Macbeth Study Questions

 Macbeth Study Questions
ACT I

Scene 1:

1) The play opens with thunder and lightning as the three witches enter.  What does this tell us about the mood of the play?  What do the witches symbolize beyond just superstition?  Do you really believe that they are witches?





2) What doe the witches mean when they say, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”?  What does this tell you about what is likely to go on during the play?





3) How can a battle be “Lost and won”?  What foreshadow might this set-up?  What is the real battle in this play?





4) Graymalkin and Paddock are familiars (a cat and a toad).  What does this suggest about the action of the play?  What might they symbolize?



Scene ii

1) What does the bloody man report?




2) Why is Macdonwald a worthy rebel?





3) What similes or metaphors does the captain (the bloody man) use to describe Macbeth and Banquo?  What is significant about these descriptions?







4)  “Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds, or memorize another Golgotha.”  What is the allusion?  What is significant about the statement?   What does it suggest?  Please keep in mind the religious/superstitious images/symbols already presented.







5) Who was Scotland fighting?


Scene iii

1) Why do the witches talk in poetry?



2) What do the witches predict for Macbeth?  What is the dramatic irony involved?





3) What do they witches predict for Banquo?  What irony is involved in this promise?





4) What is your first impression of Macbeth in scenes ii-iii?  What is your first impression of Banquo?



5) How do Macbeth and Banquo differ in their reactions to the witches predictions?  What does this tell us about their characters?





6) What message does Ross bring?



7) “But ‘tis strange!  And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray us in deepest consequence.”  Who speaks the above quote?  What is the significance or meaning of the quote?





Scene iv

1) What is Malcolm’s description of Cawdor’s execution?



2) What is the King’s response to this description?



3) Who does the King name as his successor?  How does Macbeth react to this information?




4)  “Stars hide your fires!  Let not light see my black and deep desires.  The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.”  Who speaks this quote and what is the significance of it?

ACT 1 

1. What is the point of the first scene (literally) and in reference to the whole play? 

  

  

2. What does Duncan call Macbeth when he hears Macbeth has defeated Macdonwald? 

  

  

3. Who is sentenced to death? 

  

  

4. What do the witches predict in Act I, Scene 3 for Macbeth?  For Banquo? 

Macbeth 

  

Banquo 

  

5. Who news does Ross bring Macbeth? 

  

6. Banquo, like Macbeth, is surprised that the witches have predicted Macbeth’s new title.  He is, however, leery.  What does he say about the motives of the “instruments of darkness” ? 

  

7. Malcolm describes Cawdor’s last moments before execution.  What is Duncan ’s reply? 

  

8. Macbeth says, “Stars, hide your fires.  Let not light see my black and deep desires.”  What are Macbeth’s desires? 

  

  

9. After Lady Macbeth reads the letter, what does she tell us is her opinion of Macbeth, and how does she plan to help him? 

  

  

10. What is Lady Macbeth’s “prayer” to the spirits after she learns Duncan is missing? 

  

11. What advice does Lady Macbeth give Macbeth when he arrives home? 

  

12. What are Macbeth’s arguments to himself against killing Duncan ? 

  

13. What arguments does Lady Macbeth use to convince Macbeth to commit the murder? 

  

14. What is Lady Macbeth’s plan? 

Things to Know

Study Guide for FINAL
STUDY GUIDE:

1) Be able to outline the Plot
2) Know the importance of the following people:
Bernard Marx
John
Linda
Lenina
D.H.C. (Tomakin)
Mustapha Mond
Helmholtz Watson
Henry Foster
Fanny Crowne
Pope’

3) Discuss BRAVE NEW WORLD as a 3-part structure


4) Give examples of the following themes:
The Meaning of Freedom
Individual vs. Society
The Meaning of Power

5) Discuss five ways people are controlled in this society

6) Discuss the title and how its meaning changes throughout the course of the novel

7) Does this novel contain any elements of hope? Why or why not?

8) Why is Shakespeare used so often?

9) For a world that lacks history and literature there are many, many allusions to both (perhaps Huxley means something by this): list at least three literary and three historical and discuss their meanings.

10) Who is FORD? Why is he an important Symbol of this society?

11) Discuss the why everyone is similar.

12) List two symbols other than FORD.

13) List three ironies.

14) Discuss death in this novel and the deaths of the following:

John
Linda
The average person in this society.

15) Discuss the “Bokanovsky Process”.

16) Is Mustapha Mond really powerful or is he controlled by society as much as anyone else?

