| Term | Definition |
|---|
| allegory | characters are symbols, has a moral |
| alliteration | repetition at close intervals of initial consonant sounds |
| allusion | a reference to something in literature or history |
| anachronism | out of place for a particular time period |
| antagonist | The force in conflict with the protagonist, may be society, nature, fate, self, or another person |
| assonance | repetition of identical VOWEL sounds in words that occur in close proximity: "it's hot and monotonious" |
| cacophony | harsh, non-melodic, unpleasant sounding arrangement of sounds |
| climax | turning point of the plot, when the conflict reaches the height of its interest or suspense |
| complication | series of events that add to the suspense and lead to the climax |
| conflict | a struggle between opposing forces in a narrative; four types [character v. character, v. self, v. nature, v. society] |
| connotation | what a word suggests beyond its surface definition |
| consonance | repetition at close intervals of final consonant sounds |
| denotation | basic definition or dictionary meaning of a word |
| dynamic characters | characters who undergo change because of the action in the plot |
| exposition | introduces the setting, characters, and basic situation |
| falling action | events that take place after the plot's climax |
| figurative language | a way of saying something other than the literal meaning |
| first person POV | character in the story tells from their point |
| flashback | a sudden vivid memory of an event in the past |
| flat character | Not fully developed, we only know one side of the character |
| foil | A character whose traits are in direct contrast to those of ae principle character |
| foreshadowing | use of clues to suggest events that will happen later in the story. |
| hyperbole | exaggeration, overstatement |
| imagery | representation through language of a sensory experience (five senses) |
| apostrophe | speaking to someone or something as if it were standing in front of you |
| internal conflict | conflict type; person in conflict with some aspect of self |
| irony | difference between what might be expected and what actually happens |
| metaphor | comparison of two dissimilar items: "Her feet were boats." |
| mood | the atmosphere suggested by the setting or diction = emotional response from reader |
| narrator | person who tells the story |
| onomatopoeia | use of words which mimic their meaning in sound |
| oxymoron | contradictory terms (love, hate) |
| paradox | statement that seems like a contradiction, but actually has truth |
| personification | giving a non-human the characteristics of a human |
| plot | the main events of a play, a novel, move or similar work |
| point of view | mental position from which things are viewed |
| protagonist | The hero or usually main character of the story. |
| pun | a joke using the different possible meanings of a word |
| resolution (denouement) | where the conflict has ended/been resolved |
| rising action | (stage 2) series of events grouping out of the beginning situation; leads to climax |
| round character | Fully developed, with many traits- bad and good |
| setting | The time and place where the story happens. |
| simile | comparison using like or as |
| static character | one who does not change throughout the story |
| suspense | The anxiety that we feel about what will happen next in a story. |
| symbol | a person, place, thing or an event that stands for itself and beyond itself |
| theme | moral or lesson that was the author's purpose for writing the story |
| third person POV | narrator, can tell only what is observable through 5 senses |
| third person omniscient | narrator, can tell thoughts and feelings of characters in the story |
| tone | writer's attitude toward the audience or subject, implied or related directly |
Combine with other sets
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