JAMB UTME - Literature In English - 2020

Maelezo ya Majibu

The characterization of Othello can be pointed out in that he remains at a distance from much of the action that concerns and affects him at the beginning, he refuses to appoint Lago as the Lieutenant, although he is a cultural outsider in Venice, his military skills are valuable to the State, and Lago sees him as an enemy. Othello is portrayed as a complex character who is initially presented as a calm, confident, and respected military leader. However, as the play progresses, we see his character become consumed by jealousy, which ultimately leads to his tragic downfall. At the beginning of the play, Othello remains at a distance from much of the action that concerns and affects him, demonstrating his stoic and restrained nature. He also shows his strength of character by refusing to appoint Lago as the Lieutenant, despite pressure from others to do so. This decision highlights his strong sense of fairness and his ability to make tough decisions. Despite being a cultural outsider in Venice, Othello is highly respected for his military skills, which are valuable to the state. However, Lago sees him as an enemy and plots to destroy him by manipulating his emotions and exploiting his insecurities. Overall, Othello is a tragic hero whose downfall is brought about by his own flaws and the machinations of those around him.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

The figure of speech prominently used in the poem is personification. Personification is a literary device in which an inanimate object or abstract concept is given human qualities or characteristics. In the poem, the island of Fogo is described as a "presence," which suggests that it has a personality or consciousness. The palm trees are described as "slow singers of farewell," which gives them a human-like quality of singing. The sail on the sea "writes in geometry of spume," which is a way of saying that the sail leaves a trail in the water, but it is described in a way that suggests it is a deliberate act of writing. Finally, the clouds are described as being "carried by incessant soft breezes," which suggests that the clouds are alive and being carried by something. All of these descriptions are examples of personification, as they give human-like qualities to non-human things.

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Claudius, the murderer of King Hamlet, is presented as a character with a living conscience that torments him. This means that he is aware of the wrongs he has done and feels guilty for them. This guilt causes him distress and haunts him throughout the play, causing him to constantly seek redemption and forgiveness. Despite his actions, he is not portrayed as a completely evil character, but rather as a complex figure with both good and bad traits.

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An "aside" in literary convention refers to a brief comment or statement made by a character in a play, which is intended to be heard by the audience but not by the other characters on stage. It's used to reveal the character's thoughts, feelings, or motives and to provide the audience with additional insight into the character and the situation. An aside is typically used to make a pointed remark or to express the character's innermost thoughts and feelings in a way that adds depth and nuance to the scene.

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The device in which the first two words of each line are invaried while the rest of the line varies is called "Repetition". In this specific example, the repetition of "I hear" at the beginning of each line creates a musical and rhythmic effect, which emphasizes the importance of the call the speaker is hearing. This repetition helps to unify the poem and emphasizes the significance of the message being conveyed. Repetition is a common technique in poetry and can be used to create a variety of effects, such as rhythm, emphasis, and reinforcement of key themes. Overall, the use of repetition in Okara's poem reinforces the idea of a powerful and persistent call that cannot be ignored.

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The above lines from J.P. Clark's 'Streamside Exchange' depict the constancy of nature. The poet uses the imagery of the tide and market coming and going to illustrate the cyclical and unchanging nature of life. Just as the tide and market are recurring phenomena, so is the cycle of birth and death. The poet also makes reference to "your mother" which may be interpreted as a metaphor for the natural world that sustains us. Thus, the lines suggest that although life may seem fleeting and transitory, there is a sense of continuity and permanence in the natural world.

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According to Ayi Kwei Armah's novel "Fragments", an individual who stays apart from their society is likely to be alienated by that society. The novel portrays the protagonist, Baako, as a young man who is disillusioned with his community's values and traditions, and decides to withdraw from it to seek his own path. However, this decision brings him into conflict with his family and friends, who see his behavior as a rejection of their way of life. Over time, Baako begins to feel isolated and disconnected from the world around him, leading to a sense of alienation and sadness. Therefore, the novel suggests that individuals who stay apart from their society may face social rejection and emotional hardship.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

The speaker in the quotation above is expressing a mix of admiration and contempt towards the person being described. The comparison to a squash before it becomes an apple suggests that the person is in a transitional stage, not quite a boy but not yet a man. The speaker finds the person to be attractive, but is critical of the way they speak, suggesting that they are trying too hard to sound mature. The phrase "one would think his mother's milk were scarce out of him" reinforces this idea, as it suggests that the person is still very young and inexperienced despite trying to appear otherwise. Overall, the speaker's mixed feelings towards the person convey a sense of both respect and derision.

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The line "He is a faithful liar" is an example of an oxymoron. An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms to create a new meaning. In this case, the words "faithful" and "liar" are contradictory because being faithful means being truthful and reliable, while being a liar means the opposite, being dishonest and untrustworthy.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

The destruction of the conch along with Piggy's death in Ayi Kwei Armah's "The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born" suggests degeneration into chaos. The conch was a symbol of order and civilization, and its destruction represents the breakdown of these values. Piggy's death further underscores this, as it shows the increasing violence and loss of reason among the characters. These events suggest that the society depicted in the novel is descending into chaos and disorder, rather than the victory of one character over another.

