Literary Techniques

4.6 (11 reviews)
Characterization
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Terms in this set (26)
Characterization
What a character is like; how the character shows its personality.
Image: Characterization
internal conflict
problem or struggle within a character; a decision the character must make.
Image: internal conflict
external conflict
A struggle between a character and an outside force
Image: external conflict
Irony
the story leads the reader to expect one thing, but the opposite happens.
Image: Irony
Plot
Sequence of events in a story
Image: Plot
Setting
The time and place of a story
Image: Setting
Suspense
detailed descriptions of the moments just before the climax; the audience must wait and wonder "what will happen?"
Image: Suspense
Climax
Most exciting moment of the story; the turning point
Image: Climax
Resolution
End of the story where loose ends are tied up
Image: Resolution
Protagonist
main character
Image: Protagonist
AntagonistA character or force in conflict with the main characterAllusionA reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of artverbal ironysarcasmPersonificationthe giving of human qualities to an animal, object, or ideaMoodFeeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the readerFlashbackpresent movement of the story is halted & a scene from the past is relived; readers relive the past moment in the present.Theme"lesson" about life we should learn from the story.point of viewthe narrator's perspectivefirst person point of viewthe narrator is one of the characters in the story.3rd person omniscient point of viewthe narrator is NOT a character but knows EVERYTHING about all of the characters.3rd person limited point of viewthe narrator is NOT a character in the story; the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of ONE character.ForeshadowingA warning or hint of a future eventchronological orderevents of the story occur in the same order in which they happened in "real" life with no flashbacks.IdiomA common, often-used expression that doesn't make sense if you take it literally.MetaphorA comparison without using like or asSimileA comparison using "like" or "as"

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