Literary TermsLiterary Terms

We will be using these literary We will be using these literary terms throughout the school terms throughout the school

year. year.

We will use the following terms:We will use the following terms:

Character Character AntagonistAntagonist ProtagonistProtagonistDenotationDenotation ConnotationConnotation

ImageryImagery MoodMood Plot Tone Plot ToneRising ActionRising Action ClimaxClimax

Falling ActionFalling Action Resolution ConflictResolution Conflict FlashbackFlashback ForeshadowingForeshadowing SuspenseSuspensePoint of ViewPoint of View SettingSetting StyleStyle Theme Metaphor SimileTheme Metaphor Simile Oxymoron PersonificationOxymoron Personification Alliteration Alliteration

CharacterCharacterA character is a person or A character is a person or an animal that takes part an animal that takes part in the action of a literary in the action of a literary work. work.

AntagonistAntagonist•The Antagonist is a character The Antagonist is a character or force in conflict with a main or force in conflict with a main character, or protagonist. character, or protagonist.

Do you know any Do you know any Antagonists???Antagonists???

• On your paper take a few minutes to On your paper take a few minutes to write down some Antagonists that write down some Antagonists that you can recall from movies, television you can recall from movies, television shows, and video gamesshows, and video games

• Remember the Antagonist is in Remember the Antagonist is in conflict with the Protagonist or, main conflict with the Protagonist or, main character!character!

• Helpful hint – you should now know Helpful hint – you should now know why people use the saying “Don’t why people use the saying “Don’t antagonize me!”antagonize me!”

ProtagonistProtagonist•The Protagonist is the main The Protagonist is the main

character in a literary workcharacter in a literary work•Can you name some Can you name some

famous Protagonists that famous Protagonists that are found in literature?are found in literature?

DenotationDenotationThe denotation of a word The denotation of a word is its dictionary is its dictionary meaning, independent of meaning, independent of other associations that other associations that the word may have.the word may have.

ConnotationConnotationThe connotation of a word is the set of The connotation of a word is the set of

ideas associated with it in addition to ideas associated with it in addition to its explicit meaning. The connotation its explicit meaning. The connotation of a word can be personal, based on of a word can be personal, based on individual experiences. More often, individual experiences. More often, cultural connotations – those cultural connotations – those recognizable by most people in a group recognizable by most people in a group – determine a writer’s word choices.– determine a writer’s word choices.

Denotation versus Denotation versus ConnotationConnotationSome examples – Some examples – Cheap is “low in cost” (denotation) but Cheap is “low in cost” (denotation) but

“stingy” or “poorly made” are the “stingy” or “poorly made” are the connotations of connotations of cheap cheap

ImageryImageryImageryImagery is words or phrases is words or phrases

that appeal to one or more that appeal to one or more of the five senses. Writers of the five senses. Writers

use imagery to describe how use imagery to describe how their subjects look, sound, their subjects look, sound,

feel, taste, and smell.feel, taste, and smell.

MOODMOODMoodMood, or atmosphere, is the , or atmosphere, is the

feeling created in the reader by a feeling created in the reader by a literary work or passage. literary work or passage.

Often, a writer creates a mood at Often, a writer creates a mood at the beginning of a work and then the beginning of a work and then sustains the mood throughout. sustains the mood throughout. Sometimes, however, the mood Sometimes, however, the mood

of the work changes of the work changes dramatically.dramatically.

PlotPlotPlot is the sequence of events. The first event Plot is the sequence of events. The first event

causes the second, the second causes the causes the second, the second causes the third, and so forth. third, and so forth.

In most novels, dramas, short stories, and In most novels, dramas, short stories, and narrative poems, the plot involves both narrative poems, the plot involves both characters and a central conflict. characters and a central conflict.

The plot usually begins with an exposition that The plot usually begins with an exposition that introduces the setting, the characters, and the introduces the setting, the characters, and the basic situation. basic situation.

The conflict then increases until it reaches a The conflict then increases until it reaches a high point of interest or suspense, the climax. high point of interest or suspense, the climax. The climax is followed by the falling action of The climax is followed by the falling action of the central conflict. Any events that occur the central conflict. Any events that occur during the falling action make up the during the falling action make up the resolution.resolution.

PLOTLINEPLOTLINE

Exposition ResolutionRisin

g Ac

tion

Climax

Falling Action

Conflict Introduced

Rising ActionRising ActionRising Action is the part of the Rising Action is the part of the

plot that begins to occur as plot that begins to occur as soon as the conflict is soon as the conflict is introduced. The rising action introduced. The rising action adds complications to the adds complications to the conflict and increases reader conflict and increases reader interest.interest.

ClimaxClimaxThe Climax is the point of greatest The Climax is the point of greatest

emotional intensity, interest, or emotional intensity, interest, or suspense in the plot of a suspense in the plot of a narrative. narrative.

The climax typically comes at the The climax typically comes at the turning point in a story or drama.turning point in a story or drama.

Falling ActionFalling Action

Falling Action is the action Falling Action is the action that typically follows the that typically follows the climax and reveals its climax and reveals its results.results.

ResolutionResolutionThe Resolution is the part of The Resolution is the part of the plot that concludes the the plot that concludes the falling action by revealing falling action by revealing or suggesting the outcome or suggesting the outcome of the conflict.of the conflict.

ConflictConflict

Conflict is the struggle Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces between opposing forces in a story or play. There in a story or play. There are two types of conflict are two types of conflict that exist in literature.that exist in literature.

