literary terms
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Created by:
morales-dora32 on September 15, 2010
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9 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 myth | An anonymous, traditional story that explains a natural phenomenon, an aspect of human behavior, or a mystery of the universe |
| creation myths | Myths that tell of how the world and human beings came to exist |
| origin myths | Myths that explain how natural phenomena, such as the stars, moon, and mountains, came to be or why a society has a certain belief or custom |
| archetype | A symbol, story pattern, or character type that is found in the literature of many cultures. Example: Children of opposite qualities born of the same parents |
| trickster | An archetype found in Native American Lit, usually an animal who causes trouble, but in doing so reveals wisdom. Example: A coyote that brought death in the world, but ultimately alleviated overcrowding |
| theme | The main idea or meaning of a text. Often, this is an insight about human life revealed in a literary work |
| imagery | The use of language to evoke a picture or a concrete sensation of a person, thing, place, or experience |
| characterization | The process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character |
| personification | A figure of speech in which an animal, an object, or an idea is given human form or characteristics |
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