Literary Elements Flashcards
1st Person Point of View
The events are told by a character in the story.
3rd Person Point of View
The events are told by someone outside the story.
alliteration
the repetition of similar initial consonant sounds in order to create a musical or rhythmic effect, to emphasize key words or to imitate sounds. Example: He was reluctant to return to the room he called home.”
allusion
a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art, often used to help make a comparison
biography
a form of non-fiction in which a writer tells the life story of another person
character trait
the quality of a character, what a character is like.
climax
the highest point of action in a story, often the turning point.
direct characterization
the writer directly states the character’s traits or characteristics.
dynamic character
a character who changes over the course of a story.
external conflict
a problem or struggle between a character and an outside force: character vs character, character vs group, character vs nature, character vs society, character vs fate.
fable
a brief story, usually with animal characters, that teachers a lesson or a moral.
fiction
writing that tells about imaginary characters and events
flashback
a section in a literary piece that interrupts the sequence of events in order to relate an earlier incident or set of events.
foreshadowing
an author’s use of hints or clues to give a reader an idea of what may happen next.
free-verse
poetry that has irregular lines and may or may not rhyme.
generalization
a vague or indefinite statement that is made to cover many cases. Example: All human beings hope for something.
hyperbole
use of extreme exaggeration
idiom
a word or phrase which means something different from what it says - it is usually a metaphor. An idiom is an expression peculiar to a certain group of people and/or used only under certain cirumstances.
imagery
words or phrases that appeal to one or more of the five senses and help to create a vivid description for the reader.
indirect characterization
the writer allows the reader to draw his/her conclusions as to what a character is like, based on the appearances, words, actions, and interactions with other characters.
