Literary Terms Literary Terms DefinitionsDefinitions

Mrs. Dianne ClineMrs. Dianne Cline77thth grade GRC- Literature grade GRC- Literature

Oak Mountain Middle SchoolOak Mountain Middle SchoolShelby CountyShelby County

1.1. AnalogyAnalogy – comparison between 2 things based – comparison between 2 things based on 1 or more elements that they shareon 1 or more elements that they share

2.2. AntagonistAntagonist – person or force that opposes the – person or force that opposes the protagonist or central characterprotagonist or central character

3.3. CharacterCharacter – person in a literary work – person in a literary worka.a. Round characterRound character – character who shows varied – character who shows varied

& sometimes contradictory traits& sometimes contradictory traitsb.b. Flat characterFlat character – character who reveals only 1 – character who reveals only 1

personality traitpersonality traitc.c. Dynamic characterDynamic character – changes during the story – changes during the storyd.d. Static characterStatic character – remains primarily the same – remains primarily the same

during the storyduring the story4.4. CharacterizationCharacterization – methods a writer uses to – methods a writer uses to

develop the personality of the characterdevelop the personality of the charactera.a. Direct characterizationDirect characterization – writer makes direct – writer makes direct

statements about a character’s personalitystatements about a character’s personalityb.b. Indirect characterizationIndirect characterization – writer reveals a – writer reveals a

character’s personality through the character’s character’s personality through the character’s words & actions & through what other words & actions & through what other characters think or say about the characterscharacters think or say about the characters

5.5. ClimaxClimax – point of greatest emotional intensity, – point of greatest emotional intensity, interest, or suspenseinterest, or suspense

6.6. ConflictConflict – central struggle between opposing forces – central struggle between opposing forces a.a. External conflictExternal conflict – character struggles against an – character struggles against an

outside forceoutside forceb.b. Internal conflictInternal conflict – struggle exists in the mind of a – struggle exists in the mind of a

character who is torn between opposing feelings or character who is torn between opposing feelings or goalsgoals

7.7. DescriptionDescription – writing that seeks to convey the – writing that seeks to convey the impression of a setting, a person, an animal, an impression of a setting, a person, an animal, an object or an event by appealing to the sensesobject or an event by appealing to the senses

8.8. DetailsDetails – particular features of things used to make – particular features of things used to make descriptions more accurate & vividdescriptions more accurate & vivid

9.9. DialectDialect – variation of language spoken by a – variation of language spoken by a particular group, within a particular regionparticular group, within a particular region

10.10. DialogueDialogue – conversation between characters – conversation between characters 11.11. ExpositionExposition – part of plot in which characters , – part of plot in which characters ,

setting, & situations are introducedsetting, & situations are introduced12.12. Falling actionFalling action – action that follows the climax – action that follows the climax13.13. Figurative languageFigurative language – language used for – language used for

descriptive effect, often to imply ideas indirectlydescriptive effect, often to imply ideas indirectly

14.14. FlashbackFlashback – an interruption in a narrative that tells – an interruption in a narrative that tells about something that happened before that point or about something that happened before that point or before the story beganbefore the story began

15.15. ForeshadowingForeshadowing – use of clues by an author to prepare – use of clues by an author to prepare readers for events that will happen in a storyreaders for events that will happen in a story

16.16. HeroHero – literary work’s main character, usually with – literary work’s main character, usually with admirable qualitiesadmirable qualities

17.17. IdiomIdiom – figure of speech whose meaning can’t be – figure of speech whose meaning can’t be obtained & might even appear ridiculous by joining obtained & might even appear ridiculous by joining meanings of words composing itmeanings of words composing it

18.18. ImageryImagery – language that emphasizes sensory – language that emphasizes sensory impressions to help the reader see, hear, feel, smell, impressions to help the reader see, hear, feel, smell, & taste the scene described in the work& taste the scene described in the work

19.19. IronyIrony – form of expression in which the intended – form of expression in which the intended meaning of the words used is opposite of their literal meaning of the words used is opposite of their literal meaningmeaning

a.a. Verbal ironyVerbal irony – occurs when a person says 1 thing & – occurs when a person says 1 thing & means anothermeans another

b.b. Situational ironySituational irony – occurs when the outcome of a – occurs when the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what was expectedsituation is the opposite of what was expected

20.20. Main ideaMain idea – most important idea expressed in a – most important idea expressed in a paragraph or an essayparagraph or an essay