Creative Connection to NOVEL

Choose one of the three options below:

1) Take a minor character and write a 1-2 page monologue / journal entry about what they think of the situation / action / motivations in the book so far.  This could be from Pope's, Franny's, Benito's, Helmholtz's or anyone elses point of view.

2) Make a newspaper story about one of the major events of the novel. How would a journalist take on the events in the story.  Think about a newspaper report of John's freakout and the riot in chapter 15.  Remember that newspaper's are suppose to just report the facts.  

3) Draw a picture of an important scene, or a picture of an image that represents a greater idea in the book. Be sure to include a short-written component explaining why you chose to create your visual representation.

This is worth 25 points.

Also new vocabulary words:

1) Palliate
2) Confiscate
3) Inundate
4) Deprecate
5) Exonerate
6) Capitulate
7) Svelte
8) Diurnal
9) Canopy
10) Patrimony

Brave New World chapter 14

1) "Started by the expression of distress on his pale face she suddenly broke off. 'Why, whatever is the matter.'  She asked.  She was not accustomed to this kind of thing in visitors.  (Not that there were many visitors anyhow: or reasons why there should be visitors.)  'You're not feeling ill, are you?'

Discuss the significance of the quote as well as the irony.

2)  "Whet seemed an interminable stream of identical eight-year-old male twins was pouring into the room.  Twin after twin, twin after twin, they came -- a nightmare.  Their faces, their repeated face -- for there was only one between the lot of them -- puggishly stared, all nostrils and pale goggling eyes."

Discuss the significance of the quote as well as the irony.

3) What is the class at the center for dying to learn?  How do you react to them making fun/jokes about the dying mother?  Discuss John's reactions?  The reactions of the head nurse to John?

4) "Obstinately the beautiful memories refused to rise; there was only a hateful ressurrection of jealousies and uglinesses and miseries."

Discuss the significance of this quote.

5) What are Linda's last words?  How does this reflect her life or life in this society?

6) Linda, before she dies, is on soma holiday with Pope.  What can be inferred in this idea?

7) When Linda dies how does the nurse condition/reward the children?

8) John pushes down a child at the end of this chapter.  Is this a foreshadow for anything?   Is it symbolic?  What might it suggest?  

MLA Works Cited help

For example of a work cited page go here

Discussion Questions chapters 8-10

1) What is strange about "Bye Baby Banting Soon You'll Need Decanting"?  What is the allusion?  (126)
2) Why does Linda hit John?  What does she blame him for?  Is this right?  Is it understandable why she resents him?
3) What is your opinion of Pope?  Why?  Anything ironic about his name?
4) How did Linda teach John to read?  What becomes John's bible?  Is there anything ironic about this?
5) "Nay, but to live/ in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed,/ stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love/ over the nasty sty".  What is significant about this quote?  (131)
6) Why does John try to kill Pope?  What is Pope's reaction?  How does Shakespeare influence these thought?
7)  "He had discovered Time and Death and God" (136).  What is significant about this quote?
8)  How are John and Bernard alike?
9)  "I did something that none of the others did.  I stood against a rock in the middle of the day, in summer, with my arms out, like Jesus on the Cross."  "What on earth for?"  "I wanted to know what it was like being crucified."  (137).  What is significant about this quote?
10) At the end of chapter 8 the title of the book appears in a quote from the Tempest.  This quote will be used throughout the book, but its meaning will change with each use.  What is the meaning of the quote here?  (137)
11) List the allusions to Romeo and Juliet in chapter 9.  What ideas do they reinforce?
12)  Why is the Social Predestination Room compared with a Hive in chapter 10?
13)  How does Bernard turn the "Public example" on Tomakin?
14)  Is there meaning (perhaps irony and an allusion) in John falling on his knees and saying (loudly) "My Father"?  (151)

Discussion Questions Chapter 6 and 7

1) Chapter six is structurally broken into three parts.  What is the chapter as a whole about (think theme) and what do each of the parts represent?

2)  What does "a gramme is time save nine" mean?  What is the allusion?  (page 89)

3)  In part 1 of chapter six Bernard wants to be alone with Lenina.  How does she react?

4)  "Talking?  But what about?"  Walking and talking -- that seemed a very odd way of spending an afternoon"  (page 89).  What is significant about this quote?

5)  How is Bernard in rebellion against society? Why?

6)  "All the same," Lenina insisted. " I do like him.  He has such awfully nice hands.  And the way he moves his shoulders -- that's very attractive...but I wish he weren't so odd."  (page 94) Whats significant about this quote?

7) Who is Mustapha Mond?  Who does the name allude to?  Why do you think Huxley used this allusion in the book?

