Figurative Language
What type of comparison uses the words “like” or “as”?
Simile
“Silly snakes slither slowly” repeats the same beginning consonant sound. What is this called?
Alliteration
What literary term means the way an author shows what a character is like?
Characterization
What do we call the main character whose goals and struggles are central to a story?
Protagonist
What literary term describes where and when a story takes place?
Setting
What do we call an imagined society where life is unfair, controlled, dangerous, or oppressive?
Dystopia
What do we call a person, animal, or figure who takes part in a story?
Character
What term describes the specific words an author chooses to use?
Diction
What term means a category or type of literature, such as mystery, fantasy, drama, or poetry?
Genre
Citizens secretly protest against an unfair government and refuse to follow its rules. What term describes actions taken to oppose or challenge unfair control?
Rebellion/resistance
What type of comparison says one thing is another without using “like” or “as”?
Metaphor
“Silly snakes slither slowly” repeats the same beginning consonant sound. What is this called?
Onomatopoeia
“Marcus was brave and patient.” What type of characterization is this?
What do we call the character or force that works against the protagonist?
Antagonist
What term describes the perspective from which a story is told, such as first person or third person?
Point of view
What do we call an imagined society that is supposed to be perfect or ideal?
Utopia
What term describes a struggle or problem between opposing characters, forces, or ideas?
Conflict
What is the feeling or atmosphere that a reader gets from a text?
Mood
What is a short story that teaches a lesson or moral and often uses animals as characters?
Fable
A story suddenly takes the reader back to an important event that happened years earlier. What literary device is being used?
Flashback
“The wind whispered through the trees.”
Personification
“It’s raining cats and dogs” is a common phrase whose meaning is different from its literal words. What is it?
Idiom
Instead of saying Marcus is brave, the author shows Marcus stepping in to defend a friend. What type of characterization is this?
Indirect characterization
A character thinks, “Should I tell the truth or protect my friend?” What type of conflict is happening?
Internal conflict
“Courage can help people face difficult situations” is an example of a story’s message or lesson about life. What is this called?
Theme
Everyone dresses the same because being different is discouraged. What term means changing your behavior to match what a group or society expects?
Conformity
What term describes the main events of a story and the order in which they happen?
Plot
What is the author’s or speaker’s attitude toward the subject?
Tone
What traditional type of story explains beliefs, nature, gods, heroes, or how something began?
Myth
This is the voice or person responsible for telling a story. What is it called?
Narrator
“I’ve told you a million times!”
Hyperbole
A character is described as “a real Romeo.” What literary device references a famous person, place, event, story, or work?
Allusion
Brave, selfish, loyal, and curious are examples of words that describe a character’s personality. What are these called?
Character Traits
A character must survive a dangerous storm. What type of conflict occurs between a character and an outside force?
External conflict
A dove represents peace instead of simply being a bird. What literary concept uses an object, person, place, or idea to represent a deeper meaning?
Symbolism
A government takes away a group’s rights and freedoms. What term describes this type of cruel or unfair control?
Oppression
What part of a story introduces important beginning information, including the characters, setting, and situation?
Exposition
A story has a second, deeper meaning about life, society, or morals. What type of story is this?
Allegory
During a play, a character makes a short comment directly to the audience that the other characters do not hear. What is this called?
Aside
After the climax, the story reaches the part where the main conflict is solved or explained. What part of the plot is this?
Resolution
Deafening silence
Oxymoron
An author describes warm, buttery popcorn that smells sweet and salty. What literary device uses sensory details to help readers imagine something?
Allusion
A student studies every night because she wants to pass her test. Her desire to pass explains the reason for her actions. What literary term describes this reason?
Motivation
One character begins selfish but learns to care about others, while another remains loyal from beginning to end. What two character types are represented?
Dynamic Character and Static Character
Dark clouds appear before a dangerous storm later in the story. What literary device gives clues or hints about something that may happen later?
foreshadowing
Posters tell citizens that their government is always right in order to influence what people believe. What is this type of information called?
Propaganda
What do we call the most intense or important turning point in a story?
Climax
A scene or situation could reasonably have more than one meaning or interpretation. What literary term describes this?
Ambiguity
A character is alone on stage and speaks their private thoughts aloud. What type of speech is this?
Soliloquy
Match all three situations to the correct type of irony:
A. The audience knows the villain is hiding in the room, but the character does not.
B. A fire station catches on fire.
C. Someone looks outside at pouring rain and says, “What beautiful weather!”
A. Dramatic Irony
B. Situational Irony
C. Verbal Irony