Lit Terms I
When and where a story takes place; the world of a story.
Setting
The emotions/vibes of a story; how an author wants you to feel as you read.
Mood
A comparison using like or as
Simile
The young hiker was apprehensive about the steep climb; she felt nervous and unsure if she could make it to the top.
What does the word apprehensive mean?
nervous/unsure
What rhetorical appeal is being used?
"As a doctor with 20 years of experience in cardiac health, I can tell you that this supplement is the safest choice for your heart."
ethos
The lesson or message of a story.
Theme
The REASON an author writes a text is also called an author's __________
purpose
A direct comparison that does NOT use like or as.
Metaphor
Because the soil was so arid, the crops withered and died from the lack of water.
Based on context, what does the word arid mean?
extremely dry/lack of water
What rhetorical appeal being used?
"Don’t let another night go by knowing these puppies are shivering in the cold, waiting for a home that might never come."
pathos
The repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of several words in a row is called this...
"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers"
Alliteration
Stories have a ______ but to write a theme statement, you need to explain what the author wants you to know about that ______.
Topic or subject
Giving human qualities to something non-human.
Personification
Even though the first half of the movie was interminable, the second half flew by so quickly I didn't even notice the time.
What does the word interminable mean based on context?
extremely long / neverending
What rhetorical appeal is being used?
The company’s revenue has grown by 25% every year for the last decade, proving that our current business model is sustainable."
logos
What a text is mostly about; the main point of a text.
Central idea (main idea)
If the narrator is a character in the story, and refers to themselves as "I," you are reading a ______ narrative
first person POV
When an author uses descriptive language to put an image into you mind.
Imagery
The king was known for being malevolent; he was a truly spiteful and wicked ruler who enjoyed the suffering of others.
What does the word malevolent mean based on context?
mean/ wicked
What rhetorical strategy uses repetition at the beginning of successive clauses?
"We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets."
anaphora
An author's attitude towards a subject.
Tone
The feeling or associations that a word gives is called the connotation. The actual definition is also known as this.
Denotation
In a story, a placid (still or calm) lake might represent peacefulness, a fire might represent conflict or destruction, or a falling leaf might represent decay, or the ending of something.
Authors use ________ in stories to represent larger ideas.
Hint: The earliest written languages used these to communicate words and ideas.
Symbolism / Symbols
Unlike his gregarious sister who loves being the center of attention at parties, Arthur is quite shy and prefers to stay home alone.
What does the word gregarious mean based on context?
sociable or fond of company.
In her famous speech, Sojourner Truth asks, “And ain’t I a woman?”
What rhetorical strategy is being used here?
rhetorical question