the American Literature Study Guide

• Discuss works written by major nineteenth century authors.
• Discuss biographical details of specific major American authors from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
• Discuss the literary techniques of narration, theme, tone, style, setting, and imagery.
• Discuss literary terms as they relate to the readings.

Important note: In class discussions, express your own ideas and do not use outside sources. Using outside sources can lower your scores, and often they can lead to plagiarism.

After reading the headnotes and the “The Cask of Amontillado” by Poe and “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras” by Twain, choose one and write a substantial and detailed paragraph. Use the biographical details of the author that you learned from the headnote to determine how these details may have influenced his work. Use the following questions to prompt your ideas for your response:

• What do you think is the theme of the story? Support your ideas with evidence from the story, such as short quotes.
• What is the tone of the story? What words does the author use to create that tone? Include evidence from the story to support your answer.