Literary Terms Flashcards
setting
where and when the story takes place
conflict
a problem in a story (man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. self)
plot
the sequence of events; what happens in a story
climax
the most exciting part of the story; the point at which the conflict is greatest
resolution
the solving of the conflict before the story ends
foreshadowing
when an author hints about what will happen later in a story
theme
an author’s general message about life
flashback
when an author inserts a scene into a story to help explain present events
narrator
who tells the story
figurative language
language not meant to be taken by its dictionary definition
literal language
language meant to be taken by its dictionary definition
metaphor
a comparison between two or more generally unlike things not using the words “like” or “as”
Ex. lightning fast
simile
a comparison between two or more generally unlike things using the words “like” or “as”
Ex. fast as lightning
repetition
when a word or phrase is repeated
personification
when an animal, object, or idea is given human qualities “Rikki-tikki-tavi”
