literary tems Flashcards
genre
the category or class to which a literary work belongs
denotation/denotative meaning
exact, literal meaning
connotation/connotative meaning
suggested or implied meaning or emotion associated with a word, beyond its literal definition
stanza
a division of lines into equal groups
narrative
tells a story or describes a sequence of events in an incident
sensory details
language that appeals to one or more of the five senses—sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell
figurative language
is language used in an imaginative way to express ideas that are not literally true and it is used for effect, such as with personification, simile, metaphor, and hyperbole
personification
a kind of metaphor that gives objects or abstract ideas human characteristics
characterization
the methods a writer uses to develop characters; for example, through description, actions, and dialogue
myth
traditional stories that explain beliefs, customs, or natural phenomenon through the actions of gods or heroes
theme
the central idea, message, or purpose of a literary work
plot
the sequence of
related events that make
up a story
setting
the time and the place in which a narrative occurs
conflict
the character struggles with his or her own needs,
desires, or emotions
rising action
major events that develop the plot of a story
and lead to the climax
climax
the turning point or the high point of a story
resolution
the outcome of the conflict of a story, when loose
ends are wrapped up
symbol
an object, a
person, or a place that stands
for something else
symbolism
the use of symbols in a
literary work
expository writing
a form
of writing whose purpose is
to explain or inform
documentary film
a
nonfiction motion picture
intended to document, or
record, some aspect of real
life, primarily for the purposes
of instruction or maintaining a
historical record
rhetoric
the language a
writer or speaker uses to
persuade an audience
