Literary Terms and The Crucible

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Literary Terms and The Crucible
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Literary Terms

• Different techniques that authors and poets use
  when they create a piece of literature.
• These techniques help convey ideas, images, and
  feelings to create literature that is memorable.
• Becoming familiar with the techniques used can
  help to enhance the understanding of a piece of
  literature and it also helps so that you can use
  them in your own writing.

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First of allThe Crucible

• A crucible is not mentioned thus far in our
  reading, so what is it and why did Miller title
  his play this way?
• 2 a severe test3 a place or situation in
  which concentrated forces interact to cause or
  influence change or development (taken from
  http//www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crucible
  
• Discuss why do you think he titled his work as
  he did?

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Some lit. terms that apply to the drama

• Irony
• Verbal irony (sarcasm)
• Dramatic irony
• Situational irony
• Conflict a problem that a character must
  overcome.
• Dialogue

• Mood general emotions gained from a piece of
  literature.
• Foreshadowing hints given as to what may happen
  in the future of the story.
• Motivation the drive of a character (s).

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And some more

• Allegory representation of ideas or morals by
  means of symbolic characters, events, or objects.
• Allusion a brief reference to a historical or
  literary person, place, object, or event.
• Theme the hidden message in a piece of
  literature.

• Antagonist opposes the protagonist
  (hero/heroine)
• Protagonist hero/heroine of a story.
• Tragic hero Main character in a tragedy. Has a
  tragic flaw that ultimately leads to his/her
  downfall. Faces a serious decision. Realizes
  his/her doom. Cannot control fate.

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Your Turn(30 min)

• Using your copy of the play and a partner or two,
  find examples of the following literary elements
  in the play. Write your answers on one separate
  sheet of paper.
• Allusion
• Irony (find one of each type)
• Foreshadowing
• Theme (find quotes that support two themes of the
  play, i.e. Ann Putnams quote about wheels and
  fire, shows how deeply she believes that there is
  something going on and feeds the element of
  hysteria)
• Conflict (there is a main conflict, but what are
  some secondary conflicts or subplots going on in
  the play)