Literary Language Flashcards
Audience
the type of reader for whom a literary work is intended.
Characterization
the personality of a character and the way in which an author reveals that personality. An author may directly state opinions about a character. An author may also reveal a character’s personality indirectly through the character’s words and actions.
Climax
the turning point where the main character faces off with the main problem of the story. Most dramatic and suspensful part.
Conflict
the struggle between two opposing forces that lies at the center of a plot in a story or a drama.
Dialogue
the conversation between characters in a literary work.
Foreshadowing
the use of clues by the author to prepare readers and build suspense by providing hints of what is to come.
Narrator
A person who tells the story
Point of View
The relationship of the narrator, or storyteller, to the story. There are many points of view
Setting
the time and the place of the story. This includes the weather.
Theme
The topics or ideas that the author tries to get across to the reader. Usually 1-2 words.
eg. Friendship, loss, coming of age
Exposition
The beginning of the story introduces the setting, characters, and background of the characters in the hope to build an emotional connection with the reader.
Inciting Incident
The main problem that your character faces and will have to face in the climax.
Rising Action
the part of the story that builds interest and suspense (mini problems/obstacles on the way to fix the main problem).
Falling Action
the part of the story that brings it to a close, where you fix the climax.
Resolution
the end of the story where the main character reflects on the lessons learned and their personal growth.
Protagonist
The leading character or a major character in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text.
Antagonist
A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something.
Secondary characters
any character that is not the main character.
Dynamic character
a literary or dramatic character who undergoes an important inner change.
Static character
a literary or dramatic character who undergoes little or no inner change.
Internal Characterization:
the characteristics one cannot see, things like personality.
External Characterization
the characteristics one can see.
Plot
the main events of the story.
1st person
the story is told from the point of view of one of the characters, uses I
2 nd person
person: the narrator addresses the reader, uses you.
3rd Person
the narrator is not part of the story and does not know what the characters think and feel, uses he, she, they, them.
3rd Person Omniscient
the narrator is outside the story and knows all the characters’ thoughts, feelings, and why they act the way they do, and can reveal any or all events.
Denouement
the “tying together” of the plot.
Internal Conflict
a conflict that exists within a character torn between opposing feelings or goals.
External Conflict:
a conflict that exists when a character struggles against some outside force.
Flashback
an interruption in the chronological narrative that tells about something in detail as it occurred that happened before that point in the story or before the story began
Cliffhanger
A story that doesn’t have a true ending, but leaves the reader waiting for more.
Mood
The feeling of a piece of literature - How it makes the reader feel.
Author’s Purpose
The reason the author wrote the story/piece of writing
Genre
Type of literature
- Fiction
- Non-Fiction
Suspense
A story that leaves the reader waiting for more at different parts throughout the story. Readers are given answered at some point in the story
Moral
A lesson that the character learns which could also be applied to the reader’s personal life.
eg. Never judge a book by its cover.
