Literary Terms
Language that appeals to the senses
What is imagery?
A character struggles against another character
What is human vs. human?
The beginning of a story where characters and setting are introduced
What is exposition?
A character’s actions can reveal this
What are traits/personality?
This story takes place during a war in a city at night
What is “The Sniper”?
The message or lesson about life in a story
What is theme?
A character struggles with their own thoughts or decisions
What is human vs. self?
The most intense moment or turning point
What is climax?
Helping someone without being told shows this kind of characterization
What is indirect characterization?
This story focuses on a barber making a difficult moral decision
What is “Just Lather, That’s All”?
When the author tells you directly what a character is like
What is direct characterization?
A character struggles against rules or expectations of society
What is human vs. society?
Events that build tension leading to the climax
What is rising action?
If a character hesitates before making a decision, this may suggest what?
What is internal conflict/uncertainty?
This story includes a surprising and violent twist at the end
What is “War”?
When you figure something out using clues from the text
What is an inference?
A character struggles against nature or surroundings
What is human vs. environment?
Events that occur after the climax
What is falling action?
Readers use clues to understand what a character is thinking. This skill is called:
What is inference?
This story explores how a person’s identity is more complex than it first appears
What is “The Michelle I Know”?
A difference between what is expected and what actually happens
What is irony?
This type of conflict is central to the barber’s dilemma
What is human vs. self?
The ending of a story that can change how the reader understands everything before it
What is the resolution?
Why authors might show traits instead of telling them directly
What is to make characters more realistic/engaging?
This story’s ending forces the reader to rethink what just happened
What is “War” or “The Sniper”?