Literary Elements
This is the main character in a story.
What is the protagonist?
Statement: The prefix “un-” means this.
What is not?
Words that have the same ending sounds, like “cat” and “hat,” create this.
What is rhyme?
This is the lesson or message of a story.
What is theme?
When an author uses strong descriptive words to help readers see, hear, or feel something, they are using this.
What is descriptive language?
This is the problem or struggle in a story.
What is the conflict?
“Mono” means this number.
What is one?
The repetition of beginning consonant sounds in words like “wild winds” is called this.
What is alliteration?
In many stories, a common theme is that hard work leads to this.
What is success?
The feeling a reader gets from a story is called this.
What is mood?
This type of conflict happens when a character struggles with their own thoughts or feelings.
What is internal conflict?
The root “scrib-” means this.
What is write?
This poetic element appeals to the five senses.
What is imagery?
The theme is different from the main idea because theme is usually stated as this type of statement.
What is a complete sentence or life lesson?
The author’s attitude toward a subject or character is called this.
What is tone?
This is the turning point in a story where the tension is highest.
What is the climax?
A word spelled the same but pronounced differently, like “lead” (to guide) and “lead” (a metal), is called this.
What is a homograph?
The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem is called this.
What is rhythm (or meter)?
If a story shows a character learning to forgive, the theme might be about this value.
What is forgiveness?
When an author repeats words or phrases to emphasize an idea, this technique is being used.
What is repetition?
This literary element refers to when the reader knows something the characters do not.
What is dramatic irony?
Using the roots “script-” or “scrib-,” this word means “something written by hand.”
What is manuscript?
When a poet gives human qualities to nonhuman things, like “the stars danced,” it is called this.
What is personification?
This is the difference between theme and topic: topic is one word, but theme explains what the author is saying about the topic.
What is that theme expresses a message about the topic?
When an author includes flashbacks to reveal important background information, they are developing this element of the story.
What is plot (or characterization)?