Literature Terms Flashcards
Protagonist
The main character in a work of literature, a film, or a play
Antagonist
The character or force who opposes the protagonist
Conflict
A struggle between two opposing characters or forces
Internal- man vs. self
Takes place within the character’s mind
External
Man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. society
Plot
The series of related events that make up the story
Complication
Arise when the characters take steps to resolve the conflict
Climax
The point in a story that creates the greatest suspense or interest
Resolution
In which the the conflict is resolved and the story is brought to a close
Subplot
A minor plot that relates in some to the story
Parallel episodes
Repeated elements of the plot
Foreshadow
The use of clues or hints to suggest events that will occur later on in the story
Inference
Conclusion based on information that was given
Motivation
The reasons a character behaves a certain way
Point of view
The vantage point from which a story is told
Cautionary tales
A story that warns the audience about something wrong in society and its consequences
Setting
The time and place of a story, play, or narrative poem
Tone
The attitude a writer takes toward his or her subject, characters, and audiences
Mood
(See atmosphere) the overall mood or feeling of a work of literature
Personification
A figure of speech in which an object or animal is spoken of as if it had human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes
Style
The way a writer uses language
Figures of speech
A word or phrase that describes one thing in terms of another and is not meant to be understood as literally
Metaphor
An imaginative comparison between two unlike things in which one thing is said to be another thing
Symbol
A person, a pace, a thing, or an event that has meaning in itself and stands for something beyond itself as well
