Literary Terms

Question 0

Third Person Limited

Answer 0

The narrator is outside the story and shares the thoughts and feelings of only one character.

Question 1

First Person

Answer 1

The narrator is a character in the story and shares his/her thoughts and feelings (I).

Question 2

Third Person Omniscent

Answer 2

The narrator is outside the story and shares the thoughts and feelings of all characters.

Question 3

Third Person Dramatic (Third Person Objective)

Answer 3

The narrator is outside the story and shares only the actions and dialogue of the characters.

Question 4

Invention

Answer 4

Broadly Defined - the process of developing and refining your argument. Narrowly Defined - selecting a perspective that is appropriate for your purpose and audience.

Question 5

Persona

Answer 5

The speaker in a literary work.

Question 6

Tone

Answer 6

The author’s implied attitude about a subject.

Question 7

Irony (Verbal)

Answer 7

Contrast between what the speaker literally says and what they mean.

Question 8

Diction

Answer 8

Word choice.

Question 9

Connotation

Answer 9

The emotional associations evoked by a word.

Question 10

Simile

Answer 10

Comparing two unlike things using a connective (e.g. like, as, resembles).

Question 11

Metaphor

Answer 11

Comparing two unlike things directly.

Question 12

Personification

Answer 12

Giving human qualities to objects, animals, plants, or ideas.

Question 13

Imagery

Answer 13

Details that appeal to the senses.

Question 14

Detail

Answer 14

Literal or factual description.

Question 15

Allusion

Answer 15

An indirect reference, often to a person, event, statement, theme, or work.

Question 16

Static

Answer 16

A character that does not change much.

Question 17

Dynamic

Answer 17

A character that changes in an important way.

Question 18

Character Motivation

Answer 18

The driving force behind a character’s action.

Question 19

Internal Conflict

Answer 19

A struggle between opposing needs, desires, or emotions within a single character.

Question 20

External Conflict

Answer 20

When a character struggles against an outside force.

Question 21

Theme

Answer 21

Insight into the human condition.

Question 22

Argument

Answer 22

Spoken, written, or visual text that expresses a truth.

Question 23

Ethos

Answer 23

The use of words, images, and/or sounds to establish a reputation that will appeal to values of an audience and inspire audience to respect authority, admire integrity/motives or at least acknowledge what they stand for.

Question 24

Pathos

Answer 24

The use of words, images, and/or sounds that evoke certain emotions in an audience.

Question 25

Logos

Answer 25

The use of words, images, and/or sounds that appear reasonable to an audience.

Question 26

Satire

Answer 26

A literary genre that uses irony, wit and sometimes sarcasm to express human vices and faults.

Question 27

Symbol

Answer 27

Any object or action that represents something beyond itself.

Question 28

Archetype

Answer 28

Imagery, figures, character types, settings, and patterns that are universally shared by people across cultures.

Question 29

Plot Structure

Answer 29

Exposition, rising action, climactic scene, falling action, resolution.