Shared Flashcard Set

Details

English Lit Terms
Some Common English Terms
39
English
Undergraduate 1
06/05/2007

Additional English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Fiction
Definition
stories not entirely factual; imagined
Term
Fable
Definition
a brief story that sets forth some pointed statement of truth
Term
Moral
Definition
message in a fable, sometimes stated at the end
Term
Parable
Definition
brief narrative that teaches a moral, with a realistic plot; main characters usually human
Term
Tale
Definition
short story that sets forth the strange and wonderful without developing characters
Term
Dramatic Situation
Definition
a person in a short story is involved in some conflict
Term
Exposition
Definition
opening portion that sets the scene for the story
Term
complication
Definition
new conflict in a short story
Term
crisis
Definition
moment of high tension in a short story
Term
protagonist
Definition
central character in a story, whether he is good/bad, strong/weak
Term
crisis
Definition
moment of high tension in a story
Term
climax
Definition
moment of greatest tension in a story
Term
plot
Definition
The artisitic arrangement of the events and happenings in a story
Term
summary
Definition
general narration to close gaps in the plot
Term
Epiphany
Definition
a moment of discovery where a character's life is altered
Term
Story of initiation
Definition
where a character is initiated into experience or maturity
Term
Symbol
Definition
A thing that suggests more than its literary meaning
Term
Allegory
Definition
A story in which persons, places, or things form a system of clear equivalents
Term
Narrator
Definition
Speaker of the story
Term
Point of View
Definition
identifying the narrator and the limits of his knowledge
Term
Participant and Non-Participant Points of View
Definition
Participant: 1st person, 2nd person
Non-participant: dramatic, omniscent, selective omniscient
Term
Interior Monolouge
Definition
an extended presentatin of a character's thoughts
Term
Setting
Definition
time and place of a story
Term
Locale
Definition
where a story takes place
Term
Naturalism
Definition
fiction of grim realism of everyday life
Term
Stock Character
Definition
known by some outstanding trait or traits,; single dominant virtues and vices
Term
Character
Definition
an imagined being who inhabits a story
Term
Motivation
Definition
sufficient reason to behave as a character does when they do something unexpected from their character profile
Term
Flat Characeter
Definition
only one outstanding trait or feature
Term
Round Character
Definition
Authors portray a character in more detail
Term
Static Character
Definition
fixed personality of a character
Term
Dynamic Character
Definition
changing personality of a character
Term
Allusion
Definition
reference to something famous or historic in a story
Term
Antihero
Definition
protagonist lacking traditional characteristics of a protagonist
Term
Gratuitous Act
Definition
A deed without cause/motive
Term
Theme
Definition
whatever general idea or insight the entire story reveals
Term
Tone
Definition
The words that lead us to infer the author's attitude and feelings
Term
Diction
Definition
choice of words, abstract or concrete
Term
minimalists
Definition
flat, laidback unemotional tone, bare style
Supporting users have an ad free experience!