UIL literary criticism Practice Exam Q&A 2024

UIL literary criticism Practice Exam Q&A 2024 Theme - CORRECT ANSWER-Central idea of a work of literature (nonfiction) The main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores in a novel, short story, or other literary work (fiction) Volta - CORRECT ANSWER-Italian word for "turn." In a sonnet, the volta is the turn of thought or argument Thesis - CORRECT ANSWER-The sentence that introduces the main argument or point of view of a composition (formal essay, nonfiction piece, or narrative) Crisis - CORRECT ANSWER-The do-or-die moment in a story, usually considered the climax Motif - CORRECT ANSWER-A recurring theme, subject or idea hapax legomenon - CORRECT ANSWER-a word or phrase that appears only once in a manuscript, document, or particular area of literature Kitsch - CORRECT ANSWER-tawdry, vulgarized, or pretentious art, literature, etc, usually with popular or sentimental appeal Alazon - CORRECT ANSWER-A stock character in Greek drama, the alazon is a stupid braggart who is easily tricked by the clever eiron who tells the alazon what he wants to hear Catachresis - CORRECT ANSWER-rhetorical term for the inappropriate use of one word for another, or for an extreme, strained, or mixed metaphor often used deliberately Foil - CORRECT ANSWER-A character who is in most ways opposite to the main character (protagonist) or one who is nearly the same as the protagonist. The purpose of the foil character is to emphasize the traits of the main character by contrast only Quarto - CORRECT ANSWER-a book or pamphlet made up of one or more full sheets of paper on which 8 pages of text were printed, which were then folded two times to produce four leaves Tetralogy - CORRECT ANSWER-a set of four connected literary, artistic, or musical works Tetrameter - CORRECT ANSWER-4 feet per line