Literary Terms
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64 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 imagery | word that appear to the five senses |
| foreshadowing | device used by an author to present hints or clues about future events in the story |
| fact | something that can be proven to be true |
| idiom | an expression that is unique to a certain language and has developed its meaning over time |
| external conflict | a conflict that occurs between a character and another (outside) force such as nature, another person, illness, etc. |
| context clues | information from the reading that helps the reader to identify the meaning of an unknown word |
| third person point of view | the narrator is not involved in the story |
| characterization | method an author uses to reveal characters and their personalities-- may be direct or indirect |
| exposition | the very first part of the plot in which the background info, setting, characters are introduced and explained |
| figurative language | this cannot be taken literally because it is written to create a special feeling or effect |
| alliteration | device in which the initial (first) consonant sound is repeated |
| plot | the series of events in a story |
| conflict | the struggle between opposing characters or forces (the problem) |
| dynamic character | a character that changes significantly throughout the story (they are different at the end than they were in the beginning) |
| fiction | a story that is the product of the author's imagination rather than fact or truth |
| genre | a category used to classify literary works (i.e. science fiction, mystery, etc.) |
| hyperbole | an exaggeration used to emphasize a point |
| biography | a story of a person's life written by someone else |
| autobiography | a story of a person's life written by him or herself |
| first person point of view | the narrator takes part in the action of the story (we see the events through his or her eyes) |
| antonym | a word that is the opposite of another word |
| climax | the turning point or highest point of tension in the story |
| dialogue | the actual words spoken by a character in written form |
| flashback | literary device that is used to present action that occurred before the beginningof the actual story (often in the form of dreams or recollections of the past) |
| static character | a character that stays the sames through the story |
| slang | informal speech composed of invented or changed words |
| simile | a comparison between two unlike things using like or as |
| setting | the time and place in which a story unfold |
| short story | this can be read in one sitting |
| rising action | the part of the plot in which the conflict is revealed and the plot begins developing |
| resolution | the part of the plot where the conflicts is over |
| prefix | word part attached to the front of a word to change its meaning |
| poem | a type of literature in which ideas and feelings are expressed in creative ways that are meant to evoke emotion and often includes figurative language |
| dynamic character | A character that changes significantly throughout the story [they are different at the end than they were in the beginning |
| personification | Giving human qualities to something that is not human |
| oxymoron | the combination of two contradicting (opposite) terms |
| opinion | a statement that can not be proven |
| onomatopoeia | words whose sounds express their meaning |
| novel | a work of fiction that is longer and more complex than a short story |
| nonfiction | writing that tells about real people, places, and events |
| motive | the reason that a character does something |
| mood | the overall feelings or emotion created by the author's words |
| metaphor | a comparison of two unlike things that does not use like or as |
| irony | this can be situational or verbal and means that something is the opposite of what you would expect |
| inference | an educated guess based on facts paired with experienced |
| internal conflict | a conflict that occurs within a character's mind such as a decision that has to be made or a problem with one's self-confidence,etc. |
| jargon | the special language of a particular activity,sport, or profession |
| plot | the structure of the story. Sequence of events with a problem and solution |
| main idea | the main topic of the text |
| rhyme | identical or similar ending sounds in words usually at the ends of lines of a poem |
| rhythm | the pattern or beat of a poem |
| summarize | to tell or write a story in you own words. Usually much shorter than the original text |
| homophone | two or more words that are pronounced alike, but are different in spelling and/or meaning |
| exaggeration | to make an overstatement or to stretch the truth |
| evaluate | a reading strategy where you examine and judge carefully |
| compare & contrast | placing together characters,situations or ideas to show common or differing features |
| conclusion | the ending of the story in which all loose ends are tied up |
| trait | something about a character's personality that can not easily change |
| tone | the attitude of the author towards the audience and/ or characters of a story |
| theme | the author's message or main idea conveyed by the story(about life) |
| synonym | a word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word |
| symbolism | a device in literature in which one object, person, or place represents or stands for something else |
| suspense | the feeling readers have that holds and makes them wonder what will happen next |
| suffix | a word part added to the end of a word to change its meaning |
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