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AP® English Literature and Composition · Unit 6 · Topic 6.1

Contrasting Characters in Longer Works: Topic Checklist (English Literature 6.1)

Specific “I can…” statements for foils, contrasting characters and character perspective in longer works, each linked to the guide section or practice question that tests it.

Work through the list without notes. If you cannot do a statement, follow the link, then come back. Guide = study guide; Practice = practice questions.

Understanding

  • I can define a foil and explain why it is not the same as a villain or an antagonist. (Guide: “Why writers set characters against each other”; Practice Questions 2 and 4)
  • I can explain why foils work best when the characters share a situation. (Guide: “The contrast frame”; Practice Question 6)
  • I can explain that characters have different perspectives that reveal different information and support different interpretations. (Guide: “Perspective: why characters know different things”; Practice Question 3)
  • I can say why a character’s description of another person is evidence about the speaker as well as the subject. (Guide: Worked example 2; Practice Questions 3 and 8)

Skills

  • I can use the four-step contrast frame (shared ground, point of difference, what it shows, function). (Guide: “The contrast frame”; Practice Question 9)
  • I can pick out specific details of diction, action and attention that distinguish two characters. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Questions 1 and 7)
  • I can explain what a contrast reveals about each character’s values, not only their traits. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Question 7)
  • I can write an analytic sentence that links a contrast to the work’s larger conflict or question. (Guide: both model sentences; Practice Questions 4 and 9)

Reasoning

  • I can tell a strong claim about function from a mere statement of difference. (Practice Questions 4 and 5)
  • I can resist claiming that the writer favours one character without textual support, and I can recognise nuance in both. (Guide: “Common misconceptions”; Practice Question 2)
  • I can use a public-domain example, such as Hamlet with Laertes and Fortinbras, to explain how a foil works over a whole play. (Guide: “Public-domain examples to learn from”; Practice Question 9)

All ticked? Move on to the Topic 6.2 study guide, How Choices, Actions and Speech Reveal Complexity.

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