LITERATURE TERMS

THAT WE MUST KNOW!

YAY!

FLASHBACK

• A CHARACTER REMEMBERS SOMETHING FROM HIS OR HER PAST THAT IS KEY TO THE PLOT.

ALLUSION

• A REFERENCE TO A WELL KNOWN BODY OF WORK OR PERSON THAT THE AUTHOR ASSUMES YOU ALREADY KNOW.

FORESHADOW

• A HINT OF WHAT IS TO COME IN THE STORY.

• WE OFTEN DO NOT KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS BEING FORESHADOWED UNTIL THE EVENT OCCURS AND WE THINK BACK ON PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.

MOOD

• THE “FEELING” OF THE STORY

• Words That Describe Mood: Fanciful Melancholy Frightening Mysterious Frustrating Romantic Gloomy Sentimental Happy Sorrowful Joyful Suspenseful

TONE

• THE WAY THE STORY COMES ACROSS. STORIES HAVE TONES JUST LIKE PEOPLE HAVE TONES.

• Words That Describe Tone: Amused -Humorous - Pessimistic - Angry - Informal -Playful - Cheerful – Ironic - Pompous - Horror –Light - Sad – Clear - Matter-of-fact - Serious -Formal - Resigned - Suspicious - Gloomy –Optimistic - Witty

SYMBOL & SYMBOLISM• ONE THING STANDS FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

• IN REAL LIFE - SYMBOLS MAKE LIFE EASIER BUT SYMBOLS CAN ALSO COVER UGLY TRUTHS.

• IN LITERATURE – SYMBOLS MAKE THE STORY INTERESTING. IT IS LIKE A GAME. SYMBOLISM CREATES LAYERS THAT ONLY SOME WILL UNDERSTAND. LEARN HOW SYMBOLISM WORKS – LEARN TO NOT BE LITERAL –AND YOU WILL BE ONE OF THE “SOME!”

ALLEGORY

• THE ENTIRE STORY STANDS FOR SOMETHING ELSE AND CONTINUES THROUGHOUT.

• EXAMPLE:

ORWELL’S ANIMAL FARM = RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

SATIRE

• IRONIC EXAGGERATION OR RIDICULE TO MAKE A STRONG POINT ABOUT A VICE OR WEAKNESS.

SATIRE OFTEN BITES – MAKES YOU WINCE

EXAMPLE:SWIFT’S PROPOSAL TO EAT THE IRISH BABIES TO RID THE COUNTRY OF POVERTY AND

OVER POPULATION. HE USED SATIRE (EAT THEM) TO MAKE HIS REAL POINT OF EDUCATING THE POOR AND TREATING THEM LIKE HUMANS.

PARODY

• TO MOCK OR IMMITATE FOR HUMOR PURPOSES.

PARABLE

• SHORT STORY WITH A LESSON.

A WOLF!

FABLE

• A FABLE IS LIKE A PARABLE, EXCEPT IT USES ANIMALS!

THEME• THE OVERALL MEANING OR CATEGORY OF

THE STORY

EXAMPLES:

LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP

REVENGE

FALL FROM GRACE

LOSS

DISCOVERY

COMING OF AGE

PARADOXA contradiction or what seems to be the problem is the solution.

EX: Nobody goes to that restaurant because it is too crowded.

EX: The answer is there are no answers.

EX: You shouldn't go in the water until you know how to swim.

ARCHETYPE• A prototype upon which others are copied,

patterned, or emulated. A constantly recurring symbol or motif in literature, painting or mythology.

• Examples: The Innocent, The Hero, The Sage, The Orphan, The Rebel, The Jester, The Buffoon, The

Explorer, The Evil Overlord, Etc… (Think every character in

Star Wars & you will know EVERY archetype.)

- NOW -

• THE DEVIL & TOM WALKER