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English > Literary Terms > Flashcards

Literary Terms Flashcards

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1
Q

Exposition? /3

A

Disclosure of information at the beginning of a text

Introduction to main characters

Development of setting/milieu

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2
Q

Setting? /2

A

The place where the story takes place

General and specific locations

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3
Q

Milieu?

A

The political/cultural/economic/intellectual aspects of the setting

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4
Q

Rising action? /2

A

Compels the main character to struggle with a problem/concern/ the issue

Tension arises as the protagonist attempts to res live the situation/incident/complication

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5
Q

Conflict? /4

A

The struggle between the protagonist and an opposing force

Drives a character to make choices/changes

Fundamental building block to every story

No conflict = no story

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6
Q

Internal conflict? /4(5)

A

Person vs. Self

Struggles with aspect of his/herself

Vulnerability is somehow shown in the novel

Plot leads them towards a confrontation against it.

I.e flaws/thoughts/limitations/emotions/self-esteem

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7
Q

External conflict? /3

Person vs. ?

A

Person vs. Person: protagonist struggles with another characters

Person vs. Society: protagonist struggles with the values of their society

Person vs. Nature: protagonist is threatened by an element of nature/something they have little to no control over (life/death/fate)

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8
Q

Climax? /4

A

Developed by a series of complications and obstacles

Problems lead INEVITABLY to an ULTIMATE CRISIS

A.k.a “Point of No Return”: where the conflict was leading all along

Decisive encounter between 2 forces in conflict

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9
Q

Bathos? /3

A

Anticlimax

Climax becomes unimportant

Expectations are not met (LETDOWN)

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10
Q

Denouement? /3

A

After the climax

A.k.a “Falling Action”

The unfolding of events that leads to a resolution

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11
Q

Resolution? /3(7)

A

Fulfillment of fate/outcome of a crisis

May:
Tie up loose ends
Resolve conflict
Show how much the character has changed

Possible:
Close-ending
Open-ending
Cliffhanger (possible sequels)

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12
Q

Flashback? /3

A

A break in the chronology of a story to a previous event

Include memories/dreams/stories of the past

Plot/structure element

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13
Q

Foreshadowing? /3

A

The hinting of something to come

Piques interest of the reader/viewer

Plot/Structure element

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14
Q

Characterization?

A

How an author reveals the personality/motivations, etc of a character to the audience

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15
Q

Appearance? /2

A

Physical factors/descriptions

Ex. Clothing, tattoos

Characterization

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16
Q

Biography? /2

A

Voluntary to involuntary behaviour

Ex. Voluntary: choice
Involuntary: nervous twitch

Characterization

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17
Q

Emotions/Temperament? /3

A

Character’s personality

How they react to key aspects of their life

Ex. Introvert or extrovert, pessimist or optimist, etc

Characterization

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18
Q

Direct expression? /5

A

Character states thoughts/feelings

Provides immediate insight

Nothing is hidden

Requires little or no interpretation by the reader/viewer

Characterization through dialogue

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19
Q

Indirect expression? /3

A

Hidden understanding between what the character says and who the character is

Reader must determine/analyze the quotation to better understand the character

Characterization through dialogue

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20
Q

Character motivation?

A

Internal or external factors which force a character to take action

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21
Q

Protagonist? /3

A

Main/central character of the story

Plays a VITAL role in the narrative story

Helps move along the action/plot of the narrative

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22
Q

Antagonist? /2(6)

A

Force in conflict with the protagonist

May be:
Society
Nature
Own self
Another person
Fate
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23
Q

Character FOIL? /3

A

Usually a MINOR character

Whose traits are opposite to those of the protagonist

Both contrasts and highlights the traits of the protagonist

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24
Q

Static character? /2

A

UNABLE TO CHANGE regardless of conflicts

Remains the same sore of person at the end of the story as in the beginning

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25
Q

Dynamic character? /3

A

CHANGE/EVOLUTION/GROWTH

Often a round character

Change in some aspect of their character/personality/outlook

26
Q

Round character? /4

A

Three-dimensional

Complexity of their personality/motives/attitudes

Realistic

MAJOR CHARACTER

27
Q

Flat character? /5

A

Two-dimensional

Usually recognized by one or more simple traits

Not fully developed in a story

Seen once or twice

Minor character

28
Q

Stock character? /3

A

Stereotypical figure

Possesses the expected traits of a group rather than being an individual

Character’s nature is immediately known to the reader

Ex. Jock, Snobby Prom Queen, Nerd, etc

29
Q

Hero?