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The statement, "Time the magician, had wrought much here" is made when Susan Newson sees Henchard at Casterbridge. This statement is a reflection on the passage of time and how it has changed the town and its people, including the main character Michael Henchard. Susan Newson's return to Casterbridge after many years is a reminder of how much has changed and how time has had a transformative effect on the town and its inhabitants. The statement is not made during Elizabeth-Jane's discovery of her true father, Farfrae's marriage to Elizabeth-Jane, or Farfrae's becoming the Mayor of Casterbridge.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

According to Peter's "The Panic of Growing Older", at twenty years old, a man is typically "hopeful". This means that they have a positive outlook on life and their future, and are generally optimistic about what lies ahead. This is a common trait among young people who are just starting out in life, as they have not yet experienced the full range of challenges and setbacks that can come with age. The poem suggests that as people grow older, they may become more jaded or disillusioned, and lose some of the hopefulness that they once had in their youth.

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A poem of 14 lines is known as a "sonnet." The sonnet is a popular form of poetry that has been used for centuries. It typically consists of 14 lines and follows a specific rhyme scheme and meter. The most common form of sonnet is the "Shakespearean" sonnet, which is divided into three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final couplet (two-line stanza). The rhyme scheme for a Shakespearean sonnet is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The sonnet is a versatile form of poetry that has been used to express a wide range of themes and emotions, from love and romance to social commentary and political satire.

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The literary work in which characters and events are used as symbols is called an allegory. In an allegory, the characters and events represent abstract ideas or concepts, often with a moral or political message. For example, in George Orwell's "Animal Farm," the farm animals represent different groups of people, and their struggle for power and equality symbolizes the Russian Revolution and the rise of communism. Similarly, in John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress," the journey of the protagonist, Christian, represents the journey of the soul towards salvation. In an allegory, the characters and events have a deeper meaning beyond their literal interpretation, and the story often serves as a commentary on real-life situations or issues.

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The idiolectal feature of the character's speech in the passage is the repetition of initial consonant sounds, also known as stuttering. This is when a speaker repeats the first consonant sound of a word, interrupting the flow of their speech. It is a common speech pattern for people who stutter and can be used to characterize a character or to convey a specific mood or feeling.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

The dominant mood in the lines from Wole Soyinka's poem "Night" is apprehension. The description of "serrated shadows" and the use of words like "pained" and "night thieves" create a sense of unease and danger. The speaker seems to be experiencing a sensation that is overwhelming and potentially threatening. The darkness and silence of the night also contribute to the mood of apprehension, as the speaker may feel vulnerable and alone in this environment. Overall, the language and imagery in these lines convey a mood of anxiety and uncertainty.

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The literary device where an author places two or more people, concepts, ideas or themes side by side in order to compare or contrast them is called "juxtaposition". This technique allows the reader to see the similarities or differences between the subjects being compared, and can help to highlight certain qualities or characteristics. For example, a writer might use juxtaposition to compare a wealthy character with a poor one, in order to emphasize the differences in their lifestyles and priorities. Alternatively, they might use juxtaposition to place two opposing ideas or concepts together, in order to create tension or irony in their writing.

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The literary term that describes the angle at which a writer tells his or her story is called the point of view. Point of view refers to the perspective or vantage point from which a story is told. It can be first-person, where the narrator is a character in the story and uses "I" and "we" to tell the story. It can also be third-person, where the narrator is not a character in the story and uses "he," "she," and "they" to describe the characters and events. Third-person point of view can be limited, where the narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character, or omniscient, where the narrator knows everything about all the characters. The choice of point of view can have a significant impact on how the story is perceived by the reader, and can affect the level of intimacy and objectivity of the narration.

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The writer of the passage above arrests the interest of the reader by employing a "suspenseful opening." By starting the passage with the sentence "They came for him that Sunday," the writer immediately creates a sense of mystery and tension, making the reader curious to know who "they" are and who "he" is. The subsequent details of the passage, such as the fact that "he" had just returned from a night's vigil on the mountain and was resting on his bed with an open Bible, add to the intrigue and heighten the sense of suspense. The use of suspenseful opening is a powerful technique in storytelling, as it captures the reader's attention and encourages them to keep reading to find out what happens next. It can be accomplished through various means, including the use of action, mystery, and unexpected events. In this particular passage, the use of a suspenseful opening immediately draws the reader into the story and sets the tone for what is to come.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

The play portrays the judiciary as corrupt and weak. This means that the play presents the judiciary as an institution that is not functioning properly, and is instead being influenced by outside forces, such as money or political power. The judiciary is depicted as being unable to make fair and impartial decisions, and instead being swayed by those who hold influence over it.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

The speaker in the excerpt is advising someone to stay calm and not panic. They suggest that if the person is upset, they should try to regain their composure. The tone of the statement is reassuring and confident, indicating that the speaker is trying to provide guidance and support to the person who is feeling uneasy. Therefore, the speaker seems to be confident and composed, not uncertain, afraid, or hopeless.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

The images depicted in the quote from Femi Osofisan's Morountodun are those of suffering and brutality. The lack of electricity and the need to drink from the stream show poverty and hardship. The mention of children being in jail and the police using violence against the protesters highlights the brutality faced by the people. These images paint a picture of suffering and oppression, not opulence and prosperity.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Maelezo ya Majibu

Empathy is achieved when the audience vicariously participates in the stage experience. This means that the audience is able to connect with the characters, understand their emotions and motivations, and experience the events of the play as if they were a part of them. Through this vicarious participation, the audience is able to feel a sense of empathy towards the characters, which means they can feel what the characters are feeling and become emotionally invested in their story. It is not achieved by feeling betrayed by the director, denouncing and humiliating the protagonist, or attacking the character foil.