External ConflictExternal Conflict

External conflict exists when a External conflict exists when a character struggles against some character struggles against some outside force, such as another outside force, such as another character, nature, society, or fate.character, nature, society, or fate.

Man vs. ManMan vs. ManMan vs. NatureMan vs. Nature

Internal ConflictInternal ConflictInternal conflict exists within the mind Internal conflict exists within the mind

of a character who is torn between of a character who is torn between different courses of action.different courses of action.

Man vs. HimselfMan vs. Himself

FlashbackFlashbackA flashback is a literary device in A flashback is a literary device in

which an earlier episode, which an earlier episode, conversation, or event is conversation, or event is inserted into the sequence of inserted into the sequence of events. They are often events. They are often presented as a memory of the presented as a memory of the narrator or of another character.narrator or of another character.

ForeshadowingForeshadowingForeshadowing is the author’s use of Foreshadowing is the author’s use of

clues to hint at what might happen clues to hint at what might happen later in the story. Writers use later in the story. Writers use foreshadowing to build their readers’ foreshadowing to build their readers’ expectations and to create suspense. expectations and to create suspense.

This is used to help readers prepare This is used to help readers prepare for what is to come.for what is to come.

Point of ViewPoint of ViewPoint of View is the perspective from Point of View is the perspective from

which a story is told. It is the which a story is told. It is the relationship of the narrator to the story.relationship of the narrator to the story.

First-person is told by a character who First-person is told by a character who uses the first-person pronoun “I”.uses the first-person pronoun “I”.

Third-person limited point of view is the Third-person limited point of view is the point of view where the narrator uses point of view where the narrator uses third-person pronouns such as “he” third-person pronouns such as “he” and “she” to refer to the characters. and “she” to refer to the characters.

SettingSettingThe setting of a literary work is the time The setting of a literary work is the time

and place of the action. and place of the action. The setting includes all the details of a The setting includes all the details of a

place and time – the year, the time of place and time – the year, the time of day, even the weather. The place may day, even the weather. The place may be a specific country, state, region, be a specific country, state, region, community, neighborhood, building, community, neighborhood, building, institution, or home. institution, or home.

In most stories, the setting serves as a In most stories, the setting serves as a backdrop – a context in which the backdrop – a context in which the characters interact. The setting of a characters interact. The setting of a story often helps to create a particular story often helps to create a particular mood, or feeling.mood, or feeling.

StyleStyleStyle is the distinctive way in Style is the distinctive way in

which an author uses language.which an author uses language.Word choice, phrasing, sentence Word choice, phrasing, sentence

length, tone, dialogue, length, tone, dialogue, purpose, and attitude toward purpose, and attitude toward the audience and subject can the audience and subject can all contribute to an author’s all contribute to an author’s writing style.writing style.

ThemeTheme The theme of a literary work is its central The theme of a literary work is its central

message, concern, or purpose. A theme can message, concern, or purpose. A theme can usually be expressed as a generalization, or usually be expressed as a generalization, or general statement, about people or life. general statement, about people or life.

It may be stated directly by the writer It may be stated directly by the writer

although it is more often presented although it is more often presented indirectly, the reader must figure out the indirectly, the reader must figure out the theme by looking carefully at what the work theme by looking carefully at what the work reveals about the people or about life.reveals about the people or about life.

ToneToneTone is a reflection of a writer’s or speaker’s Tone is a reflection of a writer’s or speaker’s

attitude toward a subject of a poem, story, or attitude toward a subject of a poem, story, or other literary work. other literary work.

It be communicated through words and details It be communicated through words and details that express particular emotions and that evoke that express particular emotions and that evoke and emotional response from the reader. and emotional response from the reader.

For example, word choice or phrasing may seem For example, word choice or phrasing may seem to convey respect, anger, or sarcasm.to convey respect, anger, or sarcasm.

MetaphorMetaphorA Metaphor is a type of speech that A Metaphor is a type of speech that

compares or equates two or more compares or equates two or more things that have something in common. things that have something in common. A metaphor does NOT use A metaphor does NOT use likelike or or asas..

Example: Life is a bowl Example: Life is a bowl of cherries.of cherries.

SimileSimileA Simile is another figure of speech A Simile is another figure of speech

that compares seemingly unlike that compares seemingly unlike things. Simile’s DO use the words things. Simile’s DO use the words likelike or or asas..

Example: Her voice was like nails on a Example: Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard.chalkboard.

OxymoronOxymoronAn Oxymoron is a figure of speech that An Oxymoron is a figure of speech that

is a combination of seemingly is a combination of seemingly contradictory words. contradictory words.

Examples:Examples: Same differenceSame differencePretty uglyPretty uglyRoaring silenceRoaring silence

PersonificationPersonificationPersonification is a Personification is a

figure of speech in figure of speech in which an animal, which an animal, object, force of object, force of nature, or idea is nature, or idea is given human given human qualities or qualities or characteristics. characteristics.

Example:Example: Tears began Tears began to fall from the dark to fall from the dark clouds.clouds.

AlliterationAlliterationAlliteration is the repetition of sounds, Alliteration is the repetition of sounds,

most often consonant sounds, at the most often consonant sounds, at the beginning of words. Alliteration beginning of words. Alliteration gives emphasis to words.gives emphasis to words.

Example: Peter Piper picked a peck of Example: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepperspickled peppers