Literary Terms I
A direct comparison using "like," "as," or "than."
What is "simile"?
Descriptive details; passages that stir emotion by appealing to the senses
What is "imagery"?
A challenge or obstacle a character must face in a narrative; may be internal or external.
What is "conflict"?
The person (or voice) who tells the story to the audience or reader
What is "narrator"?
A one-sided character used as a plot device, sometimes a stereotype
An implied comparison, when one object or idea is expressed as if it were something else.
What is "metaphor"?
Early clues about what will happen later in the narrative.
What is "foreshadowing"?
High point of the story; usually when the conflict is most clear and must come to a conclusion
Someone (usually the protagonist) who tells the story as he or she experienced it (using the pronoun “I”)
What is "1st-person narrator"?
A multi-dimensional character developed with enough complexity to seem real.
What is "round character"?
A type of metaphor that treats things or animals as if they were human.
The repetition of a speech sound in a sequence of nearby words (usually consonant and initial word sounds).
What is "alliteration"?
Involves complications and develops conflict.
What is "rising action"?
A 1st-person narrator unwilling or unable to give an accurate accounting of events.
What is "unreliable narrator"?
A character who remains unchanged over the course of the story.
What is "static character"?
Something that means more than what it is; an object or person used to represent an idea.
What is "symbol"?
A passing reference to another literary work (e.g. The Bible) or known historical event or person.
What is "allusion"?
Introduces main characters, setting, conflict.
What is "exposition"?
A narrator that is outside of the story and knows all about the characters and events (using the pronouns “he” or “she” instead of “I”).
What is "omniscient 3rd-person narrator"?
A character who undergoes some level of change over the course of the story.
What is "dynamic character"?
A long, narrative poem written in dignified, elevated language
What is "epic poem"?
The writer’s attitude toward the subject of the story, expressed as a feeling
What is "tone"?
Offers some comment or insight into the story.
What is "resolution"?
The story is limited to the thoughts and observations of a single character (using the pronouns “he” or “she” instead of “I”).
What is "limited 3rd-person narrator"?
A character that contrasts with the protagonist in ways that bring out certain of his or her emotional, moral, or intellectual qualities.
What is "foil character"?