Literary Term Definitions
Literary Term Definitions
Lit Term Examples
Lit Term Examples
Monsters Are Due On Maple Street
100

This is the central idea of a work; the main idea or meaning. 

What is theme?

100

This literary device is used to paint a picture with words so that the writer can visualize a scene, character, or object. 

What is imagery?

100

Questions of science, science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart

What is a simile?

100

You were the light for me to find my truth
I just wanna say, thank you

What is a metaphor?

100

The person who was shot and killed.

Who is Pete Van Horn

200

A feeling the reader takes away with him or her after reading

What is mood?

200

An event near the beginning of the plot that starts the rising action.

What is an inciting incident?

200

The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.

What is diction?

200

These are all examples of what term?

Krispy Kreme

LifeLock

Lulu Lemon

What is alliteration?

200

This character admits to having insomnia (a sleep disorder). 

Who is Les Goodman?

300
______ refers to the literal dictionary definition of a word.

What is denotation?

300

This is when the character of a story has a conflict with an outside force. 

What is external conflict?

300



What is juxtaposition?

300

An example of this literary device is...This game is killing me.

What is a hyperbole?

300

In the beginning of Monsters are Due on Maple Street the mood that is created is...

What is (something along the lines of) calm, friendly, etc?

400

____ is the emotional meaning of a word. 

What is connotation?

400
This type of irony occurs when someone says the opposite of what they mean. 

What is verbal irony?

400

A fire station burns down is known as what kind of irony?

What is situational?

400

Your friend walks past you without smiling. Her head is hanging down. She wipes a tear away from her eye, and looks at her report card. You can ______ that your friend did not have good grades on her report card.

What is an inference or infer?
400

This character tries to talk sense into the mob and get them to calm down?

Who is Steve?

500

When someone expects one thing to happen, but something completely different happens. 

What is situational irony?

500

_____ is when the audience is aware of something in the text, but the characters are not.

What is dramatic irony?

500

Words such are “y'all” or “gonna” or “wanna”

What is an colloquialism?

500

In Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, we know that the old woman bringing the apple is the wicked queen who wants to kill Snow White, but she does not. What type of irony is this?

What is dramatic irony?

500

When Charlie shoots Pete Van Horn this is known as what on the plot diagram?

What is the climax?