Name ___________________________________________
Date __________________________
Period _______
Unit 2 Study Guide
Point of View and Theme
It is absolutely essential that all of you do well on Wednesday’s exam. Not only is this a chance for you to show us how well you
understand the material that you will need to know for the CAHSEE, but it will directly affect your grade in the class. While some
questions will be about new material, most of the questions are about things we have gone over in the last three weeks, so if you
prepare properly, there is no reason you cannot earn a passing score on this test! In order to help you review, you will need to
complete this study guide according to the directions and turn it in with your Unit 2 homework packet on Thursday.
Literary Response and Analysis
Literary Terms
You will be responsible for knowing all of the following terms on the test. To review them, match the following literary terms
with their definitions. Each term is only used once.
bias
genre
theme
compare
moral
third-person limited point of view
contrast
narrator
third-person omniscient point of view
credible
persona
tone
diction
point of view
topic
first-person point of view
pronoun
generalization
satire
1.
type or category of literature _____________________
2.
a particular tendency or inclination that prevents fair consideration of a question; prejudice (common in first-person
narration) _____________________
3.
a lesson or piece of advice in a story that instructs readers on how to behave or live _____________________
4.
a writer’s or speaker’s choice of words; it is an essential element of a writer’s style _____________________
5.
a type of writing that makes fun of human weakness in order to bring about social reform __________________
6.
the attitude a writer takes toward a subject, a character, or the reader; it is created through the writer’s choice of words
and details _____________________
7.
one or two words that identify what a piece of writing is about _____________________
8.
the vantage point or perspective from which a writer tells a story _____________________
9.
a broad statement about an entire group _____________________
10. believable _____________________
11. the narrator is a character in the story; the narrator uses the pronouns “I,” “me,” and “we” and can only reveal his/her own
thoughts, not the thoughts of other characters _____________________
12. to identify differences between two things _____________________
13. word used to emphasize that a narrator is a fictional creation by an author to tell a story, even if the story is told in firstperson or is supposed to be autobiographical _____________________
14. the narrator, who plays no part in the story, zooms in on the thoughts and feelings of one character
_____________________
15. to identify similarities between two things _____________________
16. the central idea or insight about human life an author wants us to obtain from reading his or her story; it must be written in
a complete sentence _____________________
17. the narrator plays no part in the story but can tell us what more than one of the characters is thinking and feeling as well as
what is happening in other places _____________________
18. the person telling the story _____________________
19. a word that replaces a noun _____________________
Identifying Point of View
You will be expected to read three paragraphs and identify the point of view (first-person, third-person limited, or thirdperson omniscient) of each one. In order to help you practice, we have provided you with several practice paragraphs and a
handy-dandy checklist. Circle the correct point of view for each excerpt. Be sure to underline or highlight the clues that helped
you figure it out.
POV Checklist:
 Does the passage use first-person pronouns (I, me, we, our)? Then, it’s first-person point of view!
 Does the passage use third-person pronouns (he, she, they, it)? Move on to the next question.
 Underline all of the words and phrases indicating that the narrator knows what one character is thinking.
 Does the narrator go into a second character’s mind?
o
If the answer is “No,” then it’s third-person limited point of view.
o
If the answer is “Yes,” then it’s third-person omniscient point of view.
Excerpt #1: From Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
[When Jess drew], the peace would start at the top of his muddled brain and seep down through his tired and tensed-up body. Lord,
he loved to draw. Animals, mostly. Not regular animals like Miss Bessie and the chickens, but crazy animals with problems—for some
reason he liked to put his beasts into impossible fixes. . . .He would like to show his drawings to his dad, but he didn't dare. When he
was in first grade, he told his father than he wanted to be an artist when he grew up. He'd thought he would be pleased. He wasn't.
“What are they teaching in that school?” he had asked. “Bunch of old ladies turning my son into some kind of a—.”He had stopped
on the word, but Jess had gotten the message. It was one you didn't forget, even after four years.
Circle one: First-person point of view / Third-person limited point of view / Third-person omniscient point of view
Excerpt #2: From The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
No one ever noticed. Sydelle Pulaski limped through the lobby. She could be carrying a high-powered rifle in that package and no
one would notice. She had moved to Sunset Towers hoping to meet elegant people, but no one had invited her in for so much as a
cup of tea. No one paid any attention to her, except that poor crippled boy whose smile could break your heart, and that bratty kid
with the braid – she’ll be sorry she kicked her in the shin. . . . On the plastic-covered dining table she set out the contents of the
shopping bag: six cans of enamel, paint thinner, and brushes. She unwrapped the long package and leaned four wooden crutches
against the wall. The sun was setting over the parking lot, but Sydelle Pulaski did not look out her back window. From the side
window smoke could be seen rising from the Westing house, but Sydelle Pulaski did not notice.
Circle one: First-person point of view / Third-person limited point of view / Third-person omniscient point of view
Excerpt #3: From Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Pa was very tired and his hands ached so that he could not drive very well, but the horses knew the way home. Ma sat beside him
