Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature Practice Exam

What narrative technique presents thoughts directly from a character's mind, blending feelings and memories?

1. Stream of Consciousness

2. Symbolism

3. Syllogism

4. Metonymy

The correct answer is: Stream of Consciousness

The correct answer is Stream of Consciousness. This narrative technique immerses readers in the continuous flow of a character’s thoughts, feelings, and memories, often in a nonlinear manner. It captures the complexity of human thought processes, showcasing how memories, sensory perceptions, and emotions intermingle. By utilizing this technique, authors provide an intimate glimpse into a character's psyche, allowing readers to experience the character’s internal struggles and perceptions in real-time. The other options do not function in the same capacity. Symbolism refers to the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense, while syllogism is a form of logical reasoning that applies deductive reasoning. Metonymy is a figure of speech where one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated. None of these techniques present thoughts directly from a character's mind in the immersive and fluid way that stream of consciousness does.