A

Principal figure with ADMIRABLE qualities

30
Q

Anti-Hero?

A

Principal character who has no moral qualities usually present in a hero.

31
Q

Figurative language? /2

A

Where words/expressions are created to make meaning beyond the obvious or present the abstract in a concrete way

Used for a specific purpose

32
Q

Alliteration? /4

A

Repetition of consonant sounds

Usually at the beginning of words

Unfit thought/create rhythm

Figurative language

33
Q

Assonance? /3

A

Repetition of VOWEL sounds

Usually at the beginning of words

Figurative language

34
Q

Hyperbole? /2

A

A gross exaggeration or overstatement

Figurative language

35
Q

Metaphor? /2

A

Comparison between two unlike ideas without using ‘like’ or ‘as’

Figurative language

36
Q

Simile? /2

A

Comparison between two unlike ideas using ‘like’ or ‘as’

Figurative language

37
Q

Onomatopoeia? /2

A

Words that sound like their meaning

Figurative language

Ex. Splash, baa baa, etc

38
Q

Oxymoron? /2

A

The use of contradictory terms

Figurative language

Ex. Beautiful disaster

39
Q

Personification? /2

A

Giving human-like attributes to animals, objects or ideas

Figurative language

Ex. The sun was smiling

40
Q

Diction? /2

A

The author’s choice of words in speech or writing

An important element of STYLE

41
Q

Cloché? /3

A

Word/expression that has been OVERUSED

Lost much of its meaning and effectiveness

Should be avoided in literature

42
Q

Colloquial? /2

A

Everyday speech

Words/expressions allowed in informal supputations but not in formal speech

43
Q

Connotation? /2

A

Suggested or secondary meaning of a word

Apart from its literal definition

44
Q

Dénotation? /2

A

Dictionary definition of a word

It’s LITERAL meaning

45
Q

Dialect? /2

A

A style of speech

Reflecting a particular group of people or geographical location

46
Q

Imagery? /3

A

Concrete details and figures of speech

Helps the reader visualize the writing

Often using the FIVE SENSES

47
Q

1st person point of view? /4

A

Use of “I”

Sense of immediacy

Being close to the character’s and events

Reader-most sympathetic to the first-person narrator

48
Q

2nd person point of view? /4

A

Use of “You”

Speaks directly to the reader

Rarely used

Can b effective/engaging the reader and making them part of the story/action

49
Q

3rd point of view? /6

A

Use of “he” or “she” or “they”

Limited omniscient

Text told by one or two characters

More freedom than the 1st person point of view

Can move between describing the actions and reporting selected thoughts/feelings of a certain character

Readers easily engaged/intrigued by the main characters(s)

50
Q

Omniscient point of view? /4

A

Various points of view

Can move in and out of the thoughts and feelings of any and/or all characters in the story

Provides greatest flexibility

Readers see the difference among various characters’ thoughts/feelings

51
Q

Dramatic/Objective point of view? /5

A

Use of “he” or “she” ONLY told ‘what happens’ and ‘what is said’

FACTUAL (no personal connection(s))

Only words and actions are included

Feelings/thoughts must be interpreted

Reader does not know any thoughts or feelings of the characters

52
Q

Symbols? /3

A

Can be:
Character
Object
Happening which stands for something else

Has a deeper meaning that face value (than at first glance)

Can be common or unique

53
Q

Motifs? /3

A

Repetition that gains value

Reoccurrence of a theme/structure/symbol in a text

Reader’s understanding of the motif and its value to the text increases with each new reference

54
Q

Allusion? /3

A

A brief reference to a person/character/event in history/literature/mythology/the Bible/etc.

Common:
Epigrams
Reference to novels/music/theatre/history

55
Q

Pathetic fallacy? /2

A

The personification of an element in nature

A natural element echoes/mimics the feelings of a character

56
Q

Pathos?

A

Sympathy aroused in the reader by the events or characters in a story

57
Q

Juxtaposition? /4

A

Comparison

Deliberately placing side-by-side two or more thoughts/images/events/symbols

Used to emphasizes or contrast each other

DOES NOT AFFECT FOIL CHARACTERS

58
Q

Irony?

A

A discrepancy between what is expected and what happens/is revealed

59
Q

Dramatic irony? /2

A

In theatre or plays

A reader/audience’s awareness differs from that of the character’s

60
Q

Irony of circumstance?

A

The opposite of what is expected happens

61
Q

Verbal irony? /3

A

Implies the opposite of what is said

SARCASM

There is a surface meaning and an intended meaning

English (3 decks)

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