with Baby Carrie, and Laura and Mary sat on the board behind them. Then they heard Pa tell about what Charley had done. . . . Laura
and Mary were horrified. They were often naughty, themselves, but they had never imagined that anyone could be as naughty as
Charley had been. He hadn’t worked to help save the oats. He hadn’t minded his father quickly when his father spoke to him. He had
bothered Pa and Uncle Henry when they were hard at work.
Circle one: First-person point of view / Third-person limited point of view / Third-person omniscient point of view
Excerpt #4: From The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden was what Mary called it when she was thinking of it. She liked the name, and she liked still more the feeling that
when its beautiful old walls shut her in no one knew where she was. It seemed almost like being shut out of the world in some fairy
place. The few books she had read and liked had been fairy-story books, and she had read of secret gardens in some of the stories.
Sometimes people went to sleep in them for a hundred years, which she had thought must be rather stupid. She had no intention of
going to sleep, and, in fact, she was becoming wider awake every day which passed at Misselthwaite.
Circle one: First-person point of view / Third-person limited point of view / Third-person omniscient point of view
Excerpt #5: From The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner
It was pitch-black outside, moments before midnight, when we climbed the fence and looked down to see what appeared to be a
solid landing spot, either the ground or a building top. Hitting down simultaneously on a heavy metal surface, we realized to our
horror that we’d landed on a van. And not just any van. It was a van occupied by two brothers from the Shore Patrol. Judging from
their groggy appearances, it was clear they’d both been taking a nap and we had awakened them. Now they were upset.
Circle one: First-person point of view / Third-person limited point of view / Third-person omniscient point of view
Topics, Themes, and Morals
You will be expected to answer questions about the difference between topics, themes, and morals. Identify each of the
examples below as a topic, theme, or moral.
1.
family _______________
2.
When people are selfish, they are less likely to develop strong friendships. _______________
3.
Taking shortcuts often leads to problems in the future. _______________
4.
Don’t judge a book by its cover. _______________
5.
greed _______________
6.
Friends are important because they provide support in difficult times. _______________
7.
Don’t worry about tomorrow when you should be focused on today. _______________
8.
growing up _______________
9.
Treat others the way you want to be treated. _______________
“The Storyteller” (pp. 154-159)
Use your homework organizer and textbook to review the events of the story so you remember what happens!
Answer the following questions in a complete sentence.
 What point of view does Saki use to tell his story? ____________________________________________________
 What is Saki satirizing (def: making fun of) in “The Storyteller”?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
 What is one possible theme of “The Storyteller”?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
“Catch the Moon” (pp. 233-240)
Use your homework organizer and textbook to review the events of the story so you remember what happens!
Answer the following questions in a complete sentence.
 What point of view is “Catch the Moon” told in? ______________________________________________________
 Is Luis a static or dynamic character? How do you know?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
 What is an external conflict from “Catch the Moon”?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
 What is an internal conflict from “Catch the Moon”?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
 What is one possible theme of “Catch the Moon”?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
“The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant” (pp. 243-250)
Use your homework organizer and textbook to review the events of the story so you remember what happens!
Answer the following questions in a complete sentence.
 What point of view is “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant” told in? ______________________________________
 Is the narrator a static or dynamic character? How do you know?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
 What is an external conflict from “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant”?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
 What is an internal conflict from “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant”?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
 What is one possible theme of “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant”?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Written Conventions (Grammar)
Phrases
You will be responsible for knowing (and being able to identify) each of the types of phrases we learned in this unit. Here’s a
quick summary, but you should review the examples in your grammar packet:
 Phrase – a group of related words without a subject and predictate
 Prepositional Phrase – a phrase that begins with a preposition (in, on, to, at, of . . .); Example – Jill went to the candy store.
 Verb Phrase – a group of verbs that makes up the main verb (predicate) in a sentence; Example – Sue will be speaking at
the convention.
 Infinitive Phrase – a phrase that begins with an infinitive (to + verb) and functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb; Example
– Ann likes to shop for bargains.
 Gerund Phrase – a phrase that begins with an –ing verb and functions as a noun; Example – Shopping online is Emily’s
favorite activity.
 Participial Phrase – a phrase that begins with an –ing or –ed verb and functions as an adjective; Example – Shopping at her
favorite stores, Renee spent her entire paycheck.
 Appositive Phrase – a noun or pronoun that is placed beside another noun or pronoun in order to identify or describe it;
Example – Spaghetti, my favorite food, is originally from Italy.
Are you having trouble with these phrases? Use the checklist below to help you:
Phrases Checklist:

