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A reference to a famous person, place, event, or work of literature. An author will suggest or allude to something outside the piece of literature to help the reader understand. For example: Adam chased the Indy 500 lizards. In that allusion, the author wants his reader to understand that the lizards are quick and tricky to catch. |
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A point-by-point comparison between two things that are alike in some respect. Often, writers use analogies in nonfiction to explain unfamiliar subjects or ideas in terms of familiar ones. For example: Hot is to cold as big is to little OR
Student is to class as cow is to herd OR Narrow is to wide as tall is to short OR Warm: Hot:: Cool:Cold The key to understanding analogies is looking at how the words are related. In the first example, hot and cold are opposites. How are big and little related? -- AHA also opposites. In the second example, student is a part of class just as cow is a part of herd. Again, you'll have the key when you see the relationship. The third example is about opposites and the last example is about degree of something.
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Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. Note the repetition of the s sound in these lines: Say to them, say to the down-keepers, the sun-slappers, the self-soilers, —Gwendolyn Brooks, “Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward” |
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The force working against the main character, in a story, play, or novel. He/she/it is usually another character but can be a force of nature, society itself, or an internal force within the main character. |
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A writer usually writes for one or more of these goals: to express thoughts or feelings, to inform or explain, to persuade, and to entertain. |
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The Four Types of Characters |
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Main, minor, dynamic and static |
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These characters are the most important characters in literary works. Generally, the plot of a short story focuses on one _____character, but a novel may have several ____ characters. |
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The less important characters in a literary work are known as _____ characters. The story is not centered on them, but they help carry out the action of the story and help the reader learn more about the main character. |
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This type of character is one who undergoes important changes as a plot unfolds. The changes occur because of the character’s actions and experiences in the story. The changes are usually internal and may be good or bad. These are usually, though not always, main characters. |
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This type of character is one who remains the same throughout a story. The character may experience events and have interactions with other characters, but he or she is not changed because of them. |
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The qualities shown by a character. These may be physical (brown eyes) or expressions of personality (shyness). Writers reveal these qualities of their characters through methods of characterization. Sometimes writers directly state them, but more often readers need to infer these qualities from a character’s words, actions, thoughts, appearance, and relationships. Examples of words that describe traits include courageous, humble, generous, and wild. |
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This stage is the point of greatest interest in a story or play. It usually occurs toward the end of a story, after the reader has understood the conflict and become emotionally involved with the characters. At this point, the conflict is resolved and the outcome of the plot usually becomes clear. |
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This is a struggle between opposing forces. Almost every story has a main ______—one that is the story’s focus. If it is external, it involves a character who struggles against a force outside him- or herself, such as nature, a physical obstacle, or another character. If it is internal, then it is one that occurs within a character. If it is cultural, it is a struggle that arises because of differing values, customs, or circumstances between groups of people. |
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