Literary Terms

Question 1

What is authors purpose?

Answer 1

The authors reason for or intent in writing the story.

Ex. To advise. To notify. To review

Question 2

What is Rhetorical Devices?

Answer 2

Is a use of language that is intended to have an effect on it’s audience.

Ex. Repetition, figurative language, Rhetorical questions.

Question 3

What is symbol?

Answer 3

A make or character used as a conventional representation of an object.

Ex. Red roses - Love and Romance
Four leaf clover - Good luck or Fortune
Red, White and Blue - American Patriotism

Question 4

What is theme?

Answer 4

The subject of a talk, piece of writing, a persons thoughts or an exhibition.

Ex. Compassion, courage, honesty, loyalty or perseverance.

Question 5

What is inference?

Answer 5

A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.

Ex. Two cars are heading right for each other and I can infer that the cars will crash.

Question 6

What is parallelism?

Answer 6

Is a rhetorical device that compounds words or phrases that have equivalent meanings so as to create a definite pattern.

Ex. Parallelism: Annie likes to rap, nap, and eating snacks.
Correct: Annie likes to rap, nap, and snack.

Question 7

What is repetition?

Answer 7

The action of repeating something that has already been said or written.

Ex. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
I will not copy again, I will not copy again.

Question 8

What is text structure?

Answer 8

Refer to the way authors organize information in text.

Ex. Sequence/ process, description, time order/ chronology.

Question 9

What is simile?

Answer 9

A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid.

Ex. He is as busy as a bee.

Question 10

What is supporting textual evidence?

Answer 10

To look back into the text for evidence to support an idea.

Ex. April is so wildly confused that she actually “hated Caroline because it was all her fault” (Page 118)

Question 11

What is a metaphor?

Answer 11

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object.

Ex. He is an animal.
He is a cheetah.

Question 12

What is claim/ point of view?

Answer 12

Is the argument made by the writer or speaker.

Question 13

What is mood?

Answer 13

A temporary state of mind or feeling.

Question 14

What is foreshadowing?

Answer 14

Be a warning or indication of future events.

Question 15

What is extended metaphor?

Answer 15

A version of metaphor that extends over the course of multiple lines and paragraphs

Question 16

What is pace?

Answer 16

A single step taken when walking or running.

Question 17

What is authors tone?

Answer 17

A authors attitude toward a particular written subject.

Question 18

What is Irony: verbal /situation?

Answer 18

When the actual result of a situation is totally different from what you’d expect the result to be.

Question 19

What is Figurative Language?

Answer 19

Creates comparisons by linking the senses and the concrete to abstract ideas.

Question 20

What is Fortunes Fool?

Answer 20

A mercy of fate.

Question 21

What is a Tragic Hero?

Answer 21

Is a character in a dramatic tragedy who has virtuous and sympathetic traits but ultimately meets with suffering or defeat.

Question 22

What is Foil?

Answer 22

A character who is presented as a contrast to a second character so as to point to or show to advantage some aspect of the second character.

Question 23

What is Pun?

Answer 23

A joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word.

Question 24

What is a Dramatic Irony?

Answer 24

An audience’s awareness of the situation in which a work’s characters exist differs substantially from that of the characters.

Question 25

What is Tragic Flaw?

Answer 25

A flaw in character that brings about the downfall of the hero of a tragedy.