Literary Terms-A
When two or more words in a group of words begin with the same sound. For example: Fred's frozen french fries.
What is alliteration?
A scene in a story that occurred before the present time in the story. _________ provide background information about events happening during the current narration. They may be presented as memories, dreams, or stories of the past told by characters.
What is flashback?
Clues or hints about something that is going to happen later in the story. Authors use ________ to build suspense and to prepare the reader for what happens later.
What is foreshadowing?
The comparison of two unlike things to illuminate a particular quality or aspect of one of those things. For example, "Karen was a ray of sunshine."
What is metaphor?
The use of words whose sounds imitate the sounds of what they describe, such as hiss, murmur, growl, honk, buzz, woof, etc.
What is onomatopoeia?
The opponent or enemy of the main character, or protagonist.
What is antagonist?
An expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words. For example, "It's raining cats and dogs."
What is idiom?
Extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect; an extravagant statement that is not meant to be taken literally.
What is hyperbole?
Language that portrays sensory experiences, or experiences of the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Authors use _________ to describe actions, characters, objects, and ideas, and to heighten the emotional effect of their writing.
What is imagery?
Describing nonhuman animals, objects, or ideas as though they possess human qualities or emotions. For example: "The moon smiled down on her," "I felt the cold hand of death on my shoulder," "There is a battle being fought in my garden between the flower and the weeds."
What is personification?
When a line runs on to the next line without a mark of punctuation; often tugs at the meaning and creates tension
What is enjambment?
The environment in which a story takes place, including timer period, the location, and the physical characteristics of the surroundings.
What is setting?
The main or central character of a work of literature.
What is protagonist?
When two unlike things are compared- using like or as- in order to illuminate a particular quality or aspect of one of those things. For example, "Randy's voice is like melted chocolate."
What is simile?
The author shows the reader or audience member what the character is like through (1) how the character looks (2) what the character does (3) what the character says (4) what the character thinks and (5) how the character affects other characters.
What is indirect characterization?
The repetition of vowel sounds in a piece of poetry. It is often used to slow down the pace of the piece.
What is assonance?
a reference in a literary work to something well known outside of the work, such as previous literature, popular culture, or history
What is allusion?
What is stage direction?
The placement of two opposing ideas, characters, or objects nearly side by side for a heightened effect
What is juxtaposition?
A character who undergoes a significant internal change over the course of a story.This may change in understanding, values, insight, etc.
What is dynamic character?
An object, setting, event, animal, or person that on one level is itself, but that has another meaning as well. For example, in a story or play, rain could represent sadness or leaving the past behind.
What is symbol?
The author's attitude toward the subject matter or toward the reader or audience. _______ is conveyed through the author's word choices and the details that he or she includes.
What is tone?
The feeling the reader gets from a work of literature. It's the atmosphere that makes you feel a certain way when you "walk into" a story. For example: creepy, calm, romantic, sad, or tense.
What is mood?
Words spoken to the audience by a character in a drama that are not supposed to be heard by the other characters on stage. An ______ is usually used to let the audience know what a character is thinking.
What is aside?
Where the narrator is a character in the story who describes things from his or her own perspective and refers to himself or herself as "I."
What is first-person point of view?
When something happens that is the reverse of what you expected.
What is situational irony?
A poem that does not have a pattern of line and meter. Anything goes!
What is free verse?
When the reader or audience member is aware of something that the characters are not aware of
What is dramatic irony?
Where the narrator is not a character in the story but the narrator can describe the experiences and thoughts of only one character in the story.
What is third-person limited point of view?
Where the narrator is not one of the characters and is able to describe the experiences and thoughts of every character in the story.
What is third-person omniscient point of view?