Literary Definitions
The message in a piece of literary work.
What is the theme?
A form of figurative language in which something that is not human is given human characteristics.
What is Personification?
A character who does not change throughout the course of the story.
What is a Static Character?
A figure of speech that makes a comparison using "like" or "as."
What is Simile?
A character who has one notable personality trait and is not complicated.
What is a Flat Character?
Setting, characters, & background information
What is exposition?
What are the 6 parts of the plot diagram in order?
What is exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution?
A literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story.
What is Foreshadowing?
One who develops and grows throughout the course of a story.
What is a Dynamic Character?
An exaggeration.
What is Hyperbole?
This narration uses pronouns such as; I, me, and my.
What is first-person point of view?
Turning point of the story; highest tension in a story.
What is climax?
A figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other than its literal meaning.
What is Symbolism?
The author’s use of developing a character through speech, thoughts, emotions, actions, and looks.
What is Indirect Characterization?
The author’s use of developing a character by providing physical and personality traits of an individual in the story.
What is Direct Characterization?
Visually descriptive or figurative language that sets a scene or tells us more about a character. Appeals to our five senses.
What is imagery?
Main characters/force working toward a goal
What is the protagonist?
3+ main events that lead up to the climax; these events MUST OCCUR in order for the climax to happen
What is rising action?
What is a restricted view of events, only knows the thoughts/feelings of one character,
and doesn't "know" the whole story. All characters are described using pronouns, such as 'they', 'he', and 'she'.
What is Third Person Limited?
A character who has a complex personality; he or she is often portrayed as a conflicted and contradictory person.
What is a Round Character?
A figure of speech that makes an implicit, implied, or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated, but which share some common characteristics.
What is Metaphor?
The writer or speaker refers either directly or indirectly to a person, event, or thing in history or to a work of art or literature.
What is Allusion?
Main characters/force opposing the protagonist
What is the antagonist?
Clarification or outcome of the story.
What is resolution?
A character that shows qualities that are in contrast with the qualities of another (main) character with the objective to highlight the traits of the other (main) character?
What is Foil?
A character who contradicts themselves.
What is an oxymoronic character?
Creates tension in the story, making readers more interested by leaving them uncertain which of the characters or forces will prevail.
What is conflict?
A story in which characters, settings and actions stand for something beyond themselves.
What is an allegory?
List four types of conflict.
Character vs. self
Character vs. character
Character vs. society
Character vs. nature
Point in story that disrupts exposition and hooks the reader into the story; usually a problem/conflict is introduced
What is inciting incident?