Literary terms Flashcards
flat and round characters
Flat Character - A character whose personality traits can be described in only a few words.
Round Character - A character whose personality traits are complex and mulit-faceted.
static and dynamic characters
Static Character - A character who is that same sort of person at the beginning and the end of the story.
Developing or Dynamic Character - A character who undergoes a permanent change in moral qualities, personal habits, or outlook.
stock character
A personal stereotype, one whose nature is familiar to us from prototypes in literature.
antagonist
The person or force that works against the protagonist. (the main enemy and rival of the protagonist.)
protagonist
The central character; we care about him/her/them and follow his/her/their struggle with interest.
symbol
any image or thing that stands for something else. A tree might symbolize nature. Einstein symbolizes genius in our culture.
suspense
The quality in a story that makes the reader eager to discover what will happen next. Readers curiosity is combined with anxiety about the fate of a sympathetic character. Author uses mystery or dilemma to create anxiety.
setting
The place and time in which a story’s action takes place. The atmosphere includes the way of life, culture, and shared beliefs of the characters.
theme
The central idea, topic, or point of a story, essay, or narrative
foreshadowing
An indication or suggestion of what might happen later in the text.
Conflict (and what are the types of conflict)
An important element of a story’s plot that involves a clash of ideas, desires, or wills.
Person vs Person
Person vs Nature
Person vs Society
Person vs Supernatural
Person vs Self
irony
A situation or use of language involving some kind of discrepancy between what is expected and what actually happens. (also see handout)
point of view
what the character or narrator telling the story can see (his or her perspective). The author chooses “who” is to tell the story by determining the point of view.
alliteration
the repetition of initial consonant sounds in successive words
ex) “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” Alliteration is often used to highlight or draw attention to short phrases or important passages. It also gives the text a rhythm and sometimes is used humorously.
personification
giving inanimate objects, animals or ideas human characteristics
ex) “The wind screamed through the trees in the forest.” Personification makes descriptions more vivid and helps connect the reader with an idea or purpose in the text.
