Literary Terms

East of Eden

Stuff you already know

• You will be reviewing literary terms that you have already learned.

• If you know the term and can think of an example, do not write the definition

• Write the term and your original example. (that is evidence that you indeed know it so well that you can create your own!)

Stuff you should know

• There will be a few terms that are new to you or you haven’t though about in a while.

• Write the term, definition and the teacher example.

• To solidify it in your own mind, try creating your own.

Make a Lil’ Book

• Put your name on the front page• Put the title Literary Terms Review

Literary Terms – panel 1

Simile• A comparison of two

unlike things using the linking words like or as to make the connection.

• She was like an eagle watching over us to be sure we were safe.

Metaphor• A comparison of two

unlike things

• Francis was a small fish in an ocean teeming with sharks

Literary Terms – Panel 2

Litotes• a deliberate

understatement, often expressed negatively

• My but your Busby is quite small for your head, isn’t it?

Hyperbole• Exaggeration

• I am so hungry I could eat a horse.

Literary Terms – Panel 3

Metonymy• a figure of speech in

which an attribute of something is used to stand for the thing itself, e.g. "laurels" when it stands for "glory“

• The office said we couldn’t have food in class.

Literary Terms - Panel 4

Allegory• the symbolic

expression of a deeper meaning through a story or scene acted out by human, animal, or mythical characters

Genre • one of the categories,

based on form, style, or subject matter, into which artistic works of all kinds can be divided

• Drama, poetry, non-fiction

Cain and Abel

Literary Terms - 6

Euphemism• the use of a word or

phrase that is more neutral, vague, or indirect to replace a direct, harsh, unpleasant, or offensive term

Juxtaposition

to place two or more things together, especially in order to suggest a link between them or emphasize the contrast between them

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Literary Terms – panel 5

Oxymoron• the use of wit,

especially irony, sarcasm, and ridicule, to criticize faults

Paradox• a statement,

proposition, or situation that seems to be absurd or contradictory, but in fact is or may be true

• The character Tom Hamilton is paradoxical – can you see why?

Jumbo Shrimp

Literary Terms – panel 7

Assonance• the similarity of two or

more vowel sound

• The old cold man sold his son.

Alliteration • Repetition of

consonant sounds for effect

• Wind whistled wildly through the willows.

Flip your book inside outContinue with terms

Literary Terms – Panel 8

Exposition• the part of a literary or

dramatic work in which the basic facts of setting and character are made known

Denouement • a final part of a story

or drama in which everything is made clear and no questions or surprises remain

Literary Terms – Panel 9

Flashback• a scene or event from

the past that appears in a narrative out of chronological order, to fill in information or explain something in the present

Allusion• an indirect reference

to somebody or something – often literary, Biblical, or historical

Literary Terms – Panel 10

Protagonist

• a major character in a book, play, or movie whose values or behavior are in conflict with those of the hero

Antagonist• opposition between or

among characters or forces in a literary work that shapes or motivates the action of the plot

Literary Terms – Panel 11

Diction• choice of words to fit

their context

Anecdote • a short personal

account of an incident or event

Literary Terms – Panel 12

Tone• the general quality or

character of something as an indicator of the attitude or view of the person who produced it – a part of establishing setting

Oxymoron• a phrase in which two

words of contradictory meaning are used together for special effect, e.g. "wise fool"

Literary Terms – Panel 13

Zeugma

• a figure of speech in which an adjective or verb is used with two nouns but is appropriate to only one of them or has a different sense with each, as in "During the race he broke the record and his leg"

Aphorism• a succinct statement

expressing an opinion or a general truth

Literary Terms – Panel 13

Pun• a humorous use of

words that involves a word or phrase that has more than one possible meaning

Personification• the attribution of

human qualities to objects or abstract notions

Now what

• Look through your little booklet – scan both sides.

• All the terms you were able to create your own “fresh” examples – give yourself a star.

• You know them and you will not need to do much but look them over prior to our test.

Next

• Place a check on any panel that you think you need to review and before you see these terms again.

Last Panel

• Jot down the list of terms you will be studying before we take the test on book one.

Exit Response

• Use a half sheet of paper and answer the following three questions in complete sentences.1. What is one literary

term I know well?2. What is one literary

term I will have to think about?

3. Why were checking and listing the terms I may need to review and important part of the study process?