Literary Devices and Concepts

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Dramatic Irony

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A literary device where the audience knows something the characters do not. Example: In "Romeo and Juliet," the audience knows Juliet is not dead, but Romeo believes she is and takes his own life.

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External Motivation

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Factors outside of a character that influence their actions. Example: In "Of Mice and Men," George is motivated by societal expectations and his promise to protect Lennie.

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Suffix -ent

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Transforms a verb into an adjective, indicating a state or quality. Example: Competent means "having the ability to do something successfully."

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Root -strict-

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Indicates "tightening" or "narrowing." Example: Constrict means "to make narrower, especially by encircling pressure."

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Dramatic Irony Example

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In "The Scarlet Letter," the townspeople don’t understand Hester’s growth and strength, but the audience does.

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Coordinating Conjunctions Example

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"It was nearly impossible for them to make a living in agriculture, so they faced poverty."

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Using Context Clues

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A strategy to deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words by examining the surrounding text.

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Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

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Focus on examples of dramatic irony and the motivations of characters.

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Study Tip: Reading Excerpts

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Focus on how authors reveal irony and external pressures on characters.

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Example of Dramatic Irony

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In The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, the audience knows Bruno's friend Shmuel is in a concentration camp, but Bruno does not.