Does the phrase start with “to”?
o
Is “to” followed by a verb? Then it’s an infinitive phrase.
o
Is “to” followed by something other than a verb? Then it’s a prepositional phrase.

Does the phrase start with another preposition (in, on, to, at, from . . .)? Then it’s a prepositional phrase.

Does the phrase start with a verb?
o
Does the verb end in “-ed”? Then it’s a participial phrase.
o
Does the verb end in “-ing”?

Is the phrase describing another noun in the sentence? Then it’s a participial phrase.

Is the phrase acting like a noun that does something (or “is” something)? Then it’s a gerund phrase.
 Is the phrase a noun (or group of nouns) that defines/describes another noun in the sentence? Then it’s an appositive
phrase.
Here are some practice questions for you to answer. Identify each of the underlined phrases as a prepositional phrase, verb
phrase, infinitive phrase, gerund phrase, participial phrase, or appositive phrase.
1.
Bicycling through the countryside is a favorite hobby of mine. ____________________
2.
I enjoy the freedom to get around on my own. ____________________
3.
I also ride my bike to school. ____________________
4.
At 8:00 a.m., I am on my way, pedaling furiously. ____________________
5.
My current bike, an old three-speed model, is not well suited for long-distance riding. ____________________
6.
I can ride my bike faster than my brother can. ____________________
7.
Nevertheless, I am trying to save enough money for an all-terrain bike. ____________________
8.
Swimming the length of the pool was one of the requirements for graduation. ____________________
9.
This requirement, a longtime rule at the college, was easy for many students. ____________________
10. To my sister, it was a difficult challenge. ____________________
11. Despite her intentions, she was swimming worse than the children in the shallow end. ____________________
12. Nevertheless, she would try again, improving each time. ____________________
13. He convinced her that swimming did not mean risking her life. ____________________
14. My sister persisted, passing the swimming requirement at last. ____________________
15. In her case, swimming seemed to be a challenge that she accepted and met. ____________________
Clauses
You will be responsible for knowing the difference between a phrase (a group of related words that is missing a subject, a
verb, or both) and a clause (a group of related words with both a subject and a verb). To help you review the difference,
identify each of the following groups of words as either a phrase (P) or a clause (C):
1.
at the store __________
2.
Gina came into the store __________
3.
although I could not play __________
4.
The running water __________
5.
before a hurricane occurs __________
6.
during the rainy season __________
7.
after I walked the path __________
8.
through the winter months __________
9.
to do the paper route __________
10. since airports need room __________
11. throughout the room __________
12. will have finished __________
You will also be responsible for knowing the difference between independent clauses (a group of related words with both a
subject and a verb that expresses a complete thought and could stand alone as a sentence) and dependent clauses (a group of
related words with both a subject and a verb that does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a
sentence). To help you review the difference, identify the underlined clause in each of the following sentences as either an
independent clause (IC) or a dependent clause (DC):
1.
The world is a miserable place when you have an upset stomach. __________
2.
Whether you get carsick, airsick, or seasick, you probably welcome any advice. __________
3.
Motion sickness happens to some people whenever the brain receives mixed messages. __________
4.
If the inner ear feels movement but the eyes report no movement, the brain gets confused. __________
5.
This confusion results in dizziness and the feeling that all is not well. __________
6.
Experts suggest that you sleep well and eat lightly to avoid motion sickness. __________
7.
When you travel by car, you should sit in the middle of the back seat and look straight out the windshield. _________
8.
On an airplane or a boat, the best seat is one that allows a view of the clouds or horizon. __________
Word Analysis (Vocabulary)
You will be expected to know the definitions of the following words. To review them, match the following words with their
definitions. (You may also want to review the sample sentences in your homework organizer so you know how they are used.)
from “The Storyteller”
_____ 1.
_____ 2.
_____ 3.
_____ 4.
_____ 5.
_____ 6.
_____ 7.
_____ 8.
_____ 9.
assail
conviction
deplorably
diversion
persistent
petulant
resolute
retort
sultry
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
hot and humid; sweltering
attack
continuing
sharp reply
something that distracts the attention
strong belief; certainty
determined
very badly
impatient; irritable; peevish
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
bothering; troubling
took apart
dating from a time long past
dark or black
mocking; taunting; in a manner that makes fun of
something or someone
objects or things from the past that may have
special meanings or associations, sometimes
religious ones
from “Catch the Moon”
_____ 1.
_____ 2.
_____ 3.
_____ 4.
_____ 5.
_____ 6.
harassing
dismantled
vintage
ebony
sarcastic
relics
f.
from “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant”
_____ 1.
_____ 2.
_____ 3.
_____ 4.
_____ 5.
_____ 6.
_____ 7.
_____ 8.
_____ 9.
_____ 10.
denizens
pensive
dubious
antipathy
filial
surreptitiously
conspicuous
concussion
luminous
quizzical
Good Luck! We know you can do a great job!
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
feeling of hatred; powerful and deep dislike
powerful shock or impact
obvious or easy to see
inhabitants or occupants
doubtful; not sure
pertaining to or due from a son or daughter
glowing; giving off light
dreamily thoughtful
puzzled; questioning
stealthily; sneakily