Literary Terms Flashcards
short story
breif fictional story
plot
events in story
theme
message or lesson
setting
where and when the story takes place
characterization
how a character is portrayed
direct characterization
the narrator tells us what a character is like, ‘You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch!”
indirect characterization
we found out through dialogue, description of a character, and what others say.
Protagonist
main character
antagonist
character that has conflict with the protagonist
round character
many human traits make a personality
flat character
one personality trait stereotype
dynamic character
a character who changes mentally by the end of the story
static character
character that doesn’t change
irony
expectation vs reality
verbal irony
sarcastic remarks “I cant wait to go to Mrs. Bailie’s class to take notes!”
situational Irony
something happens that isn’t expected =fire station burns down, powerplant goes out, police station gets robbed
Dramatic Irony
the audience knows something the character doesn’t. The killer is behind the shower curtain victim walks in.
Allusion
reference to history or culture that the author expects us to know
conflict
problem
Internal conflict
man vs. self
external conflict
man vs. man
point of view
perspective of story
first person
narrator uses I
third person ominient
narrator not in story but knows all things
third person limited
narrator is not in story but only knows one person’s point of view
second person
“You” recipe, how-to guides, instructions
foil
characters that are opposite to each other
simile
comparison using like or as. “He was as fast as a cheetah.”
metaphor
comparison not using like or as “He was a cheetah on the field.”
personification
giving non-human traits to a nonhuman object
flashback
past memories
foreshadowing
giving hints to what will happen in the future
allegory
story with morals or lesson/characters is symbolic or literal.
satire
making fun of weaknesses in society to prove a point
mood
how a story/reading makes the reader feel
tone
the authors attitude towards his/her work
imagery
language that appeals to the 5 senses
symbolism
something that represents an idea of belief dove=peace, flag=patrism, skull and crossbones=posion
dialogue
conversation between characters
exposition
background info in a story (characters conflict setting)
narrative hook
found in the exposition hooks the readers attention so they want to keep reading
rising action
events in the story leaving to the climax of the conflict
climax
highest point of interest in the story the Ah-Ha moment
falling action
events leading to the end of a story
resolution
the conflict is resolved at the end of a story not always a happily ever after
epic
long poem or story narrating a hero’s deeds and adventures
hyperbole
extreme exaggeration “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse” The limo is as long as a football field
onomatopoeia
words that sound like noise/sound effects “Oink” “Meow” “Bang” “Boom”
soliloquy
a long speech by a character on stage alone (thinking aloud.
suspense
feelings of excitement or anxious uncertainty about something
voice
author’s use of language to make the story unique
oxymoron
words that contradict eachother (jumbo shrimp, pretty ugly, icy hot, small crowd, old news)
Myth
the traditional story concerning a history of a people explaining a natural event.
