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literary terms
literary terms
39
English
7th Grade
10/31/2011

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Term
the introduction or the part of the work that introduces the characters, the setting,and the basic situation
Definition
exposition
Term
the time and place of the action
Definition
setting
Term
the sequence of events in a literary work
Definition
plot
Term
a gradual building of the tension and excitement leading toward the climax
Definition
rising action
Term
a high point of interest or suspense or the turning point in a literary work
Definition
climax
Term
a quick winding down of tension and excitement as the story comes to an end
Definition
falling action
Term
the struggle between opposing forces. and one of the most important elements in stories, novels, and plays because it causes the action
Definition
conflict
Term
a struggle in which a character is against some outside force. Some common types are person v. person, person vs. nature, person vs. the supernatural
Definition
external conflict
Term
a struggle that takes place in the mind of the character.
Person vs. himself would be an example of this type of conflict.
Definition
internal conflict
Term
The central message, concern, or purpose in a literary work. It can usually be expressed as a
generalization, or a general statement, about human beings or about life. It is NOT a summary of its plot. It is the central idea that the writer communicates.
Definition
theme
Term
the practical lesson contained in a fable, tale, or some other work of literature. It usually suggests what a person should or should not do.
Definition
moral
Term
Writing or speech that is not meant to be taken literally. The many types are
known as FIGURES OF SPEECH.
Definition
figurative language
Term
a figure of speech in which something is described as though it were something else. For example, we call a
person who watches a lot of T.V. a "couch potato."
Definition
metaphor
Term
a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike subjects by using either LIKE or AS. For example, we may say a vain person is "as proud as a peacock."
Definition
simile
Term
A type of figurative language in which a nonhuman subject is given human characteristics. For example, we might say that the sun looks cheerful.
Definition
personification
Term
the repetition of a consonant sound, usually at the beginning of words
ex. Six soft sheep slept sweetly.
Definition
alliteration
Term
a figure of speech in which statements are exaggerated
ex. I nearly died laughing.
Definition
hyperbole
Term
the act of creating and developing a character
Definition
characterization
Term
writing which simply states the character's traits or characteristics
Definition
direct characterization
Term
writing which depends on the reader to draw conclusions based on the character's words, thoughts, and actions or on what others say to, think about, or do to the character
Definition
indirect characterization
Term
a character who is often one-sided and stereotypical (as in the "dumb jock" or the "computer geek")
Definition
flat character
Term
a character who is fully developed and who exhibits many traits, often both faults and virtues
Definition
round character
Term
a character who changes throughout the course of the story
Definition
dynamic character
Term
a character who does not change throughout the course of a story
Definition
static character
Term
the main character in a literary work
Definition
protagonist
Term
a character or force in conflict with the protagonist
Definition
antagonist
Term
the author's attitude toward the reader or toward himself, which might be described as serious, sad, cheerful, proud or mocking
Definition
author's tone
Term
the goal or aim of a literary work
Definition
author's purpose
Term
The use, in a literary work, of clues to suggest events that have yet to occur, to build readers' expectations, and to create suspense.
Definition
foreshadowing
Term
the general name given to literary techniques that involve surprising, interesting, or amusing contradictions
Definition
irony
Term
words used to suggest the opposite of their usual meaning
Definition
verbal irony
Term
a contradiction between what a character thinks is true and what the audience or reader knows to be true
Definition
dramatic irony
Term
an event contradicting the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience
Definition
situational (or climactic) irony
Term
the perspective, or vantage point, from which a story is told
Definition
point of view
Term
the point of view in which the narrator is a character in the story and refers to himself or herself with first person pronouns (I, me, my, myself)
Definition
first person point of view
Term
the point of view in which a person outside of the story is telling the story
Definition
third person point of view
Term
the point of view in which the narrator knows and tells about what each character thinks and feels
Definition
omniscient (pronounced om-nish-ent) third person point of view
Term
the point of view in which the narrator relates the inner thoughts and feelings of only one character, and everything is viewed from that character's perspective
Definition
limited third person (or limited omniscient) point of view
Term
the point of view in which the writer is a third person spectator who describes the action but does not tell what any characters think or feel
Definition
objective third person point of view
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