Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Short Story Literary Terms
Definitions for various short story literary terms
16
English
Undergraduate 3
03/21/2012

Additional English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
allegory
Definition
literary form in which the action, characters, or setting parallel some broader concept
Term
dramatic irony
Definition
where the reader is aware of the ultimate outcome but the characters are not
Term
epiphany
Definition
a character's sudden self-realization or revelation usually triggered by an ordinary scene or object
Term
foreshadowing
Definition
hint of future event in a story
Term
fragmentation
Definition
literary style consisting of incomplete, often seemingly unrelated parts, as opposed to traditional structure
Term
irony
Definition
use of words to imply meaning other than what is literally stated (usually humorous; sarcasm)
Term
nihilism
Definition
philosophy of meaninglessness (Latin nihil, "nothing")
Term
protagonist
Definition
hero or main character of a story
Term
antagonist
Definition
villain of a story, or character with whom protagonist is in conflict
Term
round character
Definition
character who changes throughout the course of a story
Term
flat character
Definition
character who does not change throughout the course of a story
Term
symbol
Definition
object or person that represents something else
Term
third person omniscient narrator (3PON)
Definition
literary point of view in which narrator is all knowing
Term
three dramatic unities
Definition
unity of place, time, and action. literary form where story usually takes place in same location, on the same day, and doesn't contain any subplots
Term
unreliable narrator
Definition
narrator whose point of view can't be trusted by the reader
Term
objectivity
Definition
the quality of having a nonjudgmental, detached point of view
Supporting users have an ad free experience!