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Literature 1.1-2.4

Terms in this set (54)

Informational Reading
Nonfiction that is written to provide information
Interpretative Literature
Has meaning beyond the surface and makes the reader work a little harder to interpret some of its meaning
Universal Truths
Timeless ideas that speak to readers of all ages and backgrounds
Figurative Language
A common device in interpretive literature to help readers better understand a person, place, thing, or situation and hints at a deeper meaning.
Denotative or Literal Meaning
The word represents exactly what it means
Connotative Meaning
The word means more than the obvious meaning
Genres
Different categories of literature
Static Character
A character who doesn't change
Stock Character
A character type that appears so often in literature readers know what to expect from him or her, such as a "nerd," "jock," or "bad guy," usually static characters who don't change
Dynamic Characters
Open to internal conflict (person against himself or herself) and change during the course of the story
Epiphany
A sudden revelation, a flash of new insight that often changes a person's life
Situational Irony
Occurs when the outcome of a situation is exactly the reverse of what was expected
Irony
The use of words to express something that's opposite to the literal meaning
Short Story
Ranges between 1,500 and 30,000 words; usually includes only a few characters and has just one major theme
Conventions
Rules of society that are tried and true
Plot
The sequence of events in a story
Complications
Obstacles that arise in a story, but separate from the main conflict
Rising Action
Series of events that introduce the main characters and the complications
Climax
The high point of the story—the point at which the reader's interest is at its peak
Falling Action
The series of events that take place after the climax; ties together the loose ends of the story
Conflict
A tension between the protagonist and someone or something else
Protagonist
The main character
Person-Against-Person Conflict
The struggle a protagonist experiences with an antagonist (a secondary character) or society in general
Person-Against-Nature Conflict
The struggle a protagonist experiences with the environment or some outside force
Person-Against-Self Conflict
The struggle a protagonist experiences within him- or herself
Setting
The time and place in which the story takes place
Symbolism
Something in a story that stands for something else, often abstract
Victorian Morality
A strict outward moral code that people adhered to during the reign of Queen Victoria in the 1800s
Wallflower
An example of a stock character: a shy girl who feels left out
Realism
Writing that attempts to portray things as they are
Ornithologists
People who study birds
Ambiguity
Things that are unclear or uncertain
Individuated Characters
Have their own personality and history and are depicted realistically
Representative Character
Illustrates many of the traits associated with a particular type of person
Archetype
A character that is similar to other characters and to people you know in everyday life
Prototype
An original idea that has come to be used over and over again
Femme Fatale
An archetypal character: an attractive woman who allures and manipulates
Foreshadowing
A technique used to hint at future developments in a story
Satire
A genre that uses humor to point out the flaws and follies of individuals and societies
Hypocrisy
Pretense, a gap between what's real and what's being pretended
Tragicomedy
Tragedy and comedy blended in one work that tries to make people laugh, but isn't afraid to show the grim, depressing aspects of a situation
Anecdote
A brief story
Personal Anecdotes
Stories that bring history to life; they paint pictures of people living in different settings and time
Mock Heroic
When language ordinarily used to describe acts of courage, bravery, and heroism is instead used to describe the opposite
Rhetoric
Language used to have a certain effect on readers and listeners
Nom de Plume
French term for pen name
Allegory
A story in which objects and characters stand for something other than themselves, symbolism extended throughout an entire piece of literature
Literal Level
What's actually happening at present in the story
Supernatural Level
What might be happening in a spiritual sense, often based on ghosts, demons, and other spirits
Psychological Level
What's happening in a character's mind or through emotional interpretation
Religious Fanaticism
Taking religious beliefs to extremes, sometimes to the point of committing terrible atrocities in the name of religion
Despair
The belief that there's no real goodness in the world, hopelessness
Epiphany (change person)
A sudden revelation, a flash of new insight, that usually changes a person's life to some degree
Character Study
A story that focuses on the developing traits and characteristics of an individual
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