9th Grade English Academic Vocabulary

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English I
Academic Vocabulary Romeo and Juliet
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Authors Purpose
What was the purpose the author wrote each of
these books?

• A writer usually writes for one or more purposes
  to express himself or herself, to inform or
  explain, to persuade, and to entertain.
• Example
• Guy De Maupassants purpose for writing the The
  Necklace was to entertain.

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Dialogue

• Written conversations between two or more
  characters.
• Writers use dialogue to bring characters to life
  and give readers insight on the characters
  qualities, personality traits, and reactions to
  other characters.
• Example
• Do you like watching American Idol? asked
  Andrew.
• Of course, replied Jermaine.
• Notice when a new speaker
• Begins, a new line begins

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Monologue

• A long important speech by one person directed
  toward others.
• A part of a play in which a single character
  speaks alone or without expecting a response from
  others.

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Soliloquy

• A long important speech in which a character
  speaks inner thoughts aloud
• Generally, character is on stage alone, not
  speaking to other characters or isnt aware of
  other characters

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Tragedy

• A dramatic work that presents the downfall of a
  dignified character or characters who are
  involved in historically or socially significant
  events
• Kind of play in which events turn out
  disastrously for the main character or characters
• Most often, the hero or heroine dies
• Events are set in motion by a decision that is
  often an error in judgment
• Succeeding events are linked in a
  cause-and-effect relationship and lead inevitably
  to a disastrous conclusion, usually death

Romeo Juliet
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Tragic Hero

• Main Character of a tragedy.
• Usually dies at the end of the play.
• Always dies in a Shakespearean play
• May have more than one in a story
• Has a tragic flaw

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Tragic Flaw

• Character flaw that leads to the characters
  death or total destruction
• Examples greed, pride, ambition, rashness, ect
• Other than this flaw the character is rather
  successful

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Aside

• Dramatic device in which a character speaks his
  or her thoughts aloud, in words meant to be heard
  by the audience or certain character but not by
  the other characters
• The word Aside will be written in the stage
  directions of a play but can be indicated in a
  play by various techniques like lighting,
  perceived whispers, etc.

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Dramatic Irony

• When the audience knows something the
  character(s) doesnt. (In a play this can be
  created with an aside so it is important to read
  the stage directions)

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Pun

• A play on words. A word that has more than one
  meaning is used in a way that takes advantage of
  multiple meanings

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Malapropism

• When a person uses the wrong word in a situation
  or a made up word instead of a real word that was
  what was intended.
• This is usually done accidentally
• It shows a character is less intelligent

Shakespeare uses these for comedic affect. Often
the servants speak with malapropisms.
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Comic Relief

• Comedy used to lighten the mood of a play often
  in the middle of intense scenes
• Shakespeare used puns, malapropisms, and the
  servants or lower class as comic relief

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Foil

• Two characters who are the opposite of each other
  in personality but can be compared because of
  similarities in age, gender, and social status
• Used for emphasis on their differences

Example Max and Michael Holtzapfel From The Book
Thief
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Confidante

• A person you tell your secrets to
• Important in stories because it can help show the
  characters inner thoughts