AP English Literature AMSCO Guided Notes
8.3: The Power of Comparisons
AP English Literature Guided Notes
AMSCO 8.3 - The Power of Comparisons
Essential Questions
- How can complex comparisons and allusions contribute to the overall complexity of a text?
I. Conceits
1. What is a conceit and why did 18th-century critic Samuel Johnson object to this literary device?
2. What subjects do poets often use conceits to describe, and why are extended comparisons particularly useful for these subjects?
A. Understanding the Compass Conceit in Donne's 'A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning'
1. How does Donne use the compass conceit to represent the relationship between two parted lovers?
2. What quality of love does the compass comparison capture that would be difficult to express through conventional romantic imagery?
3. How does the simile comparing the lovers' souls to beaten gold relate to and reinforce the compass conceit?
II. Allusions
1. What is an allusion and how do allusions create meaning by drawing on shared knowledge between author and reader?
2. What are the four main types of allusions and what is an example of each?
A. Identifying and Analyzing Allusions
1. Why is simply identifying an allusion insufficient, and what is the more important analytical task?
2. How does Henry Vaughan's biblical allusion to Eden or heaven in 'The Retreat' reinforce the speaker's emotional state?
B. Researching Allusions for Deeper Understanding
1. What should you do when you encounter an allusion whose source you don't recognize, and why is this research valuable?
2. How do the Native American cultural allusions in Sara Littlecrow-Russell's 'Song from a Reedless Flute' shift in meaning when examined within the context of the poem?
Key Terms
conceits
allusion