suitors. Themes- Being cunning over strength and temptations traps. Tone- serious, humorous. Motifs/Symbols- Disguises, storytelling, and seduction. Symbols are the wedding bed and food.

Hamlet

Summary- The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often shortened to Hamlet, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare at an uncertain date between 1599 and 1602. Set in the Kingdom of Denmark, the play dramatises the revenge Prince Hamlet is instructed to enact on his uncle Claudius. Claudius had murdered his own brother, Hamlet's father King Hamlet, and subsequently seized the throne, marrying his deceased brother's widow, Hamlet's mother Gertrude. Characters- Hamlet - The Prince of Denmark, the title character, and the protagonist. Claudius - The King of Denmark, Hamlet's uncle, and the play's antagonist. Gertrude - The Queen of Denmark, Hamlet's mother, recently married to Claudius. Polonius - The Lord Chamberlain of Claudius's court, a pompous, conniving old man. Polonius is the father of Laertes and Ophelia. Horatio - Hamlet's close friend, who studied with the prince at the university in Wittenberg. Horatio is loyal and helpful to Hamlet throughout the play. Ophelia - Polonius's daughter, a beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has been in love. Laertes - Polonius's son and Ophelia's brother, a young man who spends much of the play in France. The Ghost - The specter of Hamlet's recently deceased father. Themes- The complexity of Action, the impossibility of certainty, and the mystery of death. Tone-Dark, Uncertain, Introspective, Tortured. Motifs/Symbols- misogyny, incest, ears and hearing, and then Yorick's skull.

Brave New World

Summary- The novel opens in the Central London Hatching and Conditioning Centre, where the Director of the Hatchery and one of his assistants, Henry Foster, are giving a tour to a group of boys. The boys learn about the Bokanovsky and Podsnap Processes that allow the Hatchery to produce thousands of nearly identical human embryos. During the gestation period the embryos travel in bottles along a conveyor belt through a factorylike building, and are conditioned to belong to one of five castes: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, or Epsilon. The Alpha embryos are destined to become the leaders and thinkers of the World State. Each of the succeeding castes is conditioned to be slightly less physically and intellectually impressive. The Epsilons, stunted and stupefied by oxygen deprivation and chemical treatments, are destined to perform menial labor. Lenina Crowne, an employee at the factory, describes to the boys how she vaccinates embryos destined for tropical climates. Characters- John - The son of the Director and Linda, John is the only major character to have grown up outside of the World State. Bernard Marx - An Alpha male who fails to fit in because of his inferior physical stature. He holds unorthodox beliefs about sexual relationships, sports, and community events. Helmholtz Watson - An Alpha lecturer at the College of Emotional Engineering, Helmholtz is a prime example of his caste, but feels that his work is empty and meaningless and would like to use his writing abilities for something more meaningful. Lenina Crowne - A vaccination worker at the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre. She is an object of desire for a number of major and minor characters, including Bernard Marx and John. Mustapha Mond - The Resident World Controller of Western Europe, one of only ten World Controllers. He was once an ambitious, young scientist performing illicit research. Themes-The Use of Technology to Control Society,The Consumer Society,The Incompatibility of Happiness and Truth, and The Dangers of an All-Powerful State. Tone- Dramatic, Parodic Motifs/symbols- Alienation,Ford, "My Ford," "Year of Our Ford," etc.,Pneumatic, sex, Shakespeare. And then Soma.

Beowulf

Summary- The poem opens with a brief genealogy of the Scylding (Dane) royal dynasty, named after a mythic hero, Scyld Scefing, who reached the tribe's shores as a castaway babe on a ship loaded with treasure. Scyld's funeral is a memorable early ritual in the work, but focus soon shifts to the reign of his great-grandson, Hrothgar, whose successful rule is symbolized by a magnificent central mead-hall called Heorot. For 12 years, a huge man-like ogre named Grendel, a descendant of the biblical murderer Cain, has menaced the aging Hrothgar, raiding Heorot and killing the king's thanes (warriors). Grendel rules the mead-hall nightly. Characters- Beowulf - The protagonist of the epic, Beowulf is a Geatish hero who fights the monster Grendel, Grendel's mother, and a fire-breathing dragon. King Hrothgar - The king of the Danes. Hrothgar enjoys military success and prosperity until Grendel terrorizes his realm. Grendel - A demon descended from Cain, Grendel preys on Hrothgar's warriors in the king's mead-hall, Heorot. Grendel's mother - An unnamed swamp-hag, Grendel's mother seems to possess fewer human qualities than Grendel. The dragon - An ancient, powerful serpent, the dragon guards a horde of treasure in a hidden mound. Themes- Establishing identity, Heroic code and other values, Good king and good warrior differences. Tone- Formal, pious, Laudatory, mournful. Motifs/Symbols- The mead-hall, the monsters, Oral tradition, and then The golden torque and the banquet.