8) "Those who are born in the Reservation -- and remember, my dear young lady...remember that in the Reservation, children are still born, yes, actually born..."  (102).  What is significant about this quote?

9) What are you thoughts about Bernard being sent to Iceland?  Is this revenge?

10)  What do you think will happen in chapter 7.

11) A Brave New World is one of the most consistently banned books because according to censors "It challenges family values."  Do you agree with this assertion?  Why or why not?

12) Describe some of the things Lenina and Bernard see on the reservation and their reactions.

13) Compare the spiritual ritual on the reservation with the "orgy-porgy" ritual in society?  Doe they serve the same purpose?  Why or why not?

14) There are allusions to Macbeth on page 116 and 117 - find and list them.

15) "Linda had come from the Other Place long ago, before he was born, with a man who was his father" (118).  What is the significance of this?

16) How is Linda described?  What might this mean?

17)  John is an allusion to John the Baptist.  What might this mean?

18)  List three things Linda says in her long monologue at the end of the chapter.  

A Brave New World

Chapters 1-2: Discussion Questions

1. What is the setting of the book or, at least, these chapters?  Do you find any importance in this?
2. What is the World State’s motto?  How does chapter 1 and the discussion of the Hatchery fit this motto?  (Note: the motto is a motif and the entire society is structured around it).
3. “The overalls of the workers were white and their hands gloved with a pale corpse-coloured rubber…”

Discuss your interpretation of this quote.  Why overalls?  Are overalls an allusion to something?

4. These two chapters introduce three important characters: D.H.C, Henry Foster, and Lenina Crowne.  Who are there?  Henry Foster and Lenina Crowne names have meaning beyond the text.  Their names allude to historical persons.  Find these out. Also note: All the major characters in BRAVE NEW WORLD have facebook pages.  Look these up as the facebook pages does give you information about the character.

5. “Straight from the horses mouth into the notebook…He had a long chin and big rather prominent teeth…”  “Consider the horse.”

What is your interpretation of this quote?  What is the comparison?  Note, references to animals and nature reoccur throughout this novel.  Why?  Especially in a novel where human life is controlled (or created and then controlled) since before birth.

6. What is the Bokonovsky’s Process?  How does this process fit the ideal of “Community, Identity, Stability?”

7. Define peritoneum.

8. “Like chickens drinking, the students lifted their eyes towards the distant ceiling.”

What is significant about this quote?

What is the Predestination Room?  What is meant by predestination in this book?  Does this idea, introduced so early in the book, alert you to anything?   How would you feel if your life were predestined?





9. What is the Predestination Room?  What is meant by predestination in this book?  Does this idea, introduced so early in the book, alert you to anything?   How would you feel if your life were predestined?

10. How are Epsilons formed?

11. “…that is the secret of happiness and virtue—like what you’ve got to do.  All conditioning aims at that: making people like their unescapable social destiny.”

12. How are babies conditioned to like and dislike things in the Nursery?

13. Why are some castes (note look up the word) made to dislike books and flowers?

14. Why is parent a dead word?  (Look up the word viviparous).  Why are the terms mother and father considered “smut” or “unpleasant facts”?

15. What is sleep-teaching or hypnopaedia?  What is moral education?

16. What are some differences between Betas, Deltas, Gammas, Epsilons?  (Note: where do the names come from?  Allusion.)

17. “Till at last the child’s mind is these suggestions, and the sum of the suggestions is the child’s mind.  And not the child’s mind only.  The adult’s mind too—all his life long.  The mind that judges and desires and decides—made up of these suggestions.  But all these suggestions are our suggestions!”  The Director almost shouted in his triumph.  “Suggestions from the State.

What is significant about the above quote?  How does it relate to the State Motto?

18. “Oh, Ford!”  - the director shouts this at the end of chapter 2.  Who is Ford?  Why is he important (think allusion).

A Brave New World chapter 3

Today I want you to look back through chapter 3 and discuss how the structure of the chapter reinforces the main idea.

1. - what is the structure of the chapter?   How is the chapter written?
2. - why do you think the chapter is written like this?
3. - what does the chapter force you to do as the reader?
4. - what's the main point here?

