Column 1
the author's, narrator's, or speaker's attitude toward a subject. Often shaped by the diction (word choice) of the narration
Tone
a character who during the course of a work undergoes a permanent change in some distinguishing moral qualities or personal traits or outlook
Dynamic character
the central, universal idea, message, or deep insight about life that an author explores through a story
a literary device where a writer gives hints or clues about what will happen later
Foreshadowing
Can often be answered by asking yourself: “What does the author want me to know about the topic of…?”
Theme
the overall feeling or emotional atmosphere that a piece of writing creates in the reader
Mood
a physical object, person, situation, or color represents a larger, more abstract idea
Symbol
a recognizable pattern, theme, device, or character type that appears repeatedly across different works of literature and genres
Trope
used when the author weaves two or more plot lines together in the same story. Often, the events mirror each other in some way or are linked by a common theme
Parallel plot
a character who is the same sort of person at the end of a work as at the beginning
Static character
a literary device where an author reveals a character's personality, values, or motives without the narrator stating them explicitly. The reader must infer what they know from the character's dialogue, actions, or how other characters interact with them
Indirect characterization
a concise, one- or two-sentence summary that states the main claim, argument, or position of an essay
Thesis
Literary term for author's word choice
Diction
a literary device where the narrator directly states a character's personality, values, or motives
Direct characterization
A strong thesis statement includes the following three things:
1) summarizes your paper's main point 2) makes a claim 3) outlines supporting evidence