Critical Lens Literature Review

Period Four

Lord of the Flies, by William Golding

Ralph (protagonist), Piggy (die—hit by the rock), Simon (die—stabbed to death by the boys who think he’s the beast), Jack (antagonist)

Foreshadowing: group splits, foreshadows what is to come/the fire

Setting: deserted island, WWII (escaping the war) Conflict: external—Jack vs. Ralph, hunters vs. the non-

hunters; internal—Ralph vs. himself, Piggy and the glasses

Symbolism◦ Glasses (intelligence)◦ Conch (leadership, democracy, order)◦ Pig’s head (the beast—fear, savagery)

Macbeth, by William Shakespeare

Lady Macbeth (antagonist), Macbeth (both pro and anta), Duncan (murdered by Macbeth), the witches (foreshadow the events of the play), Banquo (murdered by Macbeth)

Setting: Scotland, very dark (rain, at night)Foreshadowing: the witches’ prophesies (three at the

beginning, and three towards the end)Irony: Macbeth stabbing his cousin, hiring murderers

to kill his best friendConflict: internal—Macbeth vs. himself (right and

wrong); external—Macduff and Macbeth (they fight to the death); Lady Macbeth vs. Macbeth

The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger

Holden Caulfield (pro and anta): he hates everyone (thinks they’re phonies), he is anti-establishment, he is mentally distraught (his brother Allie died of leukemia)

Conflict: Holden vs. himself (should he go home)Theme: Holden wants to help children—so they

don’t end up like him. He wants to protect their innocence.

Symbolism: ◦ The hunting hat (makes him different, is a sense of

security)◦ Ducks (they leave but they come back)

Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet (protagonists), Montagues (R) and Capulets (J); Tybalt (antagonist)

Conflict: (external)—Ms vs Cs, Tybalt vs Romeo, R&J vs. society/their families, etc. (internal)—Romeo and Juliet

Foreshadowing: their deathsTheme:

◦Resolving conflict…◦Don’t drag your family into your business…

To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Scout (narrator), Boo Radley (quiet neighbor but saves Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell), Dill, Atticus Finch (dad, defense attorney), Jem (older brother), Tom Robinson (black man accused of rape—he is killed when he tries to escape the jail)

Conflict: (external)—Atticus vs. the town, Bob Ewell vs. Tom Robinson, Tom Robinson vs. the town (racism); (internal) Scout—she wants to see Boo

Setting: Alabama in the Great DepressionSymbolism: mockingbird (innocence), tree

(friendship)

All My Sons, by Arthur Miller

Chris (he wants to marry Ann, he was in WWII, he is a man of integrity), Joe (he is the father, he sold faulty cylinder heads, seems at first to be a good man, but it turns out that he killed 21 pilots for his sons), Annie (former neighbor, was dating Larry), Kate (mother, she is emotionally ruined because Larry never came home and she’s the only one who believes he will return), George (Ann’s brother, lawyer, comes to tell Ann about Steve’s innocence, doesn’t get along with the Kellers), Frank

Theme◦ Life is about more than objects and money; it is about being responsible for other

human beings.◦ Let your kids marry who they want to marry—everyone deserves happiness.

Conflict◦ Joe vs. himself (should he tell the truth?)◦ Ann vs. Kate (Kate doesn’t want Ann to marry Chris)◦ Chris vs. Joe (Joe is not a man of honor, he doesn’t take responsibility for his

actions)◦ Chris vs. George (their dads, Ann)

Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck

George (parent figure to Lenny, he is intelligent) and Lenny (mentally disabled, physically large and strong); Curly (he is egotistical and starts fights) and Curly’s wife (good-looking, flirts with the ranchhands)

Setting: California during the Great Depression

George shoots Lenny (Lenny accidentally killed Curly’s wife and Curly wants to kill him)