Where the Red Fern Grows

Summary- The story is told as a flashback to a time when the protagonist was a boy raising his first brace of red coonhounds. Old Dan and Little Ann become his best friends. They quickly become the best hunting dogs in the county, winning Billy acclaim and monetary awards. His grandfather enters him into several contests that he wins. In a confrontation with a mountain lion Billy's life is saved by the two dogs, but they lose their own lives. He buries them and over the graves two red ferns grow. Characters- Billy Colman - The protagonist of Where the Red Fern Grows. At the start of the novel he is ten years old. He has three younger sisters. He is filled with "puppy love"--he wants a dog badly. He is a brave boy, full of determination and grit. Old Dan - Old Dan is one of Billy's red bone coonhounds. Little Ann - Little Ann is one of Billy's red bone coonhounds. She is smaller but smarter than Old Dan. Papa - Billy's papa is a good, honest farmer. He is poor, but is working hard so his family can move to the city. Once Billy buys his hounds, he starts to treat Billy like a man. Grandfather - Billy's grandfather runs a general store and a small mill. His store is a place where coon hunters gather to talk about hunting. Mama - Billy's mama is part Cherokee. She is very religious and always enjoys answering Billy's questions about God. Themes- Poverty, religion, loyalty, education, family, coming of age, woman. Tone-Reflective, Nostalgic, Wistful, Contemplative Motifs/symbols- Trees, dogs, and trophy cups.

Enders Game

Summary- When hostile aliens called the Formics attack Earth, only the legendary heroics of Mazer Rackham manage to attain a victory. To prepare for the next attack, Col. Hyrum Graff and his cohorts initiate a military program to find the next Mazer. Recruit Ender Wiggin exhibits an unusual gift for the training, easily mastering all of the challenges thrown at him. Ender must then go on to prepare for the oncoming war, with the help of Mazer. Characters- Ender - The younger brother of Peter and Valentine, at age six Ender is chosen by Colonel Graff and the International Fleet to help save mankind from the buggers. Valentine - Ender's older sister is the only person in the world who truly loves him. Peter - Ender's older brother Peter is a cruel and evil child, gifted in manipulation. Colonel Graff- Graff has unerring faith in Ender and, although he manipulates Ender, he also loves him. Mazer Rackham - Ender's last teacher, Rackham makes no attempt to become Ender's friend, although, like Graff, he loves and respects the boy. Major Anderson - Second in command only to Colonel Graff at the Battle School, Major Anderson is in charge of setting up battleroom scenarios. Bean - Ender's last friend at Battle School Alai- one of Ender's best friend in his launch group Stilson - The bully who attempts to gang up in Ender back in the days before battle school Bernard - Bernard has his arm broken by Ender on the shuttle ride over because he attacked him. Themes- Games, compassion, the relationship between adults and children, Friends and enemies, ruthlessness. Tone- serious Motifs/Symbols- Ender, the games, the head piece.

Animal Farm

Summary-Animal Farm is George Orwell's satire on equality, where all barnyard animals live free from their human masters' tyranny. Inspired to rebel by Major, an old boar, animals on Mr. Jones' Manor Farm embrace Animalism and stage a revolution to achieve an idealistic state of justice and progress. A power-hungry pig, Napoleon, becomes a totalitarian dictator who leads the Animal Farm into "All Animals Are Equal / But Some Are More Equal Than Others" oppression. Characters- Napoleon - The pig who emerges as the leader of Animal Farm after the Rebellion. Based on Joseph Stalin, Napoleon uses military force (his nine loyal attack dogs) to intimidate the other animals and consolidate his power. Snowball - The pig who challenges Napoleon for control of Animal Farm after the Rebellion. Based on Leon Trotsky, Snowball is intelligent, passionate, eloquent, and less subtle and devious. Boxer - The cart-horse whose incredible strength, dedication, and loyalty play a key role in the early prosperity of Animal Farm and the later completion of the windmill. Squealer - The pig who spreads Napoleon's propaganda among the other animals. Squealer justifies the pigs' monopolization of resources and spreads false statistics pointing to the farm's success. Old Major - The prize-winning boar whose vision of a socialist utopia serves as the inspiration for the Rebellion. Themes- The Corruption of Socialist Ideals in the Soviet Union, The Societal Tendency Toward Class Stratification, The Danger of a Naïve Working Class, and The Abuse of Language as Instrumental to the Abuse of Power. Tone- Objective, Withdrawn, False Neutrality Motifs/symbols- Songs, State Ritual, and then the Animal Farm, the Barn, and the Windmill.

Flowers for Algernon

Summary-Charlie Gordon, a mentally retarded thirty-two-year-old man, is chosen by a team of scientists to undergo an experimental surgery designed to boost his intelligence. Alice Kinnian, Charlie's teacher at the Beekman College Center for Retarded Adults, has recommended Charlie for the experiment because of his exceptional eagerness to learn. The directors of the experiment, Dr. Strauss and Professor Nemur, ask Charlie to keep a journal. The entire narrative of Flowers for Algernon is composed of the "progress reports" that Charlie writes. Characters- Charlie Gordon - The protagonist and author of the progress reports that form the text of Flowers for Algernon. Charlie is a thirty-two-year-old mentally retarded man who lives in New York City. Alice Kinnian - Charlie's teacher at the Beekman College Center for Retarded Adults. Alice originally recommends Charlie for the experimental operation because she is impressed by his motivation. Professor Harold Nemur - The scientist in charge of the experiment that heightens Charlie's intelligence. An arrogant and career-obsessed man, Nemur treats Charlie as a laboratory animal rather than a human being. Algernon - The white mouse that is the first successful test subject for the experimental operation Charlie later undergoes. Themes-Mistreatment of the Mentally Disabled,The Tension between Intellect and Emotion,The Persistence of the Past in the Present Tone- Dark, Morbid Motifs/symbols- Flashbacks, scientific method, changes in grammar, and then Algernon, the window, and Adam and Eve.

Fences

Summary-Fences is divided into two acts. Act One is comprised of four scenes and Act Two has five. The play begins on a Friday, Troy and Bono's payday. Troy and Bono go to Troy's house for their weekly ritual of drinking and talking. Troy has asked Mr. Rand, their boss, why the black employees aren't allowed to drive the garbage trucks, only to lift the garbage. Bono thinks Troy is cheating on his wife, Rose. Troy and Rose's son, Cory, has been recruited by a college football team. Troy was in the Negro Leagues but never got a chance to play in the Major Leagues because he got too old to play just as the Major Leagues began accepting black players. Troy goes into a long epic story about his struggle in July of 1943 with death. Lyons shows up at the house because he knows it is Troy's payday. Rose reminds Troy about the fence she's asked him to finish building. Characters- Troy Maxson - The protagonist of Fences, a fifty-three year-old, African American man who works for the sanitation department, lifting garbage into trucks. Cory Maxson - The teenage son of Troy and Rose Maxson. Rose Maxson - Troy's wife and mother of his second child, Cory. Rose is a forty-three year-old African American housewife who volunteers at her church regularly and loves her family. Gabriel Maxson - Troy's brother. Jim Bono - Troy's best friend of over thirty years. Lyons Maxson - Troy's son, fathered before Troy's time in jail with a woman Troy met before Troy became a baseball player and before he met Rose. Raynell Maxson - Troy's illegitimate child, mothered by Alberta, his lover Bonnie - Lyons' girlfriend who works in the laundry at Mercy Hospital. Themes- Interpreting history, the coming of age inside the cycle of a damaged black man Tone- Heightened, Colloquial, Universal Motifs/Symbols- seeds/growth, death/baseball, blues; trains, the Devil, fences.

Fahrenheit 451

Summary-Guy Montag is a fireman who burns books in a futuristic American city. In Montag's world, firemen start fires rather than putting them out. The people in this society do not read books, enjoy nature, spend time by themselves, think independently, or have meaningful conversations. Instead, they drive very fast, watch excessive amounts of television on wall-size sets, and listen to the radio on "Seashell Radio" sets attached to their ears. He starts to read books though, and they consider him a danger. Characters- Guy Montag - A third-generation fireman who suddenly realizes the emptiness of his life and starts to search for meaning in the books he is supposed to be burning. Mildred Montag - Montag's brittle, sickly looking wife. She is obsessed with watching television and refuses to engage in frank conversation with her husband about their marriage or her feelings. Captain Beatty - The captain of Montag's fire department. Although he is himself extremely well-read, paradoxically he hates books and people who insist on reading them. Professor Faber - A retired English professor whom Montag encountered a year before the book opens. Faber still possesses a few precious books and aches to have more. Clarisse McClellan - A beautiful seventeen-year-old who introduces Montag to the world's potential for beauty and meaning with her gentle innocence and curiosity. She is an outcast from society because of her odd habits. Themes-Censorship and Knowledge versus Ignorance Tone- Dramatic Motifs/Symbols-Animal and Nature Imagery, religion, paradoxes, and then blood, mirrors, and the Phoenix.

Frankenstein

Summary-In a series of letters, Robert Walton, the captain of a ship bound for the North Pole, recounts to his sister back in England the progress of his dangerous mission. Successful early on, the mission is soon interrupted by seas full of impassable ice. Trapped, Walton encounters Victor Frankenstein, who has been traveling by dog-drawn sledge across the ice and is weakened by the cold. Walton takes him aboard ship, helps nurse him back to health, and hears the fantastic tale of the monster that Frankenstein created. Characters- Victor Frankenstein - The doomed protagonist and narrator of the main portion of the story. The monster - The eight-foot-tall, hideously ugly creation of Victor Frankenstein. Robert Walton - The Arctic seafarer whose letters open and close Frankenstein. Alphonse Frankenstein - Victor's father, very sympathetic toward his son. Elizabeth Lavenza - An orphan, four to five years younger than Victor, whom the Frankensteins adopt. Henry Clerval - Victor's boyhood friend, who nurses Victor back to health in Ingolstadt. William Frankenstein - Victor's youngest brother and the darling of the Frankenstein family. Justine Moritz - A young girl adopted into the Frankenstein household while Victor is growing up. Themes- Sublime nature, dangerous knowledge, texts, montrosity, and secrecy. Tone- Fatalistic, Foreboding Motifs/Symbols- Passive woman and Abortion; light and fire.

The Jungle

Summary-Jurgis Rudkus and Ona Lukoszaite, a young man and woman who have recently immigrated to Chicago from Lithuania, hold their wedding feast at a bar in an area of Chicago known as Packingtown. The couple and several relatives have come to Chicago in search of a better life, but Packingtown, the center of Lithuanian immigration and of Chicago's meatpacking industry, is a hard, dangerous, and filthy place where it is difficult to find a job. After the reception, Jurgis and Ona discover that they are more than a hundred dollars in debt to the saloonkeeper. In Lithuania, custom dictates that guests at a wedding-feast leave money to cover the cost, but in America, many of the impoverished immigrants depart from the feast without leaving any money. Jurgis, who has great faith in the American Dream, vows that he will simply work harder to make more money. Characters- Jurgis Rudkus - A Lithuanian immigrant who comes to America with his wife, Ona. Jurgis is a strong, determined individual with a faith in the American Dream of self-betterment, but his health, family, and hopes are slowly destroyed by the miserable working and living conditions. Phil Connor - Ona's boss, who sexually harasses her at the factory where she works. On a Lukoszaite - Teta Elzbieta's stepdaughter and Jurgis's wife. Teta Elzbieta Lukoszaite - Ona's stepmother and the mother of six others. A resilient, strong-willed old woman. Phil Connor - Ona's boss, who sexually harasses her at the factory where she works. Themes-Socialism as a Remedy for the Evils of Capitalism and the Immigrant Experience and the Hollowness of the American Dream. Tone- Oppressive, Intense, Unsettling Motifs/symbols- Corruption, family, tradition, the stockyards, packed meat, the jungle.

Equus

Summary-Martin Dysart is a psychiatrist in a psychiatric hospital. He begins with a monologue in which he outlines the case of 17-year-old Alan Strang. He also divulges his feeling that his occupation is not all that he wishes it to be and his feelings of dissatisfaction and disappointment about his barren life. Dysart finds that there is a never-ending supply of troubled young people for him to "adjust" back into "normal" living; but he doubts the value of treating these youths, since they will simply return to a dull, normal life that lacks any commitment and "worship". He comments that Alan Strang's crime was extreme but adds that just such extremity is needed to break free from the chains of existence.A court magistrate, Hesther Saloman, visits Dysart, believing that he has the skills to help Alan come to terms with his violent acts involving six horses. At the hospital, Dysart has a great deal of difficulty making any kind of headway with Alan, who at first responds to questioning by singing TV advertising jingles. Characters- Martin Dysart-The psychiatrist assigned to Alan's case. He is very disconnected and has marital issues. Alan Strang- A schizophrenic boy who mysteriously stabs out the eyes of six good horses one night and tells noone why at first. Frank Strang-The father of Alan and husband to Dora. Not relgious at all. Very calm. Jill Mason-Friend of Alan who works at the horse stables. She is very forward and is comfortable with who she is. Hesther Soloman-The court judge who assigns Martin to Alan's case. Friends with Martin. Dora Strang-The mother of Alan and wife to Frank. She is devote to her religion. Nurse-The nurse in the hospital with Alan. Theme- The need for worship Tone- twisted, interseting, expressive Motifs/Symbols- the stables; The horse masks, the chain and bit, the horse poster, the eyes, and the poster of jesus' crucifixion.

The Great Gatsby

Summary-Nick Carraway, a young man from Minnesota, moves to New York in the summer of 1922 to learn about the bond business. He rents a house in the West Egg district of Long Island, a wealthy but unfashionable area populated by the new rich, a group who have made their fortunes too recently to have established social connections and who are prone to garish displays of wealth. Nick's next-door neighbor in West Egg is a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby, who lives in a gigantic Gothic mansion and throws extravagant parties every Saturday night. Gatsby loves Daisy, she doesn't want to be with him though. Characters- Nick Carraway - The novel's narrator, Nick is a young man from Minnesota who, after being educated at Yale and fighting in World War I, goes to New York City to learn the bond business. ay Gatsby - The title character and protagonist of the novel, Gatsby is a fabulously wealthy young man living in a Gothic mansion in West Egg. He is famous for the lavish parties he throws every Saturday night. Daisy Buchanan - Nick's cousin, and the woman Gatsby loves. As a young woman in Louisville before the war, Daisy was courted by a number of officers, including Gatsby. She fell in love with Gatsby and promised to wait for him. Tom Buchanan - Daisy's immensely wealthy husband, once a member of Nick's social club at Yale. Powerfully built and hailing from a socially solid old family, Tom is an arrogant, hypocritical bully. Jordan Baker - Daisy's friend, a woman with whom Nick becomes romantically involved during the course of the novel. Themes-The Decline of the American Dream in the 1920s and the Hollowness of the Upper Class. Tone- Cynical, Controlling Motifs/symbols- Geography/weather and then The green light, the Valley of Ashes, and the Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg.

Night

Summary-Night is narrated by Eliezer, a Jewish teenager who, when the memoir begins, lives in his hometown of Sighet, in Hungarian Transylvania. Eliezer studies the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament) and the Cabbala (a doctrine of Jewish mysticism). His instruction is cut short, however, when his teacher, Moshe the Beadle, is deported. In a few months, Moshe returns, telling a horrifying tale: the Gestapo (the German secret police force) took charge of his train, led everyone into the woods, and systematically butchered them. Nobody believes Moshe, who is taken for a lunatic. Characters- Eliezer - The narrator of Night and the stand-in for the memoir's author, Elie Wiesel. Night traces Eliezer's psychological journey, as the Holocaust robs him of his faith in God and exposes him to the deepest inhumanity of which man is capable. Shlomo- is respected by the entire Jewish community of Sighet, and by his son as well. He and Eliezer desperately try to remain together throughout their concentration camp ordeal. Moshe the Beadle - Eliezer's teacher of Jewish mysticism, Moshe is a poor Jew who lives in Sighet. Akiba Drumer - A Jewish Holocaust victim who gradually loses his faith in God as a result of his experiences in the concentration camp. Madame Schächter - A Jewish woman from Sighet who is deported in the same cattle car as Eliezer. Madame Schächter is taken for a madwoman when, every night, she screams that she sees furnaces in the distance. Themes- Eliezer's Struggle to Maintain Faith in a Benevolent God, Silence, Inhumanity Toward Other Humans, and the Importance of Father-Son Bonds. Tone- Somber, mournful, honest Motifs/Symbols- Tradition and Religious Observance. Then, Night and Fire.

Things fall apart

Summary-Okonkwo is a wealthy and respected warrior of the Umuofia clan, a lower Nigerian tribe that is part of a consortium of nine connected villages. He is haunted by the actions of Unoka, his cowardly and spendthrift father, who died in disrepute, leaving many village debts unsettled. In response, Okonkwo became a clansman, warrior, farmer, and family provider extraordinaire. He has a twelve-year-old son named Nwoye whom he finds lazy; Okonkwo worries that Nwoye will end up a failure like Unoka. Characters- Okonkwo - An influential clan leader in Umuofia. Since early childhood, Okonkwo's embarrassment about his lazy, squandering, and effeminate father, Unoka, has driven him to succeed. Nwoye - Okonkwo's oldest son, whom Okonkwo believes is weak and lazy. Ezinma - The only child of Okonkwo's second wife, Ekwefi. As the only one of Ekwefi's ten children to survive past infancy. Ikemefuna - A boy given to Okonkwo by a neighboring village. Ikemefuna lives in the hut of Okonkwo's first wife and quickly becomes popular with Okonkwo's children. Mr. Brown - The first white missionary to travel to Umuofia. Reverend James Smith - The missionary who replaces Mr. Brown. Themes-The Struggle Between Change and Tradition,Varying Interpretations of Masculinity, and how Language as a Sign of Cultural Difference. Tone- Clear, Descriptive, Sympathetic toward the Umuofia Motifs/Symbols- chi and animal imagery, and then Locusts and fire.

Pygmalion

Summary-Professor of phonetics Henry Higgins makes a bet that he can train a bedraggled Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, to pass for a duchess at an ambassador's garden party by teaching her to assume a veneer of gentility, the most important element of which, he believes, is impeccable speech. The play is a sharp lampoon of the rigid British class system of the day and a commentary on women's independence. Characters- Professor Henry Higgins - Henry Higgins is a professor of phonetics who plays Pygmalion to Eliza Doolittle's Galatea. Eliza Doolittle - "She is not at all a romantic figure." So is she introduced in Act I. Colonel Pickering - Colonel Pickering, the author of Spoken Sanskrit, is a match for Higgins (although somewhat less obsessive) in his passion for phonetics. Alfred Doolittle - Alfred Doolittle is Eliza's father, an elderly but vigorous dustman who has had at least six wives and who "seems equally free from fear and conscience." Mrs. Higgins - Professor Higgins' mother, Mrs. Higgins is a stately lady in her sixties who sees the Eliza Doolittle experiment as idiocy, and Higgins and Pickering as senseless children. Freddy Eynsford Hill - Higgins' surmise that Freddy is a fool is probably accurate. Themes-Society and social scale, Presentation and deliverance. Tone- Witty, Didactic Motifs/Symbols-Flower girl; The looking glass and Clothing.

