5.1 Character

• In poetry, there are three main types of characters
• The speaker in a poem is always the poet themselves.

  False
• A fictional character created by the poet to speak on their behalf is called a persona
• Match the character type with its purpose:

  Speaker ↔️ Conveys the poem's central message and themes

  Persona ↔️ Allows the poet to explore different viewpoints

  Dramatic Character ↔️ Adds depth, complexity, and narrative elements
• Understanding different character types is important for analyzing the layers of meaning
• Dialogue is a method used in poetry to develop characters.


  True
• Depicting a character's behaviors and choices shows their nature
• Characters' conversations reveal their thoughts and personalities
• The speaker's actions in "The Road Not Taken" reflect their adventurous spirit.


  True
• Character motivation refers to the underlying reasons and desires that drive a character's actions
• What does the speaker's action of choosing the road less traveled in "The Road Not Taken" reflect?

  Adventurous spirit
• Dialogue in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" exposes the character's insecurities.


  True
• What is the significance of the persona's appearance in "The Raven"?

  Gothic atmosphere
• Character motivation refers to the underlying reasons and desires that drive a character's actions and decisions
• Character conflict can be external or internal.

  True
• What is character motivation in poetry?

  Reasons behind actions
• Language plays a critical role in shaping character in poetry.traits
• Sylvia Plath's poems often convey an angry and despairing tone.


  True
• Match the linguistic method with its definition:

  Diction ↔️ Specific word choices

  Tone ↔️ Attitude conveyed through language

  Syntax ↔️ Sentence structure and arrangement

  Dialect/Idioms ↔️ Regional or colloquial phrases
• Imagery in poetry can only describe a character's external appearance.

  False
• What are two techniques poets use to create dramatic characters?

  Symbolism and imagery
• What can examining both character motivation and conflict help us understand in poetry?

  Complexity of personas
• Language plays a critical role in shaping a character's personality and traits
• What type of diction does Edgar Allan Poe's persona use in "The Raven"?

  Formal, gothic
• Sylvia Plath's poems often reflect a speaker's angry and despairing tone through stark imagery.


  True
• Walt Whitman's free verse uses long, flowing sentences to mirror a speaker's expansive and all-inclusive perspective
• What do linguistic elements reveal about a character in poetry?

  Identity, emotions, social standing
• Match the character type with its role in poetry:

  Speaker ↔️ Conveys the poem's central message

  Persona ↔️ Allows exploring diverse viewpoints

  Dramatic Character ↔️ Adds depth and narrative complexity
• What is one method poets use to develop characters in their poems?

  Dialogue
• Depicting a character's behaviors and choices shows their nature
• Describing a character's appearance provides visual cues about their identity.


  True
• What does the appearance of the mysterious raven contribute to in "The Raven"?

  Gothic atmosphere
• Examining character motivation and conflict helps reveal the complexity of personas in poetry.


  True
• Character conflict can only be external in poetry.

  False
• What type of diction does Edgar Allan Poe use in "The Raven"?

  Formal, gothic diction
• Walt Whitman's free verse uses long, flowing sentences to mirror a speaker's expansive and all-inclusive perspective
• What does the "yellow fog" symbolize in T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"?

  Isolation and paralysis
• In "The Road Not Taken," the speaker is characterized as adventurous, while Eliot's persona is insecure and hesitant
• Match the poem with its speaker's or persona's motivation:

  "The Road Not Taken" ↔️ Adventurous, independent spirit

  "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" ↔️ Insecure, hesitant