5.  Who is your favorite character so far?  Why?

Brave New World

How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is!
O brave new world,
That has such people in it!
Chapters 8 & 15 The Tempest (V, i)


-- EXPLAIN the title 
-- List the main characters
-- List any and all allusions

-- Write a paragraph of your person response to the book so far

Dialectical Journals

The Dialectical Journal: A BRAVE NEW WORLD



The Dialectical Journal/Blog

Effective students have a habit of taking notes as they read. This note-taking can several forms: annotation, post it notes, character lists, idea clusters, and many others. One of the most effective strategies is called a dialectical journal. The word “dialectical” has numerous meanings, but the one most pertinent is the “art of critical examination into the truth of an opinion.” As you read, you are forming an opinion about what you are reading (or at least you are SUPPOSED to be forming an opinion). That opinion, however, needs to be based on the text – not just a feeling.. Therefore, all of your opinions need to begin with a text. To that end, you will need to create a dialectical journal as you read your outside reading novel. You will then use this journal to help you write your outside reading paper, and I will use it to gauge just how interactive you are with your novel. This journal will be included as a significant part of your paper – in fact, you will be unable to get anything higher than a low “B” without completing the journal, so take it seriously.

The procedure is as follows:

1. As you read, pay close attention to the text.

2. Whenever you encounter something of interest (this could be anything from an interesting turn of phrase to a character note), write down the word/phrase making sure that you NOTE THE PAGE NUMBER. If the phrase is especially long just write the first few words, use an ellipsis, then write the last few words.

3. Then WRITE YOUR OBSEVRATIONS ABOUT THE TEXT you noted or quoted.  Please separate this two things by a little space. You need to interact in detail with the text. Make sure that your observations are THOROUGH, INSIGHTFUL, and FOCUSED CLEARLY ON THE TEXT.

Requirements:

1) For each novel we read you will need to complete a MINIMUM of 55 entries if you wish to be eligible for an “A”. 35 is the minimum for a passing grade. Make sure you number your entries. 
2) A completed dialectical journal should be brought to class each day a reading assignment is due. 
3) On some short fiction and poetry reading assignments I may ask you to keep a dialectic journal on the reading (usually I’ll ask for 5-10 entries for shorter works).
4) Dialectic journals will be used as part of class discussion and will be randomly collected and graded for homework. 

When should you write things down?
• When certain details seem important to you
• When you have an epiphany
• When you learn something significant about a character
• When you recognize a pattern (overlapping images, repetitions of idea, details, etc.)
• When you agree or disagree with something a character says
• When you find an interesting or potentially significant quote.
• When you notice something important or relevant about the writer’s style.
• When you notice effective uses of literary devices.
• When you notice something that makes you think of a question

That is all there is to it. This way, once you have read your text you will already have a great set of notes on which to draw when you write your paper. You also should have gained a great deal of insight about your particular text.

Note: Should you rather type this, just use the COLUMN function in your tool bar and complete steps two-four electronically.

Grading (based on 55 entries, if you have 45 entries an A= B, B= C, 35 entries A=C)

A—Detailed, meaningful passages, plot and quote selections; thoughtful interpretation and commentary about the text; includes comments about literary elements (like theme, diction, imagery, syntax, symbolism, etc.) and how these elements contribute to the meaning of the text; asks thought-provoking, insightful questions; coverage of text is complete and thorough; journal is neat, organized, numbered and readable.
B—Less detailed, but good selections; some intelligent commentary about the text; includes some comments about literary elements (like theme, diction, imagery, syntax, symbolism, etc.) but less than how these elements contribute to the meaning of the text; asks some thought-provoking, insightful questions; coverage of the text is complete and thorough; journal is neat, organized, numbered and readable.
C—A few good details about the text; most of the commentary is vague, unsupported or plot summary/paraphrase; some listing of literary elements, but perhaps inadequate discussion, but not very thoroughly; journal is relatively neat.
D—Hardly any good or meaningful details from the story; notes are plot summary or paraphrase; few literary elements, virtually no discussion on meaning; no good questions; limited coverage of text, and/or too short.

Examples:


"An island lay a short distance from Halfdan's stronghold; on it lived a karl or freeman named Vifil.  The place, called Vifil's island, was name for the freeman, who was a lifelong friend of King Halfdan" (page 1).

The name of Vifil means beetle.  The symbolic meaning of beetle is protection.  The fact that Vifil is a lifelong friend of King Halfdan suggests that he will help Halfdan's sons after Halfdan is assassinated.  Further, the passage later states that Vifil is "well versed in the art of magic".  This will suggest that he will use magic to help protect the boys and introduce magic as theme: both for good and evil (this is opposed to the Christianity idea that all magic is evil and thus setting up the idea that this is a pagan text).  Vifil is noted as a "freeman" meaning that he is not royalty and therefore owes allegiance to someone.  Also he risks more in opposing King Frodi.  He is willing to give his life to protect Halfdan's sons.


for examples see: 

http://shelbyap.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html

http://brandycollegeenglish.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-02-25T22:40:00-08:00&max-results=7&start=7&by-date=false

http://collegeintroenglish.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html