The Glass Menagerie

Summary-The Glass Menagerie is a memory play, and its action is drawn from the memories of the narrator, Tom Wingfield. Tom is a character in the play, which is set in St. Louis in 1937. He is an aspiring poet who toils in a shoe warehouse to support his mother, Amanda, and sister, Laura. Mr. Wingfield, Tom and Laura's father, ran off years ago and, except for one postcard, has not been heard from since. Characters- Amanda Wingfield - Laura and Tom's mother. A proud, vivacious woman, Amanda clings fervently to memories of a vanished, genteel past. Laura Wingfield - Amanda's daughter and Tom's older sister. Tom Wingfield - Amanda's son and Laura's younger brother. Jim O'Connor - An old acquaintance of Tom and Laura. Mr. Wingfield - Amanda's husband and Laura and Tom's father. Themes-The Difficulty of Accepting Reality, The Unrelenting Power of Memory, and the Impossiblity of true escape. Tone- The Words and Images on the Screen Motifs/Symbols-The Words and Images on the Screen, abandonment, music; Blue roses, the Glass Menagerie, The glass Unicorn, and the fre escape.

The Kite Runner

Summary-The Kite Runner is the story of Amir, a Sunni Muslim, who struggles to find his place in the world because of the aftereffects and fallout from a series of traumatic childhood events. An adult Amir opens the novel in the present-day United States with a vague reference to one of these events, and then the novel flashes back to Amir's childhood in Afghanistan. In addition to typical childhood experiences, Amir struggles with forging a closer relationship with his father, Baba; with determining the exact nature of his relationship with Hassan, his Shi'a Muslim servant; and eventually with finding a way to atone for pre-adolescent decisions that have lasting repercussions. Along the way, readers are able to experience growing up in Afghanistan in a single-parent home, a situation that bears remarkable similarities to many contemporary households. One of the biggest struggles for Amir is learning to navigate the complex socioeconomic culture he faces, growing up in Afghanistan as a member of the privileged class yet not feeling like a privileged member of his own family. Hassan and his father, Ali, are servants, yet at times, Amir's relationship with them is more like that of family members. Main Characters- Amir - The narrator and the protagonist of the story. He's the sensitive and intelligent son of a businessman in Kabul, and he grows up with a sense of entitlement. His best friend is Hassan, and he goes back and forth between acting as a loyal friend and attacking Hassan out of jealousy whenever Hassan receives Amir's father's affection. Also, he tells amazing stories. Hassan - Amir's best friend and half-brother as well as a servant of Baba's. Hassan proves himself a loyal friend to Amir repeatedly, defending Amir when he is attacked and always being ready to listen. His defining traits are bravery, selflessness, and intelligence, though his smarts are more instinctual than from books. Baba - Father of Amir and Hassan and a wealthy, well-respected businessman. Baba believes first and foremost in doing what is right and thinking for oneself, and he tries to impart these qualities to Amir. Ali - Acting father to Hassan and a servant of Baba's. Ali is defined by his modesty more than anything, and he works diligently as Baba's servant. He loves Hassan deeply, though he rarely expresses his emotions outwardly. Poor and an ethnic Hazara, he suffers from partial paralysis of his face and walks with a limp caused by polio. Assef - Hassan's and Sohrab's rapist and the novel's antagonist. Assef represents all things wrong in Afghanistan. A racist who wishes to rid Afghanistan of Hazaras, he is incapable of remorse and enjoys inflicting violence and sexual abuse on those who are powerless. He even claims Hitler as a role model. Themes- How politics greatly effects people's lives, Love and tension between father and son, One's past never leaving, and the pursuit of redemption. Tone- Tender, Unflinching, Ironic Motifs/symbols- Regressing in Time, Rape, and Irony. The cleft lip, the lamb, and kites all represent different aspects and topics in the book. Like guilt, happiness, and innocence.

A Raisin in the Sun

Summary-The Youngers are a poor African-American family living on the South Side of Chicago. An opportunity to escape from poverty comes in the form of a $10,000 life insurance check that the matriarch of the family (Lena Younger or Mama) receives upon her husband's death. Lena's children, Walter and Beneatha, each have their plans for the money. The oldest son, Walter (a man of 35 with a wife and a young son), wishes to invest in a liquor store. The younger sister, Beneatha, currently a college student, wants to use the money for medical school. Lena has plans as well for the money: she wants to buy a house for the family and finance Beneatha's medical school. Characters- Walter Lee Younger - The protagonist of the play. Walter is a dreamer. He wants to be rich and devises plans to acquire wealth with his friends. Beneatha Younger ("Bennie") - Mama's daughter and Walter's sister. Beneatha is an intellectual. Lena Younger ("Mama") - Walter and Beneatha's mother. The matriarch of the family, Mama is religious, moral, and maternal. Ruth Younger - Walter's wife and Travis's mother. Ruth takes care of the Youngers' small apartment. Travis Younger - Walter and Ruth's sheltered young son. Joseph Asagai - A Nigerian student in love with Beneatha. Asagai, as he is often called, is very proud of his African heritage. Themes- The need to fight against racial discrimination, Value and purpose of dreams, the importance of family. Tone- Alternates between Ironic and Somber Motifs/Symbols- The Home; "Eat your eggs", mamas plant, and beneathas hair.

Julius Ceaser

Summary-Two tribunes, Flavius and Murellus, find scores of Roman citizens wandering the streets, neglecting their work in order to watch Julius Caesar's triumphal parade: Caesar has defeated the sons of the deceased Roman general Pompey, his archrival, in battle. The tribunes scold the citizens for abandoning their duties and remove decorations from Caesar's statues. Caesar enters with his entourage, including the military and political figures Brutus, Cassius, and Antony. A Soothsayer calls out to Caesar to "beware the Ides of March," but Caesar ignores him and proceeds with his victory celebration (I.ii.19, I.ii.25). Characters- Brutus - A supporter of the republic who believes strongly in a government guided by the votes of senators. While Brutus loves Caesar as a friend, he opposes the ascension of any single man to the position of dictator, and he fears that Caesar aspires to such power. Julius Caesar - A great Roman general and senator, recently returned to Rome in triumph after a successful military campaign. While his good friend Brutus worries that Caesar may aspire to dictatorship over the Roman republic. Antony - A friend of Caesar. Antony claims allegiance to Brutus and the conspirators after Caesar's death in order to save his own life. Cassius - A talented general and longtime acquaintance of Caesar. Cassius dislikes the fact that Caesar has become godlike in the eyes of the Romans. Octavius - Caesar's adopted son and appointed successor. Octavius, who had been traveling abroad, returns after Caesar's death. Portia - Brutus's wife; the daughter of a noble Roman who took sides against Caesar. Portia, accustomed to being Brutus's confidante, is upset to find him so reluctant to speak his mind when she finds him troubled. Themes-Fate versus Free Will,Public Self versus Private Self, and Misinterpretations and Misreadings. Tone- Serious, Calm, Rational, Earnest Motifs/symbols- Letters and omens, and then women and wives.

To kill a Mockingbird

Summary: In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee utilizes memorable characters to convey civil rights and racism in the segregated Southern U.S. of the 1930s. It is told through the eyes of Scout Finch, whose father Atticus Finch, an attorney who hopelessly wants to prove the innocence of a black man wrongly accused of rape; and about Boo Radley who is mysterious neighbor who saves Scout and her brother Jem from being killed. Main Characters: Scout Finch - Narrator of the story. She's a tomboy who is very physical and extremely mature for only being with in the age span of 6 to 9. Atticus Finch - An attorney who is a single father to both Scout and Jem. He currently works on the case of Tom Robinson. Jem Finch - Scout's older brother who ages from 10 to 13 during the story. He is Scout's protector and one of her best friends. Boo Radley - The mysterious neighbor who piques the children's interest. They've never seen him and make a game of trying to get him to come outside. Aunt Alexandra - Atticus' sister. She lives at the Finch family homestead, but she moves in with Atticus and the children during Tom Robinson's trial. She is very concerned that Scout have a feminine influence to emulate. Point of View - Scout Finch Tone- It starts as childlike, humorous, nostalgic, innocent; but then later turns dark and critical of society. Symbols/motifs- The story has a lot about small town life and some gothic details. Mockingbirds are symbols along with Boo Radley. Themes- Social inequalities, The need for moral education, and how good and evil try to coexist.