Multiple choice practice from 1999 AP Exam:

  1. B
  2. B
  3. C
  4. E
  5. B
  6. D
  7. A
  8. C
  9. E
10. B
11. D
12. E
13. C
14. D
15. C
16. C
17. A
18. C
19. E
20. D
21. D
22. A
23. B
24. C
25. B
26. C
27. B
28. E
29. D
30. B
31. E
32. B
33. E
34. A
35. A
36. C
37. C
38. D
39. E
40. B
41. E
42. D
43. D
44. A
45. A
46. B
47. A
48. B
49. D
50. C
51. B
52. C
53. D
54. E
55. B

Literary Analysis- Fahrenheit 451

General
1. Fahrenheit 451 is a book about a man named Guy Montag and is set in a future American society. Guy is a firefighter who's job is, ironically, to start fires rather than put them out. He is supposed to set fire to any house that may have books in it. He lives a rather empty life. He is married to a woman he soon realizes that he has no love for and she feels the same. She even tries to kill herself. Then one day a girl named Clarisse starts to talk to him and makes him question his life and how he is living. He is called to start a fire, but while at the house he reads from one of the books and he decides to take it with him. He remembers a man that he had met in the park named Faber and meets with him to discuss the book. He becomes enthralled with books, but he is betrayed by Mildred and a mechanical hound is set on him, but he gets away and lives with a group that shares his love of books.
2. I feel that the theme of Fahrenheit 451 is that knowledge is power. It shows that knowledge and and education through books is a vital tool to society. Books can bring immense pleasure and we as people can learn so much from them. It shows that people have a right as a person in society to learn and not to be happy with their ignorance.
3. The tone has a certain intensity to it. All the characters are extreme and are on the edge of being realistic. The events are usually blown out of proportion and apocalyptic. The author is very descriptive and uses vivid descriptions. Big events usually happen on the biggest scales.
4. Imagery- Somewhat going along with analysis, Bradbury was always very descriptive and used very vivid words to describe.
Contrast- The author contrasts the personalities of Guy and Mildred
Foreshadowing- Mildred's attitude is when Guy shows her the book is a foreshadowing of things to come
Motif- The idea that knowledge is important shows up a lot.

Symbolism- There are many things that are used to symbolize insects

Irony- Mildred is looking for the book and keeps adjusting Guy's pillow and it's under there. 

Metaphor- Many things, such as Mildred's earpiece, are compared to insects. 

Characterization.
1. "I'm antisocial, they say." Clarisse says this and shows her outgoing, unorthodox, but cheerful side.
"We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the Constitution says, but everyone made equal." This is Captain Beatty telling us about the motive behind the government making everyone illiterate and ignorant, as to not offend the naturally inept people to be exposed to the naturally bright individuals. This characterizes the motives of nearly every character.

2. Not really. It only changes when a character is interacting with different characters. The characters act differently around different characters which causes the syntax and diction to change.

3. Guy is a dynamic character. He starts off the book burning houses and being totally submissive and ok with world he is living in. His encounter with Clarisse changes all that and questions who he is and who he wants to be. He eventually ends up changing who he is and challenging himself to be a better person.
He is probably a round character. Guy has many different qualities that distinguish himself.

4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction.
Yes I did. Guy was the only character like I felt could be a real person though. All the other characters were missing something that could make them truly believable. Him being a dynamic and round character helped give the impression that I had indeed met an actual person.

Journal 5/3/13

I feel fairly confident with prose essays and essays in general. I feel less confident with poetry related stuff, but more confident than before due to the poetry work. We haven't done much multiple choice so I don't feel as confident. But multiple choice is something I'm very good at so I'm not to worried. Open essays I also feel very confident with as well. I'm not to unduly worried about the exam, but I'm still pretty nervous

In Class Essay #4 Question #3

Authors use many different techniques to help illustrate their meaning or to help convey their message. One of the ways is through the foil or minor character. A great example is in the novel Life of Pi. The tiger, Richard Parker helps define who Pi is and shapes him into the man that he eventually becomes. The struggles that Pi goes through with Richard Parker and against Richard Parker demonstrates just how an important a foil can be in a novel. Richard Parker magnifies Pi's strengths and helps expel  his weakness.

In Class Essay #3

In Ann Petry's novel The Street, Petry establishes a negative connotation and association with the urban setting. Petry employs a lot of direct characterization and imagery to help convey this sense of bleakness. Lutie feels as if the world is against her and the urban setting is doing nothing but bringing her down. Petry wisely establishes this urban setting with literary devices to help convey her message. Petry uses personification, imagery, and direct characterization to help convey the negative view that Lutie has on her urban surroundings.

In Class Essay #2

Desire. Simple definition, but surprisingly complex to understand. It is the driving factor for mankind and defines who we are. It has brought mankind knocking on the doorstep of a new age and is going to propel us forward. But as Sir Philip Sidney states in his poem, desires can also lead to negative outcomes and motivate us to desire want ill gains. Sir Philip Sidney elaborates more on the negative side of desires, comparing it to a "blind man's mark".

In Class Essay #1

Pauline Hopkins quote speaks volumes and is certainly true. It applies to almost everyone that has ever lived on this planet. Our surroundings, the people in our lives, shape us into who we are. It defines us and influences us to make the decisions that we make. This strongly influences an authors decision making into who the characters are and how the setting will affect the characters. A perfect example of this is Yann Martel's Life of Pi. The novel closely examines just how much influence that characters and the setting can affect someone.