21.21. MetaphorMetaphor – figure of speech that compares or – figure of speech that compares or equates seemingly unlike thingsequates seemingly unlike things

22.22. MoodMood – emotional quality or atmosphere of a story – emotional quality or atmosphere of a story or poemor poem

23.23. NarratorNarrator – person who tells a story – person who tells a story24.24. PlotPlot – sequence of events in a story, novel, or play – sequence of events in a story, novel, or play25.25. Plot twistPlot twist – unexpected turn of events in a plot – unexpected turn of events in a plot26.26. Point of viewPoint of view – relationship of the narrator, or – relationship of the narrator, or

storyteller, to the storystoryteller, to the storya.a. First personFirst person – story told by 1 of the characters – story told by 1 of the characters

referred to as “I”referred to as “I”b.b. Limited 3Limited 3rdrd person person – narrator reveals thoughts of – narrator reveals thoughts of

only 1 character but refers to that character as only 1 character but refers to that character as “he” or “she”“he” or “she”

c.c. OmniscientOmniscient – narrator reveals the thoughts of – narrator reveals the thoughts of several charactersseveral characters

27.27. ProseProse – writing that is similar to everyday speech & – writing that is similar to everyday speech & languagelanguage

28.28. ProtagonistProtagonist – central character in a story or poem – central character in a story or poem29.29. ResolutionResolution – part of a plot that concludes the – part of a plot that concludes the

falling action by revealing or suggesting the falling action by revealing or suggesting the outcome of the conflictoutcome of the conflict

30.30. Rising actionRising action – part of a plot that adds – part of a plot that adds complications to the problems in the story & complications to the problems in the story & increases reader interestincreases reader interest

31.31. Sequence of eventsSequence of events32.32. SettingSetting – time & place in which events of a story – time & place in which events of a story

occuroccur33.33. SimileSimile – figure of speech using like or as to – figure of speech using like or as to

compare seemingly unlike thingscompare seemingly unlike things34.34. StereotypeStereotype – character not developed as an – character not developed as an

individual but as a collection of traits & individual but as a collection of traits & mannerisms shared by members of a groupmannerisms shared by members of a group

35.35. StyleStyle – author’s choice & arrangement of words & – author’s choice & arrangement of words & sentencessentences

36.36. Suspense Suspense – feeling of curiosity, uncertainty, or – feeling of curiosity, uncertainty, or dread about what is going to happen nextdread about what is going to happen next

37.37. Symbol Symbol – any object, person, place or experience – any object, person, place or experience that means more than what it isthat means more than what it is

38.38. SymbolismSymbolism

39.39. ThemeTheme – main idea of a story, – main idea of a story, poem, novel, or play, usually poem, novel, or play, usually expressed as a general expressed as a general statementstatement

a.a. Stated themeStated theme – theme stated – theme stated directlydirectly

b.b. Implied themeImplied theme – theme revealed – theme revealed gradually through other elementsgradually through other elements

40.40. ToneTone – attitude of the narrator – attitude of the narrator toward subject, ideas, theme, or toward subject, ideas, theme, or characterscharacters

41.41. VoiceVoice – an author’s distinctive – an author’s distinctive style or the particular speech style or the particular speech pattern of a character in a storypattern of a character in a story

36.36. Dramatic ironyDramatic irony - - when the audience knows something that the characters in the drama do not

37.37. ConnotationConnotation - the associated or secondary the associated or secondary meaning of a wordmeaning of a word

ExampleExample:: rich = abundantly supplied with resources (dictionary). rich = abundantly supplied with resources (dictionary). ConnotationConnotation of rich = of rich = wealthy, affluent, well-to-dowealthy, affluent, well-to-do

38.38. DenotationDenotation - - the dictionary definition of a wordthe dictionary definition of a word39.39. HyperboleHyperbole - - an overstated exaggeration an overstated exaggerationExampleExample: : I’m so hungry I could eat a horse, I’ve read I’m so hungry I could eat a horse, I’ve read

that book a million times, Yo mama’s so fat . . .that book a million times, Yo mama’s so fat . . .40.40. Plot ComplicationPlot Complication - - The part of the plot when The part of the plot when

conflicts develop and suspense is built conflicts develop and suspense is built 41.41. OxymoronOxymoron - - a figure of speech in which a figure of speech in which

contradictory terms are combinedcontradictory terms are combinedExamplesExamples: deafening silence, cruel kindness, icy hot, fun : deafening silence, cruel kindness, icy hot, fun

run, boneless ribs, junk foodrun, boneless ribs, junk food