Literary Terms
Allusion: A reference to a famous person, place, event, or other work of literature.
Antagonist: One that opposes the main character.
Author's Purpose: An author's purpose may be to entertain, to explain or inform, to express an opinion, or to persuade readers to do or believe something. The author may combine two or three purposes, but one is usually most important.
Character: A character is a person, an animal, or an imaginary creature that takes part in the action of a literary work. Generally, a work focuses on one or more main characters. Less important characters are called minor characters.
Characterization: Characterization refers to the techniques a writer uses to create and develop a character. There are four basic methods of developing a character:
1) a physical description of the character.
2) the characters thoughts, speech, or actions.
3) the thoughts, speech and actions of other characters.
4) direct comments on the characters nature.
Character Change:
A. Dynamic Character-A dynamic character changes significantly.
B. Static Character-A static character is one who changes little if at all.
Conflict: A conflict is the struggle between two opposing forces.
A. Internal Conflict: Internal conflict is a struggle within a character.
B. External Conflict: In an external conflict, a character struggles against some outside person or force.
Dialect: Dialect is a form of language as it is spoken in a certain place or among a certain group of people. A dialect has its own pronunciations, spellings, and expressions.
Dialogue: A conversation between two or more characters is called dialogue. In most literary forms, dialogue is set off by quotation marks. In plays, however, dialogue simply follows the name of the character who is speaking and does not require quotation marks.
Figurative Language: Figurative language goes beyond dictionary meanings of words to create fresh and original descriptions. In a figurative expression, the words are not literally true, and one thing may be described in terms of another.
A. Metaphor: A comparison of two unlike things that have something in common is called a metaphor. A metaphor does not use direct words of comparison such as like and as.
B. Simile: A simile is a comparison of two unlike things that have some quality in common. Similes make a direct comparison, using words such as like, as, or resembles.
C. Personification: The giving of human qualities to an animal, object, or idea is personification.
Flashback: In a literary work a flashback is a scene that interrupts the present action to describe an event that took place at an earlier time.
Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing refers to a writer's use of hints that suggest events that will occur later in a story.
Imagery: Words and phrases that appeal to the writer's senses are known as imagery. Writers use details to help the reader imagine how things look, feel, smell, sound, and taste.
Inference: An inference is a logical guess or conclusion based on evidence. Based on details in selections and their own experience, readers can figure out more than the words say.
Irony: Irony is a contrast between what is expected and what actually exists or happens.
Jargon: A specialized vocabulary used by those in a certain profession is called jargon.
Mood: The mood, or atmosphere, is the feeling created in the reader by literary work.
Novel: A novel is a work of fiction which is longer and more complex than a short story. The settings, plot, and characters of a novel are developed in detail.
Plot: Plot is the sequence of related events that make up a story; it is the action, or what happens in the story. Most plots follow a regular pattern.
A. Introduction (exposition)-The exposition introduces the characters and the conflict they face.
B. Complications-Complications set in as the characters try to resolve the conflict.
C. Climax-Eventually the plot reaches a climax, the highest point of interest or suspense.
D. Resolution-The final stage is the resolution, in which loose ends are tied up and the story is brought to a close.
Point of view: The perspective from which a story is told is called its point of view. The most common points of view are first person, third person omniscient, and third person limited. First person point of view-In first person point of view, the narrator is one of the characters in the story and uses first person pronouns such as I, me, and we. The reader sees the events of the story and other characters only through the eyes of the narrator.
Third person point of view: In the third person point of view, the narrator is not in the story and relates the story using third person pronouns such as he, she, or it.
Third person omniscient: In the third person omniscient, or all knowing, point of view, the narrator knows everything about the characters and can see into their minds.
Third person limited: In the third person limited point of view, the narrator brings us into the mind of only one character.
Protagonist: One that takes part in a drama, novel, or story.
Setting: Setting is the time and place of the action of a story, poem, or play. Sometimes the setting is clear and well defined; at other times, it is left to the reader's imagination. Setting may include Geographic location, the historical period (past, present, or future), season, time of the day, and customs and manners of the society.
Short Story: A work of fiction that can generally be read in one sitting is called a short story. Short stories usually focus on one or two main characters who face a single problem or conflict.
Suspense: The feeling of growing tension and excitement felt by a reader is called suspense. Writers create suspense by raising questions in the readers' minds and minds about what might happen in the plot.
Theme: A theme is the message about life or human nature communicated by a work of literature. In most cases, a reader must infer the theme. One way of figuring out a theme is to apply the lessons learned by the main characters to all people.
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