New Vocabulary

Rote
Manifest
Bequest
Moras
Brouhaha
Slake
Zenith
Pacifist
Bedlam
Prehensile

New Vocabulary Words

Supine

Jetsam

Mottle

Assail

Quaff

Estrange

Disconcert

Espouse

Reproach

Lambaste

Sentences

Make sure you know the following structures:

1) Simple
2) Compound
3) Complex
4) Compound-complex
5) Loose
6) Periodic
7) Parallelism

SAT Words

Atone

Pinguid

Agog

Panache

Iconoclast

Escapade

Offal

Paragon

Palisade

Diminution

Tuesday

Blog Journal: Which family traditions do you want to continue in your won life? Which do you want to leave behind?

Read, "Simply Grand: Generational Ties Matter on page 247.

Start the "Read for Information: Make Generalizations".  These assignments aren't due until Friday.

A Celebration of Grandfathers

Today we are going to look at the memoir selection, "A Celebration of Grandfathers" on page 237.  Focus on the debate question.  Do "AFTER READING" questions 1-10.

Thursday and Friday

9/20 and 9/21

Thursday:

I want you to consider "The Possibility of Evil".  Where does the possibility of evil exist in our world?  Does it exit?  Is there such a thing as evil.  Write a blog entry of at least 300 words that explains your view of evil and where evil might exist in our society.

Friday

Vocabulary Quiz

Tuesday 9/18

Today, the class with help the 9th graders with their enactment of "The Lady or the Tiger?"


HW: Short Story Outline on "The Possibility of Evil" and study vocabulary words.

FRIDAY 9/14

Today:

Words of the Day on the board.

Study Questions 1-11 on page 215.
Vocabulary practice on page 216 (1-6); also denotation and connotation on page 216 (1-6).

Thursday 9/13

Today you will be reading, "A Possibility of Evil" on page 202.  You will write a personal response blog to this story.  Do you like it?  Why or why not?  What make the story interesting (or what was it lacking so that it was uninteresting)?  The blog should be around 300 words. Give details, examples from the story to back up your ideas.

Wednesday 9/12

By now you should be practicing your presentation.  Spend today practicing delivering what you will say and how you will say it.  Remember - this is not a spontaneous presentation and I expect pronunciation, enunciation, no "uhms, has" or word-fillers, blocking (movement), and professional references to your visuals.  This is a practice for you expository speeches (which will be coming up soon).

Monday September 10th

Journal Assignment: Compose the letter that Dee writes home after her visit to Mama and Maggie.  What does she most want to tell her mother?  What lessons about life might she still want to teach her?  What you write is speculative but must remain true to Dee's character.  We will read this letter out loud in class.  (DUE: Tomorrow)

Research: 

The black pride ideas that influence Wangero and Hakim-a-barber come from the Nation of Islam and one of its leaders, Malcolm X.  As a group research the Nation of Islam and Malcolm.  Discover what relationship the name Malcolm X has to Wangero and Hakim-a-barber's desire to avoid certain names.  Find visuals of Malcolm X and Nation of Islam and discuss how there styles might have influence how Wangero and Hakim-a-barber dress.  You will present these to English 9 (to show them how to present information - make sure you have at least five visuals.  You can do a poster board if you like).  (DUE: Thursday)

NOTE: AP English will be reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X (so, you have a head start on this information). 

HW: Look up new vocabulary words.

Doctrine

Hertiage

Commiserate

Indomitable

Rudimentary

Savoring

Voluble

Wizened

Fusillade

Maladroit

Short Story Outline

                                                             Short Story Outline

Title of Story: _______________________________Author:_______________________________

Setting:  Time: ________________

               Place(s): ________________

Point of View: ____________________

List of Characters: _________________________________________________

Protagonist: _______________                    Dynamic character: _______________

           

Briefly explain how the dynamic character changes:

Antagonist: _______________                     Static character: _________________

Round character(s): _______________       Flat character(s): ___________________

Briefly discuss the different aspects of the round characters life that we see:

Briefly explain the conflict: ___________________________________________

What type of conflict is this: __________________________________________

Give three examples of foreshadow: ________________

Briefly discuss the theme (this should be in your own words and should be a statement):

Plot:    Exposition: ______________________

           

            Inciting Event: ___________________

            Rising Action (list at least three events):

            Climax: _________________________

Falling Action: (list as many events as you can)

            Resolution: ______________________

Summary:  Write a brief summary of the story.

Examples of Dialect:

Symbol:

Examples of metaphors and similes:

Allusions: