| Term | Definition |
|---|
| symbolism | use of symbols, or anything that stands for or represents something else |
| contrast | the process of observing and pointing out differences |
| foreshadowing | use of clues that suggest events that have yet to occur; used to build expectations and suspense |
| setting | time and place of the action |
| inference | any logical or reasonable conclusion |
| suspense | a feeling of anxious uncertainty about the outcome of events |
| irony | surprising, interesting, or amusing contradictions; suggests opposite of what is expected |
| conflict | a struggle between opposing forces; 1 internal/4 external |
| plot | the sequence of events in a literary work |
| point of view (first, third, omnicient) | the perspective or vantange point from which a story is told |
| direct characterization | writer simply states the character's traits |
| indirect characterization | writer depends on the reader to draw conclusions about character traits |
| flashback | a section of a literary work that interrupts the sequence of events to relate to an event from an earlier time |
| mood | the feeling created by a literary work |
| climax | the high point of interest or suspense in the plot; also called a turning point |
| theme | a central message, concern, or purpose of a literary work; a general statement about humans or life |
| traits | characteristics or defining qualities |
| genre | a division or type of literature |
| rhyme | repetition of ending sounds |
| rhyme scheme | a regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem |
| personification | figurative language in which a non-human subject is given human characteristics |
| simile | a figure of speech that makes comparison between two unlike things using the words "like" or "as" |
| metaphor | a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike things; as though one thing is something else |
| hyperbole | extreme exaggeration |
| alliteration | the repetition of initial consonant sounds |
| motivation | a reason that explains or partially explains a character's feelings, actions, or speech |
| exposition | introduction in a plot; introduces the setting, the characters, and the basic situation in a literary work |
| resolution | the end of the central conflict |
| incentive moment (inciting incident) | introduces the central conflict |
| narrator | a speaker or character who tells a story |
| prose | the ordinary form of written language |
| fiction | prose writing that tells about imaginary characters and events |
| nonfiction | prose writing that presents and explains ideas or tells about real people, places, objects, or events |
| autobiography | form of nonfiction in which a person tells his or her own life story |
| biography | form of nonfiction in which a writer tells the life story of another person |
| surprise ending | a conclusion that is unexpected |
Combine with other sets
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