| Term | Definition |
|---|
| alliteration | the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words |
| hyperbole | the extreme overstating of an idea; exaggeration for an effect |
| flashback | a scene that interrupts the present action to describe an event that took place at an earlier time |
| foreshadowing | a writer's use of hintsthat suggest events that will occur later in a story |
| irony | a contrast between what is expected and what actually exists or happens |
| metaphor | a comparison to two unlike things that have something in common, without using the words like or as |
| onomatopoeia | the use of words that by their sound suggest their meaning |
| personification | the giving of human qualities to an animal, object, or idea |
| simile | a comparison of two unlike things that have some quality incommon and used the words like or as |
| symbol | a person, place, an object, or an action that stands for something outside itself |
| tone | a writer's attitude toward his or her subject |
| Motif | A recurrent image, word, phrase, represented object or action that to unify the literary work or that may be elaborated into a more general theme. |
| climax | the moment of greatest emotional tension in a narrative, usually marking a turning point in the plot at which the rising action reverses to become the falling action |
| conflict | opposition in a work of drama or fiction between characters or forces (especially an opposition that motivates the development of the plot) |
| falling action | the falling action (or resolution) is characterized by diminishing tensions and the resolution of the plot's conflicts and complications |
| resolution | The third part, the falling action (or resolution) is characterized by diminishing tensions and the resolution of the plot's conflicts and complications. |
| Major Character | almost always round; 3-D character, have good and bad qualities; their goals, ambition, and values change; are often referred to as round characters; a round character changes as a result of what happens to him or her |
| Minor character | one who takes part in the action, but isn't the focus of attention. |
| Figurative Language | Writing or speech that is used to create vivid impressions by setting up comparisons between dissimilar things, [examples are metaphor, simile, and personification. |
| literal language | A form of language in which writers and speakers mean exactly what their words denote. |
| rising action | A set of complications, conflicts, and crises in a story, novel, or play that leads to the climax and resolution of the action. |
| exposition | A narrative device, often used at the beginning of a work, that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances. Exposition explains what has gone on before, the relationships between characters, the development of a theme, and the introduction of a conflict. |
| theme | The central meaning or dominant idea in a literary work. A theme provides a unifying point around which the plot, characters, setting, point of view, symbols, and other elements of a work are organized. It is important not to mistake the theme for the actual subject of the work; the theme refers to the abstract concept that is made concrete through the images, characterization, and action of the text. In nonfiction, however, the theme generally refers to the main topic of the discourse. |
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