terms Flashcards
Allusion
Back: A brief historical, mythological, biblical, or literary reference assumed to be sufficiently well known to be recognized by the reader.
Antagonist
Back: The character who is opposed to the protagonist. Usually, the antagonist is the villain.
Atmosphere
Back: The mood within the literary work. The overall feeling created by the author’s choice of words.
Characterization
Back: The methods a writer uses to communicate information about characters to the reader. This includes:
- The appearance of the character
- What the character says, thinks, and does
- What other characters say about them
Climax
Back: The point of highest interest or suspense in the story.
Comic Relief
Back: A humorous scene or speech meant to provide relief from emotional intensity and, by contrast, heighten the seriousness of the story.
Conflict
Back: A struggle or problem in the plot, building in the rising action and culminating at the climax.
Types of Conflict:
Person vs. Person
Person vs. Self
Person vs. Nature
Person vs. Society
Person vs. Technology
Person vs. Supernatural
Denouement
Back: The unravelling of the plot or complications through some kind of revelation.
Falling Action
The part of the story after the climax, when conflicts start to be resolved.
Foil
Back: A character or situation that serves to set off another by contrast.
Foreshadowing
Back: An indication or prediction of events that will occur in the future.
Flashback
Back: An incident that occurs before the time established in the story.
Hyperbole
Back: Exaggeration for emphasis that is not meant to be taken literally.
Imagery
Back: The use of language to evoke sense impressions for the reader.
Crisis
Back: A turning point in the plot after the exposition that leads to the conflict in the rising action.
Irony
Verbal Irony: Saying the opposite of what is meant.
Situational Irony: The opposite happens than what was expected.
Dramatic Irony: The audience knows more than a character on stage.
Juxtaposition
Back: The placement of events, characters, etc., side-by-side for comparison or contrast.
Metaphor
Back: A comparison of two or more unlike things without using “like” or “as.”
Nemesis
Back: arch enemy
Oxymoron
Back: The combination of two usually contradictory words (e.g., “eloquent silence”).
Paradox
Back: A statement that seems contradictory but actually has a valid meaning.
Pathos
Back: Pity felt for a character who suffers.
Pathetic Fallacy
Back: When nature is in sync with the actions and emotions of humans.
Personification
Back: A figure of speech in which human qualities are attributed to inanimate objects, animals, or ideas.
Plot
Back: The series of connected events in a work of literature.
Point of View
Back: The position from which the author tells the story:
First Person: “I”
Third Person Limited: “He” or “She” (only knows one character’s thoughts)
Third Person Omniscient: “He” or “She” (knows all characters’ thoughts and feelings)
Protagonist
Back: The central character in a work of literature, usually the hero or heroine.
Resolution
Back: The conclusion of the story that answers any questions the reader may have.
Rising Action
Back: The conflict or suspense that builds towards a climax in a work of literature.
Satire
Back: The use of irony to ridicule an idea, person, or thing, often to provoke change. It usually mocks human vices.
Setting
Back: The physical surroundings of a story, including time, place, and conditions, as well as the political, social, or physical environment.
Simile
Back: A comparison between two different things, actions, or feelings using “like,” “as,” or “than.”
Style
Back: The characteristic ways an individual author uses language, including:
Word choice
Sentence length and complexity
Tone
Patterns of sound
Use of imagery or symbols
Suspense
Back: A technique used by the author to keep readers interested and wondering what will happen next.
Symbol
Back: An image, object, character, or action that stands for an idea beyond its literal meaning.
Theme
Back: The central idea or message being communicated to the reader in a work of literature.
