Literary Terms and Literary Terms and Figurative LanguageFigurative Language

Character, Personification, Character, Personification, Setting, Oxymoron, and ToneSetting, Oxymoron, and Tone

Character: Character: A person in a story, play or A person in a story, play or

poem.poem.

Ways to reveal Ways to reveal charactercharacter

• Appearance Appearance (including (including clothes)clothes)

Harry, though still rather smallHarry, though still rather smalland skinny for his age, had grownand skinny for his age, had growna few inches over the last year.a few inches over the last year.His jet-black hair, however, wasHis jet-black hair, however, wasjust as it always had been –just as it always had been –stubbornly untidy . . . . The eyesstubbornly untidy . . . . The eyesbehind his glasses were brightbehind his glasses were brightgreen, and on his forehead, was agreen, and on his forehead, was athin scar, shaped like a bolt ofthin scar, shaped like a bolt oflightning.lightning.

Examples from Examples from

Harry Potter and theHarry Potter and the

Prisoner of AzkabanPrisoner of Azkaban

Private Thoughts Private Thoughts

Talking excitedly, the class left the staffroom. Harry,Talking excitedly, the class left the staffroom. Harry,however, wasn’t feeling cheerful. Professor Lupin however, wasn’t feeling cheerful. Professor Lupin

hadhaddeliberately stopped him from tackling the boggart. deliberately stopped him from tackling the boggart.

Why?Why?Was it because he’d seen Harry collapse on the Was it because he’d seen Harry collapse on the

train, andtrain, andthought he wasn’t up to much? Had he thought thought he wasn’t up to much? Had he thought

HarryHarrywould pass out again?would pass out again?

How other characters feel How other characters feel about themabout them

““That’s my boy!” Wood kept yelling. Alicia, Angelina, andThat’s my boy!” Wood kept yelling. Alicia, Angelina, andKatie had all kissed Harry; Fred had him in a grip so tightKatie had all kissed Harry; Fred had him in a grip so tightHarry felt as though his head would come off . . . . Harry gotHarry felt as though his head would come off . . . . Harry gotoff his broom and looked up to see a gaggle of Gryffindoroff his broom and looked up to see a gaggle of Gryffindorsupporters sprinting onto the field, Ron in the lead.supporters sprinting onto the field, Ron in the lead.

Character’s actionsCharacter’s actions

That meant the dementors were closing in on Sirius . . . . That meant the dementors were closing in on Sirius . . . . Harry flung himself out from behind the bush and pulled out Harry flung himself out from behind the bush and pulled out his wand.his wand.““EXPECTO PATRONUM” he yelled.EXPECTO PATRONUM” he yelled.And out of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, And out of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal.but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal.

Round vs. Flat CharactersRound vs. Flat Characters

Round characters – have Round characters – have many character traits, many character traits, like real people. like real people.

Example: Harry Potter, Example: Harry Potter, Hagrid, Hermione GrangerHagrid, Hermione Granger

Flat characters – have Flat characters – have only one or two only one or two character traits and character traits and contain no depth to contain no depth to them.them.

Example: Professor Flitwick, Example: Professor Flitwick, Professor SproutProfessor Sprout

PersonificationPersonification

Definition: Gives human characteristics to Definition: Gives human characteristics to something that is not human – an animal, something that is not human – an animal, an object, or an ideaan object, or an idea

PersonificationPersonification

• When we say that a When we say that a cough is stubborn or cough is stubborn or love is blind, we are love is blind, we are using a kind of using a kind of personification. personification. Personification is yet Personification is yet another way to use another way to use imagination to give imagination to give meaning to the whole meaning to the whole nonhuman world. Now nonhuman world. Now create your own create your own example and share. . . example and share. . .

Personification ExamplesPersonification Examples

• Oreo: Milk’s favorite cookie Oreo: Milk’s favorite cookie

• The trees swayed in the moonlight.The trees swayed in the moonlight.

• The sun woke up and greeted me this morning. The sun woke up and greeted me this morning.

• My dog glanced at me as I searched through my My dog glanced at me as I searched through my room looking for a clean shirt.room looking for a clean shirt.

SettingSetting

• Setting tells where and when a story Setting tells where and when a story takes place. It can include:takes place. It can include:

Locale and weather of the story Locale and weather of the story (stormy Seattle)(stormy Seattle)

Time of day and/or time period Time of day and/or time period (morning in 1920s England)(morning in 1920s England)

Setting helps to provide background!Setting helps to provide background!

Setting and CharacterSetting and Character

Setting can reveal a Setting can reveal a great deal about a great deal about a character. character.

Ex: Zaroff lived in a Ex: Zaroff lived in a “palatial chateau” “palatial chateau” and owned the and owned the “finest” silver and “finest” silver and china.china.

What does this reveal What does this reveal about Zaroff? about Zaroff?

Setting and MoodSetting and Mood

Setting can provide Setting can provide atmosphere and mood. atmosphere and mood. For example: If a story For example: If a story is set in a lush garden, is set in a lush garden, it can provide the it can provide the reader with tranquility reader with tranquility and happiness. and happiness.

If a story is set at night in If a story is set at night in a lonely house, the a lonely house, the reader may be fearful reader may be fearful or uneasy.or uneasy.

OxymoronOxymoron

An oxymoron is a contradictory word pair.An oxymoron is a contradictory word pair.For example: For example: - A jumbo shrimp- A jumbo shrimp - A baby giant- A baby giant- Deafening silence- Deafening silence - Bad health- Bad health- Detailed summary- Detailed summary - Honest crook- Honest crook

ToneTone

• The attitude the writer takes toward a subject, character The attitude the writer takes toward a subject, character or audience. It is conveyed through the writer’s choice of or audience. It is conveyed through the writer’s choice of words and details.words and details.

• For example: For example: "Don't talk to me about voting or politics. I'm not interested. All politicians are self-serving and corrupt. My vote won't change a thing.“

• What tone is this speaker taking?