Literary Literary TermsTerms

What you need to know.

Based on the Bari Nirenberb’s presentation

CharacterCharacterA person in a literary text.Who are the major characters in

All My Sons? Keller, Mother and Chris. Who are the minor characters? Jim and Sue Bayliss and Frank

and Lydia Lubey.

Antagonist / Protagonist Antagonist / Protagonist The protagonist, also known as

the hero is the main character in a literary text.

The antagonist is a main character in conflict with the protagonist.

In Rules of the Game, who is the protagonist?

WaverlyWho is the antagonist? Mrs. Jong

Plot / ClimaxPlot / ClimaxPlot is the structure and patterns of

events of the story, novel or play.Climax is The turning point of a

text, the point of “make or break”. What is the climax of the story Mr.

Know All? The moment that Mr. Kelada has to

declare whether or not the pearls are real.

SettingSettingWhere and when a story takes place. Why is the setting of Mr. Know All

significant?The story takes place on a

passenger ship after World War I. At this time, accommodations were scarce, so the narrator has to share a cabin with Mr. Kelada. Because they’re on a ship, they are in constant contact with each other – there’s nowhere to “run away” to.

NarratorNarratorA literary character who tells a

story. What do we know about the

narrator in Mr. Know All?He is British, he is traveling on a

ship from San Francisco to Yokohama and he is prejudiced against those who are not British.

Point of View Point of View The focus from which a story is

told. Name one behavior of Mr. Kelada’s

that was annoying from the narrator’s point of view.

He was too chatty.This is significant because perhaps

from the point of view of others on the ship, Mr. Kelada wasn’t so annoying.

ConflictConflictThe struggle in a text often

between the protagonist and the antagonist.

Name one of the main conflicts in the play All My Sons.

The conflict between family loyalty, which is what Joe believes is most important, and responsibility to society, which is what Chris believes in.

ForeshadowingForeshadowingA literary device used by writers to

give their readers clues or hints about future events in the story.

What does Joe say that foreshadows the end of the play?

“I’m his father and he’s my son, and if there’s something bigger than that I’ll put a bullet in my head!”

ThemeThemeThe main topic or message of a

literary text. What is the theme of All My Sons? Responsibility to society .What is the theme of Mr. Know All?PrejudiceWhat are the main themes of Rules

of the Game?Mother-daughter conflict and a

cultural conflict between American and Chinese cultures.

StereotypeStereotypeA figure typical of and therefore

representative of a whole social or ethnic group. A stereotype can be created through physical appearance, accent, clothing, behavior, etc.

What features of Mr. Kelada’s appearance and behavior described early on in the story make him a stereotype?

His hooked nose, his long black hair, his dark skin, his exuberant gestures and his over-familiar behavior all make him appear to be Middle Eastern and certainly not a British gentleman.

MetaphorMetaphorDescribing one thing in terms of

something else. When explaining a metaphor, first

state what two things are being compared, then explain how they are alike and give examples.

Rules of the Game refers to the rules of chess, but chess can also be seen as a metaphor. Explain.

Chess is a metaphor for life. In both chess and in life, there are rules you have to follow, for example, be patient and have foresight.

In The Road Not Taken the two roads are metaphors of the options or choices we make in life. In both cases we have to examine each road or option very carefully before continuing our journey.

Symbol / Symbolism Symbol / Symbolism Something which is both itself and

also represents an idea. For example, a rose may symbolize beauty.

What does the wall symbolize in the poem As I Grew older?

The wall symbolizes the obstacles which prevent the speaker from achieving his dream, such as prejudice and racism.

Stanza / VerseStanza / VerseA group of lines which form a unit

in a poem. A single line of a poem.How many stanza are there in

the poem The Road Not Taken? 4How many verses are there in

each stanza? 5

ToneTone The attitude with which a story is

told or the attitude with which something or someone is described, for example, ironic, cynical, humorous.