Definitions Flashcards
Character
The physical, mental, moral and temperamental qualities of the persons in the story.
Types of Character
- Protagonist: The main character in the story – The champion of the cause – “The good guy”
- Antagonist: The opponent – “The bad guy”
- Stereotypes: Characters that behave in a predictable way
Setting
The time, place and circumstance of the story.
Foreshadowing
A hint or indication in a story of something that is going to happen. To foretell.
Foreboding
The expectation of trouble or evil; an omen
Irony of Situation
Occurs when the outcome of events is opposite to that expected or desired by the characters in the story.
Verbal Irony
Occurs when a character says one thing and means the opposite. Usually then person listening is unaware of the second level of meaning.
Dramatic Irony
When the audience knows more about the character’s situation than the character does.
Theme
The lesson or revelation conveyed to the reader. Also, the main idea presented in the story expressed through plot, characters, setting and conflict.
Conflict
The struggle, antagonism or opposition of forces.
Person vs. Person – A character in conflict with another character
Person vs. Self – A character in conflict with him/herself
Person vs. Nature – A character in conflict with an element of nature
Person vs. Fate – A character in conflict with something beyond their control. (God)
Person vs. Society – A character in conflict with society, school, law or tradition.
Atmosphere
The feeling or mood created which is experienced by its readers.
Mood
The feeling experienced by the readers.
Suspense
The expectation, anxiousness or uncertainty regarding the outcome of events.
Contrast
The use of scenes, characters, settings and actions to emphasize opposite scenes, characters, settings and actions.
Foil
Contrasting characters
Point of view
Who is telling the story
*First Person: The narrator is a character in the story (I, me).
*Third Person: The narrator is someone outside the story.
Symbolism:
When objects or actions represent an idea / possess meaning.
Imagery:
used in poetry, novels, and other writing that uses vivid description that appeals to a readers’ senses to create an image or idea in their head.
Pathos
When a reader experiences a feeling of pity or sorrow regarding the characters or situation in a story.
Sympathy
Fellow feeling – Feeling along with the mental state and emotions of another human being
Empathy
Identification with the feelings of another human being
Microcosm:
Something very small and self-contained that presents all the qualities, activities…of something larger
Catharsis:
A symbolic cleansing of a character by means of the plot. The character is seemingly broken, and then is reborn or transformed into a new
person.
Allusion
brief but purposeful references, within a literary text, to a person, place, event, or to another work of literature.
Pathetic Fallacy
Occurs when the physical aspects of the play / work, such as weather conditions and geography, parallel the emotions of the characters and events / actions of the plot.
Flashback / Analepsis:
The story shifts to the past and we
view it along with the character
Comic Relief:
The introduction of comic characters, speeches or scenes in a serious tragic work.
Soliloquy
when a character speaks his thoughts and is not heard by another character in the play.
Aside
A few words spoken aside or in an undertone so as to be inaudible to some characters on stage.
Genre
Type or classification of literature, film…
Hyperbole
An exaggeration for the sake of emphasis in a figure of speech.
Tone
The mood or atmosphere of a work. Shows the author’s attitude toward the subject matter
Simile
A comparison using “like” or “as”
Metaphor
A comparison without using the words “like” or “as”. Your hair is a beautiful flower.
Pun
An expression with two distinct meanings.
Personification:
When human traits are given to inanimate objects or animals.
Onomatopoeia:
Draws attention to the sound of a word by imitating or suggesting sounds that correspond to its meaning.
Oxymoron
When opposite words are placed side by side to create a new meaning.
Alliteration:
The repetition of the same sounds – usually the initial consonants of words.
Cliche
A phrase that has lost its effectiveness due to overuse.
Paradox
A statement or expression so surprisingly self-contradictory as to provoke us into seeing another sense or context in which it would be true.
