Literary Terms 1
What is a Protagonist?
The leading character or a major character in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text
What is an antagonist?
A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something
What is irony?
the contrast between what is and what should be
What is personification?
inanimate objects take on human characteristics
What is the difference between a metaphor and a simile?
metaphor: comparing two unlike things
simile: comparing two unlike things using "like" or "as"
What is imagery?
the picture that forms in the reader’s mind as they read
What is a narrator?
the person telling the story
Define "plot" and give an example from a book you read in 7th grade
Answers vary
Define "parody"
a humorous imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing
What is an inference?
a conclusion drawn by the reader based on available information
What is a Fable?
a brief story, usually with animal characters, that teaches a lesson or a moral.
Describe the difference between a biography and an autobiography
biography: a form of non-fiction in which a writer tells the life story of another person
autobiography: the biography of oneself narrated by oneself
Explain foreshadowing
the use of clues by the author to prepare readers and build suspense by providing hints of what is to come
Define a flashback
an interruption in the chronological narrative that tells about something in detail as it occurred that happened before that point in the story or before the story began
What does it mean when something is universal?
relating equally to everyone
What is free-verse poetry?
poetry that has irregular lines and may or may not rhyme.
What is a static character?
a character who does not undergo a change over the course of a story
What is "motivation" and give a specific example from a story you read?
a reason that explains or partially explains a character’s thoughts, feelings, actions, or speech.
What is an oxymoron?
combining two things that do not go together
an exaggeration that's not meant to be taken literally
What is Internal Characterization?
the characteristics one cannot see, things like personality
What is Allusion?
making a reference to literature, art, history, or pop culture
What is the Exposition?
contains the characters and setting
What are the four types of conflict?
1. man vs. man
2. man vs. nature
3. man vs. society
4. man vs. self
What is a cliffhanger?
a story that doesn’t have a true ending, but leaves the reader waiting for more